What's happening
This bill increases and annually adjusts state reimbursement rates to cities for repair and maintenance of state arterial highways.
Why it matters
Increases funding for local governments. By nearly doubling the per-square-yard reimbursement rate for pavement, the bill provides cities with more state money to support the maintenance and repair of state highways within their borders, potentially reducing local budget strain.
Addresses rising costs over time. The bill ties future reimbursement rates to the Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) for the New York metro area, meaning payments will automatically adjust for inflation, helping cities keep up with increasing labor and material costs without needing new legislation each time.
Provides extra support for complex infrastructure. Pavement on elevated bridges receives a higher reimbursement rate, recognizing that these areas are often more expensive and technically demanding to maintain, which may improve the longevity and safety of critical transportation links.
Could improve local road conditions for residents. With increased and inflation-adjusted funding, cities may be better equipped to keep major roads in good repair, potentially leading to smoother commutes, fewer vehicle repairs, and enhanced public safety.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Raise Road Repair Payments
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to transportation
- Referred to transportation
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Raise State Road Payments
In Assembly Committee · Transportation · Sponsor Philip Palmesano
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
1600
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 15, 2019
Introduced by Sen. O'MARA -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the highway law, in relation to increasing reimbursement rates paid by the state to cities for repair and maintenance of state arterials
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The first undesignated paragraph of subdivision 5-a of section 340-b of the highway law, as amended by chapter 30 of the laws of 1987, is amended to read as follows:
The commissioner of transportation and the city of New York, acting through the mayor or other administrative head thereof, pursuant to a resolution of the governing body of such city, are authorized to enter into a written agreement for the maintenance and repair, under the supervision and subject to the approval of the commissioner of transportation, of any state interstate highway or portion thereof, exclusive of service roads and pavement on intersecting street bridges, which is within the boundaries of such city and which is now or which shall hereafter be designated in section three hundred forty-a of this [chapter] article and which has been constructed or which shall have been constructed as authorized by section three hundred forty-a of this [chapter] article. Such agreement may provide that the state shall pay annually to such city a sum to be computed at the rate of (a) not more than [eighty-five] one dollar and eighty cents per square yard of the pavement area that is included in the state highway system according to the provisions of this section, and (b) an additional [ten] twenty cents per square yard of such pavement area where such pavement area is located on any elevated bridge, such rate to be increased in each year of the agreement by the percentage change in the consumer price index for all urban consumers (CPI-U), New York-Northern New Jersey-Long
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05823-01-9
S. 1600 2
Island, NY-NJ-CT-PA, as published by the United States department of labor bureau of labor statistics, over the prior five years.
§ 2. The first undesignated paragraph of subdivision 7 of section 349-c of the highway law, as amended by chapter 30 of the laws of 1987, is amended to read as follows:
The commissioner of transportation and any city named in this article, acting through the mayor or other administrative head thereof, pursuant to a resolution of the governing body of such city except the city of New York, are authorized to enter into a written agreement for the maintenance and repair, under the supervision and subject to the approval of the commissioner, of any public street, main route or thoroughfare or portion thereof, exclusive of service roads and pavement on intersecting street bridges, which is within the boundaries of such city and which is now or which shall hereafter be designated in this article and which has been constructed or which shall have been constructed as authorized by [articles] this article and article four [and twelve-B] of this chapter and with grants made available by the federal government pursuant to the federal aid highway act of nineteen hundred forty-four, being public law five hundred twenty-one of the seventy-eighth congress, chapter six hundred twenty-six, second session, as approved on the twentieth day of December, nineteen hundred forty-four. Such agreement may provide that the state shall pay annually to such city a sum to be computed at the rate of (a) not more than [eighty-five] one dollar and eighty cents per square yard of the pavement area that is included in the state highway system according to the provisions of this section, and (b) an additional [ten] twenty cents per square yard of such pavement area where such pavement area is located on any elevated bridge , such rate to be increased in each year of the agreement by the percentage change in the consumer price index for all urban consumers (CPI-U), New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-CT-PA, as published by the United States department of labor bureau of labor statistics, over the prior five years.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the highway law, in relation to increasing reimbursement rates paid by the state to cities for repair and maintenance of state arterials
Purpose or general idea of bill
To increase the rate used by the State when reimbursing municipalities for maintenance of the state highway system within city borders.
Summary of specific provisions
This bill would amend the highway law to increase the rate used by the State when reimbursing municipalities for maintenance of the state high- way system within city borders. The rate would be raised to one dollar and eighty cents from eighty-five cents per square yard of the pavement area that is included in the state highway system and an additional twenty cents, up from ten cents, per square yard of such pavement area where such pavement area is located on any elevated bridge.
This bill provides for the rate to be increased each year by the percentage change in the consumer price index for all urban consumers (CPI-U), New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NYNJ-CT-PA, as published by the United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, over the prior five years.
Justification
Over the last 50 years, the State has delegated responsibility to muni- cipalities to maintain State highways within city borders. The current reimbursement rate covers only 55 percent of the actual costs that muni- cipalities throughout the state bear for the cost of highway mainte- nance, which includes, among other items, guide rail and fence repair, impact attenuator repair, and pothole maintenance.
This maintenance is essential for a safe ride on our highways. Since 1987, the State has reimbursed cities at a rate of eighty-five cents per square yard of pavement, with no adjustments for inflation. Cities throughout the state would benefit from raising this rate to one dollar and eighty cents per square yard, a rate reflecting the Consumer Price Index (CPI) increase since 1987. To ensure that the reimbursement rate keeps up with inflation, this bill would also require that the rate be indexed.
Prior legislative history
S.7896 of 2016-17 S.7925 of 2017-18
Fiscal implications
To be determined.
Effective date
Immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.