The US federal government will provide an additional $29.8m for highway, roads and bridge improvements on the Southern tier, New York through American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding.

Out of the total certified $87.2m ARRA funds for road development projects, $49.1m has been given to the Southern Tier till now.

From this amount, $18.3m will be used for resurfacing roads in Steuben County and $3.5m for restructuring culverts in Broome County and the rest will be utilised for similar road projects in the city.

The New York state governor David A. Paterson said, “These investments will get New York back on the road to economic recovery and headed toward a safer, more efficient future.”

In addition, the department of transport will fund about $50m to Southern Tier through Consolidated Highway Improvement Programme funding.

In total, Southern Tier communities in DOT Regions 6 and 9 will receive more than $305m in highway and bridge funding in State Fiscal Year 2009-2010.

Further, around $26.7bn may be funded to New York through ARRA in the next two years.