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.

Section of New York State Thruway on the Cattaraugus Reservation (Google Maps)

The Seneca Nation of Indians have won a significant victory over New York State in federal Court.

Native News Online reports the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit ruled in favor of Seneca Nation when it rejected the state’s attempt to dismiss a lawsuit filed by the Tribe in 2018. The lawsuit alleged ongoing violations of federal law related to the continued occupation of the New York State Thruway on the Nation’s Cattaraugus Territory.

At issue is a three-mile stretch of highway on I-90 that goes through the Seneca Reservation.
The Court’s decision upholds a 2020 United States District Court decision that denied the State’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit.

Tribal leaders contend the basis for the case originated in 1954 when the Seneca Nation was pressured to grant an easement for a thruway to be constructed over about 300 acres of its Cattaraugus Reservation.

Land easements on Indian Reservations require federal approval to be deemed valid, but New York State did not take action to get approval from the U.S. Department of the Interior to construct the thruway at the time.

The Tribe wants the Thruway Authority to seek a valid easement so that the Tribe can be compensated for motorists who drive on the portion of the freeway that goes through tribal land.

The Thruway Authority currently operates a toll station on tribal land and the Tribe is seeking to have the station closed.

Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz, and Governor Kathy Hochul hold a storm press briefing (December 26, 2022)

At least 27 people have died in Erie County following a winter storm that paralyzed a good portion of Western New York over the Christmas Holiday weekend.

Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz confirmed via Twitter of the 27 people who have died that 3 of the deaths were from an EMS Delay, 14 were from exposure, 3 were from shoveling or snow blowing cardiac events; 4 were from no heat; and 3 were those found in a vehicle. He said unfortunately he expects the number of deaths to still increase.

Poloncarz said driving bans remain in effect for Buffalo and Lackawanna with the rest of Erie County under a travel advisory.

The New York State Thruway remains closed from the Pennsylvania line to Exit 46 in Henrietta. The Thruway Authority was expecting to provide an update this morning on that situation.

The National Weather Service in Buffalo said the four-day storm total at the Buffalo Airport was 50 inches of snow. The storm, which had blizzard conditions, left hundreds of motorists stranded and 100,000 without power over the weekend.

President Joe Biden has approved a request by Governor Kathy Hochul for a federal declaration of emergency for Erie and Genesee Counties. The Emergency Declaration will provide immediate federal assistance to impacted counties to support ongoing response and recovery operations.

Hochul also deployed an additional 220 National Guard soldiers to the Western New York region, bringing the total of deployments to approximately 430.

The Thruway Authority is seeking a 5% increase on tolls for NY E-ZPass customers, the first system-wide rate hike for E-ZPass users since 2010. It would also be the first increase since the Thruway eliminated toll booths and switched to a completely cashless system in 2020.

If approved, the rate hikes would go into effect on January 1, 2024.

The Thruway Authority says the money is needed to keep up with infrastructure needs for the 570-mile Thruway system, which stretches from Western New York at the Pennsylvania border to New York City. The highway is entirely supported by tolls and does not receive funding from state or federal tax dollars.

Vehicles without E-ZPass transponders, which are charged through Tolls By Mail when license plates are photographed, would see an even bigger rate hike. Tolls By Mail are currently 30% higher than for E-ZPass users, and the rate differential would increase to 75% above E-ZPass rates.

The Chautauqua County Sheriff’s Office said a van traveling on Route 20 lost its wheel, which struck a fuel truck being driven by 30-year old Jean Esquilin-Melendez of Dunkirk.

The impact caused Esquilin-Melendez to drive into the oncoming lane, striking a pick-up truck head-on being driven by 40-year old Herbert Overbeck of Silver Creek.

The crash sent the fuel truck partially over the Thruway bridge and caused both the pick-up truck and fuel truck to catch on fire.

Overbeck was able to escape his truck and he went to Brooks Memorial Hospital for care. Esquilin-Melendez was also able to escape from the fuel track and was flown to ECMC for treatment of burns and injuries he suffered.

The driver of the van involved left the scene and attempt to hide his van from deputies, which was located by a distance from the accident scene. The driver ran away and is still being sought by deputies.

The investigation into the incident is ongoing.

Exit realignment and road reconstruction continues at interchanges across the Thruway system and is on schedule to be completed by the end of October, weather permitting.

The transition to cashless tolling on the Thruway system began in 2016 on the Tappan Zee Bridge, followed by the remaining fixed-price barriers in 2018.

In 2019, construction started on the Thruway’s 400-mile ticketed system with the installation of gantries at 52 tolling locations, including gantries over the main highway and on entrance/exit ramps.
Cashless tolling went live on the ticketed system on November 14th, 2020.

State officials strongly encourage motorists to sign up for E-ZPass as the most convenient way to pay tolls on the Thruway. New York E-ZPass account holders pay 30 percent less than the Tolls By Mail toll rate and avoid any administrative surcharges.

The project includes full depth pavement rehabilitation and reconstruction of the eastbound lanes, including exit ramps. Additional work includes safety improvements such as more reflective line striping for increased safety, extensive guide rail replacement, drainage improvements and signage.

Oakgrove Construction, Inc. is the contractor for the project. Work is expected to be completed by Spring 2022.

At a news conference held in Salamanca, Seneca Nation President Ricky Armstrong, Sr. indicated that the Seneca Nation Transportation Department will coordinate with the Thruway Authority and allow work to begin on the rough stretch of roadway.

The announcement follows several days of talks between the Seneca Nation and the Thruway Authority. Armstrong stated that the repairs will take several weeks to complete and some of the work may have to be continued next spring.

Rep. Tom Reed (R-Corning)

BUFFALO – Chautauqua County’s representative in Washington is calling on the Department of Justice to investigate Governor Andrew Cuomo for withholding federal money designated for a section of the New York State Thruway that runs through the Seneca Nation.

On Tuesday Rep. Tom Reed (R-Corning, NY 23) appeared before the U.S. Attorney’s office in Buffalo to voice his concern for the safety of the traveling public along the 3-mile stretch of Interstate 90 which runs through Seneca Territory. The roadway has been in need of repair for several years, but has not received any attention due to an ongoing dispute between New York State and the Seneca Nation involving gaming revenue sharing.

According to Reed’s office, local motorists have reached out in recent weeks expressing their concern with the road conditions. In his remarks, Reed said the federal funds have been delivered to repair the road and its time for the state to fix it.

Reed said he wants the Justice Department to not only investigate the Governor and his office for the misuse of federal funds and the abuse of his power, but to also look into any and all other federal crimes, related or unrelated, uncovered in this investigation.

Reed was joined by Chautauqua County executive George Borrello, who said the dangerous conditions are a threat to the safety and property to all who use it — including thousand of Chautauqua County residents.

According to state police, two people inside the minivan are now listed in serious and critical conditions, while three others were also treated at a local hospital.
The crash occurred in the westbound lane of I-90 between the Dunkirk and Silver Creek exits shortly after 1 p.m. Monday.

An investigation found that Trooper – identified as 33-year-old Stephen Barker out of the Buffalo police barracks – was responding to a property damage crash when he struck the rear of the Dodge minivan driven by 75-year-old Harry Gibbons of Irving.

Two passengers in Gibbons vehicle, identified as 66-year-old George Cole of Arcade and 70-year-old Timothy McCann of Depew, were airlifted from the scene to Erie County Medical Center in Buffalo. Cole is currently listed in serious condition while McCann is in critical condition.

The westbound lanes were closed for several hours due to the crash. Police did not state whether any charges are pending.