“The MTA provides vital transport links in and around the New York City area and into Long Island. With 2.7 billion people riding on its railroads, buses and subways, MTA ridership is currently at an all-time high.^[1] Currently, the LIRR is limited by track capacity. As it stands, millions of people are held back by a system of transportation designed and virtually unchanged from 50 years ago.

That’s why we must continue to make investments in the MTA’s infrastructure. This year’s Assembly budget proposal reflects that commitment by including $7.3 billion to help fund the MTA’s $29 billion multi-year capital plan. Furthermore, the Assembly budget also includes $308.5 million in operating assistance for non-MTA downstate transit systems, an increase of $5 million over the governor’s budget proposal.

In addition to public transportation, the Assembly budget includes an additional $200 million over four years for the Consolidated Highway Improvement Program (CHIPs) to help make needed repairs to our roads, for total funding of $488 million for 2016-17. This is an increase of $50 million annually above the governor’s proposal.

In order to support our families, we need to have the best transportation infrastructure we can in order to get to and from work, whether it’s by public transit or driving. Investing in transportation and infrastructure ensures our airports, roads and bridges remain as safe as possible and helps spur economic growth.”

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