SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND, MALONEY, DELGADO ANNOUNCE ADDITIONAL $1.8 MILLION IN FEDERAL EMERGENCY TRANSIT FUNDING FOR DUTCHESS COUNTY IN HUDSON VALLEY
During Negotiations For Cares Act, Leader Schumer Prioritized & Secured $$$ For Upstate New York Transit; Gillibrand, Maloney and Delgado Shepherded Legislation to Final Passage
Dutchess County Will Receive Additional $1.8M To Support Transit Operations As Counties Respond To & Recover From COVID-19 Pandemic
Reps: Federal Funding Will Keep Hudson Valley Moving Forward
U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, U.S. Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney and U.S. Congressman Antonio Delgado today announced $1,800,000 in additional CARES Act, emergency federal funding for Dutchess County in the Hudson Valley Region. This federal funding was secured in the CARES Act, allocated by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), and will boost essential public transportation services by mitigating the devastating impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis on local transit systems. The funding announced today is in addition to the $7.3 million allocated to Dutchess County in June.
“As the Hudson Valley reopens, it’s imperative that it gets all the federal tools it needs to support the recovery process, including help for our vital public transportation systems in Dutchess County,” said Senator Schumer. “This federal funding will offset the devastating financial impacts of COVID-19 on transit operations throughout the region and allow Dutchess County to keep the bus systems clean, safe, timely and efficient for Hudson Valley riders. I’m proud to have fought for this imperative funding to be included in the CARES Act and will continue to fight to make sure that the Hudson Valley has every dollar it needs to recover.”
“The transportation systems in the Hudson Valley are central to the economy and workforce, and we must ensure they have the resources needed to combat the challenges posed by the COVID-19 crisis,” said Senator Gillibrand. “This CARES Act funding will ensure that Dutchess County can continue providing crucial public transportation services for riders relying on safe and sanitary transit during the pandemic. I’m proud to have secured these federal funds and will keep fighting to ensure our communities have the resources needed to recover.”
“Dutchess County Public Transit connects folks across Dutchess County and Hudson Valley with their jobs, small businesses and loved ones. This funding, which I helped fight for as a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, will help support public transit here in the Hudson Valley and keep our transit systems safe and sanitized during the pandemic. I’m proud Dutchess has received millions in transit funding from the CARES Act, and will continue to fight for this vital funding,” said Congressman Maloney.
“In rural communities across NY-19, public transportation is a lifeline that connects folks with jobs, educational opportunities, and loved ones. As a member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, I’ve prioritized expanding rural bus routes across our region,” said Congressman Delgado. “I’m proud to join in announcing CARES Act funds that will help Dutchess County Public Transit recoup losses and protect riders. Our work at the federal level must continue to ensure that our upstate communities have every resource they need to recover from this unprecedented health crisis.”
Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro said, “We are grateful to receive this important funding from the Federal Transit Administration through the CARES Act. The financial impacts of this pandemic are still being tallied and many in our community continue to feel the burden of uncertainty. This grant will help recoup some of our financial losses from reduced ridership while the State was on PAUSE, and ensure we can continue to provide these necessary services to those residents who rely on public transit to reach their destinations, while keeping everyone safe and healthy.”
Dutchess County will be utilizing the funding to supplement financial losses from the decline in ridership during the height of the COVID crisis in New York.
Dutchess County’s public transportation needs are mainly serviced by Dutchess County Public Transit, which took over the operation of City of Poughkeepsie Transit, and connects to Putnam Transit and Ulster County Area Transit to connect Dutchess County with the rest of the Hudson Valley. The busing provided by the Dutchess County Public Transit system is the most utilized form of intra-town public transportation, experiencing 847,800 trips on the county’s 36 fixed bus routes in 2019.
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