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WASHINGTON—Congressman Paul D. Tonko highlighted a newly released White House fact sheet today showing New York’s current critical infrastructure needs and connecting them to the recently-unveiled American Jobs Plan. The new fact sheet counts New York bridges and miles of road that are currently rated in poor condition, as well as the percentage of state households without access to broadband internet and the billions of dollars needed to repair New York State’s water infrastructure, among other things. 

The American Jobs Plan makes historic investments in these and other critical resources while getting millions of Americans back to work.

“Much of New York’s critical infrastructure has long been neglected—from our roads, bridges and drinking water systems to our schools, broadband networks and long-term care facilities,” Congressman Tonko said. “With these bold, timely investments in our state’s critical structures and systems, we can unlock our state’s full economic potential and rebuild our communities faster and fairer than ever. The American Jobs Plan seizes this a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create millions of good-paying worker-friendly jobs while bringing our infrastructure into the 21st century, lifting up rural communities, communities of color and vulnerable families across our state. Congress must act at once the deliver this powerful investment and turbocharge our nation’s competitiveness in the world.”

New York received a C- grade on its Infrastructure Report Card from the American Society of Civil Engineers, facing many deficiencies that require immediate attention. Below are key statistics on the condition of the infrastructure in the state of New York:

• 7,292 miles of highway and 1,702 bridges are in need of repair
• 11% of trains and other transit vehicles in the state that are past their useful life
• 31.4% of households are without access to broadband
• 1.7 million renters pay more than 30% of their income in rent due to shortages in affordable housing units
• New York needs $22.8 billion in modernization costs to ensure safe drinking water
• 64% of families have few or no childcare options in their communities, preventing parents from joining the workforce
• Over 700,000 veterans in New York rely on VA facilities, which have been chronically underfunded – leading to longer waits and lower quality care
• An average low-income family in New York currently pays 6-8% of their income toward energy bills because their home has not been sufficiently weatherized
• New York has experienced 31 extreme weather events in the past decade, which will only increase in frequency and severity due to the climate crisis

Led by President Biden and Democrats in Congress, the American Jobs Plan targets these infrastructure needs and more. This initiative is designed to reenergize our stagnant economy as the nation begins to recover from the pandemic and the recession, as well as lay the foundation for future economic growth and ensure the U.S. is competitive in the global economy for decades to come.

The full New York fact sheet from Rep. Tonko and President Biden is available HERE.

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