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FMM M TUPPER LAKE FREE PRESS, WED., SEPT. 1, 2004 Construction expected to begin In spring of 2006 DOT designers detail plans, ask for public comments on Route 30 reconstruction job by Dan McClelland • Nearly a dozen officials from the New York State Department of Transportation's Watertown office were on hand to answer questions last Tuesday about the upcoming reconstruction of NYS Route 30 from the intersections of Maddox Lane to the village line just south of Queen Street. The public information sessions were held that day from 1p.m. to 3p.m. and from 5p.m. to 7p.m. in Ivy Terrace's community room. Both sessions attracted a good number of interested residents. The estimated cost of the project is $7 million'. Construction is expected to begin in the spring of 2006*. with completion the following spring, according to information presented that day. The primary objectives of the project are to \restore the structural integrity of the h|ghway by providing pavement and drainage treatments\ and \to correct me geometric and safety deficiencies as well as the operational problems associated\ with the 2.7 mile stretch of state highway. ; Steve Gagnon, who will be the DOT's job manager on the project, explained the various aspects of it to the crowds that day. - He explained the DOT designers are currently in the \preliminary design phase\ where various options are presented for public comment. ; Mr. Gagnon encouraged \Ripper Lake people with any concerns about the proposal to forward those comments to his bj)ss, Robert H. Curtis, regional design engineer, NYS department of Transportation, 8th Floor, Dulles State Office Building, 317 Washington Street, Watertown, NY 13601. Deadline for submissions is September 8. - He said that among the options for road and shoulder widths is one for 12 foot wide travel lanes and eight foot shoulders. Current road widths are 11 foot lanes and shoulders |B,and three feel in . Mr. Gagnon noted that because of the \environmentally sensitive\ corridor a section of the highway runs through, the proximity of the lake and the small distances some houses there are situated from the road, designers are willing \to make sacrifices\ in the design, providing safety isn't compromised. Among the other options for road width is a 11 foot wide travel lane and six foot wide shoulders- that's three foot wider shoulders than the existing situation, and the narrowest of the three options they are willing to consider. By state law the narrowest shoulder which can be designated as a state bike route, which that area is, is five feet, he noted. He also explained the various pieces of the project. The stretch between Maddox Lane and Moody Bridge will be completely reconstructed with new gravel in the base and a new asphalt surface. That section is plagued by poor drainage and DOT designers intend to address that, he said. \We looked at a ditch on the mountain side of highway- but it's not feasible\ with the number of residential retaining walls and buried utilities on that side. What they are currently looking at instead, he said, was one foot wide special curbing which would be level with the pavement on one side and four inches higher on the outside. That barrier would channel water into a series of catch basins. On the lake side of the road the water would just drain away into the lake, he added. In the section of highway from the bridge to Tupper Bowl the grade would be raised between 1.5 and two feet in height \to improve drainage there and provide a more stable embankment that is less prone to frost heaving,\ according to information the DOT planners supplied. To increase the grade height, a foot of sand, a foot of gravel and more asphalt would be added, Mr. Gagnon noted. In the section from the local bowling alley to the intersection of North Raquette River Drive, the work planned will involve pavement rehabilitation and shoulder reconstruction. The shoulders will be excavated to increase the size of ditches in some sections of that stretch. He said, however, that where the new water and sewer mains were installed in recent years, new ditches wouldn't be installed. Instead drainage issues would be managed with new curbing. Mr. Gagnon also explained that the North Raquette River Drive intersection, which now sweeps into a merger with the state highway will be completely rebuilt into a 90 degree intersection. The grade would also be increased by six feet. He said \the accident history\ collected by his agency over the years was the principle reason for the revamping of that intersection. Resident Bob LaMare worried that the change would take too much of his property, and officials promised to look at other alternatives. It was also noted in the presentation that, at the request of the Village of Tupper Lake, a new waterline will be installed along ' the- ~ section between Trail's End and the bowling alley. \The existing waterline south of Moody Bridge will be relocated due to conflicts with the proposed storm drainage pipes. Water service to homes will be maintained during this process with only short term interruptions\ in order to switch over to the new main. The DOT official said that because a large section of the project passes through a large wetland the Adirondack Park Agency will be involved in the final design selected. \Due to environmental concerns dealing with impacting these wetlands and shoreline of Tupper Lake, the NYS DOT is currently evaluating alternatives that will minimize impacts to the surrounding environment,\ according to the literature presented that day. \The APA has requested we bury all the utilities along the causeway...we are currently awaiting the environmental impact statement,\ Mr. Gagnon told the group. He noted too that agency has asked them to consider various parking options for scenic pull- offs along the 2.7 mile stretch. \One option they liked were the parking areas along the causeway,\ he added. \People stop there anyway,\ Activate a new line and receive a Hands Free Ear Piece FREE! (White Supplifts Last) Unlimited Text Messaging for 3 months \Some restrictions apply\ ADK-COM For All Your Wireless Needs! 