Transportation & Infrastructure
For decades the U.S. has underinvested in our infrastructure and America’s roads, bridges, water systems and sewer lines are in desperate need of repair. Brian has fought to change that since his early years in Congress with his Nation Building Here at Home Act, investing over $1.2 trillion in America’s infrastructure, rebuilding our communities, creating economic opportunity and growing jobs. As a member of the House Committee on Ways and Means, Brian is a leading voice for infrastructure investment in Washington and helped to craft the $1.5 trillion Moving Forward Act, a comprehensive plan to repair and revitalize our country’s infrastructure.
Brian is a relentless fighter for Western New York’s fair share of federal transportation funding, delivering for notable projects such as: the redesign of the Niagara Street corridor, the return of cars to Main Street in Downtown Buffalo, Kenmore Avenue improvements along the Tonawanda/Buffalo border, and the transformation of a crumbling, one-way Fuhrmann Boulevard into the Outer Harbor Parkway.
Following the tragic crash of Flight 3407 in 2009, Higgins worked alongside the Families of Flight 3407 to push sweeping reforms through Congress to improve airline safety. In the years since, they have continued to fight for implementation of higher pilot training standards, measures to mitigate pilot fatigue, and rules to provide greater transparency for consumers.
More on Transportation & Infrastructure
Today the House of Representatives passed legislation adopting the Tentative Agreement between railroad worker leadership and railroads from September plus providing railroad workers seven days of paid leave for the first time. The absence of new paid leave in the September agreement had prevented its ratification by four of the twelve unions included in the negotiations.
Marking the one-year anniversary of the Bipartisan Infrastructure bill being signed into law, Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-26) highlighted some of the awards to date and the lasting impact the Law’s investments will have on Western New York.
Federal, State, and City leaders came together to announce plans for more than $95 million in investments in the streets and neighborhoods of East Buffalo. Projects, scheduled to take place over the next four years include major infrastructure improvements along Bailey Avenue, Jefferson Avenue, Main Street, and Michigan Avenue.
Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-26) was joined by City of Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown, Buffalo Sewer Authority General Manager O.J. McFoy, and Heart of the City Neighborhoods to announce a federal investment totaling $571,934 in the Buffalo Green Infrastructure Stewardship and Workforce Development Program. Funding for the initiative, secured by Congressman Higgins as part of the federal 2022 budget, will provide training for careers in green infrastructure maintenance.
Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-26) announced New York State will receive $2,714,577,528 in federal formula funding for infrastructure investments in 2023. This allocation, made possible thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, represents a 22% increase over the $2.223 billion 2022 allocation, which was already 21% higher than 2021 funding levels.
Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-26) applauded the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) denial of a request by Republic Airways for an exemption of the 1,500 hour training requirement for pilots. In the FAA’s decision they found “that a grant of exemption would not be in the public interest or provide an equivalent level of safety.”
County Executive Poloncarz joined by Congressman Higgins, Commissioner of Public Works Bill Geary to review completed work on Wehrle Drive in Amherst
Numerous projects underway or completed countywide as part of over $44 million infrastructure investment in 2022; significant federal investment aids in $3.3 million Wehrle project
State and Federal Leaders Highlight $5 Million in Funding, Which Will Allow the NFTA to Purchase Battery Electric Buses
Higgins, Kennedy, and Ryan Announce an Additional $3.8 Million for Pedestrian and Bicyclist Infrastructure Improvements Along North Division Street in the City of Buffalo
Congressman Brian Higgins (NY-26) is among 50 members of Congress calling on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to see that funding authorized for lead service line (LSL) replacement through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is allocated to states based on need.
CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. – Senator Tim Kennedy, Congressman Brian Higgins, and Assemblymember Monica Wallace joined Town of Cheektowaga Supervisor Diane Benczkowski Wednesday to announce $8.95 million in funding for road resurfacing and pothole repairs along Union Road in the town. The funding was dedicated in this year’s NYS 5-Year DOT Capital Plan, and will specifically target Union Rd. from Walden Avenue to French Rd. - a roughly 3 mile stretch adjacent to one of the Town’s most heavily trafficked corridors.