Better service is on the way for bus riders traveling between Westchester and Rockland counties.

New York State will receive $10 million in federal money to replace the Tappan Zee Express bus service.

Senators Charles Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand announced the funding award Monday. Gillibrand says the grant will pay for "critical upgrades" on the new Tappan Zee Bridge being built over the Hudson River.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo hailed the funding as a "major step" in helping improve transportation in the lower Hudson Valley that will ultimately reduce congestion.

Specifically the money will pay for the construction of new bus stations, transit lanes and other improvements to make transit faster and more reliable. It will also pay for new signals to help motorists as well as upgrades to increase pedestrian safety. The State Thruway Authority has already committed to using a left-hand shoulder lane on the new span as a bus-only lane during rush hour.

State officials say the goal is to provide a faster, more reliable trip across the Hudson River in time for the opening of the new $3.9 billion bridge in 2018. "After working on mass transit, to get the funding really means it can take off, we can make this happen," says Rockland County Legislator Harriet Cornell.

AP wires were used in this report