NY Governor on Western New York Stimulus Project

Paving Project to Improve Safety on Route 78 in Erie County

June 22, 2009 -- New York Governor David A. Paterson announced the start of construction on a $648,000 project to repave 1.5 miles of State Route 78, Transit Road in the Village of Depew and towns of Cheektowaga and Lancaster in Erie County. This is the first transportation infrastructure project funded through the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to get underway in Western New York.

The Governor recently certified the project for economic recovery funds, along with 45 other projects for a total of $58 million in ARRA funding for Western New York’s transportation infrastructure. The region is expected to receive $72 million in federal economic recovery funds for highway and bridge projects.

“Investments like this one to repave Transit Road will help to make our commutes safer, while also spurring local economic development. With each groundbreaking, we achieve what President Obama and our Congressional Delegation intended when they made the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act law,” Governor Paterson said. “We will continue to certify the projects that improve our roads and bridges, create jobs and enhance our Western New York communities.”

The project will resurface pavement on Transit Road from French Road to Genesee Street. Crews will replace pavement markings and traffic signal sensors, clean the drainage system and make repairs to improve the quality of storm-water runoff. The contract was awarded to Amherst Paving, Inc., located in the town of Amherst in Erie County. Work on the project will begin in June and be completed this fall.

Source: New York Governor