Built Environment

Southwestern New York State Economic Plan

Built Environment

Focus Group Meetings

Infrastructure surfaced as a primary concern in every focus group and is a major barrier to regional resilience. Investing in public works, creating equitable access to broadband, repairing and replacing housing, and creating robust transportation systems are all critical to ensure the region is resilient to adverse weather events and economic crises.

Strengths

natural environment, waterways, downtowns with infrastructure ready to be revitalized

Weaknesses

aging housing stock and lack of modern options, limited public transit and unserved areas, areas without broadband, decreased DPW budgets, failure to use a collaborative regional approach

Opportunities

incentives for EV purchases and charging equipment, new federal infrastructure funding, regional collaboration opportunities, potential tax revenues from increasing demand for residences

Threats

global instability, inflation affecting cost of construction materials, lack of funds allocated to region

Households Without a Vehicle in 2021: Regional average 11.3%
Allegany County Chautauqua County Cattaraugus County
7.4% 12.9% 10.8 %

According to the U.S. DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics, U.S. households "spent an average of $10,961 on transportation in 2021—the second largest household expenditure category after housing when spending on behalf of households, such as healthcare benefits, is excluded... Rural households spent more on transportation ($13,665) and experienced a higher transportation cost burden (17.3 percent) than urban households ($10,362 and 13.2 percent, respectively) in 2021."

Objectives

Objective #1 Invest more resources into public works to repair infrastructure, manage water, and increase climate resilience
Objective #2 Strengthen the region's infrastructure workforce
Objective #3 Invest in all modes of transportation and expand availability of public transit
Objective #4 Improve housing quality at all income levels
Objective #5 Expand equitable access to broadband
Objective #6 Support transition to renewable energy

ACTION PLAN

Built Environment

Focus Group Meetings

STW Offices are CLOSED on the following Holidays: