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Maloney, a Democrat from Cold Spring, authored several measures covering public-private partnerships, highway-train grade crossings, positive train control and safe bridges.
According to media reports, the bill was approved 359-65 in the House and 83-16 in the Senate.
It now goes to the White House for President Barack Obama’s signature.
Rep. Nita Lowey, a Harrison Democrat who represents Westchester and Rockland counties, added an amendment to the bill earlier this year that would improve safety at Metro-North railroad crossings.
To read the full Daily Voice story, click here.
Other Maloney provisions in the bill covered:
- Rail crossings. Referring to the collision between a passenger car and a Metro-North train last Feb. 15 in Valhalla, which killed six people and injured 15 others, Maloney said, “There are currently hundreds of high-hazard, dangerous rail crossings in New York that need significant improvements.”
The congressman also referenced the December 2013 derailment of a passenger train in the Bronx by a sleeping engineer.
Maloney said his measure will enforce stricter standards on both passenger and freight rail speeds.
- Bridges. Will unlock billions in targeted federal investments to make bridges safer.
“These bridges have been forgotten for too long, we must do more to ensure their safety” he said.
- Public-private partnerships. Will unlock badly needed resources to improve the roads and bridges.
Maloney also co-sponsored an amendment that would, he said, direct the Department of Transportation to create a comprehensive strategy within the next year to address these “structurally deficient” and “functionally obsolete” bridges.
According to Maloney’s office, there are 333 bridges in Dutchess County (47 are “structurally deficient,” 108, “functionally obsolete”); 769 in Westchester County (58 are “structurally deficient,” 385, “functionally obsolete”); 104 in Putnam County (13 are “structurally deficient,” 36 “functionally obsolete”); 243 in Rockland County (22 are “structurally deficient,” 105 “functionally obsolete”); and in 455 in Orange County (66 “structurally deficient,” 115, “functionally obsolete”).
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