Schneiderman secures funding to begin engineering for Springs/Fireplace Road and Three Mile Harbor Road
(Long Island, NY) The Suffolk County Legislature on Nov. 17 unanimously supported funding for road improvements on Springs/Fireplace Road (CR-41) and Three Mile Harbor Road (CR-40), the two main arteries to the hamlet of Springs in the Town of East Hampton.
Deputy Presiding Officer Jay Schneiderman (I-Southampton) successfully secured $750,000 for Springs/Fireplace Road and $550,000 for Three Mile Harbor Road to plan resurfacing and drainage improvements. To date, these roadways have received only spot maintenance when needed, and the existing concrete panels have deteriorated and exceeded their useable life. Flooding occurs in a number of areas as well.
The Suffolk County Department of Public Works (DPW) will use this funding to survey and engineer all aspects of the projects, including new curbing and sidewalks in some areas. Roadwork on CR-41 and CR-40 is expected to begin in 2017. DPW has estimated the projects will cost $6.5 million for Springs/Fireplace Road and $5.5 million for Three Mile Harbor Road.
“These two roadways are so important to the residents of Springs,” said Legislator Schneiderman. “It has been a problem for years, and I am happy to be a part of the solution.”
Legislator Schneiderman has received numerous noise complaints about the unevenness of the old roads and the noise their conditions create. The roads were constructed with concrete slabs, and the width of the roadway was later extended with asphalt, which now comprises a portion of the road lane as well as the shoulder. Because these materials have different hardness and expansion characteristics, the lanes are often uneven. As vehicles travel on CR-41 and CR-40, they have one side of their vehicle on concrete and the other side on asphalt. Additionally, the concrete slabs have wide expansion joints between them that are in many places uneven in height. These inconsistencies add to road noise that has affected the quality of life of property owners near the roadways. When heavy commercial vehicles traverse the wide and uneven expansion joints, there is often a loud banging sound that is easily heard in nearby neighborhoods.
“The conditions of both of these main arteries of travel are deteriorating from intense use,” said East Hampton Town Supervisor Larry Cantwell. “I’m pleased Legislator Schneiderman has made their reconstruction a priority for Suffolk County.”
Last year, Suffolk County reconstructed Long Lane (CR-59) in the Town of East Hampton. Prior to the improvements, CR-59 had similar issues with old concrete slabs and chronic flooding. The roadway is now in excellent condition.
It was extremely important to Legislator Schneiderman to secure planning funds for the Springs roadways before the end of the year. If this funding wasn’t secured, the appropriation would no longer be available, and the engineering money would be returned to the county general fund.
Securing the funding is also one of Legislator Schneiderman’s last acts as a county official, as he is scheduled to leave office at the end of the year to become Southampton’s Town Supervisor. Southampton Town Councilwoman Bridget Fleming will replace Schneiderman as the district’s representative. Schneiderman, also a past Supervisor of the Town of East Hampton, said he is confident that Legislator-elect Fleming will move these construction projects forward as scheduled.
The Suffolk County Legislature on Nov. 17 also supported legislation co-sponsored by Legislator Schneiderman allocating additional funding for design and engineering of the Riverside Traffic Circle. The Riverside Traffic Circle is in dire need of reconfiguration due to traffic congestion. Five major roads connect to the one-lane roundabout, including three county roads. The county DPW is planning to transform the traffic circle, creating a two-lane roundabout to improve traffic flow and decrease congestion. The department has currently explored 26 alternatives to the circle and has spent approximately $660,000. The county DPW is in need of an additional $150,000 to finish the final engineering study.
Representing the South Fork, Deputy Presiding Officer Jay Schneiderman is the Suffolk County Legislator for the Second Legislative District. For more information, or to arrange an interview, please call (631) 852-8400.
