Legislature Approves Major Road Improvement Effort
Work for 2017 Boosted by Legislative Savings
submitted by Rich Crist
The Rensselaer County Legislature approved resolutions for a major effort to improve roads across the county in 2017 during the February 14 legislative meeting, Chair of the Legislature Stan Brownell and County Executive Kathleen Jimino announced.
[private]The approximately $3.25 million in road work is the biggest allocation for road work in the county in a decade, and will help improve a number of roads across the county. The resolutions were approved unanimously at the February 14 meeting.
The exact number of miles of county roads to be repaired or improved will be set during the coming weeks. Legislators said the road improvement effort is needed as a number of roads were battered by severe winter weather in previous years, and general use and wear and tear.
“Our county road system is one of the most important services we provide as a county. The Legislature is glad to see the investment for road repair and improvement increasing in 2017,” said Majority Leader Ken Herrington, chair of the Legislature’s Public Works Committee.
“Some of our roads have been banged up by some tough winters and are in need of attention. This will be money well-spent at a time when improvements are needed,” said Legislator Kelly Hoffman.
The Legislature helped boost the road improvement work for 2017 by contributing $200,000 in legislative savings to the effort. The legislative savings was incorporated as part of the legislative passage of the 2017 county budget, the sixth consecutive budget to stay under the state tax cap.
“The work helps motorist and pedestrian safety, ease of travel and any businesses that rely on our roads to provide goods and services. This road improvement work will hopefully help encourage new business and job creation in our county,” said Legislator Rob Bayly, member of the Legislature’s Public Works Committee.
“We are at the early stages of this work for 2017, and look forward to paving a lot of miles to improve as many roads as possible. This is important work, and we are excited to see it get started,” said Chair of the Legislature Stan Brownell.
County Executive Kathleen Jimino said she is also looking forward to the road work, and thanked legislators for boosting the road improvement fund.
“Our 2017 budget calls for a significant investment in our County’s roads that builds upon our previous efforts to ensure our infrastructure meets the needs and expectations of our residents and businesses. I want to thank the County Legislature for their support and contributions to this investment as well as the State of New York for their increased support through the PAVE NY program. I also want to let the public know that we in County government are committed to providing the services our residents and businesses depend on in the most cost effective manner possible,” said Jimino. [/private]