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Long Island Lawmaker Seeks More Funding for Road Safety, Bridges After Rising Fatalities
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Summary
Representative Laura Gillen urged the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development subcommittee to increase funding for road-safety programs and bridge repairs, citing rising fatal crashes and specific bridge deficiencies on Long Island.
WASHINGTON — Representative Laura A. Gillen, representing New York’s Fourth Congressional District on Long Island, asked the House Appropriations subcommittee to boost funding for road-safety and bridge programs for fiscal 2026, citing an “alarming and unacceptable” rise in fatal crashes on Long Island.
“Every seven minutes on Long Island, there is another car accident involving death, injury or serious property damage,” Gillen said, citing local Newsday reporting that more than 2,100 people were killed and 16,000 severely injured on Long Island roads over the past decade.
Nut graf: Gillen urged larger allotments for targeted federal programs that fund roadway improvements and safety projects, including the Bridge Investment Program, Safe Streets and Roads for All, and the Highway Safety Improvement Program. She also asked the subcommittee to support increased community project funding and HUD Economic Development Initiative grants that have previously funded local infrastructure projects.
Details from testimony
- Bridge conditions: Gillen said New York State Department of Transportation data identified 10 Long Island bridges in poor condition, including one in the village of Hewlett Harbor in her district. She called for increased Bridge Investment Program funding under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act for FY26.
- Road-safety programs: Gillen recommended increased funding for the Safe Streets and Roads for All program and the Highway Safety Improvement Program, which she said have helped modernize the transportation network and prevent fatal crashes.
- Community and EDI funding: Gillen requested support for community project funding and Economic Development Initiative (EDI) grants, noting prior FY25 appropriations language that had provided more than $21 million for eight projects in her district but that some of that funding was stripped from the FY25 continuing resolution.
What was not decided: The subcommittee received testimony and did not take votes or adopt specific funding levels. Gillen said she will lead a letter urging colleagues to increase bridge investment funding; the subcommittee did not commit to a dollar figure at the hearing.
Ending: Gillen said she would work in a bipartisan manner to secure resources for safer roads and bridge repairs and asked the committee to prioritize targeted programs that can reduce fatalities and strengthen local infrastructure.
