Center Moriches Taxpayers Community Discussion Forum

Gov. David A. Paterson announced $154 million in Long Island infrastructure projects Monday, with the vast majority set in Suffolk County.

Speaking in Melville at a state Department of Transportation garage, Paterson touted the federal stimulus-backed road construction projects, which he predicted will generate 3,715 jobs on Long Island.

"Long Island will get its fair share of stimulus infrastructure repair projects," Paterson said. "That we can guarantee."

The biggest project he announced is a $55.9-million reconstruction of Route 112 between Pine Road in Coram and Route 347 in Port Jefferson Station.

Paterson said total Long Island bridge and highway funding will be $400 million over this year and next.

Still, some Long Island advocates were skeptical the region will receive an equitable share of the state's $4-billon stimulus funding.

"Some jobs are better than nothing, but it remains to be seen whether Long Island is getting its fair share of all the jobs statewide," said Long Island Association president Matt Crosson. "There is no way to know whether we're getting a reasonable share of this or not."

State Sen. Charles Fuschillo (R-Merrick) said he hopes Paterson will announce additional Long Island projects soon.

"If he starts and finishes with these projects, than Long Island will again be shortchanged money for their roads, highways and bridges," Fuschillo said.

Smaller projects include $8.6 million to resurface nine miles of the Northern State Parkway, Northern Boulevard in North Hempstead, and North Country Road in Smithtown; $2.3 million for concrete repairs to the Meadowbrook, Ocean, Sagtikos and Southern State parkways; and $5.4 million for repairs to 10 bridges in Babylon, Brookhaven and Islip towns.

Paterson also said the state will replace 900 traffic signals with more energy-efficient ones. The project will cost $4.8 million.

The announcement also includes $24.5 million in federal Department of Energy funding to 13 Long Island municipalities to retrofit their buildings to make them more energy-efficient or to buy fuel-efficient vehicles.