Rep. Kennedy Announces $1.6 Million for Grand Island Bridges and I-190
Bridge Improvement Program Grant Funds Will Be Used To Complete Design And Environmental Work For The Project
Today, Congressman Tim Kennedy (NY-26) announced $1,597,009 in funding to plan the rehabilitation of the Grand Island Bridges and I-190 Corridor in Western New York, through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
This planning grant will allow the New York State Thruway Authority to formulate a comprehensive framework for the future of the four Grand Island Bridges carrying I-190 Northbound and Southbound at the edges of Grand Island in Western New York State. The bridges are part of the Niagara Thruway, a 21-mile segment of interstate that connects the City of Buffalo to the City of Niagara Falls.
“This funding builds on the recent game-changing federal investments in the Grand Island Bridges to strengthen our infrastructure, and create good-paying union jobs in the process,” Congressman Kennedy said. “These bridges, two dating back to 1935, are due for a much-needed upgrade. Now, development and planning can kick into full gear, restoring parts of the Grand Island Bridges and I-190 Corridor, making it safer and more efficient for travelers making roughly 13 million trips each year. Thanks to the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, our region is getting the resources it needs to keep people and goods safely moving on our roads and bridges.”
“The Grand Island Bridges are iconic gateways that serve millions of vehicles per year traveling to and from popular destinations nationally and internationally and is part of a vital commercial corridor that links an estimated $23.7 billion in US-Canada freight trade,” Thruway Authority Executive Director Frank G. Hoare, Esq. said. “The original Grand Island Bridges were built in the 1930s, well before the Thruway system opened in the 1950s, and have become increasingly expensive to maintain due to both their age and structural complexity. Through this funding provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Bridge Investment Program (BIP), the Authority will be able to create a sustainable roadmap for ensuring the continued safe, efficient, and sustainable movement of people, goods, and services. I want to specially thank President Biden and Secretary Buttigieg for this prestigious award, as well as our federal partners including Senate Majority Leader Schumer, Senator Gillibrand and Congressman Kennedy for supporting our efforts to seek out federal funding opportunities which help the Thruway maintain some of the lowest tolls in the country.”