Bike/Ped Path Money Could Go To Potsdam

POTSDAM - Village officials could advertise for bids this spring on a $1.4 million project funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to make the community more bicycle and pedestrian friendly.

Potsdam was awarded the federal stimulus grant in April 2009.

The money is earmarked for sidewalk improvements along May Road and Leroy Street as well as roadwork, sidewalk and bike lane additions along Clarkson Avenue and roadwork and sidewalk improvements along Pine Street.

Planning and Development Director Frederick H. Hanss said the village recently received a draft engineering and design report from Stantec Consulting in Rochester regarding the improvements. He said the next phase of the project will involve scheduling a public hearing sometime this month to receive comments from residents in affected neighborhoods.

"Stantec would like to hold a public hearing on this project to advance it, and hopefully get it out to bid this spring," he said.

Mr. Hanss said current design plans call for building new sidewalks along the south side of the May Road and the western side of Leroy Street to Bradley Drive. The existing village sidewalks extend only partially along Leroy Street and the May Road, forcing pedestrians to walk in the street.

In addition to work along the May Road and Leroy Street area, the stimulus project also calls for extensive sidewalk and roadwork across the Raquette River on the other side of the village, according to Mr. Hanss. He said Clarkson Avenue will be milled and resurfaced and new walking and bicycle paths installed through the area.

Pine Street is also slated for resurfacing and a new sidewalk installed from Sandstoner Arena to the CSX railroad crossing, according to Mr. Hanss.

The village board has yet to set a hearing date to glean public input regarding the federal stimulus project, but Mr. Hanss said he is confident the board will schedule a meeting this month. He said after public input is received, engineers can make last-minute changes to the design plans if needed, and then put the project out to bid.

If there are no hitches he said physical construction of at least a portion of the project could begin as early as this summer.

"We have until 2012 to complete the project, so we have plenty of time," Mr. Hanss said.

He also expressed optimism that the $1.4 million construction initiative could translate to local jobs.

"I would imagine we would see some local construction companies bid on this," he said.

Potsdam received word that its proposed Walk-Bike Enhancement Project would be funded with federal stimulus funds on April 2, 2009. The initial proposal called for building a series of new sidewalks, bike paths and shared bike lanes that would link Clarkson, SUNY Potsdam and residential neighborhoods.