House transportation bill still needs Senate agreement

WARWICK-U.S. Rep. Sue Kelly has obtained more than $1 million in federal money for Warwick transportation and open space needs through legislation that passed the U.S. House of Representatives on March 10. Kelly inserted $550,000 into the bill for the construction of new bus shelters throughout Warwick, and $500,000 to enhance various biking and walking trails and link them between all of the villages that lie within the Town. "I'm very grateful," said Town of Warwick Supervisor Michael Sweeton. "We worked very hard with her and her office to identify the needs in our town and to get some of our tax money back from Washington." Part of the $500,000 for bus shelters is slated for construction of an addition to the Department of Public Works building to house and maintain the Dial-A-Buses. The other part of the money would be used for shelters at some of the fixed stops to provide some comfort for passengers when the weather is bad. The other $500,000 is to help with the planning and building of walking and bike trails connecting Greenwood Lake to Warwick and Warwick to Florida. There are bits and pieces of this project already in place, the supervisor said, and this program is intended to provide walkers and riders with a safer environment. "Transportation and open space are two very important issues in our daily lives," Kelly said. "It is very beneficial to work together with an effective supervisor like Michael Sweeton and identify local needs here in Warwick that can use federal assistance." The Transportation Equity Act, which reauthorizes the federal aid surface transportation program through 2009, must next be approved by the Senate. That is expected to happen next month. As a senior member of the House Transportation Committee, Kelly co-authored the Transportation Equity Act and successfully wrote provisions into the bill that will bring federal funding directly to towns and villages in the Hudson Valley to help them improve roads, trails, and transportation-related infrastructure.