Transportation, Department of

Agency Web Site: https://www.dot.ny.gov/index

Mission

It is the mission of the New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) to ensure its customers -- those who live, work and travel in New York State -- have a safe, efficient, balanced and environmentally sound transportation system.

The DOT directly maintains and improves the State’s more than 38,000 State highway lane miles and over 7,500 bridges. In addition, the Department partially funds locally-operated transit systems, local government highway and bridge construction, and rail, airport, and canal programs.

Budget Highlights

The Executive Budget recommends over $9.6 billion for the Department. This is an increase of over $1.3 billion from the 2011-12 budget. This year-to-year change primarily reflects the New York Works infrastructure initiative and increases in transit aid, offset by decreases attributable to the phase-out of Federal Stimulus and 2005 Bond Act funding, and savings from programmatic and operational efficiencies.

The Executive Budget recommends a workforce of 8,492 FTEs for the Department, a decrease of 91 FTEs from the 2011-12 budget. The decrease primarily reflects reductions in the State workforce due to attrition (101 FTEs) offset by 10 new hires to enhance accident damage recoveries.

Major budget actions include:

• New York Works infrastructure investment. The Executive Budget includes a $1.16 billion capital funding enhancement as part of Governor Cuomo’s New York Works initiative that will increase investment and accelerate projects to improve the State’s highway and bridge infrastructure and create jobs throughout the State. Approximately $917 million will be funded with Federal aid and $232 million will come from the State’s Dedicated Highway and Bridge Trust Fund. An additional $15 million would be provided from the Capital Projects Fund to support completion of the Peace Bridge Plaza. Targeted investments will focus on the State's aging bridges, preservation of road conditions, and major infrastructure projects that can be advanced in 2012-13.
• Increased transit aid levels. The Executive Budget proposes $4.4 billion of transit aid, an increase of almost $220 million over prior year levels. The MTA will receive nearly $4 billion, an increase of over $190 million. This includes General Fund support of approximately $250 million to offset the revenue impact of the recent payroll tax reform on the MTA’s 2012 fiscal year. Other systems in the downstate region will be provided nearly $257 million, an increase of over $18 million. Upstate transit systems will receive more than $174 million, an increase of over $11 million in aid. In order to support the recommended aid levels, the Executive Budget proposes to statutorily allocate the statewide Transmission Tax between the upstate and downstate transit accounts, in accordance with population within the applicable areas.
• Implementation of performance-based bus inspection. The Executive Budget includes legislation to increase inspection of poor-performing operators by implementing a performance-based bus inspection program that would focus more of the Department’s existing resources on frequent violators, resulting in improved safety and compliance with reduced overtime costs

For more information on this agency's budget recommendations located in the Executive Budget Briefing Book, click on the following link:

Briefing Book – Transportation (PDF)

Note: Most recent estimates as of 1/17/2012

Click for additional detailed appropriation tables