Video, Audio, Photos & Rush Transcript: Governor Hochul Announces Thruway Authority Selected for $21 Million Federal Grant to Restore the Castleton-on-Hudson Bridge

Earlier today, Governor Kathy Hochul announced that the New York State Thruway Authority has been selected for a $21 million federal grant, as part of the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration Bridge Investment Program, to support the restoration of the Castleton-on-Hudson Bridge on the New York State Thruway (I-90) Berkshire Spur. The Governor made today's announcement alongside Secretary Buttigieg, Congressman Paul Tonko, and local representatives.

VIDEO of the event is available on YouTube here and in TV quality (h.264, mp4) format here.

AUDIO of the event is available here.

PHOTOS of the event are available on the Governor's Flickr page.

A rush transcript of the Governor's remarks is available below:

Thank you, Congressman. It is always great to be back in your district, as we often are, making great announcements because you are an incredible champion. I remember our time together in Congress, and there was no project too small that you didn't go after and make sure that your constituents were well-served. So, thank you for your service then, your service now, and for being a great friend as well.

I also want to say to our Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg - we literally saw each other on St. Patrick's Day up in Buffalo when we were announcing a project that we are so, so proud of. So proud of - a billion dollars from the State of New York, with support from the federal government, to reconnect communities that were divided by decisions made back in the fifties, that it was okay to go through a Black community with a superhighway to make sure that people could get to the suburbs faster.

So, we are reversing those kind of projects, not once, not twice, but three places in the State of New York leading our nation in using transportation, infrastructure dollars as a way to right the wrongs of the past. So, thank you Secretary Buttigieg for being a champion of those projects, but also being here once again in the State of New York. I think you're starting to play favorites and we're okay with that.

Also, we're joined by Senator Tim Kennedy, who chairs the Senate Transportation Committee representing Buffalo and the area we spoke about. So, I thank him for all he has done, championing for the state and making sure that we get good union jobs, taking care of our contractors.

We're joined by Frank Hoare, also, our acting director of the New York State Throughway Authority. Tip a hat to you there, Frank, it's for you. Also, the keeper of this beautiful park, and we do have a lot of hidden jewels and my job as Governor, is to unveil these jewels. And that is Erik Kulleseid, our Commissioner of Parks and Historic Preservation.

And Mayor, former colleague, and just like our Secretary, I'm a graduate of local government. That's how you learn the rough and tumble. When you're in a situation where the public can ask as many questions as they want, you're there as long as they want, and you become really accessible. And I wanted to take the lessons I learned in local government - lessons that the Mayor lives by every single day, and what the Secretary lives by, about how to be responsive to the people. That becomes part of who you are when you start in local government, where I spent most of my life. And so, I'm really proud to have, the mayor here who's really making a difference in this wonderful community of Castleton-on-Hudson.

And I'm not playing favorites, east side or west side of the Hudson River either. Love the whole state, but this is spectacular over here and the quality of life is second to none. It really is here. So, the people who call this area home, you are fortunate, and it is a great place to live. And that's what I'm focusing on. I'm focusing on making New York State more livable, more safe, safer communities, as well as more affordable. A lot of our policies are focusing, yes, on climate transition, but also how we can make sure it's affordable for our constituents.

But one thing that's so important is to make sure that this state has 21st century infrastructure. For far too long, these priorities were neglected. The federal government, under previous administration, did not focus on this. And I used to work for Senator Moynihan, and he was chair of the infrastructure committee. There was a time when people didn't play politics with infrastructure dollars. You didn't have battles. The money went to localities, whether they're Democrat, whether they're Republican, it didn't matter. And that all changed and became much more challenging.

But to have President Biden putting such a focus on how infrastructure dollars can change people's lives - not just in roads and bridges, but as we mentioned, infrastructure now constitutes making sure the internet is accessible to everybody as well. There are so many ways that he has used his office to transform people's lives across this nation. We're grateful for President Biden.

We're grateful to have Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who is constantly out around the State of New York representing us as well as his national responsibilities, and Senator Kirsten Gillibrand. So, with Paul Tonko, we have the dream federal team. I'm grateful to have that. And also, you're starting to see the results of that.

You know, there are only five or six places in the nation today where the Biden Administration is fanning out to make these kinds of announcements. This is the only place in the Northeast where this is happening. This bridge right here. This shows that communities, no matter what the size they are, they matter to this administration.

So I'm so proud to partner with them - and I'll keep doing my part. We put forth $32.8 billion in a transportation capital plan a year ago. We are spending it everywhere. And we started with this project knowing that a bridge that was built in 1959 - think about that. The babies that were born that year, they're now retiring. So this bridge needs a facelift. It's been getting old. And there's a lot of potholes and it's basically compromised. And for our trucking industry and our commuters and people who use the bridge, it has become a real hassle.

And when we start slowing down the economy because the infrastructure has not made the roadways as smooth as they should be and as efficient as they should be, then we've got a problem that affects larger areas than just that one bridge. And that's what we're here to talk about.

So, this bridge has over 6 million vehicles yearly - 17,000 a day. But as I said, it has deteriorated, potholes, guardrails, and dangerously narrow lanes. And we started a $47.6 million project. It wasn't enough. So the $21 million here today is going to get us over the finish line and do it right. And that's why I'm so proud to be here as well.

And Mr. Secretary, come anytime you want. We are so happy of your interest in our state and making sure that we all live what President Biden has asked us to do, is to take care of each other. Take care of our communities, create good union jobs. Make sure that families have good access to the goods that they need when the transportation networks are working the way they should.

So it all comes together with projects like this, and I'm so proud to be part of this. And I want to also introduce someone who can tell you what it's like to travel on roads like this and bridges like this when they are substandard, and what a difference it makes and why it's so imperative that we work together, federal, state, and local to get the job done.

With that, I'll introduce Stephen Erwin from Clinton's Ditch Co-op and he'll tell you exactly what that's all about.