2 years ago
Citing soaring costs for construction materials, the New York State Thruway has decided to trim its capital construction project list that includes two major anticipated projects for Western New York.
They say the allocated $2.1 Billion dollars simply will not stretch far enough and some projects had to be put off beyond 2011.
The $77 million dollar relocation of the Williamsville toll barrier is now on the back burner.
Advocates like State Assemblyman Jim Hayes say it is crucial to reduce congestion and pollution problems in the village and he feels the Authority does not understand the importance. He also does not buy the claim that costs have gone up too high to afford it. "I don't buy that arguement because motorists have been paying higher tolls. We've been told time and time again that money is available at the federal level, other levels of government. The state could appropriate money to be of assistance."
2 On Your Side asked Thruway Executive Director Michael Fleischer about the point that the toll increase approved earlier this year was supposed to go towards improvements.
His reply: "Yes..and the rationale for the toll increase... without that toll increase, we would have virtually no capital program, we would not be in a position to be able to preserve public safety, we would not be in a position to invest in the highway, we would not be in a position to fix the Grand Island bridges." That is a reference to a recently approved $48.2 million project for maintenance of the bridges.
The Thruway Authority is also postponing the planned widening of the Thruway from West Seneca to Lackawanna. That would have carried a $78 million price tag.
Fleischer says overall there will still be $250 million in Thruway work in the region through 2011 including the bridges and other repaving and rehab work. And he says they can still conduct environmental studies while the Williamsville toll project is on hold. Fleischer says if costs would come down, then some projects could be pushed up.
