Highway official updates Watkins paving project

Oct 31, 2017 at 08:23 pm by Observer-Review


Highway official updates Watkins paving project ADVERTISEMENT

Highway official updates Watkins paving project

WATKINS GLEN--Michael Griffin, New York State Department of Transportation assistant regional design engineer, spoke at the Harbor Hotel Monday Oct. 30 to update the status of the spring 2018 paving project.
With regard to the work schedule, Griffin explained, "We're limiting the construction timeframe, we will be working in the spring and fall of 2018. We'll take off during peak season. We don't want tourists to come and say, 'Why are there construction trucks everywhere?' We're avoiding weekend work and night work [because] we're in a village and we have to make sure people can sleep at night. Our contract will be to work from Monday--Thursday so that the community won't be impacted when visitors come to the village. We're trying to make it so that you won't even know that we're here."
Griffin said, "We're adding destination markers on sidewalks. Tourists are confused which way the lake is, we're trying to bring enhancements to our projects to make the village more friendly and provide a better experience. We're adding dog-friendly stations along the sidewalks with water fountains. Traffic signal boxes will have a panel that gives tourists a map to make getting around the village easier. The chamber is working on aesthetics for that to include information on parks, racing, wineries and village history."
Griffin also talked about walkways. "Right now we have concrete from the buildings to the curb. We're adding red brick patterns to the sidewalk to blend in with the brick buildings we have along the street. We want to provide the biggest benefit to the customers --the businesses and the community. We're working with the village through all the construction. The construction is not the fun part. We have to take up the sidewalk in front of a lot of businesses while minimizing the impact we have."
Griffin said, "Twelve months from now you'll be cursing me because you'll be stuck in traffic because of construction. That will be a fact, I can't deny it. Rome wasn't built in a day. However, 18 months from now, the village will love me and the work we did to make these improvements."

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