infrastructure

From City of Batavia Department of Public Works:

On Thursday, Aug. 22, the water will be turned off on Walnut Street from number 101 to the city line and all of Law Street starting at 8 a.m. for a water line repair.

The work may result in a period of discolored water in this general area after service is restored. Residents should check to make sure water clarity has returned before resuming activities such as laundry which may be impacted.

The county Highway Department announced that the Sumner Road bridge over Elevenmile Creek in Darien is now restricted to alternating one-way traffic with a temporary signal. The change took effect yesterday. This bridge is between Route 77 and Harlow Road.

The public will be notified when the road reopens to both lanes of traffic.

The Highway Department also announced that the Caswell Road Bridge between Walkers Corners Road and Cockram Road in Byron will be closed effective Thursday, Aug. 22nd through Oct. 4^th.

Press release:

Effective immediately the is a water shut down on Walnut Street from the city line to Law Street for a repair to a broken water main.

Service will be restored as soon as possible. Once service is restored, you may notice some discoloration. Please delay doing laundry until the water clears up.

We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you in advance for your cooperation.

UPDATE 2:52 p.m.: Water service has been restored and the roadway is open.

RIck von Kramer shared with us this quick video of new spans that have been delivered for installation over the Tonawanda Creek for the new Pratt Road Bridge.

Here's a video we did previously about the project:

The Town of Bergen is approved for nearly $9 million in funding for water infrastructure, the USDA's Rural Utilities Service Administrator Chad Rupe announced Thursday.

A loan of $5.9 million and a grant of $3,058,000 from the USDA's Water and Environmental Program will be used to install a water distribution system.

The project description says the service area has no municipal water system and Bergen residents rely on individual wells. It says this funding will bring public water service to 335 residential connections and 32 commerical properties in the town that currently lack access to safe potable water.

"We are very pleased with the award (of the funding package)," said Town of Bergen Supervisor Ernie Haywood this morning (Aug. 9), "and we thank all those involved who made it possible. We are moving forward..."

According to the description, "Regulatory agencies indicate the deficiencies in the system are a threat to the health of residents and that the completion of this project will address the code issues, alleviate health problems and provide reliable water to the residents and commercial properties. The project will also supply fire protection for all located in the district."

In areas without public water, firefighters must draw water from other sources such as ponds and creeks in order to fight a blaze.

Proponents of the federal assistance package reached out to property owners to inform them about the plan for a water district and public meetings have been held about it.

As part of the approval process, the USDA requires a percentage of affected property owners to sign petitions in favor of the infrastructure and funding package. For the last several months, the Town of Bergen has gathered signatures to create a water district where there is no public water system.

The expectation is that construction would start quickly once the funds are released and that it would take about a year to complete, said Bergen Councilman Mark Anderson.

In April 2017, President Donald J. Trump established the Interagency Task Force on Agriculture and Rural Prosperity to identify legislative, regulatory and policy changes that could promote agriculture and prosperity in rural communities.

In January 2018, Secretary George Ervin "Sonny" Perdue III presented the Task Force’s findings to President Trump.

These findings included 31 recommendations to align the federal government with state, local and tribal governments to take advantage of opportunities that exist in rural America. Increasing investments in rural infrastructure is a key recommendation of the task force.

Thursday's announcement about rural water and wastewater investments will benefit 133,000 rural Americans in 24 states. A total of $135 million will be distributed to pay for 49 U.S. projects.

USDA had $2.9 billion in loans and grants available in the Water and Environmental at the start of the 2019 fiscal year. Additional funding announcements are expected in the coming weeks.

USDA Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities and create jobs in rural areas. This assistance supports: infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care; and high-speed Internet access in rural areas.

For more information, visit www.rd.usda.gov.

Construction has begun on a nearly $1.2 million Pedestrian Way project that will result in some wider walkways for walkers on State Street and an improved pedestrian crossing at State and Richmond Avenue.

The project includes new sidewalks on Washington Avenue and Bank Street.

Along State Street (photo), the new wider sidewalk will connect Washington Avenue with Batavia High School.

The new crossing system at State and Richmond will include audible signals for the visually impaired.

The gravel path along Richmond Avenue in Centennial Park will also be rehabilitated.

