Timothy Card with County Executive PJ Wendel

Chautauqua County Executive PJ Wendel has appointed Timothy Card as the new Director of the Chautauqua County Department of Public Facilities (DPF).

Card will begin his new position on September 6, 2022. He replaces former director Brad Bentley, who resigned from the position in December 2021.

Card has worked for the Town of Harmony since 1990, serving for six years as a motor equipment operator before becoming the highway superintendent in 1996. Prior to his position with the town, he worked at Maplevale Farms, Inc. as a forklift operator and truck driver.

Card earned his degree in Construction and Heavy Equipment at the Hewes Center at Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES in Ashville. He graduated from Panama Central School and he currently lives in Ashville.

DPF Director Brad Bentley said the former culvert was replaced to due “structural deficiencies and substandard hydraulic capacity.” He said the new bridge is expected to have a service life of over 75 years.

Chautauqua County is receiving $6.6 million dollars total in CHIPS, Pave-NY, and Extreme Winter Recovery Funding. County Department of Public Facilities Director Brad Bentley said the additional funding is critical to supporting the economy and will make a difference, “This will allow us to pave about 32 miles of our 550 miles of road this year. Typically we get about 15, so about half of that so we’re going to see a significant difference in the quality of our roads. As well as we’ll be able to repair 16 to 18 our 308 bridges in our county, which is an increase above what we normally do.”

Bentley said his budget usually has $4.5 million dollars to spend on road and bridge work and the County DPF is receiving an additional $2.1 million dollars this year.

State Senator Borrello said the State Touring Program is a new program this year that addresses fixing a state road that doesn’t have an identifier, so it’s known as a “touring route,” “These are often roads that, sometimes you turn off a major road and you get on a kind of bumpy side road but it goes through a neighborhood and area. Those are those touring routes. And they often get forgotten, quite honestly, but not by the people who have to drive on them every day.”

The City of Jamestown will receive $561,924 to do maintenance and upgrades for these state touring routes.

The family of a Westfield man killed in an accident at the Chautauqua County Landfill is suing the County.

The lawsuit filed in Chautauqua County State Supreme Court Monday seeks financial damages following the death of 56-year old Scott Deming Sr. on August 3, 2020, saying the county was negligent in ensuring the landfill was a safe place to work and was not in compliance with safety law.

Deming was standing behind a large pile of garbage he had just dumped from his garbage truck at the Landfill in Ellery when he was hit and killed by a bulldozer that was pushing the garbage into a pit.

Chautauqua County, the County Department of Public Facilities, and the Chautauqua County Landfill are all named in the lawsuit.

“Which, according to the New York State DOT (Department of Transportation), average annual traffic data has 3,000 more cars a day than what Barrett has. We’ll realign Prather Avenue to have a 90 degree angle connection with Baker and the same with the very end of Barrett to make sure these intersections are 90 degrees”

DPW Director Jeff Lehman said the intersections were flagged as potential safety hazards, having been first constructed in the early 1900s for horse and carriage traffic. The project will be paid for with CHIPS funding.

Wendel said $4-point-5 million dollars is budgeted for county highway and bridge capital work under the CHIPS and PAVE NY programs, with the County expecting to receive an additional $2-point-1 million dollars as part of funding increases to CHIPS, PAVE NY, and Extreme Weather Programs from the most recent New York State budget.

County crews have already started working on winter clean up, ditch work and patching pot-holes. Motorists are reminded to be aware of construction crews working on the highways.

DPF’s Project List for 2021 major Capital Projects include:

• Rehabilitating County Bridge 259 on County Touring Route 77 in the Village of Sinclairville
• Rehabilitating County Bridge 1065 on 28th Creek in the Town of Ellington
• Rehabilitating County Bridge 314 on County Touring Route 53 in the Town of Carroll
• Replacing County Bridge 151 on County Touring Route 45 in the Town of Busti
• Replacing County Bridge 429 on County Touring Route 54 in the Town of Chautauqua
• Replacing County Bridge 906 on 28TH Creek Road in the Town of Ellington
• Replacing County Bridge 426 on County Touring Route 12 in the Town of Harmony
• Rehabilitating of County Bridge 968 on County Touring Route 24 in the Town of Westfield
• Replacing County Bridge 879 on County Touring Route 4 in the Town of Sherman
• Rehabilitating of County Bride 818 on County Touring Route 34 in the Town of Carroll
• Rehabilitating County Bridge 875 on South Phetteplace in the Village of Falconer
• Replacing County Bridge 355 on County Route 67 in the Town of Ellington

• Painting 3 county bridges throughout the county
• Paving on Clymer-Sherman Road (County Route 15) from NY 474 to NY 76 in the Town of Clymer and Sherman
• Paving on County Route 380 from Ellicott Road to US 20 in the Town of Portland/Village of Brocton
• Cold milling and paving on Centralia-Hartfield Road (County Route 54) from Stockton-Hartfield Road to Meadows Road in the Town of Chautauqua
• Paving on Sherman-Westfield Road (County Route 21) from Volusia to Jones Road in the Town of Westfield
• Cold milling and paving on South Roberts Road Urban Road to railroad tracks in the City of Dunkirk
• Cold milling and paving on South Work Street Village Limits to Main Street in the Village of Falconer
• Joint project with the City of Jamestown for the reconstruction of Barrett Avenue from Prather Avenue to Washington Street Bridge Ramp in the City of Jamestown
• Cold milling and paving on Pickard Hill Road (County Route 52) from Jones Corners to Red Bird Corners in the Town of Ellery
• Paving on Martin Road from the City Limits to NY 60 in the City of Jamestown
• Paving on Fredonia-Stockton Road (County Route 73) from County Route 380 to Village of Fredonia Towns of Stockton and Pomfret
• Additional projects may be completed as the construction season progresses.

