A group of state and local leaders are calling for an increase in state budget funding for local roads and bridges.
The Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS) is the state’s primary source of funding for constructing and repairing local roads, bridges, and culverts.
Advocates for CHIPS want the governor to increase its funding by $250 million to $848 million in the proposed $252 billion state budget. They made a similar request for funding last year.
Republican State Sen. Tom O’Mara represents parts of the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes.
“Our highway departments need this funding to keep our roads in decent shape," O'Mara said. "We all know what winter we've experienced this year, so the resulting conditions come springtime are going to be worse than they were the last few years. In those years, we had some increases to the winter recovery and to the pothole programs. Those are flat this year, too. We think it's most important to get it in CHIPS.”
O’Mara said with inflation, an increase in funding for CHIPS is desperately needed.
“The governor did put in her executive budget for the state roads, part of the transportation budget, an $800 million increase based on inflationary cost increases," O'Mara said. "Now, our local roads and bridges, we experience those same cost increases in those, so it's important that we get a commensurate increase in the CHIPS program.”
The group also wants to consolidate five of the state’s local road assistance programs into two. They’re calling for an increase to the CHIPS bidding threshold from $350,000 to $1 million, or even to eliminate that threshold altogether. Increasing or eliminating the threshold could allow a municipality more flexibility in awarding contracts.
They also say every dollar invested in CHIPS can save $6-14 in long-term rehabilitation costs.
Town of Elmira Highway Superintendent Matt Mustico said a lot of towns rely on CHIPS funding to fix their roads, and said any increase in funding is good, especially after this winter.
“The way the roads are going to be this year, the worst is yet to come," Mustico said. "Once the frost gets out of the ground, as everybody seen, there's some potholes now, but they're going to be a lot worse. So we do need extra money. That's our livelihood.”
Negotiations for the fiscal year 2025-26 state budget continue this month with the final budget due April 1.