“Roads and bridges are what connect us. They connect us to our jobs and our schools, to malls, parks and entertainment centers, and to our loved ones both near and far. This Assembly budget understands that our roads and bridges are the lifeblood of our economy and it makes significant investments in how we get around in Central New York.

“To help make much-needed repairs to our roads, the Assembly has included an additional $200 million over four years for the Consolidated Highway Improvement Program (CHIPs), for total funding of $488 million for 2016-17, an increase of $50 million annually above the governor’s proposal.

“The Assembly’s budget also provides $208 million in operating assistance for upstate transit systems such as CENTRO, an increase of $15 million over the governor’s budget proposal.”