The original project budget was $1.25 million, with a Federal grant covering 75 percent of the cost but bids came in $217,000 over budget. The city will dip in further to its sidewalk reserve fund and available state aid to make the local share 35 percent instead of 25 percent.

Public Works Director Matt Worth previously advised the City Council to accept the higher bid rather than rebid the project because this summer construction costs for such projects have been increasing so a new round of bidding would have likely resulted in even higher costs.

Genesee County is replacing the bridge over the Tonawanda Creek at Pratt Road in Batavia. The $1.6 million project is 95 percent federally funded.

Effective today (June 4), Ham Road, between Knowlesville Road and Gorton Road in Alabama will be closed for a bridge replacement. It will be closed for approximately two months.

Information from the USDA:

The Town of Le Roy is the recipient of an $89,000 loan and a $34,000 grant from the USDA's Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program to build Water District #11.

According to today's announcement by the USDA, in Washington, D.C., this project will extend public water service to eight residential users in the town who currently do not have safe potable water. The announcement did not specify where Water District #11 to benefit eight households is located.

The investment will eliminate health concerns, lower costs and provide better water quality and quantity as well as fire protection.

Le Roy's project is one of 40 approved in 20 states intended to improve rural water infrastructure. The investments will benefit 111,000 rural Americans, according to USDA.

“These investments will have a far-reaching, positive impact on rural residents, businesses and communities,” said Joel Baxley, acting assistant secretary for Rural Development. “Improving water and wastewater infrastructure enhances quality of life, helps support economic development and ensures that rural areas have safe and abundant water supplies.”

USDA is investing $82 million through the Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant program. Rural communities, water districts and other eligible entities can use the funds for drinking water, stormwater drainage and waste disposal systems. The projects must be in rural communities with 10,000 or fewer residents.

The County Legislature is poised to accept more than $2.5 million in federal grants to help pay for two bridge replacement projects, one in Pembroke and the other in Alabama.

In Pembroke, the current steel girder bridge with a steel grate deck over the Tonawanda Creek will be removed and replaced at a total cost of 2,033,050. A federal grant will pay for $1,651,100 of the replacement with state aid covering $389,200, and the county picking up the final $9,550 of the tab.

In Alabama, the county will replace the Judge Road Bridge over Whitney Creek. The cost is $1,183,000. Federal aid is $946,400, with state aid at $177,450 and a local share of $59,150, which will come from sale tax revenue.

In both cases, the federal aid is capped at 80 percent of the cost of the project.

The Pratt Road Bridge was built in 1971, the Judge Road Bridge in 1978.

Lu Engineers, in Rochester, will be retained as consultants on the Judge Road Bridge at a cost of $162,063.91.

The resolutions for these projects were approved unanimously by the Public Service Committee on Monday and will now go to the full Legislature for approval.

Also on Monday, the committee recommended the county accept a $200,000 grant from NYS Ag & Markets for improvements to the Animal Shelter, which is now 20 years old.

The committee also authorized the transfer, pending full Legislature approval, of $40,000 oil and stone funds to the salt fund. Deputy Highway Superintendent Dave Wozniak said the transfer is necessary to help replenish the road salt supply before the fall and that the transfer would have no significant impact on planned road resurfacing projects this summer. A couple of minor projects, including a parking lot at the County Park, would be delayed for a season.

There are 95 bridges and 256 culverts in the county's infrastructure inventory and combined they're worth about $70 million, County Highway Superintendent Tim Hens told members of the Public Service Committee on Monday.

That's a conservative estimate, Hens said.

He arrived at the number based on the amount spent on bridge and culvert replacement over the past three years without adjusting for inflation.  

Genesee County is one of three counties in the state that are economically responsible for all bridges and culverts on non-state roads, including those in towns and villages. In every other county, towns and villages must maintain and replace old bridges.

It's been that way since 1939 when the board of supervisors passed legislation giving county control of bridges and culverts.

A bridge (defined as more than 20 feet long) can be expected to have a safe, useful life of 50 years. The average bridge in the county was constructed in 1968, Hens said.

To keep up with the replacement cycle of bridges, the county needs to replace two bridges a year but in recent years, with cuts in federal aid, the county has only been able to replace one bridge a year.

