Showing posts with label roads. Show all posts
Showing posts with label roads. Show all posts
March 30, 2014
Is the stuff we use on the roads to melt snow rusting out our vehicles?
November 29, 2010
New Route 72 proving a hit
The new Route 72 extension, which won’t be finished until summer, is already proving a hit.
The $61 million road has eased morning and evening congestion for commuters, officials said, by providing drivers with more options and a nicer, safer route through Forestville.
“All the comments I’ve heard have been positive,” said Mayor Art Ward.
There are no longer traffic jams in the morning, said Dayton Schroeter, the project engineer for the state Department of Transportation, and evening rush hours are also seeing “a big improvement.” Click here for story.
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Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
The $61 million road has eased morning and evening congestion for commuters, officials said, by providing drivers with more options and a nicer, safer route through Forestville.
“All the comments I’ve heard have been positive,” said Mayor Art Ward.
There are no longer traffic jams in the morning, said Dayton Schroeter, the project engineer for the state Department of Transportation, and evening rush hours are also seeing “a big improvement.” Click here for story.
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Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
September 24, 2010
Route 72 section will open on Monday
Following the opening ceremony, the road will open from the end of the existing expressway in Plainville to Emmett Street.
The section from Emmett Street to Riverside Avenue won’t open until next spring, though Pine Street will remain available for use during construction.
Among the officials who are expected to attend is Gov. Jodi Rell, according to Mayor Art Ward.
Here's a recent story with some of the background.
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Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
September 22, 2010
Portion of Route 72 may open soon
Work on the Route 72 extension is reaching the point where much of the new road will soon be able to open.
The state Department of Transportation has tentatively scheduled a September 27 grand opening for the stretch of road between the expressway and Emmett Street.
The opening date isn’t yet certain, said Dayton Schroeter, the project engineer, but the section of road will be ready for traffic soon – easing commutes for many.
Click here for the story.
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Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
June 27, 2010
Route 72 extension to open in November
Route 72: You've come a long way, baby
Traffic on Route 72 will face 'some challenges'
Bristol plans for development of new corridor
I don't see this little piece online so here's another:
How much will it cost?
Pegging the cost of the new Route 72 extension is inherently problematic because so much has been spent over the course of decades that’s not figured into the bottom line from the state.
Manafort Brothers, the New Britain-based general contractor, won the right to build the road three years ago with a $39.7 million bid.
But the state has also spent millions acquiring rights of way, moving utilities, making plans, holding hearings and more.
During groundbreaking for the project, transportation officials guessed that the total tab probably amounted to $61 million over the course of decades. It may even be more, they admitted.
There isn’t a solid figure because the money has come from different transportation accounts, some of which don’t even exist any longer.
But state officials said the construction project is coming in pretty close to budget.
All told, it appears the new road cost a little less than $30 million a mile – or half the per mile cost of the proposed busway between Hartford and New Britain that’s slated to get underway next year. *******
Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
February 6, 2010
Ward talks projects with state DOT boss
One day after Mayor Art Ward urged support for the New Britain busway, he met with state Department of Transportation Commissioner Joseph Marie for "a good conversation" about potential projects in Bristol.
Ward met with Marie, New Britain Mayor Tim Stewart and state Sen. Donald DeFronzo, a New Britain Democrat, on Friday for a general discussion about ways the state might address Bristol's relative isolation from Connecticut's transportation grid.
Ward said they heard about the city's concerns and they listened to its ambitions along with "the potential for addressing them.
Ward said the session was "encouraging," but no decisions were reached and nobody talked about the details of any possible help the state might provide.
Still, the mayor said, "It was a good meeting" and he expects it lead to benefits for the city.
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Copyright 2010. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
Ward met with Marie, New Britain Mayor Tim Stewart and state Sen. Donald DeFronzo, a New Britain Democrat, on Friday for a general discussion about ways the state might address Bristol's relative isolation from Connecticut's transportation grid.
Ward said they heard about the city's concerns and they listened to its ambitions along with "the potential for addressing them.
