Express News Staff
Federal, state and local officials announced the official groundbreaking of the $5.5 million rehabilitation project set to improve the roads between the western gateway into the Adirondack Park to Tamarack Road in the hamlet of White Lake on Aug. 16 at the Woodgate Volunteer Fire Department. DOT Regional Director Michael A. Shamma gathered with Acting Commissioner Stanley Gee, Congressman Michael Arcuri, Assembly Member David Townsend, Oneida County Executive Anthony Picente, Jr., Town of Forestport Supervisor William Hasenauer, and David Connors of Ketco, Inc., contractors for the project.
“The rehabilitation project we celebrate today will significantly improve safety by widening shoulders and realigning an intersection along State Route 28 here in Oneida County,” said acting commissioner Gee. “This is the western gateway to the great Adirondack Park, and Route 28 is a vital corridor for tourism and commerce throughout the Adirondack region.”
This rehabilitation project is significantly revised from the original plans that raised controversy with regards to the removal of trees and loss of frontage by many property owners, organizations, and businesses along the targeted route. Although trees will need to be removed and many utility poles will still need to be relocated to accommodate widening and realigning the road, approximately 9.5 miles of Route 28 previously targeted have been postponed pending further resolution. Property owners and businesses still within the section approved to begin will suffer losses, but had mixed emotions with regards to reconciling safety and necessity versus their property values.
“We’re going to lose valuable parking space in front of the restaurant,” said Becky McGough of Season’s Restaurant at the four corners in Woodgate. “It’s good to make the road safer, if it will make the road safer.”
Travelers heading north have already begun commenting on the start of construction before they even reach Woodgate. In response to that reference, DOT representative Alice Romanych said, “Construction at any time is always an inconvenience, but we’re really trying to do this during the least traveled months available to us. We want to get this done as soon as possible, and we hope we can keep traffic moving into the Adirondacks. We want people to be able to enjoy the fall foliage, and we want residents to be able to get to and from wherever they need to be.”
Residents are already rearranging their schedules to accommodate the road reconstruction.
“I’ve been cutting over to Boonville, over the Hogsback,” said Woodgate resident Carol Rowlands. “when you know it’s there, you kind of just make arrangements to go around or give yourself a little more time.”
Objections over removing trees have not left anyone’s mind, as the drive along Route. 28 has always been known as a beautiful Adirondack experience.
“I’m really sad to see any trees go,” said Jan Knudsen. She and her husband Rocky are the owners of Woodgate Storage in Woodgate, and Jan is an employee at Season’s Restaurant. “But it’s supposed to make the road safer, right? That curve really is dangerous. What if, with the road straightened out, people drive even faster through Woodgate and White Lake? Has anyone even thought about that?”
In a letter posted on the www.savewhitelaketrees.org Web site and addressed to Woodgate residents Ron and Sheila Cuccaro, references are made by Regional DOT Director Michael Shamma that speed zones throughout the affected area will be reassessed. The DOT will also provide radar speed trailers on a seasonal intermittent basis to re-evaluate speed limits in the area upon completion of the construction. The letter also specifies that 161 speeding tickets were issued from January 2009 through November 21, 2009 along Route 28, primarily within reduced speed zones, and that White Lake Association members will request that the State Police increase speed enforcement through the corridor.
The road improvement currently underway begins approximately five miles north of Alder Creek. Traveling north, the first 1.5 miles will be resurfaced with 11-foot travel lanes and widened six-foot shoulders. Utilities will be relocated where necessary to provide for an adequate clear zone along the roadway. The remaining 2.6-mile segment ends at Tamarack Road. This segment will be reconstructed, including a realignment of the sharp curve at Round Lake Road to improve safety at this intersection. This reconstruction also will modify the vertical profile of the road, reducing the roller-coaster effect, and improving sight distance. It will also be built with 11-foot travel lanes and six-foot shoulders.
“We’ve all been told to ‘watch out for the bend’ when you’re heading north,” said Congressman Arcuri, meaning the sharp turn just before you get to White Lake. “The volunteer firemen here at Woodgate Volunteer Department do an excellent job, and it’s a good thing their company is right here near that curve. But, I’m really happy to see these improvements taking place. With this federal funding, we’re not only putting people back to work to make these improvements, but also ensuring the safety of local residents and tourists traveling to the Adirondack Park.”
Originally constructed in 1914, Route 28 is a primary transportation corridor in and through the Adirondack Park, serving the communities of Old Forge, Inlet, Blue Mountain Lake and points north, making it a vital link for both economic development and tourism. Businesses along the corridor depend on the reliability of the highway network to sustain this economic activity. The need for this rehabilitation project was identified in part through the region’s ongoing pavement evaluation program, and in part from requests from local officials and residents.
Assemblyman David Townsend said,”The Route 28 revitalization project will improve driver safety in our region while connecting the Empire State’s abundant natural resources with Central New York’s thriving communities. Infrastructure investments such as State Route 28 enable us to continue to share in the benefits of Adirondack tourism, create jobs, and move people and goods more quickly across New York. My thanks to the state Department of Transportation for helping us ‘drive’ the economic recovery of our region.”