New York Assemblyman riled about Arkansas sign manufacturer

New York State Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi, D-Utica, issued a statement Sunday (Nov. 27) criticizing subcontracting of “I Love New York” Thruway signs for the state’s Department of Transportation to Little Rock-based Interstate SignWays.

The sign manufacturer joined New York-based subcontractors Hermosa Corp. in New York Mills, and Elderlee Inc. of Ontario County on the project.

“I find it ironic that a company from Arkansas was paid to work on a project helping to promote New York State products,” Brindisi said. “Perhaps it is time to look at the DOT’s contract guidelines, because the push to provide more work for New York companies should start with the state of New York.”

Brindisi said he had written to the state transportation commissioner, “asking for more stringent guidelines to ensure New York companies are given priority in the awarding of contracts in the future.”

He continued: “There are enough New York State companies looking for projects that we should not be exporting work for state projects to out of state firms. It’s simply a bad sign when New York picks Arkansas for a project promoting our state.”

Interstate SignWays reportedly made “a few dozen” of the signs. The company has been in business since 1959, producing Interstate signage for 40 of the 50 United States as well as architectural and wayfinding signs for businesses.

According to the Interstate SignWays website, signs and other products “are designed to meet the strict specifications of federal, state and local government agencies as well as specialty sign services for highways, airports, subways, and other mass transit systems.”