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Corfu residents unhappy with DOT's sidewalk to nowhere

By Howard B. Owens

Some folks in Corfu are upset over a new sidewalk along the west side of Alleghany Road that they say they didn't want, don't think is needed and didn't know was coming until construction was already under way.

The sidewalk was installed last month by NYS Department of Transportation.

"This section of highway was evaluated for improved pedestrian mobility from the residential area on the south side of the village towards the business district where likely destinations of foot traffic travel to including the school, retail and service areas," said DOT regional public information officer Lori Maher.

While the sidewalk removes what some residents once considered a part of their yard, the sidewalk is entirely within DOT right-of-way, Maher noted.

But that's not the worst of it. Residents complain about grading, leaving gas line extensions exposed and the poor quality of fill dirt used for landscaping.

They also say the sidewalk is a potential pedestrian hazard on both ends of the 113-yard-long strip of concrete.

On the north end, tractor-trailers making a right-hand turn from Genesee Street onto Alleghany have no choice but to cross over the top of the sidewalk.

On the south end, the sidewalk ends about 20 yards short of the viaduct, leaving a pedestrian planning on continuing south -- perhaps to the Pizza Pantry, no choice but to cross Route 77 at a point where northbound drivers might have a hard time seeing an unexpected pedestrian.

"Every piece of sidewalk starts someplace and ends in a logical terminus," Maher said.

Jenny McMartin, an Alleghany Road resident who, with her husband, had to spend more than $300 on new landscaping after the DOT chopped a steep incline into their front yard, attends every village board meeting and said the village was presented with three sets of plans for the project. None of them included the sidewalk.

Maher acknowledged that the DOT dropped the ball on notification to the Village of Corfu.

"The new sidewalk was constructed in the state right-of-way so no land was acquired, hence no formal notification prior to construction was made," Maher said. "During the construction phase, we worked with individuals to get grading releases, etc. Sidewalks are generally welcomed as a safety measure and added curb appeal. Since this was a fraction of the project’s scope, deliberate outreach with the homeowners was overlooked. We apologize for the oversight and will reevaluate our polices for future projects."

Grading releases were necessary to regrade driveways along the route.

Rob McNally kind of now regrets agreeing to his. He has two driveways on his property and now one of them is a bumpy ride in and out. A volunteer firefighter who rents the second floor of his house to tenants, McNally worries that anybody trying to make a quick exit off Route 77 into his driveway will hit that bump and lose control.

"Each of the driveways were built to standard and should pose no further concern," Maher said.

Last Saturday, McNally (top photo) spent the afternoon regrading his front lawn and removing a wheelbarrow full of pebbles and rocks from the fill the DOT dumped on his property.

At that point, the hydroseed -- which should sprout in seven to 10 days -- was two weeks old and hardly a blade of grass had sprouted in many areas. There were also patches in the parkway where no seed was applied.

Maher said the DOT will monitor the grass situation, but the fill used was up to state-approved specifications.

Earlier this week a DOT designer did meet with some of the residents, including McMartin and Trustee Dave Bielac.

The DOT's position, McMartin said, is that if the village thinks a guard rail is necessary at the south end of the sidewalk, the village will need to install it.

"They also said they are not putting in crosswalk," McMartin said. "If you need to cross the road go to Genesee and cross there."

McMartin praised Bielac for trying to work with the DOT to resolve the issues.

"Dave has been great during all this," she said.

Ed Hartgrove

Here's another one for "Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura".
What better way to take the 'eyes of the world' off the debacle in Corfu? (Give 'em something different to focus on!)

Jul 6, 2013, 10:49am Permalink
Mark Brudz

Jason, the Corfu Village Board had nothing to do with either the planning or implementation of this project. 77 is a State route and the right away id controlled by the State.

Just like that stupid bike lane on Route 63 in the city, where the city council was out of the loop for the design.

One must give credit for perceived stupidity where it is due, and that would be the DOT, which was more than exemplified through some of the comments the DOT representative made.

Jul 6, 2013, 11:26am Permalink
Ed Hartgrove

The following is satire, and should, in no way, be construed as factual:

"Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura":
Episode: "Corfusion"
[Intro] - "As if it were ripped directly from the Obama playbook, so goes the story of a sleepy village in western NY. Just as the eyes of the world were focused on the scandals coming out of Washington, only to be overshadowed by 'Events of Enormity' such as Hurricane Sandy, the Edward Snowden affair, and others, the Corfu Debacle falls to the wayside because of a 'Sidewalk to Nowhere'."

Jul 6, 2013, 11:43am Permalink
Ken Toal

We all know how good state-approved specifications are. They are sub par according to real people's expectations, and rightfully so. The state has no idea how to run an organization or anything else for that matter, properly. If the State of NY was a company in the real world, they would have been forced out of business long ago, that goes for all divisions, and the president of that company run out of town.

Jul 6, 2013, 11:55am Permalink
Kyle Slocum

Why were my tax dollars wasted on a project that was neither necessary to, nor wanted by, the community it was committed upon?

I know how flush with overflowing revenues our state government is, but I think that as a matter of principle they should at least attempt to appear fiscally conscientious.

Failing that, I would settle for fiscally conscious. But, I'm a dreamer...

Jul 6, 2013, 6:25pm Permalink
Peter O'Brien

At least they were blatantly lied to about parking on both sides of the street which was changed to bike lanes on one of the heaviest trafficked roads in the county. (Rt 63 in the city)

Jul 6, 2013, 8:54pm Permalink
Mark Brudz

Bike paths were a Politically Correct thing that state planners were doing a lot a few years ago. When you have big city liberal appointees planning rural and suburban roads that fall under the state's responsibility, that is what you get.

Jul 6, 2013, 9:15pm Permalink
Kyle Slocum

Your urban betters will direct your life for you. This is essential because you are an ignorant rural who should be discounted as not fully human since you don't live in an urban ant-hill.

Overly harsh? Nope. Fly-over people just don't count. Or, haven't you been paying attention for the last sixty years?

Jul 6, 2013, 9:33pm Permalink
Mark Potwora

Just another reason to elect people who will create and open government that works for the people instead of the people working for the government....Where is Mr.Halwey and Mr,Resinopfer on this issue....or will we here its a down state problem..or that is not our fault blame the democrats...The BS gets old..

Jul 6, 2013, 9:46pm Permalink
alvin tufts

Yet there is no sidewalk to Walmart , BJ's and such. I don't know how many people I see including mothers with strollers that try to squeeze by traffic in front of Kmart and Autozone on there way to those plazas.

Jul 6, 2013, 11:36pm Permalink

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