For Immediate Release: 12/10/25
Contact: Media and Government Relations | (518) 471-5300 | public.info@thruway.ny.gov
THRUWAY AUTHORITY BOARD APPROVES HISTORIC $2.8 BILLION CAPITAL PLAN AND 2026 ANNUAL BUDGET TO KEEP NEW YORK’S MAIN STREET SAFE AND AFFORDABLE
2026–2030 Capital Plan Includes More Than $600 Million in Contracts Scheduled to Be Awarded Statewide in 2026; One of the Largest Single-Year Investments in Thruway History
Investments Will Lead to the Replacement or Preservation of 150 Bridges and the Resurfacing of More Than 1,500 Lane Miles of Highway
Approved 2026 Budget Commits $12 Million to Worker Safety, Including New Bureau of Employee & Traffic Safety
No Toll Increase in 2026 Outside of Previously Announced GMMCB Adjustments
The Thruway is a User-Fee Supported Highway and Receives No Dedicated Federal, State or Local Tax Dollars
The New York State Thruway Authority Board of Directors today unanimously approved the 2026 Budget and a historic $2.8 billion Capital Plan for 2026–2030. The plan includes more than $600 million in capital contracts scheduled to be awarded in 2026, an increase of more than $133.5 million from the 2025 Budget projected totals, and one of the largest single-year investments in Thruway history.
The approved 2026 budget and 2026–2030 Capital Plan can be found HERE.
“This historic five-year Capital Plan reflects our unwavering commitment to reinvest toll dollars directly back into the Thruway system to ensure it remains one of the safest and most reliable highway networks in the world,” said Thruway Authority Executive Director Frank G. Hoare, Esq.“We are focused on making smart, impactful investments that keep the system affordable for drivers while delivering the infrastructure improvements our customers depend on every day.”
"The Thruway Authority’s commitment to safety, reliability and affordability is evident in this historic capital plan which focuses on investing in highway and bridge safety, and ensuring the integrity of the Thruway system,” said Thruway Board of Directors Chairperson Robert L. Megna. “The Board of Directors has great confidence in the Thruway team that worked hard to deliver these critical infrastructure improvements while proposing a responsible budget that balances the need for investment with affordability for drivers."
The approved 2026 Budget invests approximately $1.46 billion to deliver safety, service and reliability Thruway customers have come to expect and includes $2.8 billion in dedicated funding for capital projects across the Thruway system over the next five years, an increase of more than $115 million compared to the 2025-2029 Capital Plan. The five-year plan will fund the replacement or preservation of 150 of the Thruway’s 819 bridges—about 18 percent—and the resurfacing of more than 1,500 of its 2,800 lane miles of highway, or roughly 60 percent.
Toll rates across the Thruway system will remain unchanged in 2026, except at the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, where the passenger rate for NY E-ZPass customers will increase by $0.50 round trip. Since the multi-year toll adjustment plan took effect in January 2024, the Authority has reinvested more than $860 million into the system, representing a 45 percent increase in capital funding.
The Thruway is one of the safest roadways in the nation, and its toll rates are among the lowest in the country compared to similar toll roads. The Thruway’s base passenger vehicle toll rate is less than $0.05 per mile, compared to the Ohio Turnpike ($0.07 per mile), the New Jersey Turnpike (up to $0.40 per mile) and the Pennsylvania Turnpike ($0.17 per mile).
All toll rates are listed at thruway.ny.gov/travelers.
Reinvesting in the System
The 2026–2030 Capital Plan represents one of the most significant infrastructure investments in Thruway history, with more than $1.3 billion dedicated to paving, rehabilitation, and reconstruction projects and more than $835.6 million invested in bridge replacements and preservations across the state. Notable projects in each Thruway Maintenance Division include:
- BUFFALO: A $90 million project for the pavement rehabilitation on the first four miles of the Niagara Thruway (I-190), a vital commuter corridor into downtown Buffalo.
- SYRACUSE: A $100 million concrete pavement restoration project to more than 60 total lane miles on I-90 between exit 39 (Syracuse - Fulton - I-690 - NY Route 690) and exit 40 (Weedsport - Auburn - NY Route 34).
