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Message |
    
happyman
Citizen
Username: Happyman
Post Number: 61
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, October 19, 2003 - 9:51 pm: | 
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As I walked throughout our beautiful town this weekend, I could not help notice the "patchwork" of white sidewalks scattered about. Redmond Road, Newstead, all over!! What happened? It is as if the contractor forgot to put Grey dye # 12 in the mix. It looks horrible! Then, you have two sidewalk squares white, followed by three gray, one white ...... Who is in charge of monitoring this contractor, it is such an unsightly mess!!!!
The Not So Happyman 
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singlemalt
Citizen
Username: Singlemalt
Post Number: 68
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Monday, October 20, 2003 - 10:32 am: |
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I have posted many messages about the condition of the streets, sidewalks, curbs and gutters in the newstead on numerous occasions (apologies if I sound like a broken record).
Here is what I have learned:
1. The infrastructure of the streets, curbs, sidewalks and gutters are the orginals from when the newstead development was built in the 1930's.
2. There is currently no plan to address these issues other than throwing hot tar and rocks on top of the already pathetic surface.
3. I spoke with the village engineer and he agreed the overall condition is in disrepair but said to fix the problems would be very expensive, "...due to the amount of rock under the roadways..."
4. Homeowners are responsible for the cost of fixing sidewalks and curbs which is why you see patchwork repairs. Most of the problems with the sidewalks are caused by the village when they smash the snowplows into them in the winter.
I understand the village is in economic crisis but this problem has been going on for way too long. Asking that we have safe sidewalks and streets is not asking too much from the village. The half-ass repairs we continue to see only make the problems worse.
By doing nothing the Village is leaving themselves liable for someone getting seriously hurt. The potholes make it dangerous for kids riding bikes. The broken sidewalks make it dagerous for pedestrians. The lack of drainage into the gutters leave the roads covered with ice in the winter.
I wish someone would take the time to do a study into what is needed to upgrade the area into what is considered standard condition. |
mrosner
Citizen
Username: Mrosner
Post Number: 703
Registered: 4-2002
| | Posted on Monday, October 20, 2003 - 11:17 am: |
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singlemalt: The complaint was about the coloring of the cement. As you point out that is up to the homeowner. I don't think anyone wants the town to give a summons for a mis-matched sidewalk. Usually after several months, the color difference becomes less noticeable. Homeowners could request that their contractor mix in some dye to match the color.
For the last ten years, the village has been re-paving different streets and doing sidewalk and curb repairs. Each year there is about $400,000 alotted to the program. The village engineer picks the streets based on their condition.
The microseal program (which you refer to as hot tar) is done on the streets to keep them from deterioating further. This helps to prevent further damage while waiting to do the full repairs on those streets. About $100,000 a year is spent for this program.
So the village has been and continues to do something. It would be great if we could spend more on road repairs, but unlike the state, we don't collect tolls or taxes on gasoline so we need to rely on the municpal portion of the budget.
As for the snowplows, I agree they cause some of the problems to the curbs. However, the curbs are not always easy to see when they are covered with snow, and most people prefer to have the roads cleared.
You can get a list of the streets that have been done in the past few years from the village engineer and see how they look. You can also find out when the various areas of Newstead are slated for complete repairs.
So, to sum up, there IS a plan and one by one the village is getting to every street. And I know, by the time we get to the last one, it will be time to start over again. |
doublea
Citizen
Username: Doublea
Post Number: 319
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Monday, October 20, 2003 - 11:18 am: |
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singlemalt: The matter of snowplows smashing into curbs and sidewalks brings up another problem. Many of the sidewalks and curbs in Newstead are basically one piece - i.e., there is no grass between the curb and the sidewalk. When the snowplow comes down the street, it plows right up to the edge of the curb and pushes a very tall pile of snow onto the sidewalk, which then has to be removed by the homeowner. Because there is no separation between the sidewalk and curb, this is a gigantic problem.
Even the professional plowers many times just run their snowblade along the sidewalk.
As I recall, many years ago the municipal plow left a few feet between the curb and the plow to prevent this problem.
I wonder whether any residents or trustees have any thoughts on this problem? |
mrosner
Citizen
Username: Mrosner
Post Number: 704
Registered: 4-2002
| | Posted on Monday, October 20, 2003 - 11:49 am: |
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doublea: I live on a street with no seperation between the curb and sidewalk and it drives me nuts when they plow the snow right to the curb forcing it onto the sidewalk. Of course the alternative is to just plow a few feet from the curb when they can figure out exaclty where that is (not easy at night when it is snowing). On some streets, that might not leave a wide enough path for two cars which would not be good when they are traveling in opposite directions.
Let's hope for no snow this winter.
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singlemalt
Citizen
Username: Singlemalt
Post Number: 69
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Monday, October 20, 2003 - 2:28 pm: |
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Mark,
I've noticed that when new streets are put in that the town also installs new curbs and sidewalks. Who pays for the sidewalks and curbs in this case? The homeowner or the village?
