Federal Infrastructure Law’s Impacts Felt Increasingly Across America

By JOHN JORDAN – December 18, 2023

WASHINGTON—States have committed federal funds to support more than 56,000 eligible transportation improvements in all 50 states during the last two years, spanning nearly every U.S. county, according to a recent review of the latest available federal data conducted by the American Road & Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA).  

The bipartisan infrastructure law signed two years ago provides New York with $13.64 billion to improve its roadway and bridge infrastructure network. The second installment of that five-year commitment is $2.42 billion in FY 2023. Of that total, $1.97 billion in formula funds need to be committed by the end of FY 2023 to new or ongoing projects.

New York has committed $2.24 billion in federal funds for highway and bridge projects as of Sept. 30, 2023. This includes core formula, discretionary, rollover and bridge formula funds, but not eligible transfers. This has supported 1,354 new projects in FY 2023, in addition to 1,071 projects in FY 2022. Reimbursements for work related to these new projects total $762.59 million.

IIJA FUNDING TO TACKLE LONG-TERM TRENDS
The percentage of “Good to Excellent” pavement condition in New York State has dropped 10.8% between 2002 to 2021. The percentage of “Fair to Poor” Surface Conditions by Lane Miles in the Mid-Hudson Region 8 has more than doubled, from 22% to 56% over the same two-decade period.
Source: NYSDOT Pavement Condition and Pavement Data Report

The U.S. Department of Transportation has announced 18 IIJA discretionary project grants in New York that are valued at $619.6 million.

President Joe Biden signed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) into law Nov. 15, 2021. To mark the anniversary, ARTBA released the following data points that highlight the scope and impacts of the law across the country:

Nearly $100 billion in new project commitments.

  • 168 projects receiving more than $100 million in federal support.
  • 96% of counties have at least one project.
  • State Departments of Transportation (DOT) are increasing capital spending by 13%.
  • Nearly $8 billion in road and bridge-related discretionary grant improvements announced by U.S. DOT.
  • The value of state and local highway and bridge contracts awards was up a record-level 26% in 2022.
  • In 2023, the value of awards is up in 35 states compared to 2022, increasing a total of 12%.
  • Average highway construction employment in 2023 is up 8%.
  • 24% of funds spent on new construction or added capacity.

New York City Comptroller Brand Lander in a report issued on Dec. 1 on the city’s infrastructure financing and noted, “New York State and New York City are set to receive at least $36 billion and $1.58 billion, respectively, in funds dedicated to transportation uses. A significant amount of the state’s funding will go to large transit projects: $6.88 billion to the Gateway Development Commission for the Hudson Tunnel Project and $2.5 billion to the MTA to extend the Second Avenue Subway to 125th Street in Harlem. But more than $3.5 billion will go to highway projects, including more than $1 billion of state-led highway expansion projects in the five boroughs.”

In a report released earlier this year entitled “Shifting Gears,” Comptroller Lander noted that transit projects make up the largest share of IIJA spending in New York. A total of 58%, or $21 billion of the $36 billion transportation funds that New York State is set to receive from the IIJA, is dedicated to transit.”

Mr. Lander continued, “New York is the only state in the country to receive more federal funds for transit than roadways. Two large projects in New York City account for roughly half of state transit funds. The Federal Transit Administration awarded a $6.88-billion competitive grant to the Gateway Development Commission for the Hudson Tunnel Project, the single largest grant awarded to any entity out of the IIJA, or any federal program. The MTA also received a $3.4 billion competitive grant to extend the Second Avenue Subway to 125th Street in Harlem, $2.5 billion of which will come from IIJA funds.”

He said most of the remaining 42% of statewide IIJA funding is dedicated to formula-funded highway projects. Of the $14.5 billion that New York State is set to receive for roads, bridges, and other roadway-related projects, 95% ($13.79 billion) is from the highway formula program and 5% ($703.8 million) is from competitive highway-related grants. Highway formula funding is also the largest source of funding awarded directly to the City of New York, making up 81% of the City’s IIJA funds. In addition to the highway formula funding directly allocated to the city, the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) will spend an additional $2.2 billion of highway formula funding on projects in the five boroughs.

New York State is the 13th highest state for share structurally deficient (9.0%) and 7th for number of deficient bridges (1,578).
Source: NYSDOT Pavement Condition and Pavement Data Report

Among the report’s key findings was that “New York State is spending roughly half of its NYC-based highway formula funds on projects that expand highways, with little attention to emissions reduction or improving safety, in contradiction to both city- and state-level public policy. By contrast, the city has programmed its highway formula funds for projects with active transportation and sustainability goals.”

U.S. Department of Transportation Discretionary Grant Awards

The following are some of the discretionary grant awards listed for New York State that are IIJA-funded highway and bridge projects. The funds have been awarded, but states may or may not have obligated them to-date, ARTBA noted on its website.

  • The National Railroad Passenger Corporation —Amtrak, Mega Grant, Hudson Yards Concrete Casing—Section 3, $292.2 million.
  • City of New York, Hunts Point Terminal Produce Market Intermodal Facility, INFRA 2022 Grant, $110.0 million.
  • New York State DOT, NYS Route 33 (Kensington Expressway) Project, Reconnecting Communities Capital Grants, $55.6 million.
  • New York City Housing Authority, Safe Access For Electric Micromobility (Safemicromobility), RAISE 2023 Grant, $25 million.
  • City Of Kingston, Kingston Weaving, the Waterfront Transportation Project, RAISE 2023 Grant, $21.8 million.
  • New York Small Grant-Restoring the Castleton-on-Hudson Bridge, Bridge Investment Program 2022, $21.0 million.
  • New York City Department of Small Business Services, Broadway Junction Streetscapes Improvement Project, RAISE 2023 Grant, $20.0 million.

IIJA Funds to Fuel New Area Projects

TARRYTOWN, NY—The following are some of the largest federal aid highway and bridge projects that moved forward in FY 2022 and year to date in FY 2023 using IIJA and other federal formula funds. In addition to these projects, states obligated funds towards eligible projects already underway and for projects approved with advanced construction funding, neither of which are included in this list published on ARTBA’s “Highway Dashboard.”

  • Installation of Four New Bridges Over I-81, Syracuse, $292.6 million; Formula Funds, Fiscal Year 2023.
  • Van Wyck Expressway Capacity & Access Improvements to and from JFK International Airport, Phase 3 (Queens Blvd to JFK), Queens, NY, $211.6 million, Formula Funds, Fiscal Year 2022.
  • Replacement of Bronx River Parkway Bridge over Amtrak/CSX with Safety and Mobility Improvements Between E 177th Street and East Tremont Ave. in the Bronx County, $87.43 million, Formula Funds, Fiscal Year, 2023.
  • Gowanus Expressway (I-278) Viaduct Painting and Steel Repairs to Prolong the Useful Life, Kings County, $69 million, Formula Funds, Fiscal Year 2022.
  • Construct an Auxiliary Lane (0.94 Miles) on the Eastbound I-495 Long Island Expressway Between the Exit Ramp to Clearview Expressway and the Exit Ramp to Springfield Blvd to Address Congestion Due to High Volume of Truck Traffic, Queens County, $50.5 million, Formula Funds, Fiscal Year 2022.
  • Bruckner Expressway (I-278) Overpass Rehabilitation at Rosedale Ave in the Bronx County to Repair Deteriorated Bridge Elements to Assure Continued Safe Operations & A Possible Full Superstructure Replacement, $46.40 million, Formula Funds, Fiscal Year 2023.
  • Pavement Resurfacing, I-495 from Motor Parkway LIE Exit 55 to NY112 Exit 64 to Maintain the State of Good Repair in the Town of Islip and Brookhaven, Suffolk County, $43.4 million, Formula Funds, Fiscal Year 2022.
  • Implement Operational Support to Traffic Management Center Facility for Computerized Signalization of the Five Boroughs in New York City for the Fiscal Year 2024, $40.09 million, Formula Funds, Fiscal Year 2023.
  • Implement Operational Support to Traffic Management Center Facility for Computerized Signalization of the Five Boroughs in New York City for Fiscal Year 2022, $38.57 million, Formula Funds, Fiscal Year 2023.
  • Hunts Point Interstate Access Improvement Project, Contract 3, Bronx County, $37.17 million, Formula Funds, Fiscal Year 2023.
  • Rehabilitation of Two Bridges on the Van Wyck Expressway (I-678)/Long Island Expressway Interchange (I-495) in Queens to Extend Service Life of Structures, $31 million, Formula Funds, Fiscal Year 2022.
  • Biennial Consultant Bridge Inspections: Regions 1-9 and East River Bridges from 1/1/2022 Through 12/31/2025, $30.5 million, Formula Funds, Fiscal Year 2022.
  • Replacement of 138th St. Bridge over Major Deegan Expwy in the Bronx, $25.86 million, Formula Funds, Fiscal Year 2022.
  • Reconstructing the Rte. 17, Exit 105 Interchange to Bring It Up to Current Standards For Freight Movement and Improve Safety Related Deficiencies. Improvements Will Also Be Made to RT 42 to Correct Sidewalk Deficiencies, Provide Pedestrian Access Where Missing, Make Pedestrian Facilities Ada Compliant, and Provide Appropriate Facilities for Bicyclists. Village of Monticello, Town of Thompson, Sullivan County, $22.25 million, Formula Funds, Fiscal Year, 2023.
  • Annual Bridge Safety Assurance Program and State Forces Bridge Inspections (FY 2023 10/1/2022-9/30/2023, $21.77 million, Formula Funds, Fiscal Year 2023.
  • Biennial Consultant Bridge Inspections: Regions 1-9 and East River Bridges from 1/1/2022 Through 12/31/2025, $20.56 million, Formula Funds, Fiscal Year 2023.
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