Assembly Budget Makes $11.3 Billion Investment in Transportation Operating and Infrastructure Across New York State

Speaker Carl Heastie, Transportation Chair William B. Magnarelli, and Corporations, Authorities and Commissions Chair Amy Paulin today announced that the Assembly State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2021-22 Budget will invest $11.3 billion in the state’s transportation network, including a $504 million increase in funding for the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) two-year capital plan and restore $137 million in operating aid for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA). The transportation investments included in the Assembly budget are also investments in our economy that will create jobs for hard working New Yorkers. 

“Every day, millions of New Yorkers rely on public transportation and quality roads and bridges to live their everyday lives,” said Speaker Heastie. “The transportation funding included in the Assembly budget makes critical investments in our economy and provides necessary funding for the MTA and other transportation networks throughout the state that have been hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as infrastructure funding to improve aging roads and bridges.”

“Transportation networks throughout New York, from the downstate subway systems to upstate public transit systems, have been hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Assemblymember Magnarelli. “Our budget makes critical investments in transportation networks and roads and bridges throughout the state, as we look towards recovery from the pandemic.”

“The Assembly budget provides necessary funding for the transportation networks of New York, which have been hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Assemblymember Paulin. “As we look towards recovery, the funding provided in our budget proposal is critical.” 

Mass transit systems throughout the state have continued to struggle throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The Assembly budget includes necessary funding for the MTA as well as other downstate and upstate transit systems. The Assembly restores tax revenues dedicated to transit systems which would provide:

• $137 million for the MTA; 
• $16.7 million to non-MTA downstate transit systems, to provide total funding to non-MTA downstate transit of $346.5 million; and 
• $9.7 million to upstate transit systems to provide total funding to upstate transit systems of $223.6 million. 

The Assembly budget also provides funding to programs that address transportation concerns throughout the state and ensure access to transportation networks that New Yorkers rely on. One of the programs included in the Assembly plan provides $10 million to establish on-demand e-hail pilot programs in small urban and rural communities to improve access to workplaces and address transit deserts. The spending plan also includes $19 million to support the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge Staten Island Resident Discount Program, an increase of $5.2 million to provide an additional 20 cent discount per trip. 

Across the state, communities struggle with aging transportation infrastructure that is in need of upkeep and repairs. The Assembly budget provides funding to maintain the state’s roads, bridges and highways, while making a critical investment in our economy and job creation. These investments include: 

• $503.1 million for the Consolidated Highway Improvement Program (CHIPs), which includes $65 million for extreme weather recovery;
• $45 million for passenger rail projects, an increase of $35 million above the executive proposal, including funding to update previous high-speed passenger rail studies in anticipation of potential new federal funding for Amtrak;
• $37.5 million for freight rail funding, a $20 million increase above the executive proposal;
• $200 million for Bridge NY, a $100 million increase above the executive proposal;
• $200 million for Pave NY, a $100 million increase above the executive proposal; 
• $208.5 million in non-MTA transit capital funding, which reflects a $84 million increase above the executive proposal; 
• $39.7 million for the Marchiselli Program, which provides a local match to federal funds for local highway and bridge capital projects; and
• $100 million for State Route NY, a new grant program to reimburse cities, towns and villages for the cost of local capital projects on N.Y. or U.S. signed State Touring Routes that run through them. 

In addition to the funding provided in the Assembly budget, the proposal also includes language to ensure the DOT provides the Legislature with pavement and bridge condition reports and capital plan project lists. 

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