The city is speeding up $1 billion in construction projects, hitting the gas on everything from repaving streets to removing toxic PCBs from schools.
Under the effort announced Wednesday, the projects will get underway in the next 20 months, instead of in 2015 or 2016 as previously scheduled.
There’s almost $300 million for repairs at 100 schools. The city will also move up $20 million for repairs to bathrooms, kitchens, and floors at one of the New York City Housing Authority’s decrepit public housing developments.
“These are not high profile, big ticket items. In fact, the bulk of them are completely unglamorous,” Mayor Bloomberg said. “For that reason, they’re also exactly the kind of investments that in the past have too often been” put off.
Controller John Liu, the mayor’s frequent rival, originally came up with the idea to speed up the repairs, proposing moving up $2 billion in projects. “This plan will deliver a much needed shot in the arm to our city’s economy,” Liu said.
