Bill > A09238

This bill requires the New York State Department of Transportation to conduct a comprehensive study on the fairness and regional equity of state funding for local roadway maintenance and paving. The study will analyze existing funding programs like CHIPS (Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program), State Touring Routes, PAVE-NY, and Pave Our Potholes (POP), evaluating how current funding formulas are calculated and distributed across different regions of the state. The department will examine factors such as traffic volumes, infrastructure costs, weather impacts, and regional economic differences to determine if current aid programs adequately support local roadway needs. The study will include comparisons of funding across different regions (including Long Island, Hudson Valley, New York City, upstate urban areas, and rural regions), an assessment of funding gaps, and a review of other states' local road maintenance programs. The bill specifically calls for exploring the potential reinstatement of the Suburban Highway Improvement Program (SHIPS), which was discontinued in 1997. The Department of Transportation must deliver a detailed written report with findings and recommendations to various state legislative leaders within one year of the bill's effective date, including public distribution of the report and regional funding distribution tables. The act will automatically expire one year after taking effect.

Transportation and Infrastructure

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A9238