Calls for Fairness in Maintaining Upstate Infrastructure
ALBANY – Assemblyman Joe Sempolinski is calling out Gov. Hochul for increasing aid for New York City roads and bridges while keeping funding for upstate roads and bridges flat.
In her executive budget, Gov. Hochul increased aid for the New York City Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) by $340 million, but she included no increase in funding for upstate road and bridge maintenance.
“This is a matter of fairness and equity. The governor kept transportation aid for upstate the same as last year while increasing aid to the MTA. Upstate New York deserves its fair share,” Assemblyman Sempolinski said. “I’m calling on Gov. Hochul to add $250 million to the budget to make sure our local and county highway crews have the resources they need to maintain our roads and bridges.”
This week, Assemblyman Sempolinski met with highway superintendents from across the 148th District to talk about the need for additional state support for road maintenance in Allegany, Cattaraugus and Steuben counties.
“The bottom line is that every dollar invested in local roads by Albany is a dollar saved by local taxpayers,” Assemblyman Sempolinski said.
Assemblyman Sempolinski joined nearly 70 of his Assembly and state Senate Republican colleagues in calling on Gov. Hochul and the Democrat leaders of the legislature to add an additional $250 million to the 2026-27 state budget for the Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS). The additional funding would raise the CHIPS base aid to $898.1 million.
“This money is needed to address rising construction costs and to offset the impact inflation is having on local highway departments,” Assembly Sempolinski said. “Local roads make up 87 percent of New York’s roadways and town and county highway departments are responsible for maintaining those local roads. I’m fighting to make sure they have the resources they need to do that work.”
It’s estimated that every $1 invested in the CHIPS program to support local road, bridge and culvert maintenance can save up to $6 to $14 in long-term rehabilitation costs and help ease the burden on local property taxpayers.
A 2023 study of local highway and bridge needs by the New York State Association of Town Superintendents of Highways (NYSAOTSOH) found that municipalities would need an additional $32 billion over 15 years to restore locally-owned roads through repaving and improvements, or $2.1 billion annually. In 2025, that need was updated to $2.69 billion a year, or $40.35 billion over 15 years, because of unprecedented inflation of construction materials costs.
“Local roads matter. They matter for public safety, economic development and quality of life,” Assemblyman Sempolinski said. “Investing in our roads and bridges is an investment in the future.”
Assemblyman Joe Sempolinski represents the 148th New York Assembly District, which consists of all of Cattaraugus and Allegany counties and portions of Steuben County. For more information, visit Assemblyman Sempolinski’s website.
