Congress has reauthorized a program to improve motor vehicle and cargo mobility across New York's busy northern border, a measure lawmakers say enhances commerce.
U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand announced Friday that the Coordinated Border Infrastructure Program reached final congressional passage as part of the Transportation Reauthorization bill.
The program lets states use funding to improve motor vehicle and cargo mobility across international borders, enhancing commerce at border regions. Last year, New York state and Canada traded $627 billion in goods and services, according to Gillibrand.
"From the Peace Bridge to the Thousand Islands Bridge to Rouses Point, New York State is home to some of the largest and most significant border crossings in the country," Gillibrand said in a press release. "When we invest in infrastructure upgrades at New York's border regions, we create new construction jobs immediately, and help grow our local economies over the long term by connecting more businesses in New York to Canada. This legislation provides resources for infrastructure projects to move forward."
The legislation extends the CBI program for two more years.