This Thruway Rest Stop Might Need $260 Million from NYS Taxpayers

Lately, New York State thruway reconstructions have been seeing extreme delays and are costing local taxpayers an arm and a leg. Sadly, this trend might be continuing...

A private company known as Applegreen Limited signed a deal with the state to reconstruct thruway rest stops, supposedly not at the expense of taxpayers nor the Thruway Authority, in exchange for a portion of the retailer's proceeds. However, it is possible that this will be changing soon due to cost overruns (Greg Floyd, CBS 6 Albany).

According to Greg Floyd from CBS 6 Albany, the rest area in question runs through Rochester, NY, and the construction company doing the work for Applegreen (LeChase Construction) told state officials they would need a bailout for as much as $260 million, of which could potentially come out of our pockets... Sheesh!

What Do State Officials Say?

"It would be a very 'slippery slope' if the state were to begin bailing out private construction companies when there are cost overruns, whether because of miscalculations or projected project cost or due to intervening events that result in higher costs than anticipated." - Rochester Assemblyman Harry Bronson (Greg Floyd, CBS 6 Albany)

Bronson also commented saying that the work being done at these rest stops is important, but not enough to cost taxpayers their hard-earned money. Fortunately, state officials are doing all they can to ensure it won't come to that, but anything's possible. Interim Executive Director of the Thruway Authority, Frank Hoare, also commented saying he doesn't see the "current deal for rest area renovation changing" (Greg Floyd, CBS 6 Albany).

We have stopped at one of the new rest areas and they are horrible. Contractor should be paying the Thruway Authority (taxpayers) not the other way around. -Jean Marie Cole via Facebook