Dundee plans bridge, water main work

DUNDEE--The bridge over Big Stream at the corner of 14A and Saunders Street in Dundee will be replaced. Work will begin in early April and is scheduled to end in October or November. A temporary bridge will be built near the old one to keep the road open while work is completed. Truck traffic will be detoured down Chambers Street off 14A and down Franklin Street into the village.
In an unrelated $2 million project beginning about the same time, water mains in selected areas of the village will be replaced.
Steve Dean, deputy superintendent of streets and water superintendent, said the fact the two projects are happening together is a coincidence. He is cooperating with the New York Department of Transportation (DOT) to make both projects go smoothly. The water line project will begin at the area of the new bridge and move up 14A into the village to make room for the DOT's heavy equipment operation. The route includes sections of Edwina Street, Saunders Street, Main Street, Millard Street and Union Street.
Dean says, "We are going to have the lowest impact on people we can. As the streets are dug up for the new water lines, village residents will retain access to their homes. We are also going to be replacing driveway pipes as needed so we get a better flow from storm waters. It will be on an 'as needed basis.' When the contractors look at it, if it is rusted and if it is deteriorated, then they are going to fix it with a replacement of plastic pipes."
Water line breaks occur in the village each winter. Dean estimates he has to fix between nine and 15 water line breaks every winter. He said the 100 year-old cast iron pipes are prone to cracks and breaks because they do not expand and contract during the severe winter weather. The new pipes will be made of a durable flexible polypropylene plastic that is expected to be long-lasting.
The village has been tracking the number and location of water breaks for years. Ground composition and grading issues can contribute to the deterioration of the old pipe. Dean says that eventually, all the water lines in the village may need to be replaced.