- ALBANY: An $85 million bridge rehabilitation project on the Kaaterskill and Catskill bridges on I-87 between exit 20 (Saugerties - Woodstock - NY Route 32) and exit 21 (Catskill - Cairo - NY Route 23), enhancing safety and extending structural longevity.
- NEW YORK: More than $160 million in pavement improvements on the I-87 corridor in Westchester and Ulster counties.
For a list and interactive map detailing all completed, ongoing and future Thruway Capital Projects, go to thruway.ny.gov/oursystem.
Enhancing Employee and Work Zone Safety
Employee and work zone safety remain the Thruway Authority’s top priority. The 2026 Budget allocates $12 million for safety initiatives, including the purchase of impact attenuators, arrow board trailers, speed feedback signs, real-time intrusion detection systems and other critical equipment to protect employees and contractors in work zones. This investment also includes funds from the Automated Work Zone Speed Enforcement Program, which by law must be reinvested in worker safety.
To further strengthen these efforts, the Authority has established a dedicated Work Zone Safety Task Force to explore new strategies for improving work zone safety and created a Bureau of Employee and Traffic Safety to streamline and align safety and health functions across the organization.
Enhancements to Cashless Tolling Billing Process
The Thruway Authority is enhancing its cashless tolling system by constructing two new gantries at the exit 25 (Schenectady - I-890 - NY Routes 7 & 146) and exit 25A (Schenectady - Binghamton - I-88 - NY Route 7) interchange ramps. This improvement is designed to streamline toll processing and improve the timeliness of transactions for customers traveling through the Albany–Schenectady corridor. By consolidating toll collection points, drivers will see fewer transactions on their E-ZPass statements or toll bills, reducing from as many as six transactions to just two for certain trips, and those transactions will post within 24 to 48 hours instead of over several days.
Toll rates will not change as a result of this project. The existing gantries between exit 26 (Schenectady - Scotia - I-890 - NY Routes 5 & 5S) and exit 25A and the 25/25A mainline gantry will be decommissioned for tolling purposes, while the new gantries will provide a more efficient and customer-friendly experience. This initiative also brings long-term cost savings by reducing image review and toll processing expenses. The upgrade is scheduled to be completed in 2026.
Planning for the Future
In November 2025, the Thruway Authority announced the completion of the 27th and final service area that was rebuilt or significantly rehabilitated as part of the $450 million private investment project with Applegreen to modernize all Thruway Service Areas. With the completion of the Service Area Modernization project, planning is now underway for the future of fuel facilities at all Thruway Service Area locations. Current fuel leases expire in March 2027, and earlier this year the Authority launched a customer survey to gather feedback on this upcoming redevelopment. In 2026, an RFP will be issued to solicit proposals from companies interested in partnering on the next generation of service area fuel facilities.
The 2026 Budget also includes funding for a comprehensive study to guide the electrification of the Thruway’s fleet in alignment with Executive Order 22. This study will evaluate the existing fleet and maintenance facilities, identify opportunities for zero-emission vehicles and assess the feasibility of installing charging infrastructure. It will also analyze lifecycle costs, facility upgrades and funding sources, while providing recommendations for smart charging systems, emergency preparedness and workforce training. The New York Power Authority will support the development of this plan, leveraging its experience with similar projects for large state and local fleets.
In addition, the Budget allocates resources for a long-term needs assessment to address infrastructure over the next 30 years. This plan will improve asset management, integrate data-driven tools, and forecast funding under multiple scenarios to ensure smart, flexible capital investment, keeping the Thruway safe, modern and affordable for generations to come.
About the Thruway Authority
The Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway, built in the early 1950s, is one of the oldest components of the National Interstate Highway System and one of the longest toll roads in the nation. The maintenance and operation of the Thruway system is funded prima
ily by tolls. The Thruway Authority does not receive any dedicated federal, state or local tax dollars and is paid for by those who drive the Thruway, including one-third of drivers from out of state.
In 2024, the Thruway Authority processed more than 400 million toll transactions and motorists drove 8.2 billion miles on the Thruway.
The lives of Thruway Authority employees, roadway workers and emergency personnel depend on all of those who travel the highway. Motorists should stay alert and pay attention while driving, slow down in work zones and move over when they see a vehicle on the side of the road. The State’s Move Over Law, which was expanded in March 2024, requires drivers to slow down and move over for all vehicles stopped along the roadway. Safety is a shared responsibility.
###