FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 4, 2000

SCHUMER, MCNULTY ANNOUNCE OVER $5.5 MILLION FOR CAPITAL REGION TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS

Money Will Be Used to Renovate Albany/Rensselaer Train Station,Improve Albany International Airport and Expand Bus Service

US Senator Charles E. Schumer and US Representative Mike McNulty today announced that the FY01 Transportation Appropriations conference report contains $5,650,000 for Capital Region transportation projects. The money will be used to help renovate Albany/Rensselaer Train Station, extend a runway at Albany International Airport and expand late night bus service.

"A state-of-the-art transportation system is a critical piece of the puzzle in the effort to make the Capital Region a magnet for new businesses and high technology industries," said Schumer. "This money will help city authorities make important improvements to Albany's transportation infrastructure, including needed airport and mass transit improvements and renovations to one of the busiest train stations in the country."

"Continued improvements of the Albany International Airport, the I-90 Connector and the Intermodal Station will greatly enhance our efforts to attract economic development in the 21^st District. Completion of these projects has the potential to create thousands of new jobs at the Rensselaer Tech Park and elsewhere in the Capital Region," McNulty said.

The Capital District Transit Authority (CDTA) will receive $500,000 to help redevelop Albany/Renseelaer Train Station. The station improvements are expected to spur further economic growth around what already is of the top ten busiest Amtrak stations in the United States. Efforts are also underway to attract a hotel and restaurants to the area surrounding the station.

CDTA will also receive $250,000 to extend late night bus service under the Jobs Access and Reverse Commute Program. The expanded service will accommodate city residents who depend on mass transit to travel out to Capital area suburbs for second and third jobs.
Albany International Airport will also receive $4.9 million in Airport Improvement Program funding for the expansion of one of its runways.

The conference report, which resolved the differences between the House and Senate versions of the transportation bill, is expected to be approved by the Senate later this week.

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