Infrastructure: An Investment in the Future
A Hudson Valley Perspective
A report on regional infrastructure released today by Hudson Valley Pattern for Progress details municipal sentiments expressed about the current and future state of traditional infrastructure (roads, bridges, sewer, water, public buildings) through a survey based methodology.
“Infrastructure: An Investment in the Future” asks 132 municipalities in the Hudson Valley to rate the overall condition of their roads and bridges (as either poor, fair, or good), provide information about the percentage of population served by sanitary sewer and water systems, their existing capacity, and the ability for these systems to meet current and future supply. The survey also asks respondents about their annual maintenance budget for water, sewer, roads, bridges, and public buildings and how each municipality plans to fund their infrastructure needs.
- In their analysis of regional infrastructure, report authors, Rebecca De La Cruz and Calvin Wing, discuss:
- Infrastructure expenditures in Hudson Valley counties, cities, towns, and villages
- Snapshots of municipal sentiment expressed in 2014 and 2016 about traditional infrastructure
- National and local infrastructure trends
- Recommendations for funding through grants and loans
De La Cruz says she is like many other Hudson Valley residents. “I tend to take public infrastructure for granted. I expect it to function as it should, and only when it doesn’t do I tend to pay close attention. It is clear that municipal officials definitely do not take public infrastructure for granted; their concerns should be our concerns and the conversation about infrastructure needs should be a continuous conversation. Our survey ensures that these needs are documented and the results provide insight into areas of our infrastructure that may need sustained or immediate attention.”
According to Wing, “The findings from Pattern’s infrastructure report reveal how communities have been financing their public infrastructure in the past. The report’s data and findings can be used to help determine what future demands will be for infrastructure in the Hudson Valley. This is important data for municipalities to have in order to allocate revenue properly to best suit their populations.”
The report details funding channels such as the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation (EFC), Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS), the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the US Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (USEDA); this report also recommends that municipalities leverage private capital and expertise to enhance and expand infrastructure. Overall, this report serves as a tool for documenting needs and increasing awareness, as a well as oversight, for public infrastructure.