Pol Seeks Cash For Stalled Plans
Additional funding will be released to expedite a number of capital improvement around the city, Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced last Wednesday, Oct. 17, and one local elected official hopes some of that money will be used to start a long-delayed project in Middle Village.
In a press release issued jointly by the mayor, Comptroller John Liu and Council Speaker Christine Quinn, over $1 billion in projects will be accelerated under changes to the city’s four-year Capital Commitment Plan.
Liu’s office and the administration collaborated on the financial aspects of the deal, while the City Council worked to identify which projects would be accelerated.
“The City Council has long recognized the importance of the city’s capital construction program, both for its value as investment in infrastructure, and for the role it plays as economic stimulus and job creation,” said Quinn in a statement. “Now is the time to take advantage of low interest rates and construction costs and accelerate sorely needed construction projects while creating close to 10,000 jobs over the next two fiscal years.”
According to the press release, the projects set for accelerated capital funding include $175 million in Fiscal Year 2013 and $115 million in Fiscal Year 2014 for repairs and upgrades to 100 school buildings; $59.8 million to resurface 300 lanemiles of roadway; $37.7 million on street reconstruction efforts; $19.1 million for vehicular and pedestrian bridge repairs and $13.2 million for infrastructure.
A spokesperson for City Council Member Elizabeth Crowley told the Times Newsweekly that she wanted to see some of that money go toward efforts by the Department of Transportation (DOT) to repave the streets of southern Middle Village, and would advocate for those funds.
“This is smart planning by the city, but with a capital budget that was over $22 billion this year, only a small percentage of projects will be affected,” Crowley said in a statement.
“The city should look to accelerate as many projects as possible, including in our area upgrading sewer and street infrastructure. Communities will get repairs they deserve, and the city will save hundreds of millions of dollars in the long run.”
