$250K Allocation To City Department Of Transportation To Increase Paving Efforts On Staten Island

Borough President Vito Fossella announced an allocation of $250,000 to the Department of Transportation to supplement the agency’s paving resources on Staten Island, particularly since the harsh winter left the borough’s roads in significant disrepair.

“We all know the roads that we drive on Staten Island are critical and need to be maintained,” said Borough President Fossella at a press conference at Stanwich Street and Rome Avenue in Grasmere. “It’s a priority for us here on Staten Island and we will keep working with the city to do what’s best for the drivers of Staten Island, to keep our roads safe, to fill the potholes and to just pave.”

Borough Hall receives regular complaints from constituents about vehicle damage due to persistent potholes and deteriorating streets.

“People are rightfully concerned and upset that the roads are not paved,” said Borough President Fossella. “We don’t control that process. All we can do is be an advocate for those people. It’s a priority for us.”

He indicated that the city is spending money on things Staten Islanders don’t want, referring to bus lanes and bike lanes.

“All that money is fungible, as we speak, they’re spending a lot of money doing things that Staten Island does not want as opposed to spending the money on things we do want,” he said. “When this excuse of no money exists in a $100-plus billion budget, no one has to wonder where the city’s priorities are. So, we’re going to take any excuse that the money is not there by giving them the money.”

Borough President Fossella said he will defer to the Department of Transportation as to roads they will pave with the allocation, rather than “micromanage the project.”

“We will continue to lobby the city to say, ‘Please do what’s best for the folks of Staten Island,’” he said. “Give them what they need, not what you think they need."