Press Release

EMBARGOED UNTIL: 10:00am Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Contact:

Tri-State Transportation Campaign: Steven Higashide - 212-268-7474, 908-705-3665

Reconnect Rochester: Mike Governale - 585-354-6232

Transportation For America: David Goldberg - 202-412-7930

Deficient Bridges in Rochester Area Crossed by Over a Million Vehicles a Day

National report: 12% of bridges are deficient in Rochester metro area

A new report from Transportation For America, The Fix We’re In For: The State of Our Metro-Area Bridges, shows that over 1.1 million vehicles cross structurally deficient bridges in the Rochester metropolitan area (Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Orleans, and Wayne Counties) every day.

The state’s aging infrastructure means that drivers frequently cross structurally deficient bridges, particularly in metro areas. Twelve percent of bridges in the Rochester area are structurally deficient – the fifth-most of all mid-sized metro areas in the country. (Mid-sized areas are defined as having a population between 1 million and 2 million.)

Local advocates warned that the federal Fiscal Year 2012 budget, which is being debated by Congress, could make it harder for states to maintain bridges, because a budget proposal being considered by the House would cut federal road, bridge, and public transit funds by a third. Congress also has been unable to pass a long-term transportation funding bill for 2 years.

“Many in Congress have talked about steep cuts to transportation, but this report shows that we can’t afford to cut back,” said Mike Governale, executive director of Reconnect Rochester.

“We have real maintenance needs in Rochester. Let’s fix our bridges today to save taxpayer dollars tomorrow.”

The specific bill being considered by Congress is the FY2012 appropriations bill funding the Departments of Transportation and Housing and Urban Development. While the version of the bill being considered by the Senate would largely maintain current levels of transportation funding, the version passed by a House subcommittee includes 34% cuts to bridge, road, and transportation funding, as well as cuts to Amtrak.

“New York residents know it’s important to fix our bridges,” said Steven Higashide, federal advocate for the Tri-State Transportation Campaign. “That’s why we’re asking federal lawmakers to avoid drastic cuts that will put the region at risk and make it harder to maintain our infrastructure.”

TABLE: Upstate NY Metros ranked by avg. daily traffic on deficient bridges

Metro Population 2009

Metro Area Name

Percent Deficient

Total Deficient Bridges

Average Daily Traffic on Deficient Bridges

Drivers crossing deficient bridge every second

1,035,566

Rochester, NY

12.00%

142

1,171,304

14

857,592

Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY

11.90%

132

676,318

8

1,123,804

Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY

8.60%

99

591,016

7

646,084

Syracuse, NY

11.90%

104

588,596

7

Data: Transportation For America. Metropolitan areas are defined by

the U.S. Office of Management and Budget.

The national report includes data for 102 metropolitan areas, and recommends that Congress:

 

  1. Provide states with increased resources to repair and rebuild. States need federal support to back their efforts to prioritize repair and maintenance.
  2. Ensure that funds sent to states for bridge repair are used only for that purpose, unless a state can show it has addressed its repair needs.
  3. Require that new or rehabilitated bridges be built so that they are safe for everyone who uses them, whether they are in vehicles, on foot or bicycle, or using public transit.

The full report is available on T4America’s website at t4america.org.

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Tri-State Transportation Campaign is a non-profit organization working toward a more balanced, transit-friendly and equitable transportation system in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. www.tstc.org 

Founded in 2010, Reconnect Rochester supports the expansion of Rochester New York's transit services and facilities, including rail, into a truly multimodal transportation network. It is our goal to reconnect our community in ways that improve personal mobility, urban vitality, environmental sustainability, and economic development. www.reconnectrochester.org 

Transportation for America is the largest, most diverse coalition working on transportation reform today. We believe it is time for a bold new vision — transportation that guarantees our freedom to move however we choose and leads to a stronger economy, greater energy security, cleaner environment and healthier America for all of us. We’re calling for more responsible investment of our federal tax dollars to create a safer, cleaner, smarter transportation system that works for everyone. www.t4america.org