Sidewalk construction underway along Route 44

AMENIA — Construction work on the long-awaited sidewalk extension along Route 44 to link the town center to Beekman Park was underway on Wednesday, Aug. 20. Work is expected to be completed within four weeks.

“Ecstatic” was the term used by Town Supervisor Leo Blackman, who commented on Friday, Aug. 22, when he was asked to describe the level of his happiness about the start of work.

Blackman recalled that former Town Supervisor Victoria Perotti had begun the planning for the sidewalk extension ten years ago. As costs rose and state Department of Transportation requirements grew, the project needed to be reduced in scope and sent out for bid repeatedly. With each delay, grant funding needed to be extended.

“It took until now for the contractor to get all submissions to the DOT for approval and permission to begin,” Blackman said, noting that the contractor, Southern Industries Corp., has been perhaps even more eager than town officials to get started and finished.

Blackman praised Project engineer Gary Aber of LaBella Engineering for his work in preparing the drawings and helping with the many revisions necessary. A recent hurdle was the need to hire an onsite superintendent for the project.

“Gary has gotten us through a lot of obstacles,” Blackman added.

“The sidewalk project’s benefit to the town is, I think, huge,” Blackman said. “Kids and teens will now have a safe way to walk along Route 44 from the center of town to Beekman Park, safely removed from the traffic.”The Recreation Commission is also working to expand the number of activity offerings at the park as an outgrowth of the project.