Ward said the session was "encouraging," but no decisions were reached and nobody talked about the details of any possible help the state might provide.
Still, the mayor said, "It was a good meeting" and he expects it lead to benefits for the city.
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Copyright 2010. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
January 30, 2010
Public works seeks to triple outlay for paving streets
Worried that repairing crumbling streets will wind up costing taxpayers far more in the long run, public works officials are seeking to triple the money the city allocated for road resurfacing during the next fiscal year.
The budget panel for the Public Works Board recently recommended allocating $1.9 million for repaving city streets. That compares to the $650,000 it will likely spend this fiscal year, which ends in June.
“This is what we think we need to somewhat hold our own,” Public Works Director Walter Veselka said.
But with politicians and fiscal overseers fretting that revenues are down and wary of hiking property taxes, the prospects for winning approval for the spending are poor.
Finance Chairman Rich Miecznikowski, whose Board of Finance does most of the work of setting the yearly spending plan, said, “We’ll look at it very closely, as we do with all budgets.”
“I know damn well they’re going to cut it,” said Don Padlo, a long-serving public works commissioner.
Last year, public works sought $2.2 million for its overall streets budget – which includes paving, sidewalk repairs and a number of related items – but emerged with $1.3 million in its final revised budget.
This time around, public works officials are angling for $2.6 million, despite warnings that city spending will generally be frozen at this year’s level.
“We can’t take another $1 million hit,” said city Councilor Cliff Block.
For the complete story, click here.
*******For the complete story, click here.
Copyright 2010. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
January 11, 2010
Wright: Release the road money
Press release this morning from state Rep. Chris Wright, a Bristol Democrat:
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Copyright 2010. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
REP. WRIGHT SAYS GOVERNOR SHOULD RELEASE
TOWN AID ROAD GRANTS
State Representative Christopher Wright (D-Bristol) says the Governor should release millions in state aid that would fund paving projects and road repairs including funding for Bristol.
“The Governor’s decision to hold this funding is hurting Bristol and making it difficult for local elected officials who have to make decisions about town paving and road repairs,” Rep. Wright said. “Towns depend on this funding and holding it back can negatively affect local property taxes, in addition to holding up work on local projects.”
Due to the current budget deficit, the governor has held back $30 million in Town Aid Road (TAR) Grants.
In the previous fiscal year, the city of Bristol received $341,711 in TAR funding.
Towns usually receive TAR funding in January and July each year.
Rep. Wright serves on the Housing, Insurance and Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committees,
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Copyright 2010. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
October 16, 2009
Eastern section of Route 72 won't open early
Press release from Mayor Art Ward:
DOT reconsiders opening a portion of new Route 72
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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
September 11, 2009
City to review key projects more carefully
In the wake of a funding flap over the $159,000 widening of Center Street, city councilors said they are determined to ensure they know the particulars of every significant project before they’ll approve it.
City Councilor Cliff Block said that reviewing project requests ahead of time will ensure “we’re not told something that’s not true” ever again.
Block said the council was “somewhat misled” in August when city officials mistakenly said the state had provided the money for the Center Street project.
It turned out that the city itself had sold bonds to pay for the work five years ago. The intervening time was needed to come up with a design, conduct a traffic study and secure backing from necessary municipal panels, including the council.
The council agreed to award the contract to the Vernon-based VMS Construction Co. last month, with only city Councilor Kevin McCauley dissenting.
McCauley got his colleagues to support the creation of a new panel to review projects that cost more than $100,000 but the details were fuzzy.
“It was vague,” McCauley admitted.
It appears that the mayor’s five-year capital project committee will serve as the review board for projects to ensure they’re still worth pursuing before contracts are handed out, though that could change.
City Councilor Frank Nicastro pointed out that the Center Street project had been in the works for seven years before a construction contract was ready for approval.
He said that the city had already spent a fair amount of money and time on the project because officials had thought at every step that it was worth doing.
McCauley said that projects need to be looked at again in part because of the difficult economy.
McCauley said it’s important the city refrain from signing contracts until projects have been reviewed thoroughly and the facts surrounding them made clear.
