UPSTATE WON’T PAY FOR TZ BRIDGE….DOWNSTATE PAYING FOR ONE BILLION DOLLARS WORTH OF CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS ON UPSTATE THRUWAY BRIDGES, ROADS
THE FOLLOWING SUMMARY HIGHLIGHTS NEED FOR TZ BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION TO BE PAID STATE WIDE
During the past week I have expressed some concern about the projected toll hike on the TZ bridge. Many residents especially those on fixed incomes, have complained to me about the possibility of a $14 toll. I believe that the toll hikes will hurt local businesses/ restaurants in the river villages on both sides of the river. I support the construction of a new bridge but think that the toll hike could be reduced if the costs were spread state-wide. Almost $1 billion dollars in capital projects are listed on the NY State Thruway Authority website for the past seven years (under construction/completed) in the 3 upstate divisions—Albany, Syracuse and Buffalo. A few examples are listed below:
If the Thruway Authority is planning to only increase the tolls on the TZ bridge for the TZ bridge work, Westchester and Rockland residents who use the TZ bridge, Yonkers, New Rochelle barriers should not be paying for upstate projects.
Albany;
(1) $1.5 Million: Thruway Bridge over Catskill Creek- Emergency Repairs
(2) $8.9 Million: Bridge Painting- 13 Bridges
(3) $99.7 Million: Exit 23-24- Pavement Repairs & Bridge Painting
Syracuse:
(1) $127.9 Million: I-690 (Exit 39-40) including 4 Bridges- Pavement Reconstruction
(2) $8.3 Million: Thruway Bridge over Mohawk River and over Barge Canal
Buffalo:
(1) $6.0 Million: Grand Island Bridges- Steel Repairs
(2) $91.2 Million: Hamburg to Silver Creek- Pavement Repairs & Rehabilitation of 4 Bridges
(3) $9.3 Million: Pembroke to Depew- Pavement Resurfacing
(4) $3.0 Million: State Police Headquarters
To again emphasize that this only represents the most recent 7 years- the Thruway has been around since the mid 1950's!
Note that every time residents of Westchester and Rockland Counties go thru the Tappan Zee Bridge, Yonkers and New Rochelle Toll Barriers, we are paying for these upstate projects!
