What's happening
This bill increases the state's share of funding for municipal road projects that include complete street design features from 80% to 87.5%.
Why it matters
Increases financial support for municipalities. By raising the state’s share from 80% to 87.5% for projects that include complete street design features, the bill reduces the financial burden on cities, towns, and villages that want to make streets safer and more accessible for all users (pedestrians, cyclists, etc.).
Encourages adoption of complete street features. The higher funding incentive is specifically tied to including design elements that improve safety and accessibility for non-drivers, potentially increasing the number and quality of such features in local road projects.
Targets long-term community benefits. By making it easier for municipalities to afford adding sidewalks, bike lanes, and other multimodal infrastructure, the bill supports public health, environmental sustainability, and equitable transportation access.
May influence local project planning. Municipalities may be more likely to include complete street elements in their proposals to take advantage of the increased state funding, shifting priorities in local transportation planning.
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Who cares
City, county, town and village governments
Municipalities that agree to fund a complete street design feature alongside an eligible project would qualify for a higher state share of costs remaining after federal assistance, rising from 80% to 87.5%.
New York State Department of Transportation
The transportation commissioner would apply the higher state funding share to qualifying projects on roads and paths outside the state highway system.
Pedestrians and bicyclists
The bill would give municipalities a financial incentive to fund complete street design features in conjunction with eligible transportation projects.
Headline styles
Boost Funding for Complete Streets
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
3 Co-sponsors
History
- Referred to transportation
- Returned to senate
- Died in assembly
- Referred to ways and means
- Delivered to assembly
- Passed senateVote 62–0
- Ordered to third reading cal.1600
- Committee discharged and committed to rules
- Print number 4414a
- Amend and recommit 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.
Boost Funding for Safer Streets
In Assembly Committee · Ways And Means · Sponsor Patricia Fahy
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4414--A
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
March 11, 2019
Introduced by Sen. KENNEDY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Transportation -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the highway law, in relation to complete street design features and funding of construction and improvements at a municipalities' expense
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 80-b of the highway law, as amended by section 3 of part A of chapter 57 of the laws of 2014, is amended to read as follows:
1. In connection with the undertaking of any project for which the commissioner is authorized to use moneys of the federal government pursuant to the provisions of subdivision thirty-four-a of section ten and section eighty of this chapter to assure the effective discharge of state responsibilities with respect to regional transportation needs, on highways, roads, streets, bicycle paths or pedestrian paths that are not on the state highway system, the commissioner shall submit such project to the governing body or bodies of the affected municipality or municipalities together with estimates of costs thereof. If such project includes a municipal project, as that term is defined in accordance with article thirteen of the transportation law, the state share of such municipal project shall also be included. If such project includes a project affecting a highway, road, street, bicycle path or pedestrian path not on the state highway system, the state share shall be equal to eighty percent of the difference between the total project cost and the federal assistance, provided, however, the state share shall be equal to eighty-seven and one-half percent of the difference between the total project cost and the federal assistance where, in conjunction with such project, the municipality agrees to fund a complete street design
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD08639-05-9
S. 4414--A 2
feature as defined in section three hundred thirty-one of this chapter, provided, [however] further, the commissioner may increase the state share to an amount equal to one hundred percent of the difference between the total project cost and the federal assistance where he or she determines that the need for the project results substantially from actions undertaken pursuant to section ten of this chapter. No such project shall proceed without the approval of the governing body of a municipality. Such governing body may request the commissioner to undertake the provision of such project. If the commissioner agrees to such undertaking he or she shall notify the local governing body which shall appropriate sufficient moneys to pay the estimated amount of the municipal share. Such moneys shall be deposited with the state comptroller who is authorized to receive and accept the same for the purposes of such project, subject to the draft or requisition of the commissioner. When the work of such project has been completed, the commissioner shall render to the governing body of such municipality an itemized statement showing in full (a) the amount of money that has been deposited by such municipality with the state comptroller as hereinbefore provided, and (b) all disbursements made pursuant to this section for such project. Any surplus moneys shall be paid to such municipality on the warrant of the comptroller on vouchers therefor approved by the commissioner. When the work of such project has been completed and it is determined by the commissioner that the amount of the cost to be borne by the municipality is in excess of the amount deposited by such municipality with the state comptroller, the commissioner shall then notify the municipality of the deficiency of funds. The municipality shall then within ninety days of the receipt of such notice, pay such amount to the state comptroller. For purposes of this section, the term "municipality" shall include a city, county, town, village or two or more of the foregoing acting jointly.
§ 2. This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become a law and shall apply to project agreements entered into on and after such date.
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 complete street design features and funding of construction and improve- ments at a municipalities' expense
Purpose or general idea of bill
To amend the highway law, in relation to complete street design features and funding of construction and improvements at municipalities' expense.
Summary of provisions
Section 1 adds language to section 80-b of the highway law to change the percentage responsibility of the State for federally assisted projects. The State would be responsible for eighty-two and one-half percent of total project costs if a municipality agrees to incorporate complete street design features, as defined in section three-hundred thirty-one of chapter fifty-seven of the highway law, at such a municipalities' own expense. This would reduce a municipalities' percentage responsibility from five percent to two and one-half percent of the total project cost.
Section 2 sets the effective date.
Justification
Current federal complete street regulations largely exempt most highway project in New York, because reviews for the incorporation of complete streets features (such as pedestrian crosswalks, sidewalks, and bike lanes) are only required for large, intensive new construction projects. Since New York and many states in the Northeast already have a built-out network of highways and roads, complete street reviews are conducted only in limited circumstances.
This bill aims to remedy this problem, which has stymied the walkability and bike-friendliness of communities in Upstate New York and on Long Island, by creating an incentive for municipalities to construct these features, which can sometimes be prohibitively expensive. By reducing the project cost responsibility of municipalities which agree to incor- porate complete street features to half of its current level, incorpo- rating these features will become significantly more accessible to communities around New York to the benefit of the elderly, disabled, and small businesses that benefit from greater foot traffic.
Legislative history
This is a new bill.
Fiscal implications
The bill would increase the State's financial responsibility by an addi- tional two and one-half response for eligible projects.
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.