Town Board Notes
Town Board Notes
Winter traffic jams prompt request for DOT traffic study on Route 219
The Ellicottville Town Board convened its monthly meeting by way of a phone conference Jan. 19th and discussed the need for a winter traffic study on Route 219 that will help address growing problems with increased traffic flow, backups and safety due to congestion caused by both pedestrians and automobiles.
Several in attendance at the meeting said the month's holiday traffic resembles Fall Festival jams with backups extending well beyond the business district and parking on the shoulder at venues outside the village, a concern also expressed Tuesday night by Village officials during their Board meeting.
Police Officer-in-Charge Don Auge said the area has been experiencing heavy traffic since Jan. 8th when cars were backed up to Lindberg Rd. (Lindberg Road is more than three miles north of the Village center.)
Town and Village Engineer Ben Slotman suggested Town officials join in the Village Board's request to seek a state Department of Transportation traffic study of traffic and pedestrian conditions during the winter season.
"They're wanting the state to address it," he said. "People (driving) get to the light and want to make a turn and they can't get through the Monroe Street intersection due to pedestrian traffic."
Unidentified Town Board members and Police Officer-in-Charge Don Auge on the call said pedestrians have the right of way and are also interfering with traffic flow in other locations on Washington Street, between crosswalks but especially at the traffic light at the corner of Jefferson Street and also at Holiday Valley Road. The Board members agreed that the DOT should be asked for a study.
In other business, the Board approved going out to bid on two projects in the coming weeks, based on the condition that the specifications pass muster with the Town's engineer prior to the Feb. 16th Board meeting.
Regarding the $5.3 million water system project, Town Attorney Seth Pullen said he has been working with officials to finalize the details so the funding request can be sent to the state. In response to a question from Supervisor Matt McAndrew, he said property acquisitions must be finalized, which he explained means he still needs to verify the accuracy of property descriptions and locations of easements for the placement of installations and other logistical concerns raised by Slotman. He told Board members he is comfortable with the portion of the project for two water tank replacements.
The project will replace water transmission mains along Holiday Valley Road and Elizabeth Street feeding the tanks. The NYS Water Infrastructure Improvement Act Grant is providing $3 million in funding, with a 30-year low-interest loan of $2,277,000 from the NYS Environmental Facilities Corporation. The engineering firm of Clark Patterson and Lee has been hired to design the project.
Slotman and Pullen said the design documents should soon be ready for their final review. Slotman asked the Board to pre-approve the bidding process to save time and advertise the bid and select a contractor in time for the March 16th meeting. The two projected a construction start in April or May, with completion of the water project around June 2023. The Board voted 4-0 on a motion to "get the process started."
Slotman also updated the Board on the Town Center renovation project, stating he expects to receive the plans by the end of this week from MDA Consulting Engineers, PLLC for the Town's portion of the building. Cornell Cooperative Extension's portion of the building renovation plans are also under review and must correlate with the Town's plans.
The Board voted to approve his request for pre-authorization on these plans, conditioned on his final sign-off. Slotman stated the "concern is if we wait until next month this pushes out into March or April, and we need to get an earlier start on the bidding process." He also noted that Clark Patterson Lee submitted a proposal of $6,300 for the design of a fire alarm system for the Town Center Building. Slotman recommended that the board let the work be completed by the Town Engineering Department and that he has been contacting contractors for proposals.
The Board will next meet in regular session on Feb. 16th. To attend the meeting, interested parties may dial 1-978-990-5297, pass code 678680, or visit the homepage of ellicottvillegov.com.