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NEW YORK STATE Put funding toward the roads

The OBSERVER's View

An additional $2.1 million in state funding for highways and bridges in Chautauqua County is welcome news.

Brad Bentley, county Public Facilities director, said the county usually only paves about 15 miles of highway a year. However, with the additional funding, county officials will be able to pave 32 miles of the 550 in the county this year. He said the county will also be able to rehabilitate 16 bridges this year instead of the usual 10.

The short-term hassle of working around paving projects and bridge rehabilitation is worth it for the decreased wear and tear on one’s vehicle.

While the state is at it, legislators should consider increasing the reimbursement rate for localities that maintain state highways. Jamestown alone has 239,440 square yards, or 20 miles, of state arterial highways, which ranks fourth in the state behind New York City with 7,999,975, Yonkers with 502,441 and Niagara Falls with 472,499. Cities get 85 cents per square yard to maintain those state highways, which is not nearly enough to actually pay for the maintenance needed.

Assemblyman Andrew Goodell, R-Jamestown, has co-sponsored legislation (A.4931) that would increase the reimbursement rate to $1.85 a square yard and an additional 20 cents per square yard of pavement located on any elevated bridge. The bill wasn’t considered move to a committee meeting agenda during this year’s legislative session.

The state is spending money away in record numbers these days. It should spend some of that windfall properly reimbursing the municipalities that maintain state-owned roads.

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