518-359-3301 Website: www.dik.to/adkcom Also Available at Jessie's Bait at Tackle, 61 Main St, Tupper Lake even without parking areas, Trustee Mickey Desmarais told him at the evening session. He said that practice is dangerous without proper parking areas. Mr. Desmarais also asked them if they had taken into consideration the numerous turtles that cross the causeway. Mr. Gagnon noted that the APA had asked them to include in their designs \a turtle crossing\ which involves a pipe under the road's surface. \One of the problems with that however is the need to erect shoulder fencing to guide the turtles into the pipe and it would be difficult to erec f fencing along the causeway. On the subject of right of ways, the DOT information noted that there will be the need to acquire some additional right of way distances at some parts of the project to allow for the widening of lanes and shoulders. Mr. Gagnon claimed, however, there would be no need for the state agency to acquire any homes or buildings to meet those right of way needs. He also noted there will be some trees and shrubs that will be removed, but where possible those things would be replaced by the agency. Lawns would also be restored where damaged. The focus of a large part of both hearings Tuesday was on the safe speed of travel along that section of highway. As it is now, the speed changes four times along that stretch from 40 mph, to 50, back to 40 and 45, according to DOT Traffic Engineer Martin Percy. Moody Road resident Garry Lanthier said he preferred 30 mph along his section of Moody, particularly near the intersection with the Big Tupper road. \When Big Tupper opens it's also going to get a lot busier!\ Mr. Gagnon noted that that intersection also has a history of accidents. Mr. Desmarais, who works for the Abplanalp family which has a garage quarters and office on Route 30 at Moody, said there are times when even at the current 4Qmph »peed it is difficult to cross the highway. \The corners and the short sight distances make it a problem to cross at 40mph...if you move it up to 50, someone is going to get killed,\ he told the DOT officials. The DOT's Mr. Percy reported that he has recently completed a traffic survey of that section, in coordination with the NY State Police. \Based on the wider lanes and the area opened up more, the state police officials felt 45 mph was appropriate\ for the entire stretch,\ he told the group that evening. \I surveyed the section again today, and driving with my cruise control on, I was more comfortable at 40mph,\ he continued. He said the aim is 10 set \a reasonable speed\ for the entire 2.7 miles stretch. Mr. Percy said if a speed limit is selected that is too slow- for example 30mph- drivers will revert to their old ways and speed. Businessman Fred Schuller agreed with Mr. Desmarais that traffic along the Moody section travels very fast. He said he believed it should be a 40mph limit the entire length from the village limits to Maddox Lanes. He invited the DOT representatives to come and sit at his business property some afternoon and watch the vehicles race past. He joked he'd even give them a free night's stay in his new lodging facility if they'd agree to take the time to survey the traveling traffic there. \I think 40 mph is Will Rogers seeking acts for senior talent show If you are over 55 and would like to star in an evening of variety of fun with cash prizes of $100, $50, and $25, Saranac Village at Will Rogers is calling your name! Will Rogers is currently seeking acts for a Community Senior Talent Show to be held on October 2. If you are interested in wowing the audience with your talent in music, drama, dance and/or humor, please contact Debbie Kanze at (518) 891-7117 by September 17. Space for performers will be limited and auditions may be required. reasonable,\ Mr. Percy told him. County Legislator Paul Maroun, who had also attended the afternoon session, said many people there wanted to know why all the overhead utilities couldn't be buried- particularly at Moody with its view of the lake. He asked Mr. Gagnon to comment. \Burying utility lines is very cost prohibitive\ for both the state and the homeowners, Mr. Gagnon told the evening crowd. He said the cost to do that could very easily drive up the estimated cost above the estimated $7 million. He said for the individual homeowner, the cost to bury the electric lines would be about $ 1,200. There would be other costs probably to bury the telephone and cable lines which also hang on the utility poles. He said those utility companies would have to be convinced to reinstall their lines underground. \They pay for that...we don't!\ The DOT officials have been working with Jim and Andy Abdallah, the Town of Tupper Lake's engineers, this past month to coordinate the installation of new sewer services associated with new sewer district No. 23. \They are going to build next year and before us,\ Mr. Gagnon stated. \Their pipes will go in the ground where they are not in the way when we come through a year later.\ He said otherwise the plastic mains planned for the sewer district could be easily damaged by the construction the next year, he noted. With the plans in the works too for new services for the Big Tupper development, he said he and his colleagues weren't quite sure yet how they will \fit in to\ the highway reconstruction project. \At this point we'd like it if the two sewer lines could become one,\ Mr. Gagnon speculated. 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