Assemblyman Santabarbara is calling for $900,000 in this year’s final state budget for emergency repairs needed on State Route 67 (also known as Church Street) in the City of Amsterdam. According to the City Engineer, the road was repaired less than 10 years ago and is now again seeing deterioration with a number of areas that have significant pavement damage. The problem is compounded with the high traffic volume on this roadway that includes a consistent flow of large trucks. With poor pavement conditions, residents began contacting Santabarbara’s office about constant noise and vibrations throughout the day and even at night. Some residents expressed concerns about the structural damage to their homes that could occur if the problem persists.

This morning Santabarbara, a civil engineer by trade, toured the area and met with residents that contacted his office. “First and foremost, this is a public safety concern and a quality of life issue for the families that live here,” said Assemblyman Santabarbara. “These conditions are simply unacceptable.”

Assemblyman Santabarbara was able to schedule a meeting for April 10th with Nicolas Choubah, Director of the New York State Department of Transportation’s Region 2 which includes the City of Amsterdam. In the meantime, Santabarbara is calling for the funding needed ahead of the coming state budget deadline of April 1st so that repairs can be made this year. “This must be something that needs our immediate attention,” Santabarbara said “We must help communities like Amsterdam address emergency infrastructure needs like this and we cannot wait.”

“As a civil engineer, I know that smart investments like this to improve infrastructure with 21st century engineering will ensure continued success for upstate cities like Amsterdam,” said Santabarbara. “This funding to build safer, more reliable roads is critical to ensuring public safety for local residents here in Amsterdam.”