Road Rage
by Thaddeus Flint
An aggravating road, abandoned graves, the creek, and a leaky roof were the topics of discussion at the September meeting of the New Lebanon Town Board last Tuesday.
[private]“It aggravates me every time I drive up and down it. It aggravates me sitting there pumping gas and the nozzle jumps up and down out of the car as the trucks go by. It’s an awful thing,” said Highway Superintendent Jeff Winestock. Residents of New Lebanon will know right away that the “awful thing” is the Routes 20 and 22 section that runs through the center of Town, the so-called “Miracle Mile” that is awaiting the miracle of the NYSDOT ever deciding to fund its repair.
“You want people to come to New Lebanon.” said Winestock. “Is there any way to find out if there is any money to repair the State roads?”
“It is ridiculous,” agreed Town Supervisor Mike Benson who pointed out that, at the very least, the section of Route 22 from basically the Town Hall to the junction of Route 20 is scheduled to be repaved starting this week. “But not the worst part”.
While there has never been much love displayed between Town Officials and NYSDOT, Benson did not come out and blame the State for the piece of road that Winestock said is waiting “to kill someone.”
“It’s Federal,” said Benson. “Most of the funds that come to the Town, believe it or not, are coming from the Federal Government.” Couple that with the lack of a long-term highway bill at the Federal level, and it becomes a huge issue for “every town, every city, every State in the country.” The reason for this, as Benson sees it, is “because Congress can’t approve a change, and an increase in the gas tax.”
At least one Town in the area, it was noted, has decided it doesn’t want to wait for Congress to get around to funding things that need to be funded far away from Congress. Lee, Massachusetts, announced in September that the Town would be looking to enact a three cents a gallon gas tax to overhaul its infrastructure.
This idea might have sparked a trend.
Benson noted that it was suggested at a Columbia County Public Works meeting “that the County consider imposing their own gas tax to better fund their highways and their bridges.”
Whether or not the County could legally do that, Benson didn’t know, “but it was discussed.”
Winestock said he didn’t really want to see the gas tax go up, but if it did it “would be nice if there were someone honest to take those three cents and put them in” to the roads. The NY Lottery was supposedly going to go toward NY schools, Winestock pointed out, “and I think my school tax has gone up ever since.”
At any rate, none of that will help New Lebanon with their Miracle Mile because it belongs to the State.
“I’ve been talking to the State about that section of road for three years now,” said Benson. “That section of Route 20 has to be completely taken out. It’s not a mill and fill project.” And as the price tag for such a project would likely be enormous, it’s not a project that will probably happen any time soon.
“It’s just waiting for somebody to get hurt,” said Winestock.
The State of NY apparently does have some money for the dead though. Councilman Matt Larabee said he had been talking with an ex-Town resident who was back doing some research on local graves of Revolutionary soldiers. Larabee was told that the Town could apply to the New York Cemetery Board for a grant to clean up some of the abandoned cemeteries in the Town. The Town of Nassau recently finished restoring the historic Brainard Rural Cemetery after the Cemetery Board approved $29,900 in funds for that project. The work was largely done by Grave Stone Matters of Hoosick Falls.
“They did a wonderful job,” said Benson.
Larabee said he would contact NY State Senator Kathleen Marchione’s office to see how to proceed.
Senator Marchione will also be getting a copy of a resolution asking that the Wyomanock Creek be designated as an Inland Waterway. This designation, spearheaded largely by Cynthia Creech of the Conservation Advisory Council, would pave the way for possible future funds to improve and revitalize the areas surrounding the creek.
As the newly opened Corkscrew Rail Trail follows the Wyomanock, funds could possibly be used to increase the length of the trail one day to reach other trails in Salem to the north and Chatham to the south.
“This trail will bring much needed low-impact visitors to New Lebanon, will improve the economy of our small town, and give new life to a historic part of the New Lebanon Valley,” read the resolution. A vote found all present in favor of the resolution; Councilmen Dan Evans and Chuck Geraldi were absent.
New life will also soon be given to the Highway Department’s garage roof. Pete McCagg of McCagg Construction will be doing the work as he was the only company to bid on the job. His bid of $8,184 was accepted with all in favor even though no money had been budgeted for the job.
“It can’t wait.” said Winestock, “Something has to be done before rain season.”
Benson said the bid of $1.55 per square foot “didn’t seem bad to me.”
The night ended with a new resident to Town asking the Board about the small road that runs past his house.
“I just bought a home on Covenant Circle,” the man said.
“Congratulations,” Benson said–not convincingly–to a roar of laughter. Covenant Circle, while a road, is also a bureaucratic road to nowhere. Administration after administration has been tasked with either deciding to add the road–which needs very expensive upgrades to be brought up to spec–to the Town’s list of troublesome roads, or to tell the residents there once and for all they aren’t taking it. Every administration for the past twenty years or so has been successful in passing this decision off to the next administration. At the moment though, “the ball is in their court,” said Benson.
The Lebanon Valley Historical Society will be hosting pulled pork in the park, Saturday, September 26 at Shatford Park, continuing a tradition they are calling Heritage Day which began last year in celebration of Samuel Tilden’s 200th birthday. Unity Lodge #9, Free and Accepted Masons will be donating the pork to benefit the work of the LVHS in maintaining the Columbia Hall Sycamore Tree and stabilizing the Columbia Hall Spring House. Tickets are required, however they are free and can be obtained at the New Lebanon Library as well as the Town Hall. Those attending are asked to bring a side dish to share with their neighbors.[/private]