But he did not ask colleagues to reconsider the Center Street project.
McCauley said he wants to “make this a positive” by focusing on the review process for upcoming projects.
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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
City Councilor Cliff Block said that reviewing project requests ahead of time will ensure “we’re not told something that’s not true” ever again.
Block said the council was “somewhat misled” in August when city officials mistakenly said the state had provided the money for the Center Street project.
It turned out that the city itself had sold bonds to pay for the work five years ago. The intervening time was needed to come up with a design, conduct a traffic study and secure backing from necessary municipal panels, including the council.
The council agreed to award the contract to the Vernon-based VMS Construction Co. last month, with only city Councilor Kevin McCauley dissenting.
McCauley got his colleagues to support the creation of a new panel to review projects that cost more than $100,000 but the details were fuzzy.
“It was vague,” McCauley admitted.
It appears that the mayor’s five-year capital project committee will serve as the review board for projects to ensure they’re still worth pursuing before contracts are handed out, though that could change.
City Councilor Frank Nicastro pointed out that the Center Street project had been in the works for seven years before a construction contract was ready for approval.
He said that the city had already spent a fair amount of money and time on the project because officials had thought at every step that it was worth doing.
McCauley said that projects need to be looked at again in part because of the difficult economy.
McCauley said it’s important the city refrain from signing contracts until projects have been reviewed thoroughly and the facts surrounding them made clear.
But he did not ask colleagues to reconsider the Center Street project.
McCauley said he wants to “make this a positive” by focusing on the review process for upcoming projects.
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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
August 17, 2009
Councilors ready to lop off some heads
When city councilors endorsed the $159,000 widening of Center Street last week, they thought the state was picking up the tab.
It isn’t.
The money is actually coming entirely from city coffers, part of a 2004 bond package that also included the North Main Street streetscape project, according to David Bertnagel, the city’s chief accountant.
The only councilors to oppose the project, Democrat Kevin McCauley, said that because decision-makers “were erroneously informed at the City Council meeting that this allocation was from the state funds, I have asked the mayor and City Council to bring forth this issue at the next opportunity for reconsideration as we can discuss it openly again.”
Republican city Councilor Mike Rimcoski said he agreed on the need for a special meeting.
“I will come to it with my ax all sharpened, ready to cut off somebody’s head,” Rimcoski said Monday
“There are very few things I cannot tolerate,” Rimcoski said, and one of them “is being outright lied to.
He said that if officials were unsure of the answer, they should have said so rather than misleading the council, even if it wasn’t done deliberately.
Public Works Director Walter Veselka, who told councilors the money was coming from the state, said Monday that he thought it was.
“If I’m proved incorrect, then so be it,” Veselka said.
Several officials who tried to untangle the issue Monday said that money for downtown projects generally comes out of a pool of cash that once included $2 million from the state and $2.2 million from the city. Much of that has been spent already, though, and it can be unclear where any particular allocation originated.
It turned out, though, that the Center Street widening was specifically included in the 2004 bond package so it is entirely city money, not state cash.
Bertnagel said he can understand why officials got confused.
McCauley said “a better expenditure of city funds” would be to cover the cost of some major road projects that had been budgeted but got cut in the city’s rush to save money this year.
Bertnagel said, however, that the bond money can’t be shifted to some other use.
“We can’t just automatically use that money for another project,” Bertnagel said. He said if the city decided not to do the project, it would have to repay the bondholders, not shift the spending to another project.
Jonathan Rosenthal, the city’s economic development director, said the Center Street project was on the list created years ago for necessary downtown improvement.
He said it hasn’t been a priority recently, but does have the backing of the Bristol Development Authority.
Veselka said that when the design was first proposed, the idea was to add a right turn only lane for Center Street traffic turning onto North Main Street. But a traffic study found it would help more to make a left turn only lane instead.
That design was finished this year, Veselka said, and sent out for bids.
The council last week agreed to award the contract to the Vernon-based VMS Construction Co.
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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
It isn’t.