It cost me several thousand to have sidewalks replaced that I was forced to by the village. Have you also had to spend money to have your sidewalks replaced since you also have the snow plow problem?
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woodstock
Citizen
Username: Woodstock
Post Number: 424
Registered: 9-2002
| | Posted on Monday, October 20, 2003 - 2:48 pm: |
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Singlemalt,
I'm curious. What new streets have gone in recently? I thought the town was pretty much paved over already (not counting the quarry).
Waiting For The Electrician, Or Someone Like Him
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mrosner
Citizen
Username: Mrosner
Post Number: 707
Registered: 4-2002
| | Posted on Monday, October 20, 2003 - 3:10 pm: |
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Singlemalt: The village pays for the new curbs and sidewalks. Usually no warnings or summons are issued when a street is earmarked to be repaved.
Actually my street was repaved with new curbs and sidewalks a few years ago (it was picked and the inital vote was done before I was on the BOT, but the timing did look curious because the work started the year after I was first elected). So far the snowplows have not done any damage. I guess I would be responsible, although just like anyone else I would not be happy about it and scream and yell that it is the village's fault.
Woodstock: Last year, several streets in Montrose were repaved. The village needs to continually do road repairs or it will become much too big of a job. I know that there was a period of time in the 80's when there was only minimal work done.
Vose Ave. was done a couple of years ago.
By the way, Wyoming Ave is a county road and was repaved by the county. |
woodstock
Citizen
Username: Woodstock
Post Number: 428
Registered: 9-2002
| | Posted on Monday, October 20, 2003 - 4:02 pm: |
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Thanks Mark - When they were repaved, the town put in new sidewalks?
The only good thing about my street (not including my neighbors) is that we don't have sidewalks requiring shoveling and repairs.
Waiting For The Electrician, Or Someone Like Him
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mrosner
Citizen
Username: Mrosner
Post Number: 709
Registered: 4-2002
| | Posted on Monday, October 20, 2003 - 4:12 pm: |
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When deemed neccessary by the village engineer, new sidewalks and curbs are done as part of the repaving project.
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happyman
Citizen
Username: Happyman
Post Number: 62
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Monday, October 20, 2003 - 5:08 pm: |
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mrosner writes:
"The complaint was about the coloring of the cement. As you point out that is up to the homeowner. I don't think anyone wants the town to give a summons for a mis-matched sidewalk."
I am certainly no expert on concrete; however, I do believe typically a town has a few designated contractors that would be informed about the specifications, allowed by the town, to complete the work satisfactory. I would think that the contractor would know (or be able to easily obtain) the specs for fixing sidewalks in South Orange.
Something like:
* Grade A concrete w/7% stone
* Color tint #19
* Proper finishing style, etc.
{All of this is Fictitious}
What I am saying is that there is a complete Hodge-Podge of work that has been completed recently and it is taking away from the beauty of our streets.
Mark,
Would you be able to check with the Town Engineer (or whoever’s responsibility this is) as to what is on the books, how we monitor it and why the WHITE?
Thank You
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peteglider
Citizen
Username: Peteglider
Post Number: 295
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Monday, October 20, 2003 - 7:32 pm: |
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Each batch of concrete is slightly different. A contractor orders "yards" of concrete - and its delivered in the cement mixer and poured into molds.
Then, when you put new concrete against 30 - 50 year old material -- they will not match.
I had a new patio poured 2 years ago. It is no longer so "white" looking -- but clearly looks nothing like my sidewalks in front.
The new concrete will age -- with weathering, dirt, etc.
Pete |
Lizziecat
Citizen
Username: Lizziecat
Post Number: 69
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Monday, October 20, 2003 - 7:46 pm: |
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The town replaced part of the sidewalk in front of my house because a town tree fell during a storm and ripped up a big chunk of it. The contractor told my spouse that he was using concrete that was left from another job, and that was actually a higher grade than was necessary for sidewalks. My replaced patch is bright white also, but it's so smooth and even that I really don't mind at all.
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newtoallthis
Citizen
Username: Newtoallthis
Post Number: 68
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 21, 2003 - 9:28 am: |
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The streetlight in front of our home had a gas leak and was dug up and repaired. Contractors, via PSE&G, then repaired the sidewalk. It is also now bright white, but a lot better looking than the black crumbly asphalt they originally stuck in there (it took a million phone calls to get them to replace that). Didn't know they had any choice on sidewalk concrete color, but doubt my mentioning it would have made any difference. Any sort of "wash" around that can be applied to tint it? |
bobk
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 3646
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, October 21, 2003 - 9:38 am: |
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There are stains available that work on concrete. Hopefully they would wear off as the concrete naturally darkens over time. Otherwise there will be a lot of posts about "black" concrete. 
We had three "squares" replaced in front of our house twelve or so years ago. They are now virtually the same color as the old work. |
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