ELMSFORD, NY—A major coalition led by the Construction Industry Council of Westchester & Hudson Valley and construction trade unions is demanding that state lawmakers allocate more funds for the repair and maintenance of the Hudson Valley’s crumbling and pothole-filled state roadways.

The coalition demanded that funding in this year’s New York State Budget needs to be increased by $400 million for core roads and bridges, and aid to local highway departments needs to increase by $250 million to offset the effects of inflation.

At a press conference to be held at the Teamsters Local 456 Union Hall in Elmsford on Feb. 21, the group will charge that NYSDOT Region 8 has had the worst road and bridge conditions in New York State for over 10 years. It also will note that Region 8 has the most lane miles and the most bridges of any DOT region, yet on average Region 8 ranks third in terms of funding. Region 8 includes 13 cities, 75 villages and 107 towns in Westchester, Ulster, Rockland, Putnam, Orange, Dutchess and Columbia counties.

“We are here today to send a message loud and clear to our lawmakers in Albany. This crisis must be addressed immediately, and it is not a political issue; the disgraceful conditions affect anyone who drives on our state roads. Enough is enough. It’s time for action, not talk,” said CIC Executive Director John Cooney, Jr.

Mr. Cooney in an interview with CONSTRUCTION NEWS noted a recent report that crumbing roads and potholes cost the state’s drivers $8.7 billion—an average of $715 per driver—last year in repairs, fuel and wear and tear. In addition to the wear and tear on cars, the crumbling roads also pose a serious safety risk for drivers who swerve to avoid hitting potholes.

Expected to attend the rally with Mr. Cooney are representatives from Teamsters Local 456, Laborers Local 60, Laborers Local 235, Operating Engineers Local 137, Operating Engineers Local 825, Laborers Local 754, Laborers Local 17 and Carpenters Local 279.

To illustrate how roads in Region 8 have deteriorated over the years, a chart produced by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association will show that in 2002 some 78% of Region 8 roads were in good to excellent condition. By 2021, that number dropped to 44%. Roads in fair to poor condition rose from 22% in 2002 to 56% in 2021.

Operating Engineers Local 137 Business Manager Jeff Loughlin said, “The roads we drive on in the Hudson Valley were designed for Land Rovers, not Moon Rovers. We have too many state and county roads here that are pock-marked with potholes the size of craters resembling a moonscape. We can build big bridges and fix airports. Let’s not forget the roads that people use every day.”

Teamsters Local 456 President Louis Picani, said, “The state’s current proposal does not match our region’s infrastructure needs. The restoration and repair of our roads and bridges directly connects to a strong local and state economy.”

Building & Construction Trades Council Vice President Ed Cooke said, “It’s time for Albany’s ‘free ride’ to end. The transportation system in the Hudson Valley does ‘double duty’ as an overworked tool of mobility for the state. Its complex networks of roadways and bridges serve millions of residents and businesses each day, and it is overused as a pass-through to make efficient commerce in other parts of New York State possible. It’s time for Albany to pay up for decades of underfunding the Hudson Valley system.”

The group has produced a video of deteriorated and dangerous road conditions in Westchester and Putnam counties along State Routes 134, 9, 9A, 6, and 118.

Click here to view CIC Rough Roads video