The National Transportation Research Nonprofit, TRIP, released the report, “The New York Thruway: The Empire State’s Main Street,” that found that Thruway vehicle travel has returned to near pre-pandemic levels and is projected to increase by nine percent from 2022 to 2031.

The report said that the Thruway Authority has a $1.2 billion funding gap through 2031 in revenue needed to maintain its high levels of safety and service, maintain good infrastructure conditions, support Thruway operations, and maintain debt service coverage at appropriate levels.

Current toll rates per mile on the New York Thruway System, and rates proposed for 2024, are well below rates on most similar toll facilities in the northeastern U.S.

The report added that significant increases in the cost of highway and bridge improvements could threaten the ability of the Thruway Authority to improve the condition, safety and reliability of the Thruway. The Federal Highway Administration’s national highway construction cost index, which measures labor and materials cost, increased by 50 percent during the 21 months from the start of the first quarter in January 2021 to the end of the third quarter in September 2022.

The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration via the Infrastructure Act passed in 2021. It can be used to develop a Road Safety Plan that includes engineering and design work.

Jamestown Mayor Eddie Sundquist said the plan will help form the blueprint to projects increasing pedestrian, bicyclist, and driver safety, with a focus on improving safe routes to school. He said the City intends to apply for a multi-million dollar implementation grant during the next round of “Safe Streets For All” funding to carry out the plan.

Sundquist added that the city was one of only 500 communities nationwide selected to receive Safe Streets funding in the initial round of awards.

Under the funding announcement, the planned “Lucy Trail” connecting Jamestown to Celoron along Jones & Gifford Ave. would receive $965,200. Once completed, the trail would also serve as a connector to the city’s other Riverwalk projects. In addition, Section 4 of the Mayville Lakeside Pedestrian and Bike Path would receive $611,200.

According to the governor’s office, all the projects throughout the state will encourage tourism and economic development opportunities. The projects include the addition of accessible sidewalks, improved pedestrian access to public transportation services, construction of new bicycle and pedestrian facilities and the preservation and conversion of abandoned railroad corridors for trail use.

“We are modernizing New York State’s transportation system while making it safer,” Governor Cuomo said. “From building new facilities for bicycles and pedestrians to supporting historic highway programs, these projects will provide new tourism and recreational opportunities for New Yorkers and visitors. We will continue to upgrade New York’s infrastructure to expand tourism and economic development while improving our communities.”

The funds are made available to the State through the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and are administered by NYSDOT. The funds cover 80 percent of the cost of each project, with the remaining 20 percent coming from the project sponsor.

The projects were selected through a competitive solicitation process and rated on established criteria that included environmental enhancement to and for the transportation system; connectivity to an existing transportation system; encouragement of smart growth; impact on local or regional economies; availability of matching funds; and level of community support. A full list of the projects is below.