November 2024

NEW YORK—After putting congestion pricing on pause back in June, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on Nov. 14 a lower daily congestion pricing fee of $9 to help fund the Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s capital plan and reduce congestion and air pollution in Downtown Manhattan. The governor reduced the fee from the original $15 charge that was to be instituted back in June.

TARRYTOWN, NY—“Our infrastructure needs are never going to end,” New York State Thruway Executive Director Frank Hoare, Jr., told more than 100 construction industry executives at the fall meeting of the CIC-BCA last month at the Sleepy Hollow Hotel here. “We finish one stretch of pavement, we finish one set of bridge—either rehab or complete restructuring them—and we’re on to the next project.”

NEW YORK—The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey released on Nov. 14 the agency’s proposed budget for 2025 of $9.4 billion, which includes $3.6 billion of capital infrastructure investment spanning the redevelopment of the region’s major airports, the replacement of the outdated Midtown Bus Terminal, the top-to-bottom rehabilitation of the George Washington Bridge, the modernization of the roadway network into the seaport’s busiest marine complex, and the two-year initiative to overhaul the PATH commuter rail’s tracks, stations and signals.

WASHINGTON—Voters on Nov. 5 approved 77% of 370 state and local ballot initiatives that are expected to generate $41.4 billion in new and renewed funding for roads, bridges, trails and rails, according to initial results compiled by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association.

CORTLANDT, NY—The Town of Cortlandt, NY notified its residents on Nov. 6 that the Quaker Bridge (42-66 Quaker Bridge Road) in Croton-on-Hudson was “red flagged” by Westchester County and closed to vehicular traffic, effective immediately, due to structural deficiencies.

Unwitnessed accidents can provide a reason to permit contractors to challenge liability, and not just damages, as the case of Injai v Circle F 2243 Jackson (DE), LLC, illustrates.

NEW YORK—The MTA unveiled its 2025-2029 Capital Plan with an aggressive $64 billion of transit-improvement work throughout the MTA’s service area.

NEW YORK – MTA Appoints Crichlow President of NYC Transit. Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chair and CEO Janno Lieber recently named three officials to senior strategic roles, including Demetrius Crichlow as the 12th permanent president of New York City Transit.

TARRYTOWN, NY—Mindful that New Yorkers would probably be switching to EVs faster if drivers knew they have more access to public chargers, New York State Thruway Authority Executive Director Frank Hoare, Jr., told a group of construction industry executives this month that the Thruway already has a reliable network and is prepared to accommodate wider-spread usage of EVs.

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP, NJ—With the strong support of union contractors, organized labor and the construction industry, Dominican University honored four generations of the Olori family who have played vital roles in the long history of the school’s capital building and fund-raising successes.