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Wallkill Valley Times , Wednesday , June 1 , 2016
Verkeerdeer Kill Bridge due replacement
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which will give it more integrity ,” Carlon said .
The engineers estimate that the replacement should be completed by September 15 , when both lanes on the new bridge are set to be opened simultaneously . The state opted for a full closure of the bridge instead of a stage construction , which would have closed off one lane at a time while the work was ongoing . That process could have taken seven or eights months , ultimately causing more hassle than the adopted plan . The team thinks that the Sept . 15 completion estimate is a pretty safe bet unless unforeseen developments crop up . “ We try to be conservative when we make commitments because we don ’ t want to overcommit ,” Bossolini said . “ But if we can open early , we ’ ll open early .”
The bridge is not in impending danger of collapsing , but the structure , which was built in 1932 , was picked by the state as one piece of a slew of bridges in need of an overhaul . “ The DOT identified these so-called critical bridges that are on routes that if the bridge were to fail , it would cause a problem ,” Bossolini said . “ So all of these bridges they ’ ve identified as not being consistent with current standards of scour vulnerability . They ’ re not founded on piles , they don ’ t have proper armoring in the stream . They ’ re not in any imminent danger of falling . If that were the case , there would be other remediation done there . It ’ s more of a long-term identification of bridges on critical routes and working to upgrade those facilities .”
Bossolini , the project manager for the bridge replacement , is also in charge of all of the bridge renovations found in the state ’ s Hudson Valley package , which includes the construction on Route 44 / 55 over the Mara Kill in the Town of Gardiner and other projects in Woodstock , Marbletown , Wawarsing and Shandaken . The total value of the six-bridge contract is $ 27 million , and Bossolini estimates that the Shawangunk project will ultimately cost $ 3.5 million .
During the construction , trucks will be funneled to Route 209 and then down 17K as part of a separate detour . A few citizens at the meeting were concerned with the prospect of trucks taking the standard detour instead and barreling down those narrow roads , a potential issue the crew thinks will dissipate once drivers get used to the detour . “ Usually the first two weeks you ’ ll have issues , that ’ s been my experience ,” Carlon said . “ Once these vehicles , particularly trucks , find the detour , they ’ ll go the alternate way . The sooner we know about a problem , the sooner we can address it . If there ’ s a generator that ’ s generating a lot of trucks , that may end up in our detour , we want them to follow the posted truck detour . So it ’ s good that we got this information up front . It ’ s good to have people come out to these meetings because they know better than anyone what ’ s going on in the area .”
Some locals also raised concerns about drivers speeding on the detour . Carlon raised the possibility of placing a state trooper along the route , but said the project team had to look into the funding for a solution to that issue . Carlin urged anyone who encounters any problems with the construction to call him at the project ’ s field office at 687-6017 . A summer children ’ s day camp at the adjoining public park will not be affected by the construction .
The engineers say it ’ s standard for motorists to miss or disregard construction alerts in the infancy of a project , and the Gardiner bridge replacement was beset in its early days by a number of commuters who ignored the signs that informed them that 44 / 55 was closed off . The problem abated when the team put up barriers on the route blocking anything but local traffic from getting close to the bridge . “ The challenge is getting people to believe that the detour is up ,” Bossolini said . “ The first couple of weeks there will be some curiosity seekers , but that seems to have calmed down . People know what ’ s going on .”
Bossolini said the relationship with the Town of Shawangunk has gone smoothly so far , but knows there are always issues once the actual construction work begins . “ Everybody ’ s been very helpful so far , and we ’ ll see how many complaints there are ,” he said .
Pine Bush adding security cameras throughout the district
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and each district was charged with formulating its own blueprint for how to utilize the money it would receive . At the Pine Bush Board of Education meeting on May 24 at Circleville Middle School , the school board unanimously approved the district ’ s Smart Schools Investment Plan .
Pine Bush has a proposed allocation of over $ 5,000,000 over the life of the program , and the first phase of its plan to implement the technology money will focus on school security , as surveillance cameras will be installed at all of the district ’ s schools . In addition , a new Lockdown Notification System will be established at every school and three new digital video recorders will be purchased to store footage from the new security cameras .
The package also includes ground wiring closet racks in all schools and new cabling for the High School ’ s press box and the district ’ s storage building , which will upgrade Pine Bush ’ s wireless technology . The plan has been submitted to the state Education Department for approval , and future phases will include upgraded classroom technology .
Last Tuesday ’ s meeting was held one week after Pine Bush voters approved the district ’ s $ 112,429,077 budget by a comfortable 994-310 margin . Since the 2016-2017 budget passed , the board authorized the creation of two new positions for the district starting this fall - a full-time English as a New Language instructor and a part-time school psychologist .
In the corresponding school board election , Dori Johnson ( 1,026 votes ) and Matthew Watkins ( 924 votes ) earned spots on the board for the first time , while Board President Lloyd Greer ( 1,025 votes ) and Gretchen Meier ( 1,078 votes ) were both reelected for new three-year terms . While Johnson will begin her first three-year board stint on July 1 , Watkins was sworn in on election night to serve the one-year term left behind by Eric Meier , who passed away last fall .
Watkins was assigned the shorter term due to the fact that he earned the fewest votes of all of the candidates . The board election was uncontested after James Starr chose not to run for another term and challenger Jeffrey Weisman withdrew his candidacy a week before the balloting took place . “ I ’ d like to thank the community for their overwhelming support ,” Pine Bush Superintendent Joan Carbone said of the budget vote . “ I ’ d also like to congratulate all of the board members who were reelected and welcome our new board members Matthew Watkins and Dori Johnson .”
At the meeting the board also voted to approve the funding of new marquees that will be placed in front of two of the district ’ s schools . It will cost approximately $ 49,000 to purchase and install a pair of digital , fullcolor marquees outside the High School and Circleville Elementary School along Route 302 . Roseanne Sullivan was the sole board member to vote against the proposal , citing concerns that the marquees might not get enough use to justify the cost . The district believes the new technology will be put to frequent use , as the digital marquees can be updated on a daily basis by administrators operating the district ’ s computer system .
The antiquated current marquees require workers to change the letters by hand , and the new system should allow the district to be more nimble in advertising school events on a consistent basis . The new marquees , which will be purchased from a state contractor , will only be used to highlight district-oriented events . Carbone noted that many local commuters drive by the schools these days and have no idea why the parking lots might be full for an after-school activity since the marquees might not have been updated for a particular event . The new digital boards should alleviate that problem , as school plays or soccer games could be listed on either marquee with a few clicks of a keyboard .
Police Blotter
Maybrook Police
Jason Lane , 43 of Maybrook , was charged May 10 with Criminal Mischief 4th degree , preventing assistance ; criminal mischief 4th with intent to damage property and on an arrest warrant from the Town of New Windsor for endangering the welfare of a child . He was remanded to Orange County jail on $ 500 cash bail and is due back in Maybrook court on June 14 .
Katelyn Blumenfeld , 28 , of Bardonia , was arrested May 10 on a bench warrant out of Maybrook . She posted $ 500 bail and is due back in Maybrook Court on June 14 .
Jason Russio , 26 , of Maybrook , was charged May 10 with aggravated unlicensed operation 3rd . He is due back in Maybrook Court on June 14 .
Brian Graddick , 32 , of Maybrook , was charged May 21 with endangering the welfare of a child , harassment second degree and unwanted physical contact during a domestic dispute . He is due back in Maybrook Court on June 14 .