GRAND ISLAND, N.Y. — The south Grand Island Bridges will soon get some upgrades to ensure the bridges are protected against possible earthquakes thanks to a grant.
The announcement was made by US Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (NY-D) Monday.
Nearly $40 million in funding from the Department of Transportation's Promoting Resilient Operations for Transformative, Efficient, and Cost-saving Transportation (PROTECT) will be used to to make critical upgrades to protect against earthquakes.
“Western NY’s South Grand Island Bridges are lifelines for Niagara Falls and Tonawanda, connecting communities to the mainland and carrying thousands of cars every day. But age and deterioration have taken a toll on many sections of the bridge, and recent events, from the earthquake we experienced downstate to the tragic bridge collapse in Baltimore, have brought the need to make repairs to this vital corridor for Western NY to the top of mind. That is why I am proud to deliver a whopping $39 million to help rehabilitate the South Grand Island Bridges and bolster resilient infrastructure needed to maintain these vital corridors for Western NY,” said Senator Schumer in a released statement. “This substantial funding means safer bridges, good-paying construction jobs, better bike and pedestrian infrastructure, and is exactly the kind of long overdue investments I had in mind when I lead the Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs Act to passage.”
“With support from the Biden-Harris Administration and our congressional delegation, New York has made historic investments in our infrastructure,” New York Governor Kathy Hochul said. “These funds are critical to improving resiliency on essential bridges to Western New York's economy, and improving emergency response coordination in a region prone to extreme weather.”
The grant, which is funded through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Law, comes after an 4.8 magnitude hit New York and New Jersey.
RELATED VIDEO:
