Malliotakis, Gillibrand Push Hochul to Include Staten Island HOV Lane Extension in State Infrastructure Plan

Press Release

Today Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11) and New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand pushed New York Governor Kathy Hochul to include the Staten Island Expressway HOV lane extension in the upcoming five-year State Transportation Infrastructure Plan (STIP).

"For years, the completion of the HOV lane has been a long-awaited project and has shared overwhelming bipartisan support by federal and local officials, the residents of Staten Island, and the thousands of motorists who frequent the Expressway each day," the lawmakers wrote. "The extension would bring much-needed relief by alleviating congestion brought on by an abrupt end to the unfinished HOV lane."

The project initially broke ground during the Obama Administration through its shovel-ready jobs initiative, however, in 2015, a lack of funding halted construction of the HOV lane two miles short of its intended finish line creating a bottleneck of traffic and higher air pollution in underserved communities. The lawmakers are urging Hochul to make the completion of this project a top priority and utilize federal funds from the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) to cover some of the cost. The IIJA is currently providing federal funding for several projects in Staten Island and Southern Brooklyn, including the rehabilitation of overpasses on the Staten Island and Gowanus Expressways.

The lawmakers added: "Recent estimates by NYSDOT have placed the cost to complete the HOV lane in both directions from $500 million to $800 million. We strongly believe that this estimate is high, and the project could be completed for much less...With new federal revenue sources through BIF and encouraging discussions with the New York State Department of Transportation under your Administration, we believe that there is a path forward to completing the extension to the Goethals Bridge. We respectfully ask that the long overdue completion of this project, which is so vital to the quality of life of Staten Islanders, be strongly considered in the upcoming STIP."

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