Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Andrew Cuomo

Who Will Pay for Cuomo’s Upstate Highway Spending Spree?

Thruway toll reduction & largest transportation infrastructure investment in NYS history included in 2016 proposals: https://t.co/TtNum0nIfA

— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) January 6, 2016

Governor Andrew Cuomo continued his run-up to the 2016 State of the State today by announcing a multi-billion dollar subsidy for New York State Thruway drivers and a proposed $22 billion in spending on upstate road projects.

Cuomo would freeze Thruway tolls for all drivers “until at least 2020,” reduce tolls for Thruway motorists who drive the most, commercial traffic included, and eliminate tolls for vehicles owned by farmers, according to a Cuomo press releaseThe toll cuts would be offset by roughly $2 billion in state subsidies for the Thruway Authority. There is no word on how the proposal would affect tolls on the new Tappan Zee Bridge.

While shifting the costs of state highways away from the people who use them, Cuomo has proposed what he calls “the largest capital program in the state’s history” -- $22 billion on roads and bridges, “especially in Upstate.” The plan reportedly includes all of $30 million for upstate transit, but transit isn't mentioned in Cuomo’s press release.

Details on the capital program are scarce. The timetable is unknown. Most important, Cuomo hasn’t said what exactly the $22 billion will be spent on or where it will come from, but it's hard to imagine a scenario that doesn't rely heavily on additional general fund borrowing.

Cuomo's State of the State address is set for January 13.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

‘Anti-Car Crusade’: Dinowitzes Slam Bronx Harlem River Greenway Bike Lane Touted by Mayor

The father-son duo are throwing a tantrum over the first leg of Mayor Adams's Harlem River Greenway.

July 8, 2025

Eyes on the Street: DOT’s ‘Broadway Vision’ Starts to Clear Up

The Department of Transportation has transformed Broadway into a new corridor for pedestrians and cyclists.

July 8, 2025

Amsterdam Leads the Way on E-Bike Regulation — Should New York Follow Suit?

The city's biking- and walking-friendly streets expose the hypocrisy harsh e-bike enforcement without better street design.

July 8, 2025

Tuesday’s Headlines: Rethinking Avenue B Edition

DOT is taking feedback on the future of Avenue B. Plus more news.

July 8, 2025

Eric Adams’s ‘Dept. of Sustainable Delivery’ Isn’t Actually A Department

The "Department of Sustainable Delivery" will launch with 45 "peace officers" in 2028, the mayor said on Monday.

July 7, 2025

New Air Quality Stats Dispel Earlier Forecasts for Congestion Pricing Pollution

Air quality has improved or remained steady across the five boroughs since congestion pricing launched in January, city health department data showed.

July 7, 2025
See all posts