Local and regional officials gathered at the Town of Canandaigua Highway Facility this week as Highway Superintendent Jim Fletcher led a rally urging stronger state investment in New York’s local roads and bridges.
Fletcher said local highway departments are responsible for maintaining the vast majority of the state’s infrastructure, but often lack access to major federal funding sources.
According to organizers, local crews maintain 87 percent of New York’s roads, while the estimated statewide need for pavement and bridge repairs tops $100 billion.
The rally focused on several funding priorities, including a $250 million increase to the state’s Consolidated Highway Improvement Program, known as CHIPS, and continued support for programs such as BRIDGE-NY, PAVE-NY, the Pothole and Operations Program, and Extreme Winter Recovery. Officials also called for funding levels that keep pace with inflation and rising material costs.
Photo: Town of Canandaigua (Facebook)
“We’re responsible for the roads residents travel every day,” Fletcher said. “We’re committed to maintaining them safely and efficiently, but funding must reflect the real costs of doing the work.”
Among those attending were Andrea Bailey, Brian Manktelow, representatives from the office of Pam Helming, representatives from the office of Jeff Gallahan, David Cirencione, members of the Ontario County Highway Department, and highway superintendents from across the region.
Organizers said the event was part of a broader push to ensure stable, long-term funding for the local infrastructure that residents rely on every day.
