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Legislature approves CHIPS/PAVE funding adjustment amid debate over rising asphalt costs
Summary
The Ulster County Legislature adopted an adjustment to CHIPS and other road funding July 15 by a 22-1 vote after members debated a decade-long rise in asphalt spending and called for examining alternatives to petroleum-based pavement.
Ulster County legislators adopted Resolution 3-61 on July 15, amending the 2025 county budget to adjust CHIPS (Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program), PAVE New York and other highway funding. The measure passed on a long roll call, 22-1.
Legislator Chris Hewitt raised questions about the county's increased spending on asphalt over the past decade and the environmental and public-health costs of petroleum-based paving. "Why are we spending so much on asphalt?" Hewitt asked, citing a comptroller analysis request and noting county road and bridge needs, runoff and public-health concerns linked to road materials. He said ten years ago the county spent about $3.1 million on asphalt and last year spent about $7.1 million — figures he asked the comptroller to analyze to understand the trend.
Legislator Litz, who said she regularly lobbies state officials for CHIPS funding, characterized the increase in recent years as tied to commodity-price changes and said the cost of materials rose sharply; she noted materials such as steel, aggregate and asphalt increased substantially in short periods and urged colleagues to support the additional funding to maintain county infrastructure. "Between 2023 and 2024, the cost of... materials rose 52% in 1 year," she said, urging members to brief themselves on the funding before voting.
Other legislators discussed innovative pavement and reuse methods, including on-site reprocessing of asphalt, use of alternative materials and potential future strategies to reduce petroleum dependence.
The roll call vote recorded 22 yeas and one nay. The resolution will permit the county to use the adjusted CHIPS/PAVE funds this fiscal year to maintain roads, bridges and related infrastructure; some members asked the comptroller and public works to provide further analysis of long-term pavement strategy and cost trends.
