New York State has allocated $157 million in its 2022-23 budget for pavement renewal projects, including filling potholes along major highways, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced during a visit to the Village of Hempstead on Tuesday.
The governor’s statewide $1 billion Operation Pave Our Potholes Program is part of the $32.8 billion budget recently adopted by New York State. She spoke about the pothole plan and other budget initiatives when she visited Long Island last week.
“Long Island has some of the busiest highways in the United States and the investments we are making today will help ensure smoother travel and fewer hassles for the tens of thousands of commuters who use these vital traffic arteries,” Hochul said. “With the adoption of this historic capital plan, we will give communities the infrastructure they need to unleash their full potential, enhancing connectivity, restoring essential roads and bridges, and correcting injustices of the past. I am proud to provide funding for transformative projects like these, which send a strong signal that New York is building back better and stronger than ever before.”
According to the state, about 480 lane miles of state highways in Nassau and Suffolk, including key sections of the Long Island Expressway, the Southern State Parkway, and the Meadowbrook State Parkway, will be resurfaced in the spring and summer this year.
The state budget also increases aid to schools by $457.6 million, allocates $500 million to the development of offshore wind projects, and includes $63 million for drug addiction, treatment, and prevention programs. In addition, nearly $1 million will go toward non-profit and community groups dedicated to providing housing assistance.
Hochul noted that the budget will also allow for tax rebates to 494,000 property tax-paying homeowners on Long Island, offering relief from high taxes.
More information about the state budget can be found at governor.ny.gov.
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