Typically, state and federal aid helps pay for bridge and culvert replacement but as that aid is cut back, the county may need to turn to other sources of local revenue, such as sales tax.

A water main break, reportedly with significant flooding, is reported on North Street, in Le Roy.

A cellar pump detail is needed for 37 North St.

Le Roy Fire Department dispatched and the chief has requested all available manpower.

Monroe County Water Authority notified.

UPDATE 6:22 p.m.: Pavilion requested to fill in at Le Roy's fire hall.

UPDATE 6:24 p.m.: A Monroe County water crew is 30 minutes from the scene and is estimating a four- to six-hour repair window.

UPDATE 6:25 p.m.: Water flow alarms have been triggered at two businesses in the area.

Submitted photo and press release:

 Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) today joined legislators, highway superintendents and members of road repair crews from across the state to call for a $150 million increase to the Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS).

They also want restoration of $65 million in Extreme Winter Recovery funds that Gov. Andrew Cuomo plans to axe from this year’s budget.

“Western New York’s winters are brutal and it’s no surprise that potholes and road deterioration spread like wildfire every spring, so to cut these funds would rob us of the ability to provide safe, smooth and reliable transportation moving forward into the summer travel months,” Hawley said.

“CHIPS funding hasn’t increased in many years but state leaders have no issue dumping billions more into the dysfunctional MTA and expensive Downstate projects. This money is vital to Upstate and we are asking for a small increase relative to the entire budget which is projected near $170 billion this year. I am hopeful state leaders heed our message today.”

Press release:

There is a water main break on Union Street near Notre Dame school. Crews are on site to begin repairs but water service will be interrupted in the area until repairs are complete.

Once repaired residents are cautioned to allow some time for water clarity to return and avoid laundry activities until full clarity has returned.

UPDATE 9:20 p.m.: From Matt Worth: "The water main has been repaired and service restored."

Press release:

At approximately 3 a.m. there was a large water main break on North Street between Trumbull and North Spruce in Batavia.  The main has been shut down, and crews are beginning repairs.  Residents in the area may experience low water pressure or discoloration.

Residents in the area are advised to check for discolored water and wait until water clarity has been restored before using for laundry. Vehicular traffic should avoid the area as the street may be closed while repairs are completed.

UPDATE 2:15 p.m.: The water main has been repaired and water service restored as of approximately 1:30 p.m.

Press release:

U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced $4,639,000 in federal funding for six water infrastructure improvement projects across the Rochester-Finger Lakes Region. The funding was provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Development’s Water and Waste Disposal Loans and Grants Program.

Specifically, Schumer and Gillibrand explained, the Town of Alabama in Genesee County will receive: $1,653,000 to create Water District #2 and the Town of Bethany in Genesee County will receive $722,000 to create Water District #4.

The Town of Clarendon in Orleans County will receive $790,000 to create Water District #13 and an additional $790,000 to improve the water improvement benefit area #12, and the Town of Torrey in Yates County will receive $684,000 to create Water District 1, the first municipal water system to serve this area.

“These federal investments in job-creating and economy-boosting water infrastructure projects are great news for the Rochester-Finger Lakes region,” Schumer said. “This federal funding will allow five towns across the region to construct and make critical improvements to municipal water systems needed to provide clean, safe drinking water to their communities.

"I am proud to announce these federal investments and will continue fighting to ensure rural communities across Upstate New York have the resources they need to build, protect and maintain their water infrastructure.”

“All New Yorkers should have access to a reliable source of clean water, and with these grants, communities throughout the Rochester-Finger Lakes region will be able to expand and improve their water systems,” Gillibrand said.

“These investments will help provide safe and clean water for residents in the towns of Alabama, Bethany, Clarendon and Torrey, and I will always fight in the Senate for the resources to protect the health and quality of life for residents.”

Press release:

The City of Batavia Water Department is repairing a water main break on South Lyon Street. Water has been shut off for all of South Lyon Street.  City crews will make every effort to restore water as soon as possible. Please avoid South Lyon Street until repairs are complete. 

This could result in low water pressure condition for some residents. Other residents in the area may experience discolored water, which should return to normal once repairs are complete.

Residents should check to make sure water clarity has returned before resuming activities such as laundry, which may be impacted.

UPDATE 1 p.m.: The break is repaired and South Lyon has reopened.