SELDEN, NY — In response to recent complaints from lawmakers about the state of the Middle Country Road corridor, the state's Department of Transportation officials told Patch they are working to expedite a resurfacing project.
In a statement to Patch on Friday morning, they said they "understand the importance of Middle Country Road to the local community," and are "working at an expedited pace to commence the design on a resurfacing project on this roadway."
"In the meantime, NYSDOT crews are working to address potholes as they develop and perform maintenance as needed," the statement concluded.
Lawmakers say drivers traveling along the roadway in the Town of Brookhaven say deteriorating conditions are making the busy roadway increasingly dangerous, prompting a local lawmaker to call on the state to accelerate long-planned repairs.
They rallied with community members in Selden later in the day, calling on the agency to take immediate action on what they say are "deteriorating road conditions and the growing number of hazardous potholes, impacting the safety of motorists, pedestrians, and emergency responders."
At the rally, hosted by County Legis. Nick Caracappa and County Executive Ed Romaine, "safety risks and the need for faster, more reliable repairs throughout Route 25" were outlined. Speakers included Brookhaven Town Supervisor Dan Panico, state Sen, Dean Murray, assemblymen Doug Smith and Joe DeStefano, as well as representatives from local businesses, fire departments, civic associations, and chambers of commerce.
Town Councilman Neil Manzella told News 12 this week that complaints from residents prompted him to assess Middle Country Road’s condition, and he counted potholes along the route, and wrote Gov. Kathy Hochul requesting faster action.
“We went out, I was sitting in the passenger seat, and we were taking tally marks,” he told the outlet. “It was about 50-something potholes going one way and about 50-something coming back. In the end, it was about 117.”
Source: https://patch.com/new-york/sachem/rally-friday-call-immediate-action-state-dot-middle-country-road-conditions
