De Blasio's executive budget investing $242 million in New York City roadways; 1,200 lane-miles to be repaved this coming year

Mayor Bill de Blasio and Transportation Commissioner Polly Trottenberg revealed an accelerated and expanded resurfacing program that will improve road conditions in every borough. Following an especially harsh winter that took its toll on city streets, de Blasio committed an additional $242 million to road repaving during the next two fiscal years. That funding will help repave more than 1,200 lane-miles of roadway from July 2015 through June 2016 - more than any year since 1991 - and 1,300 lane-miles in Fiscal Year 2017. The mayor made the announcement along Tysens Ln., which alone is projected to see at least an additional 100 lane-miles to be resurfaced over the next two fiscal years. "This is money well spent. These especially cold winters have been hard on New York City's streets, and we need to invest big to get them back in good repair. The commitment we're making is the biggest in 25 years, and it's something every New Yorker who walks, drives or bikes will see and feel firsthand," said de Blasio. "Thank you to mayor Bill de Blasio for his commitment to improving the conditions of New York City's roadways," said Trottenberg. "With this funding, the men and women of the DOT will be resurfacing more streets than we have in over twenty years and they are up for the task." "I have been beating the 'pave, baby, pave' drum so often during the last several months because it will take nothing less than an extraordinary commitment to road resurfacing to give us any hope of an improvement. Mayor de Blasio heard our pleas for help and delivered, and we are thankful for his commitment to improving our roads. As a city we lost much ground during the last decade when we failed to keep up with basic maintenance, allowing our roads to deteriorate even further. This infusion of money will help us begin to make up some of the lost ground," said Staten Island borough president James Oddo. The Department of Transportation is close to reaching its targeted 1,000 lane-miles resurfaced in the current fiscal year, and has repaired over 327,000 potholes since mid-December. Every borough will see additional miles of roadway repaved this year, with new thoroughfares added to the roster thanks to new funding, including the FDR in Manhattan, Kings Highway in Brooklyn, Hillside Avenue in Queens, Clove Road on Staten Island, and Westchester Avenue in the Bronx. The new funding will dramatically improve conditions on city streets over the next two years, increasing the percentage of roadways in a state of good repair from the current 71 percent to nearly 80 percent - the highest such rating since 1999. As DOT crews mill and repave more streets, it provides opportunities to enhance safety on roadways by improving roadway markings including crosswalks, furthering the Vision Zero initiative for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists. The 1,200 lane-mile commitment represents a 20 percent increase from projections earlier this year. And the new funding will enable the Department to go even further in Fiscal Year 2017, reaching 1,300 miles. "This allocation will be the most significant investment in New York City roadways in over two decades," said Alec Slatky, Legislative and Community Relations Representative for AAA Northeast. "Potholes are not inevitable. We can't change the freeze-thaw cycle, but we can change the cycle of underinvestment in the road network that drives our city's economy. Mayor de Blasio and Commissioner Trottenberg promise to do just that, and we heartily applaud their efforts." "This accelerated and expanded road resurfacing program is great news for drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians in Queens and throughout the city," said Queens Borough President Melinda Katz. "Mother Nature may have been rough on us this winter, but this additional $242 million in funding for road repaving shows the City is willing to make the smart investments that our roadways need. I commend Mayor de Blasio and Commissioner Trottenberg for initiating this important program." "The maintenance of our roads requires a tremendous physical and financial commitment," said Assembly Member Joseph Borelli. "The hard working men and women of the Department of Transportation do an excellent job under increasingly difficult circumstances, and I thank the mayor for holding up the public's end of the commitment by providing them with the financial support they need to keep our roads safe. I'm happy that Staten Island will be receiving hundreds of miles in newly paved roads, and hopeful that this is a sign of things to come." "I would like to commend the Mayor for focusing on the integrity of our roads and recognizing how important it is to keep roads safe for our drivers. Staten Islanders rely on driving their cars to live in a borough with limited alternatives, making it vital to maintain our roads," said Assembly Member Michael Cusick. "According to leading transportation research groups, New York City residents spend close to $700 on maintaining their vehicles after going through the wear and tear of our city streets. By repaving more roads not only will we incentivize economic development and increase safety under Vision Zero, but also put money back in the pockets of hardworking New Yorkers. Under the leadership of Mayor de Blasio, Commissioner Trottenberg and Speaker Mark-Viverito we are taking important steps to maintain our roadways and bring the 30 percent of roadways in poor and fair conditions to a state of good repair," said Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez, Chair of the Committee on Transportation. "The city's roads are a lifeline for businesses and for commuters, especially those of us who live in communities farthest from Manhattan and have scant access to public transportation. But in recent years the roads have become dilapidated and dangerous. I am grateful to Mayor de Blasio for listening to our concerns and making this considerable investment to help make our roads safe and drivable again, and to my colleagues in the Council and Borough President Oddo for their strong advocacy on this issue," said Council Minority Leader Vincent Ignizio. "This commitment to resurfacing 2,500 lane-miles over the course of two years is a huge step in the right direction. It will ensure that we have the resources to finally make progress in restoring crumbling roads. My elected colleagues, like Borough President Oddo and Councilman Ignizio, and I advocated strongly for this investment and Mayor de Blasio has delivered. Staten Islanders are finally about to get what they deserve - improved road conditions," said Council Member Steven Matteo. "Whether you drive, bike or ride the bus, you are surely affected by the declining condition of our roadways. I thank Mayor de Blasio for recognizing that we need to pave more lane miles every year if we are going to get ahead of this issue," said Council Member Deborah Rose. "Fixing our streets is not just about quality of life, it's also about improving the safety of those who use our roads. As a driver myself who has had my share of flat tires, I am pleased to join Mayor de Blasio, Commissioner Polly Trottenberg, Borough President James Oddo and my council colleagues in beginning to solve this critical problem."