Following the threat of losing federal funding, New York state will end the "I Love NY" tourism campaign this summer in favor of "NY has it all!" On Friday afternoon, the state’s transportation department and Thruway Authority pledged to work with the federal government on new road signs, after federal officials said the current ones were not safe.
State Department of Transportation Commissioner Paul Karas and state Thruway Authority Executive Director Matthew Driscoll released the following statement Friday.
“The overwhelmingly successful ‘I Love NY’ campaign has supported and enhanced New York’s $105 billion tourism industry for five years. Since the Governor initiated this branding effort, the number of tourists to New York State has increased by 18 percent and the direct economic impact of tourism on the State has skyrocketed by more than 20 percent. From Greater Niagara to Long Island, ‘I Love NY’ signs have helped get motorists off the roads and into mom-and-pop restaurants, shops, and historic destinations. This increased traffic has in turn boosted local economies that aren’t typical tourist attractions. As the current campaign and signs are entering their fifth year, this message has run its useful course and we already plan to launch a new ‘I Love NY’ campaign this summer to support our tourism industry. The new campaign will be “‘NY has it all!’” The campaign will have, as usual, comprehensive television and print advertising, as well as new road signage. Existing materials will be reused but, as the signs will be redesigned for the new campaign, we will consult with FHWA during this process. It will be a new campaign launched for the summer tourism cycle and as such must be concluded before the September FHWA deadline anyway."
The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration sent a letter Thursday to New York transportation officials saying the state stands to lose about $14 million in funding for failing to remove the 500-plus signs.
The state spent more than $8 million to create and install the "I Love NY" signs in recent years. Federal officials told Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo to remove them because they were unsafe, but he refused.
DOT officials say the signs are safe and they'll continue to work with FHA on a resolution to the issue.
FHA officials said the funding will be reinstated if the state complies with sign regulations by Sept. 30.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