The money is actually coming entirely from city coffers, part of a 2004 bond package that also included the North Main Street streetscape project, according to David Bertnagel, the city’s chief accountant.
The only councilors to oppose the project, Democrat Kevin McCauley, said that because decision-makers “were erroneously informed at the City Council meeting that this allocation was from the state funds, I have asked the mayor and City Council to bring forth this issue at the next opportunity for reconsideration as we can discuss it openly again.”
Republican city Councilor Mike Rimcoski said he agreed on the need for a special meeting.
“I will come to it with my ax all sharpened, ready to cut off somebody’s head,” Rimcoski said Monday
“There are very few things I cannot tolerate,” Rimcoski said, and one of them “is being outright lied to.
He said that if officials were unsure of the answer, they should have said so rather than misleading the council, even if it wasn’t done deliberately.
Public Works Director Walter Veselka, who told councilors the money was coming from the state, said Monday that he thought it was.
“If I’m proved incorrect, then so be it,” Veselka said.
Several officials who tried to untangle the issue Monday said that money for downtown projects generally comes out of a pool of cash that once included $2 million from the state and $2.2 million from the city. Much of that has been spent already, though, and it can be unclear where any particular allocation originated.
It turned out, though, that the Center Street widening was specifically included in the 2004 bond package so it is entirely city money, not state cash.
Bertnagel said he can understand why officials got confused.
McCauley said “a better expenditure of city funds” would be to cover the cost of some major road projects that had been budgeted but got cut in the city’s rush to save money this year.
Bertnagel said, however, that the bond money can’t be shifted to some other use.
“We can’t just automatically use that money for another project,” Bertnagel said. He said if the city decided not to do the project, it would have to repay the bondholders, not shift the spending to another project.
Jonathan Rosenthal, the city’s economic development director, said the Center Street project was on the list created years ago for necessary downtown improvement.
He said it hasn’t been a priority recently, but does have the backing of the Bristol Development Authority.
Veselka said that when the design was first proposed, the idea was to add a right turn only lane for Center Street traffic turning onto North Main Street. But a traffic study found it would help more to make a left turn only lane instead.
That design was finished this year, Veselka said, and sent out for bids.
The council last week agreed to award the contract to the Vernon-based VMS Construction Co.
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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
August 16, 2009
McCauley: Council given wrong info on Center Street project
Press release from city Councilor Kevin McCauley:
MCCAULEY ASKS FOR CENTER STREET PROJECT RECONSIDERATION
At the August 11, 2009 City Council meeting, I asked my Council colleagues to consider whether the Center Street project was necessary at this time due to the economy and other competing priorities. At that time, we were told that the project was from the Phase I of the State Grant for Downtown with no city dollars. I have since confirmed that the authorization for the Center Street and North Main Street turning lane project does include City funds in the amount of almost $159,000, since one of the stipulations for the State grant proposal requires this local matching funds. As I stated last week, I believe Public Works major road projects that were previously budgeted for where funding was cut and where roadwork was reduced would be a better expenditure of City funds.
Because we were erroneously informed at the City Council meeting that this allocation was from the State funds, I have asked the Mayor and City Council to bring forth this issue at the next opportunity for reconsideration as we can discuss it openly again. On a positive note, also last Tuesday, the Council supported my motion by voting unanimously to have a task force
committee review all of these types of expenditures for any project over $100,000. It is my strong recommendation that we not sign any contracts until we have thoroughly and accurately discussed the facts.
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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
MCCAULEY ASKS FOR CENTER STREET PROJECT RECONSIDERATION
At the August 11, 2009 City Council meeting, I asked my Council colleagues to consider whether the Center Street project was necessary at this time due to the economy and other competing priorities. At that time, we were told that the project was from the Phase I of the State Grant for Downtown with no city dollars. I have since confirmed that the authorization for the Center Street and North Main Street turning lane project does include City funds in the amount of almost $159,000, since one of the stipulations for the State grant proposal requires this local matching funds. As I stated last week, I believe Public Works major road projects that were previously budgeted for where funding was cut and where roadwork was reduced would be a better expenditure of City funds.
