Previously Published in The Messenger
By Matt Meduri
While the arduous New York State Executive Budget process is known for its delays, gridlock, and intense debate, productivity can still be delivered.
Senator Dean Murray (R-East Patchogue) has recently announced his securing of year-over-year increases for infrastructure funding for the Third Senate District.
The funding is derived through several road and highway programs that will benefit Suffolk County, the Town of Brookhaven, and the villages of Bellport, Lake Grove, and Patchogue. The increases fetch nearly 10% year-over-year in Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Programs (CHIPS) funding.
Boosts were also given to the PaveNY and Pave Our Potholes programs, while the Extreme Weather Recovery Program funding remains steady.
CHIPS funding for Suffolk County increased by almost $400,000 from last year, bringing the total funding to $7.4 million. CHIPS funding for Brookhaven increased over $500,000 for a total of $5.9 million for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. Bellport saw an increase of just over $12,000 for a total of $133,000. Lake Grove’s new total of just over $350,000 was facilitated by an increase of $31,000. Patchogue saw an increase of almost $26,000 for a grand total of $290,000.
CHIPS funding is more of a “catchall” category for local use as needed and usually makes up the bulk of infrastructure funding for municipalities.
Meanwhile, Pave Our Potholes saw an increase of almost $20,000 for Suffolk County, bringing the total up to $1.4 million. Brookhaven Town saw an increase of just under $2,000 for nearly $845,000 in total funding. The three villages saw modest increases, collectively receiving just over $100,000.
The Pave Our Potholes program is part of a multi-billion-dollar, five-year capital plan designed specifically to help municipalities maintain their roads. The program addresses roads that have a service life of at least ten years and where conditions pose problems for vehicles and safety concerns for drivers.
Through the PaveNY Program, Suffolk received an additional $30,000 for $2.1 million in total funding. Brookhaven got an increase of $3,000 for a total of $1.26 million. The three villages also saw modest increases for a collective total of nearly $150,000.
PaveNY is part of the broader CHIPS program that aims to improve conditions of local roads as well as highways. The program focuses on projects that have a service life of at least ten years.
Finally, the Extreme Winter Recovery Program’s numbers for the f ive constituencies held steady. Suffolk remains at just over $600,000, Brookhaven remains at $1.05 million, Bellport at $24,000, Lake Grove at $61,000, and Patchogue at $51,000.
This program’s variable is dictated by the harshness of the previous winter. A more severe winter often translates to increased funding next year in preparation for another severe season, or to at least repair the roads that were damaged and worn significantly during the harsh weather. On the other hand, a less severe winter often means a decrease in funding, which can be substantiated the following year in the event of damaging winter conditions.
“During the budget process, we push to get more of the [overall] funding here. We were able to get increases for three out of four programs,” Murray told The Messenger. “It comes from hearing from our constituents and our local highway superintendents and Departments of Public Works (DPWs).”
Murray explains that the chaos of the Executive Budget process can be mitigated with more unifying and practical solutions to kitchen table issues. He and his Long Island colleagues are pushing for more federal infrastructure money to flow downstate.
“We’ve been shortchanged when it comes to infrastructure funding, let’s not kid ourselves,” said Murray. He explains that federal infrastructure funding programs also shortchange Long Island since the region is “lumped in” with New York City.
“We only get a very small slice of the pie. We’re big enough and have enough road miles on Long Island that we should have our own pie. We’re trying to push that legislatively,” said Murray, adding that Assemblyman Steve Stern (D-Dix Hills) and Senator Monica Martinez (D-Brentwood) are carrying the bipartisan bill to give Long Island its own designation in the eyes of the federal Department of Transportation.
“If that passes as written, we’re talking billions more in funding from the feds,” said Murray. “But understand, we’ve been shortchanged over the past decade or so. This is a big, big push. In the meantime, it’s important that we get these increases year after year to bring more money home to allow the highway superintendents and DPWs to do their jobs.”
However, Murray says that this isn’t the end of the fight for infrastructure projects on Long Island. Sunrise Highway has long been a point of consternation, with it being arguably more palpable in the last couple years.
“Sunrise Highway is more of a State DOT project. That’s why I was a little disappointed in Governor Hochul (D) bringing forward $9 million for one service road project in Islip. I was beyond disappointed that that wasn’t more directly addressed by the governor this year.”
Murray assures that for he and his fellow Long Island Senators, Sunrise Highway is the “number one” thing on their radar, particularly the stretch from Patchogue to William Floyd Parkway.