Governor Hochul today announced that the Thruway Authority received an award of a $1.2 million federal grant as part of the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure and Jobs Law – Safe Streets and Roads for All grant. The funding will be used to develop a comprehensive safety action plan for the 570-mile Thruway corridor statewide. This plan will outline actionable strategies for achieving the Thruway Authority’s safety goals outlined in the recently Board approved strategic plan, including reducing the number of incidents and fatalities, reducing the number of traffic related work zone incidents, decreasing the number of employee injuries, and implementing best-in-class training opportunities for employees and contractors.
“Keeping New Yorkers safe is my top priority,” Governor Hochul said. “These funds will be critical to ensuring that the millions of drivers from across the country who rely on the Thruway every year can use the road safely. I am grateful to our partners in the federal government and the New York congressional delegation for their support.”
New York State Thruway Authority Acting Executive Director Frank G. Hoare, Esq. said, “Safety is at the core of everything we do at the Thruway Authority, and we are firmly committed to providing a safe and reliable highway for our motorists and employees. This grant will help us develop a Comprehensive Safety Action Plan that will increase the safety of our roadway by identifying and implementing strategies that create life-saving enhancements across the Thruway system. I want to thank Governor Hochul and her administration, as well as Senate Majority Leader Schumer and Senator Gillibrand, for their assistance in securing this grant that will make an impact on millions of Thruway drivers each year.”
The Thruway Authority applied for the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant in July 2023 and is one of 14 recipients in Upstate New York. The Comprehensive Safety Action Plan will be developed through a collaborative effort including agency partners, community stakeholders and the public and it will include a community outreach campaign that involves the public and other stakeholders throughout the process to collect diverse input and ensure equitable representation across the Thruway System. Trends and circumstances specific to the Thruway corridor will be analyzed and evaluated to develop the comprehensive plan including projects, countermeasures, innovative technologies, high impact strategies, policy and guideline review, data collection, reporting and data storage.
Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer said, "This $1.2 million investment from our Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs law will give New York communities along the thruway corridor the tools they need to develop plans for safer streets and work zones. These federal funds will empower localities to enhance roadway safety, develop comprehensive safety action plans, and implement innovative strategies to protect motorists, employees, and contractors alike. I’m proud to work with Governor Hochul to improve the safety of our roadways, boost the economy and help save lives by driving forward much-needed safety features, stopping accidents before they happen, and laying the foundation for safer streets.”
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said, “Investing in projects that improve roadway safety is vital to preventing future traffic tragedies in our communities. This grant will fund the development of a critical safety action plan for the 570-mile-long Thruway corridor and help save lives. I am proud to have worked to pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to secure this funding and I will keep fighting to make our roadways safer for all.”
Representative Grace Meng said, “I’m so happy that our state continues to receive critical funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that I helped pass in Congress. Just days ago, I hailed nearly $30 million in infrastructure law money to improve roadway safety in my congressional district in Queens. Ensuring that our roads and highways are safe must always be a top priority and that includes the heavily traveled Thruway system. As New York’s representative on the House of Representatives’ Regional Leadership Council, I will continue fighting for New York.”
Representative Adriano Espaillat said, “The New York State Thruway Authority's successful acquisition of a $1.2 million federal grant under the Bipartisan Infrastructure and Jobs Law, which I helped pass in Congress, is a significant step forward. As part of the Safe Streets and Roads for All grant, this federal funding will play a crucial role in developing a Comprehensive Safety Action Plan for our 570-mile Thruway corridor. By prioritizing safety goals and involving key stakeholders, this initiative underscores our commitment to maintaining the Thruway's status as one of the safest highways in the nation. I commend Governor Hochul and all who worked to move this project forward, reinforcing our dedication to a safer and more reliable transportation network.”
One of the Safest Highways in the Country
The nearly 70-year-old Thruway system continues to be one of the safest highways in the nation. In 2022, the Thruway-wide fatality rate was 0.16 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, one of the lowest recorded rates on the Thruway system since fatality rates have been documented in 1954. The figure is significantly lower than the projected nationwide traffic fatality rate for 2022 of 1.30 and the latest New York State traffic fatality rate from 2020 of 1.00.
Built in the early 1950s, the Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway is one of the oldest components of the National Interstate Highway System and one of the longest toll roads in the nation. It sets the standard for modern highway geometric design with safe roadway characteristics including smooth curves, wide medians and unobstructed driver sight distance.
The Comprehensive Safety Action Plan will serve as the Thruway Authority’s guide to direct investment decisions related to key safety needs to achieve reductions in highway fatalities and serious injuries. The Thruway Authority has committed to providing an additional $300,000 to bring the total funding of the plan to $1.5 million.