NY Dept. of Transportation commissioner urges voters to approve bond

Long Island Business News, Sep 22, 2005 by Dawn Wotapka Hardesty

The acting state Department of Transportation commissioner said that if voters turn down the transportation bond this November, all bets are off.

Speaking at an Action Long Island meeting Thursday, Tom Madison said it's critically important that the $2.9 billion act needs to be approved or numerous transportation projects statewide could be harmed. The bond, which would be split between the NYSDOT and the MTA, would help improve everything from roads to bridges to canals.

They include: $21.5 million to enhance the Southern State/ Meadowbrook State interchange and $15.8 million to resurface 4.5 miles of Route 135 between Merrick Road in Hempstead and Route 24 in Oyster Bay. A four-mile stretch of Route 112 in Suffolk County would be reconstructed, costing another $22.5 million.

The Long Island Rail Road would benefit, in part, by capacity improvements in Bethpage, Calverton and Farmingdale to a tune of $2.25 million. Pam Burford, the rail's director of strategic investments, urged audience members to support to the Bond Act.

Said speaker Neil Yellin, president of MTA/LI Bus: This is not about politics, it's about transportation.