“New York is already feeling the effects of climate change with ever-more frequent severe weather events that just this year have washed out several key bridges and roadways in our state,” Hochul said. “The investments we are making through the BRIDGE NY program will help local governments enhance the safety, resiliency, sustainability, and reliability of their infrastructure, increasing the ability of our bridges to withstand extreme weather events and keep New Yorkers on the move.”
This announcement builds upon the approximately $1.2 billion that has previously been provided to local governments under the BRIDGE NY initiative over the past several years. As part of the state’s historic $32.8 billion capital plan adopted last year, an additional $1 billion was committed to BRIDGE NY, effectively doubling the size of the program. The latest round of investments under the program will be made in the coming months as NYSDOT works through the local planning process with Regional and Metropolitan Planning Organizations. This funding will support all phases of project delivery, including design, right-of-way acquisition, and construction.
“Governor Hochul is making critically important investments in infrastructure that will strengthen our local communities and help us combat the devastating impacts of climate change," NYSDOT Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said. "By helping local governments strengthen their bridges and culverts, we can make roadways more resilient and ready to withstand whatever Mother Nature brings — especially extreme weather events.”