Drivers in the Finger Lakes and Central New York will see more construction crews next year as part of the state’s largest road paving investment ever.
Governor Kathy Hochul announced the plan this week, backed by $800 million in new funding to boost New York’s transportation infrastructure. The 2026 paving agenda includes more than $59.6 million for 18 projects across the Finger Lakes and Central New York alone, with hundreds of miles of road slated for resurfacing.
Finger Lakes projects stretch across five counties
The Finger Lakes region will see over two dozen projects, including major highways and rural connectors. Notable work includes:
$8.8 million to repave a stretch of I-490 in Monroe and Genesee counties$7.3 million for I-390 resurfacing in Livingston County$2.5 million to overhaul Route 414 through Seneca County$1.4 million to improve Route 14 near Geneva in Ontario County$1.5 million to overlay Route 14 in Yates County
Other investments target Routes 262, 98, 408, 436, 251, and 104, among others, touching nearly every county in the region.
Ontario County Board of Supervisors Chairman Jared Simpson called it a “historic investment,” highlighting that over 350 miles of roads in the Finger Lakes region will benefit.
Central New York funding tops $25 million
In Central New York, Cayuga, Cortland, Madison, Onondaga, Oneida, and Oswego counties are set to receive major upgrades:
$8.5 million for Route 5 in Camillus, Onondaga County$3.6 million for Route 34B work in Genoa, Locke, Ledyard, and Venice$2.5 million to repave Route 11 through Homer and Marathon$3 million to improve Route 481 in Volney and Scriba$2.2 million for Route 20 in Madison County
Cayuga County Legislature Chair Jonathan Anna called the plan a “major win,” especially for rural communities that rely on Routes 34 and 34B.
The announcement also included new funding for Route 5A in Utica, Route 12B in Earlville, and Route 31F in Macedon.
Hochul: ‘Most roads ever paved in a single year’
Statewide, more than 4,000 lane miles are scheduled for paving next year under NYSDOT’s capital plan. Governor Hochul said the effort will tackle “every curve and every pothole,” delivering safer roads and long-term economic growth.
“This additional funding will facilitate 180 additional road paving projects statewide,” Hochul said. “We’re bringing a lot of businesses, particularly Upstate.”
NYSDOT Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez called the investment “historic,” saying it puts the department’s commitment to public safety and modern infrastructure “into high gear.”
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