The Path Forward on NYSDOT's Capital Plan — LICA Board Meeting
The Path Forward on
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Long Island Contractors' Association, Inc.
August 2026
Board Briefing
The Path Forward on NYSDOT's Capital Plan
A one-year extension, an independent number, and a working relationship with the State
LICA Board Meeting
02
Our Position
Our Approach Yields Real Results
Uncertain federal funding makes a one-year extension the most likely outcome.
01
The Unknown
Washington hasn't set the number
The federal surface transportation bill is unresolved, so New York does not know what underpins the majority of the NYSDOT Capital Plan.
02
The Likely Outcome
A one-year extension
With the federal picture unsettled, extending the current capital plan is the most likely outcome — and we should be positioned for it.
03
The Leverage
Our own credible figure
Our partnership with the American Road and Transportation Builders Association (ARTBA) supplies real numbers — and work for our members.
LICA Board Meeting — August 202602 / 08
03
Apples to Oranges
NYSDOT Is Not the MTA
Two very different balance sheets — and only one of them can borrow.
Public Authority
MTA
- Significant bonding and borrowing power
- Can finance a capital plan with debt
State Agency
NYSDOT
- Not an authority — cannot borrow
- Every dollar must come from State or Federal coffers
LICA Board Meeting — August 202603 / 08
04
Division of Labor
Let AGC Take the Bully Pulpit
Two lanes, one outcome — pressure from them, proof from us.
The Bully Pulpit
AGC
Applies public pressure and keeps urgency in the headlines. Loud by design.
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The Evidence
Regional Associations
Stay on data and facts. We arrive with the number that answers the noise.
The ResultAGC applies the pressure; we come in with what is actually needed — and the number in the room is ours.
LICA Board Meeting — August 202604 / 08
05
Independent Analysis
Trust, Then Verify the Numbers
An independent partnership gives us our own defensible figure.
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Whoever brings the credible number to the table sets the terms of the negotiation.
Why the ARTBA partnership matters
Independent and underway
The ARTBA partnership lets us publish our own analysis rather than react to someone else's.
Sized to Long Island's need
It tells us what it actually takes to keep Long Islanders moving and projects coming through the pipeline.
Ammunition for our allies
Legislators carry our figure into negotiations with the State — a strategy that has worked for us before.
LICA Board Meeting — August 202605 / 08
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Partnership, Not Confrontation
Don't Antagonize Albany
Pressure without proof burns the allies we need.
Pressure Alone
The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) plan
Angers our allies in Albany and flies blind — no one yet knows how much federal funding the State will receive for roads, bridges, and resiliency work.
Pressure Plus Proof
A trust-but-verify model
The Commissioner is on board with meeting our team. We verify what NYSDOT says about roadway status and work opportunities — meaningful work next year, and the relationship we need to win a robust five-year plan.
LICA Board Meeting — August 202606 / 08
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The Road Ahead
What Comes Next
Four steps from independent analysis to a five-year capital plan.
1
Assess
ARTBA evaluates public documentation on roads, bridges, rail, and resiliency assets under NYSDOT — and meets with NYSDOT staff.
2
Corroborate
Analysis from other industry groups, including the Rebuild Now Coalition, is folded in to make the final number defensible.
3
Signal, Then Publish
NYSDOT and the Governor's Office get a heads up on the number before a strong earned media campaign educates voters.
4
Advocate
LICA, CIC, and labor partners press the legislature and Governor for a five-year plan that delivers a pipeline to our members.
LICA Board Meeting — August 202607 / 08
Long Island Contractors' Association, Inc.
August 2026
Questions & Discussion
Where the Board wants us to push next
LICA Board Meeting — August 2026