(Tristan Geary/Special to The New Pine Plains Herald)
The Milan Town Board approved a 284 agreement (Agreement for the Expenditure of Highway Moneys) at its meeting on Tuesday, June 16, authorizing Highway Superintendent Glenn Butler to commence work on over 50 miles of Milan roads, allotting $571,696 for general road repairs and roughly $300,000 for permanent improvements.
The permanent improvements — which are intended to extend the lifespan of a road by at least 10 years — include the resurfacing of 1.3 miles of Battenfeld Road, 0.9 miles of Shookville Road, and 0.5 miles of St. Paul’s Road. The general repairs include pothole filling and chip seals, where liquid asphalt is sprayed on the road and small “chips” are pressed in, helping to prevent water damage and general wear. This is cheaper than complete repaving, but it’s a short-term fix.
Butler said he aims to have the road work completed by the end of September. These repairs are eligible for Consolidated Local Street and Highway Improvement Program (CHIPS) reimbursement by the New York Department of Transportation.
The Highway Department said it will also seek to repair the bank under the bridge on Rock City Road, which has been damaged by erosion. The bridge runs over the Saw Kill Creek — a protected trout stream — and the work requires a permit from the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation. The board authorized Butler to coordinate with KC Engineering and Land Surveying to file the permit, which costs $5,800. Once the permit is approved by the DEC, the Highway Department will do the work in-house.
Milan residents have written the board expressing concerns about some of the hairpin turns in town, especially at the intersections of Field Road and Route 199, and Rowe Road and Route 199. The board authorized Butler to discuss the feasibility of squaring off some of the turns with KC Engineering. “If [the roads] are squared out, [drivers] have to slow down and actually make a 90-degree turn,” said Town Supervisor Al Lo Brutto.
The next Milan Town Board meeting will be held at 7 p.m. on July 21.