Assemblyman Ken Blankenbush (R,C,I-Black River) is calling on Thruway Authority Chairman Bob Megna to release the financial plan for the nearly $4 billion Tappan Zee Bridge project, which could be one of the largest capital projects in state history. On January 29, 2015, during a budget hearing, Megna admitted a financial plan should be put in place. Three-and-a- half months later, and after receiving $1.3 billion, the Thruway Authority still has yet to submit its plan.

“Why is it that a financial plan has yet to be submitted for the Tappan Zee Bridge? It is absurd that the bridge rebuild project was announced shortly after the governor took office, and we still have yet to see the financial specs,” said Blankenbush. “There is no way to determine if things are being done in a fiscally- and ethically-responsible manner if there is no transparency. I urge the Thruway Authority to shed some light on this; otherwise, the public will just have to continue to wonder what is going on.”

The bridge project is financed in part by a $1.6 billion federal loan. There is much speculation, however, about how the project will be financed in the long run. Additionally, the 2015-16 State Budget allotted nearly $1.3 billion to the Thruway Authority, only $750 million of which is being explicitly put toward the bridge.

Blankenbush is concerned about the possibility of system-wide toll increases that would impact upstate residents and businesses. Furthermore, over the past several years, he has been fighting for upstate New York’s fair share of funding to repair crumbling roads and bridges. Often, upstate New York’s needs are ignored in favor of those of downstate, and he said it is upstate taxpayers who foot the bill.

There have been many efforts from elected officials and the media to uncover the financial plan. In 2014, The Journal News filed a Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request for the financial plan, but it was subsequently denied. Blankenbush is calling for the plan to be released immediately.

“A lot of the public’s concern and confusion could probably be quelled by release of the financial plan, so if things are in order, the Thruway Authority has nothing to worry about. Withholding this information raises many questions as to whether or not things are being properly managed or whether there are additional scandals to uncover,” Blankenbush concluded.

Editor’s Note: Video from Megna’s January Testimony:

youtu.be/DIw3PedD2Gc