Because we were erroneously informed at the City Council meeting that this allocation was from the State funds, I have asked the Mayor and City Council to bring forth this issue at the next opportunity for reconsideration as we can discuss it openly again. On a positive note, also last Tuesday, the Council supported my motion by voting unanimously to have a task force
committee review all of these types of expenditures for any project over $100,000. It is my strong recommendation that we not sign any contracts until we have thoroughly and accurately discussed the facts.
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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
August 13, 2009
Stortz seeks road name changes
A note from former Mayor William Stortz to Mayor Art Ward and Mike Nicastro, head of the Greater Bristol Chamber of Commerce:
Mayor, Mike,
Long ago, it was proposed that the Route 72 addition be named in honor of Bart Banes, a big suporter of the project. Supposedly, Representative Michell addressd this at the state level.
More recently, I suggested that some part of the road near Lake Compounce be named in honor of Stretch Norton.
I am writing to ask that you make sure that these efforts go forward. Certainly the city and its officials will play a key role, and the Chamber certainly can help bring these efforts to fruition.
Anything I can do to help, let me know.
Thanks,
William T. Stortz
Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
August 11, 2009
McCauley pushes for more review of city projects
Though the state is picking up the entire $159,000 tab for widening a stretch of
McCauley, who cast the only vote in opposition, said the city faces a financial crunch that may mean “possible layoffs” next year so it has to begin reconsidering each and every significant project.
At his urging, the council agreed to back a new task force that would review all projects costing more than $100,000.
But councilors said they didn’t understand why McCauley would oppose spending state cash on a project that will help a congested downtown intersection.
“It is not costing the city,” said city Councilor Mike Rimcoski, who calls himself “Dr. No” because he hates to shell out tax money.
The council voted 5-1 to award the
Public Works Director Walter Veselka said the state has already given its blessing to the project using development funds awarded to
“It really is not city funds,” Veselka said.
McCauley said, though, that city officials have to recognize the need to scrutinize every proposal to see if it makes sense to move forward with it during such tough times.
“We really need to look at these projects,” McCauley said.
He said it may well be prudent to put off even worthy proposals until the return of better times.
While some projects are worthy and ought to be done, McCauley said, “I don’t believe this is and I can’t vote to move this forward.”
City Councilor Craig Minor praised McCauley’s call for a new committee to take another look at projects. He said that’s “a good idea.”
City Councilor Frank Nicastro, too, said he has no problem with creating a task force to review plans one last time before handing out contracts. But, he said, the
The main goal of the project, slated to begin this summer, is to add a turning lane for drivers heading east in hopes of alleviating the long backups at the traffic light next to the central firehouse.
City finance officials have said that merely keeping up with existing services could cost the city more than $8 million more next year than it is spending this fiscal year. Slicing that number down is likely to be the major task of municipal leaders for months to come.
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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
August 10, 2009
Center Street intersection to get some help
The city’s moving forward with plans to widen a stretch of
City councilors are expected Tuesday to approve a $159,000 contract with VMS Construction Co. to carry out the work.
The Vernon-based VMS beat out five competitors to secure the contract to improve the intersection at
The main goal of the project, slated to begin this summer, is to add a turning lane for drivers heading east in hopes of alleviating the long backups at the traffic light next to the central firehouse.
The additional lane should prevent the blockage that often occurs when one car is trying to turn left but can’t get an opening.
If often caused drivers aiming to go straight or turn right to wait through a light cycle until the path clears.
Though the problem has existed for years, the change to the layout of the post office parking lot a couple of years go made the delays worse because most of those leaving the post office exit onto Center Street and head back toward North Main.
Ray Rogozinski, an assistant city engineer, has said the fix won’t resolve every problem, but it should make a difference.
“I can’t say you’ll never be aggravated at that intersection,” Rogozinski said last spring.
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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
July 13, 2009
Portion of Route 69 closed for three weeks
Press release from city public works:
As part of the Connecticut DOT’s on-going drainage improvements on Route 6, the State’s contractor will be closing a portion of Route 69 (Burlington Avenue Curtiss Street July 15, 2009 .
