Service
cuts for the MTA planned for 2023-24 and fare hikes are now
“off the table” according to Gov. Kathy Hochul, who was on her way to
Washington, D.C. to watch President Joe Biden sign the $1.2 trillion
infrastructure package.
She
spoke to the media at Albany International Airport where she quickly broke down
where the bill’s funding will be going in the state.
According
to the governor, $14 billion would go to roads, $10.5 billion for transit
projects, $3 billion toward clean water and $100 million for expanding
broadband in the state.
Millions
more would go toward climate resiliency projects, she said.
Hochul’s
trip to Washington marks her first since she was sworn in. Biden will be
signing the bill into law in the afternoon.
The
package, which includes $550 billion in new spending, is meant to repair and
enhance the country's crumbling infrastructure. About $650 billion of
the funding will be reallocated from already existing projects and funds.
It
includes:
- $110 billion for highways and bridges
- $65 billion for high-speed internet
- $39 billion for public transportation
The
president has called the passage of the bill "a monumental step forward as
a nation."