Watkins Glen, NY – The village of Watkins Glen is at the heart of excitement, investment, and revitalization. Fittingly, the New York State Department of Transportation will begin construction on new sidewalks, along with improvements to crosswalks, signage, and signals in 2018, ahead of a mill and pave of State Route 14 in 2019.
On March 19, 2018, the Watkins Glen Area Chamber of Commerce partnered with the State Department of Transportation to host informational meetings for local businesses and community members to learn more. State DOT officials present included Mike Griffin, Assistant Regional Design Engineer; Susan Cook, Engineer-in-Charge; and Jeremy Ferris, Construction Supervisor. It was standing room only during both meetings and officials shared a great deal of information but perhaps most importantly, they provided an idea of the project timeline:
- The contractor plans to begin at Fairgrounds Lane in early April, working on new sidewalks and lighting conduit/foundations along the east side of Franklin Street. They plan to finish the east side sidewalks all the way to Captain Bill’s by June 22, 2018, at which time the downtown portion of the project will shut down for summer.
- Summer work will consist of pavement repairs and paving on the four lane section of Route 14 from Reading Road to Gabriel’s Junction.
- Beginning in the fall of 2018, work on the sidewalks along the west side of Franklin Street will begin at the Route 14/414 intersection and progress north until it is completed. New traffic signals will also be installed during this phase.
- Beginning in the spring of 2019, the contractor is scheduled to perform a mill and pave of Franklin Street from Fairgrounds Lane to the northern gateway of the village of Watkins Glen, with completion scheduled for June 28, 2019.
Engineer-in-Charge Sue Cook shared, “The DOT team was very pleased with the turnout at the informational meetings. We were encouraged by the community interest and happy to hear feedback from community members and business owners. I am looking forward to serving as the Engineer in Charge on this project and my door will always be open to the community. I am in the process of setting up a field office in the village and will share that location as soon as it is finalized. We look forward to partnering with the chamber of commerce to share information and updates on the project.”
Chamber President and CEO Rebekah Carroll adds, “The chamber is proud to partner with the State Department of Transportation to help share information and updates, as well as to serve as a promotional arm for our downtown businesses. While we know that construction can present challenges, with the right information, proper coordination, and planning, our businesses will not only endure, but prosper through this process. Great things are ahead and we are proud to be a part of them!”
The chamber of commerce will house key information, including project timelines, updates, and shopping promotions on their website: www.watkinsglenchamber.com/progressahead. You can also follow along on Facebook and sign up for the chamber’s weekly e-newsletter to receive other periodic updates and announcements related to construction.
