ALBANY, New York — Transportation infrastructure was a key accomplishment for the state of New York in 2025.
A media release from Governor Kathy Hochul’s office announced New York State “made historic progress revitalizing its transportation infrastructure in 2025.”
This year, the state has upgraded or rehabilitated more than 4,120 lane miles of state and local highways, filled more than 1.3 million potholes, and replaced, rehabilitated or improved more than 3,700 bridges, according to numbers outlined in its release.
The New York State Department of Transportation and Thruway Authority boasted a 47% increase to the lane mileage of roadways upgraded or rehabilitated and a 19% increase in the number of bridges repaired or replaced compared to 2024.
Combined 2025 saw $3.6 billion invested in critical improvements to New York’s transportation infrastructure, the release stated.
“The milestones achieved this year reflect Governor Hochul’s determination to build back New York’s infrastructure to improve quality of life, enhance resiliency against climate change and improve safety,” the release stated.
“New Yorkers deserve a dependable transportation network that gets them where they need to safely and efficiently, and we are working in high gear to ensure they get it,” Governor Hochul said. “Thanks to the hard work and dedication of our highway crews and contractors, we made remarkable progress during the past year to modernize our roads and bridges, giving New Yorkers smoother rides and fewer hassles in their daily travels, and we have no intention of slowing down in 2026.”
During 2025, the New York State Department of Transportation improved 3,960 lane miles along state and local highways, representing a more than $1.6 billion investment in New York’s roadways. NYSDOT also replaced, rehabilitated or improved 3,678 bridges statewide, totaling nearly $1.8 billion. NYSDOT’s work accounted for a nearly $3.5 billion investment that enhanced safety, improved sustainability and boosted resiliency against severe weather impacts.
“Thanks to Governor Hochul’s vision and leadership, New York State is making unprecedented progress investing in the safety and resiliency of our roads and bridges, giving travelers smoother rides and safer journeys across the state,” New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said. “Much has been accomplished in 2025 and we look forward to investing and achieving even more improvements in our transportation network across New York State for the betterment of all New Yorkers in 2026.”
NYSDOT crews “worked aggressively throughout the year to combat potholes, filling more than 1.3 million during the year,” the release stated.
Crews also performed maintenance on an additional 1,948 bridges.
Additionally, in 2025, the New York State Thruway Authority reportedly reinvested toll dollars in improvements across the system, including: $158 million to reconstruct or rehabilitate more than 168 total lane miles; $89 million to rebuild or rehabilitate 26 bridges; $2 million in infrastructure improvements; and, $18 million in Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) upgrades. In addition to roadway resurfacing, the Thruway Authority also invested over $14 million in safety enhancements, including guiderail repairs, line striping, signage and drainage improvements.
“The Thruway Authority is committed to investing toll revenue into critical infrastructure projects across the 570-mile system, modernizing our transportation system and maintaining some of the lowest and most affordable toll rates in the nation,” New York State Thruway Authority Executive Director Frank G. Hoare said. “These investments in infrastructure are enhancing safety and reliability, and improving the travel experience for millions of motorists who travel on the Thruway every year.”
Additionally, improvements made totaled more than 2,800 lane miles of state and local highways improved and more than 3,100 bridges replaced, rehabilitated or improved. The 2024 projects represented a more than $2.9 billion investment in New York’s roads and bridges.
The progress is part of NYSDOT’s $34.3 billion, five-year State Capital Plan adopted in 2022 which was touted as the largest ever adopted by the State and “will help fulfill the Governor’s vision for a modern transportation system that serves all New Yorkers. The Governor has made improving road conditions a priority with programs like the Department of Transportation’s ‘Pave Our Potholes’, which supplements other State programs, such as CHIPS, PAVE NY, State Touring Routes, and other programmed capital projects across the State,” the release stated.
Governor Hochul also announced that NYSDOT is planning to resurface more than 4,000 lane miles of state highways in 2026, totaling a nearly $1.2 billion investment.
The Thruway Authority’s approved 2026 budget also invests a total of more than $600 million in capital contracts scheduled to be awarded in 2026, an increase of more than $133.5 million from the 2025 budget projected totals, and one of the largest single-year investments in Thruway history, according to the Governor’s office release.
The 2026 budget includes a historic $2.8 billion Capital Plan for 2026-2030. The five-year plan will fund the replacement or preservation of 150 of the Thruway’s 819 bridges—about 18 percent—and the resurfacing of more than 1,500 of its 2,800 lane miles of highway, or roughly 60 percent.
“We love to see these needed investments in our transportation infrastructure,” Assemblymember William B. Magnarelli said. “As Chair of the Assembly Transportation Committee, I look forward to building on this progress in 2026.”
Bruce Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has lived in three states including Arkansas, Missouri and Georgia. During his nearly 20-year career, Bruce has served as managing editor and sports editor for numerous publications. He and his wife, Dana, who is also a journalist, are based in Carrollton, Georgia.
