Highway
and Bridge Funding
2008-09 Executive Budget proposes $303.1
million for CHIPS and $39.7 million for Marchiselli.
Towns (statewide) lose $3,561,052.23 for a reduction of 4.32% from the 2007-08
state budget.
For more information on CHIPS and Marchiselli go to
https://www.nysdot.gov/portal/page/portal/programs/chips/apportionment
Apportionment Formula questions can be
answered by the NYSDOT's Local Programs Unit
https://www.nysdot.gov/portal/page/portal/programs/chips/representatives
Hold harmless CHIPS grants
Towns are the biggest beneficiary of CHIPS
with three times as many lane miles as counties. Many towns have intermunicipal
agreements with other local governments for highway related services and
functions. Currently if the town has an intermunicipal agreement with the
county to provide road services the county is still eligible for CHIPS funding
even though the town may be providing all road services for the county. Under this arrangement the county will pay
the town under the terms and conditions of the intermunicipal agreement.
The current CHIPS formula contains a hold
harmless provision where local governments dissolve or consolidate to allow the
successor local government to continue to receive CHIPS funding for the newly
acquired lane miles. The successor government must file a certificate of
consolidation/merger with the State Comptroller. In the event the amount which
would otherwise be apportioned to each individual government exceeds the amount
which is payable to the successor government pursuant to this section, such
successor government shall receive no less in CHIPS apportionments than each
predecessor government would have received in the aggregate hand the merger or
consolidation not occurred (Highway Law, §10-c (7)). The current program does
not, however, hold harmless local governments where they do not completely
dissolve or consolidate but only consolidate their highway departments or road
maintenance functions. As part of the Commission on Local Government Efficiency
and Competitiveness’ platform to consolidate highway services the Budget
contains an amendment to Highway Law, §10-c (7) to hold harmless municipalities
that take over another municipality’s highway department and road/bridge
services obligations without dissolving or consolidating the municipalities
themselves. The proposed language provides that in the
event any municipality that retains its municipal identity but transfers
jurisdiction and maintenance responsibility for all its bridges, roads,
streets, and highways to another municipality, the municipality receiving
jurisdiction and maintenance responsibilities shall receive no less in CHIPS
apportionments than it would have received if the road mileage had been
acquired through a consolidation or merger.
For more information go to
Article
Part K Transportation, Economic
Development and Environmental Conservation
S6809 (www.senate.state.ny.us) or A9809 (www.assembly.state.ny.us)
Highway consolidation incentive (available
in 2009-10)
A consolidation incentive will provide a 30%
aid bonus giving transitional support (phased down over five years) to local
governments that functionally consolidate highway operations countywide
(including either 90% of non-state maintained roads or all of the towns within
a county). This money does not come out
of the CHIPS pool, but the incentive is calculated based on CHIPS aid. Functional
Consolidation is defined to mean, “one municipality completely provides a
service or function for another municipality, which no longer engages in that
service or function” (State Finance Law, §54 (10)(o)(i)(2)).
For more information go to
Article
Part O Public Protection and General
Government
S6809 (www.senate.state.ny.us) or A9809 (www.assembly.state.ny.us)
A new State and Local Bridge Preservation
Program to enhance funding for preventive maintenance on State and
locally-owned bridges will provide $140 million in 2008-09. Key elements of
this initiative include: $13 million for State bridge maintenance crews and
related equipment and facilities; $54 million for bridge maintenance contracts
and State and local contract support; $13 million for bridge construction
contracts and related engineering; and a $60 million local bridge preservation
program. The budget also provides 339 positions to support this initiative,
including 262 FTEs for bridge maintenance crews, 57 FTEs for State and local
maintenance contract oversight and 20 FTEs for engineering design and
construction inspection.
The Transportation Law will be amended to
add a new section 14-n, which will authorize the Commissioner of DOT to approve
funding requests for local bridge construction, reconstruction and cyclical preventative
maintenance. This program will be
subject to annual appropriation or authorization by the Legislature for capital
projects. A contract between DOT and the
locality is required as well as a local 20% match (CHIPS money many be used for
the 20% local match).
For more information go to
Article
Part J Transportation, Economic
Development and Environmental Conservation
S6809 (www.senate.state.ny.us) or A9809 (www.assembly.state.ny.us)
New Capital Plan
Chapter 384 of the Laws of 2007 requires
DOT to submit a new capital plan by
For more information on local highway and
bridge needs please go to:
A 20 Year Needs Assessment of Local
Jurisdiction Highways and Bridges in
A study produced by the NYS Association of
Town Superintendents of Highways, Inc.
http://www.nystownhwys.org/
NYSDOT Capital Budget Hearing
20-Year Needs Assessment (2010 - 2030)
https://www.nysdot.gov/portal/page/portal/main/budgetbriefing