ELMIRA – Chemung County Legislator Ted Bennett, who also serves as Chairman of the NY I-86 Coalition and member of the Route 15 Coalition and Appalachian Highway Association, wants Governor Cuomo to place I-86 to the top of his list of highway projects to be fast-tracked and completed in the next five years. 

Due to economic potential and to provide the traveling public the safety of an interstate, Bennett believes the completion of I-86 should be the States' top priority. Bennett travelled to the ten counties along the I-86 corridor the week of February 20th, from Chautauqua to the west to Orange in the east, meeting with all the County Executives, or in those counties without County Executives meeting with the Legislative Chair’s, reviewing the progress to date and what can be done to excel the completion of I-86.

The Chemung County Legislature recently passed a resolution requesting advancing funding and expediting completion of projects in Broome, Delaware, Sullivan and Orange Counties.  This resolution has been sent to Governor Cuomo, as well as all members of the State Senate and Assembly in the I-86 corridor counties.

Governor Pataki, as part of his legacy, initiated and funded the conversion of Route 17 to Interstate 86, and confident that governors following him would honor the commitment, committed to a ten-to-twelve year construction program in December of 1999.

“The economic benefits of this completed conversion to the region would be significant,” said Bennett.  “Adding the Southern Tier to the national interstate system would make the region more competitive and able to attract substantial growth in business, industry, and tourism as well as improve the safety of the traveling public.”

Bennett would like all counties along the corridor to pass similar resolutions and join him in advocating for the completion of I-86 within the next five years.

Click here to view the County Resolution.
Click here to view the I-86 Trade Corridor Map.
Click here to view the list of NY I-86 Coalition Members.