The closure will be in effect 24 hours per day and is expected to last approximately three weeks. Southbound traffic will be detoured via
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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
April 14, 2009
Road paving budget to be slashed
Updated at 9 p.m. Tuesday:
Despite a plethora of potholes across the city, officials are eyeing a drastic cut in road repair money in the next municipal budget.
Officials say there expect some some debate about the proposal before the Board of Finance to slash $1 million from the requested $2.1 million road paving budget.
The spending plan that's on the table now would set the road paving program's budget at $1.1 million for the fiscal year that starts in July.
“I do have concerns” about the proposed cut, city Councilor Kevin McCauley said Tuesday, adding there may be “a battle to try to return” at least some of the funding before final passage of the spending plan.
“Would I like to have $2 million more to put into it? Absolutely,” said Mayor Art Ward.
But, he said, reducing the amount going to public works is “the only venue available to us” as officials scramble to try to freeze property taxes this year.
Ward said that he hopes federal stimulus cash may turn up that would allow more road work to get done.
The city budgeted as little as $1.2 million for road resurfacing as recently as 2006. But for its 2007 budget, officials hiked the figure by 51 percent to $1.8 million "to catch up deteriorating road conditions."
Former Mayor William Stortz pushed for more emphasis on infrastructure repairs, which he argued had been put off for too many years by City Hall leaders more interested in holding down taxes than taking care of roads and other public necessities.
By last year, the program's cost had risen to $2.1 million after officials said they would need that much to keep up a reasonable paving program that would ensure Bristol's 225 miles of public roads got the attention needed.
Public works would generally take it on the chin under the city's draft budget, losing $1 million in the road overlay account, $300,000 from its vehicle replacement request and $100,000 from its building maintenance allocation.
In the case of vehicles and building maintenance, the reductions amount to one third of the money sought in each category.
City Comptroller Glenn Klocko said that reaching the property tax freeze sought by officials preparing the budget would, at least at this point, be done "on the backs of public works."
"I don't want to hurt a department like that," Klocko said, but there's nowhere else to turn for the money.
Even after the public works and school cuts eyed by the Board of Finance, there remains a $1.8 million gap that appears most likely to be filled through union concessions or layoffs, or both.
During the last recession, the city's paving budget was as low as $400,000 in one year, though officials acknowledged it was too little to keep up with the need.
The city aims to resurface roads on a schedule that takes about two decades, but a lack of funding has made it impossible to meet that goal. It actually takes about 25 years to circle back around to a particular street, though adjustments are made to take into account that some roads need help sooner than others.
FYI: To read about pothole complaints, see this link and to learn more about potholes, see this story I wrote a few weeks back.
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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
Despite a plethora of potholes across the city, officials are eyeing a drastic cut in road repair money in the next municipal budget.
Officials say there expect some some debate about the proposal before the Board of Finance to slash $1 million from the requested $2.1 million road paving budget.
The spending plan that's on the table now would set the road paving program's budget at $1.1 million for the fiscal year that starts in July.
“I do have concerns” about the proposed cut, city Councilor Kevin McCauley said Tuesday, adding there may be “a battle to try to return” at least some of the funding before final passage of the spending plan.
“Would I like to have $2 million more to put into it? Absolutely,” said Mayor Art Ward.
But, he said, reducing the amount going to public works is “the only venue available to us” as officials scramble to try to freeze property taxes this year.
Ward said that he hopes federal stimulus cash may turn up that would allow more road work to get done.
The city budgeted as little as $1.2 million for road resurfacing as recently as 2006. But for its 2007 budget, officials hiked the figure by 51 percent to $1.8 million "to catch up deteriorating road conditions."
Former Mayor William Stortz pushed for more emphasis on infrastructure repairs, which he argued had been put off for too many years by City Hall leaders more interested in holding down taxes than taking care of roads and other public necessities.
