Securing funding for Rt. 12 upgrades an ongoing battle
NORWICH – Getting a federal earmark for New York State Route 12 passed by a Senate subcommittee is 90 percent of the hurdle, said a spokesman for U.S. Senator Charles Schumer.
But getting the full bill passed after the August recess and then signed by the president is another part of the battle.
Sen. Schumer reported in late July that the Department of Transportation and Housing, and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee had approved $500,000 in improvements for the Rt. 12 corridor in Chenango County, specifically for a county Route 32 by-pass around the City of Norwich.
Schumer’s announcement was a surprise to Chenango County Highway Director Randy Gibbon, especially the amount.
“We asked for $20 million for the project,” he said. “We’ve asked before and they’ve said they would try to get it through. A half million dollars will pay for the design only.”
And Gibbon was even less optimistic about the earmark making it through the White House. “President Obama has said there would be no earmarks in new transportation bill,” he said.
For nearly a decade, Sen. Schumer has worked to bring federal funds to the New York State Department of Transportation and local counties along the Rt. 12 corridor from Binghamton to Utica. The roadway’s heavy truck traffic, limited sight distances, and lack of turning lanes are unsafe and impede commerce, he has repeatedly told local, state and federal officials.
Rt. 12 in Chenango County is home to the Raymond Corporation, Titan Homes, Unison, Norwich Aero, Sheffield, The Mid-York Press and Norwich Pharmaceuticals. All depend upon highway system reliability, travel time predictability, access to suppliers and markets, and a workforce that can get to the job safely.
“These federal dollars will help solve the traffic and safety problems that have plagued Rt. 12 for years,” Schumer said. “A highway that’s safe and flows smoothly will help the many businesses in the area ship their products and receive supplies.”
Amanda M. Spellicy, the Southern Tier regional director for Sen. Schumer, confirmed for Gibbon that the earmark was intended to be used for bridge work, outfitting 5.1 miles of highway with traffic control devices, installing storm water collection system, road widening and road paving.
The New York State Department of Transportation held a public hearing in March on improvements proposed for 5.5 miles of state Rt. 12 from just south of Genegantslet Road to just north of Harbor Road in the Town of Greene. That project, estimated at $16.9 million, is intended to address the deteriorated conditions of Rt. 12 and the Rt. 41/206 overlap, and include recommendations from a task force intiated by the Chenango County Chamber of Commerce back in 2002.
While state transportation officials were unsure exactly how to pay for the Greene portion, they planned to proceed with a timeline beginning in the summer of 2011.
But getting the full bill passed after the August recess and then signed by the president is another part of the battle.
Sen. Schumer reported in late July that the Department of Transportation and Housing, and Urban Development Appropriations Subcommittee had approved $500,000 in improvements for the Rt. 12 corridor in Chenango County, specifically for a county Route 32 by-pass around the City of Norwich.
Schumer’s announcement was a surprise to Chenango County Highway Director Randy Gibbon, especially the amount.
“We asked for $20 million for the project,” he said. “We’ve asked before and they’ve said they would try to get it through. A half million dollars will pay for the design only.”
And Gibbon was even less optimistic about the earmark making it through the White House. “President Obama has said there would be no earmarks in new transportation bill,” he said.
For nearly a decade, Sen. Schumer has worked to bring federal funds to the New York State Department of Transportation and local counties along the Rt. 12 corridor from Binghamton to Utica. The roadway’s heavy truck traffic, limited sight distances, and lack of turning lanes are unsafe and impede commerce, he has repeatedly told local, state and federal officials.
Rt. 12 in Chenango County is home to the Raymond Corporation, Titan Homes, Unison, Norwich Aero, Sheffield, The Mid-York Press and Norwich Pharmaceuticals. All depend upon highway system reliability, travel time predictability, access to suppliers and markets, and a workforce that can get to the job safely.
“These federal dollars will help solve the traffic and safety problems that have plagued Rt. 12 for years,” Schumer said. “A highway that’s safe and flows smoothly will help the many businesses in the area ship their products and receive supplies.”
Amanda M. Spellicy, the Southern Tier regional director for Sen. Schumer, confirmed for Gibbon that the earmark was intended to be used for bridge work, outfitting 5.1 miles of highway with traffic control devices, installing storm water collection system, road widening and road paving.
The New York State Department of Transportation held a public hearing in March on improvements proposed for 5.5 miles of state Rt. 12 from just south of Genegantslet Road to just north of Harbor Road in the Town of Greene. That project, estimated at $16.9 million, is intended to address the deteriorated conditions of Rt. 12 and the Rt. 41/206 overlap, and include recommendations from a task force intiated by the Chenango County Chamber of Commerce back in 2002.
While state transportation officials were unsure exactly how to pay for the Greene portion, they planned to proceed with a timeline beginning in the summer of 2011.
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