36 LONGISLANDPRESS.COM • JANUARY 2022
New York State Must Continue
to Fund Infrastructure
The historic, once-in-a-generation
bipartisan infrastructure
bill will fundamentally change
New York. It will bring close to
$30 billion to potential infrastructure
funding. The bill is
poised to create 1.5 million jobs
each year for the next decade.
Furthermore, it provides $13.7
billion in critical highway funding,
$1.9 billion for our dilapidated
bridges, and our transportation
systems will be upgraded
by nearly $10 billion.
These are funds that New Yorkers
have drastically needed for
decades. While everyone, myself
included, is celebrating this win
from Washington, the fact of the
matter is that New York State
still needs to fund its fair share.
The unfortunate reality is that
New York’s infrastructure problems
have been left weakened for
too long. The difficulties in our
bridges, roads, water systems,
and more are so dire that even
this historic bill will not cover
everything needed to secure our
infrastructure for the future
safely.
While Biden’s “Infrastructure
Investment and Jobs Act” sent
critical federal funds to New
York, we can’t rest on our laurels.
New York state must continue
to commit to funding infrastructure
investments both now
and for the future. The bottom
line is this; we can’t solely rely
on Washington to fund our most
critical infrastructure projects.
So far, Governor Hochul seems
to understand this. Just this
month, she announced $115 million
to help local governments
fund critical water infrastructure
investments across the
state. Of the funds, more than
$33 million has been allocated
to 13 drinking water projects in
Nassau and Suffolk counties.
“Every New Yorker deserves access
to clean water,” said Governor
Hochul.
She is right, and there is much
more to be done. However, this is
just one of many issues that we,
New York State, must take care
of on our own. While this project
was funded by grants announced
during Climate Week, I implore
lawmakers to keep their eyes
on what’s important. That is ensuring
that future budgets and
capital plans fully fund the infrastructure
needs of New York,
and therefore, Long Island.
On Long Island alone, we have
several critical projects that
will need additional funding
from the state in the new
year. Projects include a new
LIRR station at Brookhaven
National Laboratories, electrifying
the LIRR Port Jefferson
Branch, accelerating
critical road projects sich as
the Route 347 reconstruction
project, and beginning a critical
environmental study to fix
the Oakdale Merge.
As previously stated, Biden’s
infrastructure bill was once in
a generation. Since that is true,
we cannot count on that alone to
fund the future of New York. We
have endured weakened bridges,
dangerous roads, ill-fated highways
congested with traffic on
Long Island and across New York
for too long. Now is the time to
plan, look ahead, and make sure
New York fully funds its future,
regardless of what’s happening
in Washington. Otherwise, we
will continue suffering from the
Long Island Expressway potholes,
parkway system flooding,
Oakdale Merge, and Sagtikos
Parkway congestion, and other
travel nightmares.
So please, this Holidays season,
all New Yorkers want under
their tree is a fully-funded budget
that addresses infrastructure
involvement. Hopefully, it
will fit down the chimney.
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