By last year, the program's cost had risen to $2.1 million after officials said they would need that much to keep up a reasonable paving program that would ensure Bristol's 225 miles of public roads got the attention needed.
Public works would generally take it on the chin under the city's draft budget, losing $1 million in the road overlay account, $300,000 from its vehicle replacement request and $100,000 from its building maintenance allocation.
In the case of vehicles and building maintenance, the reductions amount to one third of the money sought in each category.
City Comptroller Glenn Klocko said that reaching the property tax freeze sought by officials preparing the budget would, at least at this point, be done "on the backs of public works."
"I don't want to hurt a department like that," Klocko said, but there's nowhere else to turn for the money.
Even after the public works and school cuts eyed by the Board of Finance, there remains a $1.8 million gap that appears most likely to be filled through union concessions or layoffs, or both.
During the last recession, the city's paving budget was as low as $400,000 in one year, though officials acknowledged it was too little to keep up with the need.
The city aims to resurface roads on a schedule that takes about two decades, but a lack of funding has made it impossible to meet that goal. It actually takes about 25 years to circle back around to a particular street, though adjustments are made to take into account that some roads need help sooner than others.
FYI: To read about pothole complaints, see this link and to learn more about potholes, see this story I wrote a few weeks back.
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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
August 30, 2008
Neighbors want to close off Pine View Street
Worried about “clowns flying down” a small, one-way dirt road that runs between Summit Street and Terryville near the Barnes Memorial Chapel, neighbors are seeking the city’s permission to close off the century-old byway.
And they’re likely to get it.
Eight years ago, some of the neighbors along Pine View Street asked the city to shut off access to the tiny road. Attorneys said at the time that it couldn’t do it because the property didn’t belong to the city.
This time around, neighbors intend to close off access themselves.
“You don’t have a problem here,” city Councilor Mike Rimcoski told two residents who came to a recent city meeting to find out if they could shut down the passageway.
The street was laid out by Seth Barnes in 1889, according to research by Jeff Steeg, an assistant city attorney, with the intention of creating “an open public passway.”
But the street falls well short of city standards today and was never accepted as a municipal road in the past, Steeg said.
Steeg said the city has no need for the street and has never used it.“We don’t do anything with it,” Steeg said.
As a result, Pine View Street’s fate is up to the abutting property owners, who appear to agree that the best thing that could be done with the private road is to put some kind of wall or gate across it so that people can’t cut through any longer.
Dom Bradigo, one of the neighbors, said people use the street all the time for no good reason.
He said that the road is 5 feet higher than surrounding properties so a speeding vehicle could easily fly off into someone’s yard.
Frank Johnson, another neighbor, who is also chairman of the Bristol Downtown Development Corp., said that residents of the area “just want to stop the traffic that goes through there.”
“There are clowns flying down there,” Johnson said.
He said he wants to make sure that if neighbors block off the road, they won’t have any problems with the city.
City Councilor Frank Nicastro, who heads the Real Estate Committee, said his panel will respond to the request with a letter saying the city doesn’t care if the road is shut off to traffic.
Steeg said that because the city doesn't own any rights on Pine View Street “any action requiring blocking this passway rests with the abutting property owners."
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Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
And they’re likely to get it.
Eight years ago, some of the neighbors along Pine View Street asked the city to shut off access to the tiny road. Attorneys said at the time that it couldn’t do it because the property didn’t belong to the city.
This time around, neighbors intend to close off access themselves.
“You don’t have a problem here,” city Councilor Mike Rimcoski told two residents who came to a recent city meeting to find out if they could shut down the passageway.
The street was laid out by Seth Barnes in 1889, according to research by Jeff Steeg, an assistant city attorney, with the intention of creating “an open public passway.”
But the street falls well short of city standards today and was never accepted as a municipal road in the past, Steeg said.
Steeg said the city has no need for the street and has never used it.“We don’t do anything with it,” Steeg said.
As a result, Pine View Street’s fate is up to the abutting property owners, who appear to agree that the best thing that could be done with the private road is to put some kind of wall or gate across it so that people can’t cut through any longer.
Dom Bradigo, one of the neighbors, said people use the street all the time for no good reason.
He said that the road is 5 feet higher than surrounding properties so a speeding vehicle could easily fly off into someone’s yard.
Frank Johnson, another neighbor, who is also chairman of the Bristol Downtown Development Corp., said that residents of the area “just want to stop the traffic that goes through there.”
“There are clowns flying down there,” Johnson said.
He said he wants to make sure that if neighbors block off the road, they won’t have any problems with the city.
City Councilor Frank Nicastro, who heads the Real Estate Committee, said his panel will respond to the request with a letter saying the city doesn’t care if the road is shut off to traffic.
Steeg said that because the city doesn't own any rights on Pine View Street “any action requiring blocking this passway rests with the abutting property owners."
*******
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
April 7, 2008
Route 72 work going full steam again soon
The reconstruction of
Work on
Utility relocation work on
Motorists are urged proceed with caution and obey the posted speed limits when traveling through this and all other construction zones.
The photographs are courtesy of Ultimate Wireform's friendly flyer, Paul Blanchette. They were taken about two weeks ago.
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Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
March 20, 2008
Colapietro praises money allocation for Route 6 drainage project
New press release from state Sen. Tom Colapietro, a Bristol Democrat:
Improvements to drainage systems are on the way to Route 6 in Bristol as the State Bond Commission is slated to approve $8,171,540 for the repairs when it meets next week, news that state Senator Thomas A. Colapietro (D-Bristol) today welcomed.
The project includes installation of a new, large culvert to catch water where the railroad tracks intercept Route 6. It also includes another connected culvert and several other improvements to the roadway.
“I’m very glad that this money is on the bond agenda and that this road will get the drainage repairs that it needs,” said Senator Colapietro, who sits on the General Assembly’s Transportation Committee. “The flooding in that area is dangerous for drivers and pedestrians.”
Little more than a year ago, Senator Colapietro worked with former city councilman Tom Levine to try to broker a deal for the repairs. While those efforts were unsuccessful, Senator Colapietro today said that the important thing is that the roadway will finally be repaired.
“That piece of road where it meets the railroad tracks has been a problem for quite a while,” said Senator Colapietro. “While we tried to work with the railroad before to make the repairs, the important thing is that the plans are on file, the funds are on their way, the construction can get going and this road can finally drain properly.”
The funding is part of a $30 million allocation for road repairs across the state and is part of the Fix-it-First road and bridge repair and replacement program authorized by the General Assembly last year.
The State Bond Commission is scheduled to meet on Friday, March 28, at 10:30 a.m. in Room 1E of the Legislative Office Building in Hartford.
*******
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
Improvements to drainage systems are on the way to Route 6 in Bristol as the State Bond Commission is slated to approve $8,171,540 for the repairs when it meets next week, news that state Senator Thomas A. Colapietro (D-Bristol) today welcomed.
The project includes installation of a new, large culvert to catch water where the railroad tracks intercept Route 6. It also includes another connected culvert and several other improvements to the roadway.
“I’m very glad that this money is on the bond agenda and that this road will get the drainage repairs that it needs,” said Senator Colapietro, who sits on the General Assembly’s Transportation Committee. “The flooding in that area is dangerous for drivers and pedestrians.”
Little more than a year ago, Senator Colapietro worked with former city councilman Tom Levine to try to broker a deal for the repairs. While those efforts were unsuccessful, Senator Colapietro today said that the important thing is that the roadway will finally be repaired.
“That piece of road where it meets the railroad tracks has been a problem for quite a while,” said Senator Colapietro. “While we tried to work with the railroad before to make the repairs, the important thing is that the plans are on file, the funds are on their way, the construction can get going and this road can finally drain properly.”
The funding is part of a $30 million allocation for road repairs across the state and is part of the Fix-it-First road and bridge repair and replacement program authorized by the General Assembly last year.
The State Bond Commission is scheduled to meet on Friday, March 28, at 10:30 a.m. in Room 1E of the Legislative Office Building in Hartford.
*******
Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
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