Pictured above, one of the snowplows operated by the Chautauqua County Department of Public Facilities. (Image courtesy of Chautauqua County Executive’s Office)

BUFFALO – The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for Most of Western New York, including Chautauqua County. The warning is in effect from 11 a.m. Monday until 6 a.m. Tuesday.

Forecasters with the National Weather Service say total snow accumulations of 3 to 6 inches are expected in southern Chautauqua County – including Jamestown – while 6 to 10 inches can be expected in northern Chautauqua County and in Erie County.

Conditions will deteriorate during the day Monday, with the heaviest snowfall rates and worst travel from late Monday afternoon through Monday night.

As a result of the weather, Governor Andrew Cuomo is urging New Yorkers to be prepared. Rapidly dropping temperatures and heavy snowfall will result in slick, snow-covered roads and treacherous driving conditions.  In addition, county officials are reminding residents about precautions to take.

“Drivers should slow down and use caution when traveling on slick or snow-covered roads during the winter,” said Chautauqua County Sheriff James Quattrone. “It is always best to plan ahead and account for extra travel time if you absolutely must drive during adverse weather conditions.”

Drivers are reminded to:

• Postpone or cancel non-essential trips if travel conditions are hazardous and obey travel bans;
• Clean off all snow and ice from their vehicles by making sure snow and frost is removed from the windshield, windows and side mirrors; compacted snow is removed from the wheel wells; and snow is removed from the headlights and taillights so other drivers can see you.
• Reduce their speeds when roads are slick or visibility is reduced, and turn on their headlights so other drivers can see you;
• Keep parked vehicles off the roadways and shoulders of the road;
• Update the emergency kit in their vehicles so it includes a shovel, snowbrush, windshield scraper, reflective vest, flashlight, battery powered radio, extra batteries, cell phone charger or battery pack, water, snack food, matches, first aid kit with a pocket knife, necessary medications, blankets, tow chain or rope, road salt and sand, booster cables, emergency flares, florescent distress flag, and extra hats, socks and mittens;
• Remember to bring a cell phone when travelling so it can be used in case of an emergency;
• Call the Sheriff’s Office or other law enforcement agencies to notify them if your vehicle breaks down on the side of the road; and
• Keep the gas tank at least half full to prevent the fuel line from freezing.

The Chautauqua County Department of Public Facilities Division of Transportation will also be out plowing and salting county-owned roads.

“While county plow operators are attempting to make our roadways safe, I encourage drivers to please not add to the hazards of wintertime driving,” said Brad Bentley, Department of Public Facilities Director. “Drivers should always use extra caution near snowplows by reducing their speed and keeping a safe distance.”

Drivers are required to stay at least 200 feet behind a snowplow. If drivers must pass a snowplow, they should use caution as snowplows can create a cloud of snow that can obscure vision and the road conditions in front of the plow will likely be worse.

The Department of Public Facilities also encourages residents to clear snow from around their mailboxes and inspect and, if necessary, replace their mailbox posts to ensure they can withstand winter conditions. Mailboxes physically hit and damaged by snowplows will be repaired, but mailboxes that break from the force of the snow coming off the plow will not be fixed.

In addition, when clearing your driveway, it is unlawful to push or brush snow into the roadway. This creates a dangerous situation for motorists.

“By giving our area plow drivers room to clear the roads, being respectful and patient when we are travelling behind a plow, and using caution during adverse travel conditions, we can all help create a safe winter driving season,” said George Borrello, Chautauqua County Executive. “I also urge residents to check in on neighbors, especially the elderly, who may be more at risk during heavy snow events and frigid temperatures.”

Significant snowfall and the potential for blowing and drifting snow can also increase the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Carbon monoxide is a gas that is referred to as the silent killer because it is colorless, odorless, tasteless and non-irritating. If snow blocks furnace or hot water tank vents, it can cause carbon monoxide to accumulate indoors. At high levels, this gas can cause suffocation, loss of consciousness, brain damage or death.

“It is important that individuals protect themselves and their families from carbon monoxide poisoning by making sure they have working carbon monoxide detectors in their homes and by ensuring furnace and hot water tank vents are not blocked by snow,” said John Griffith, Chautauqua County Office of Emergency Services Director.

Portable generators can also be a source of carbon monoxide poisoning. Never use a portable generator inside a home, basement or any enclosed or semi-enclosed structure. It should be placed outside and away from windows and doors of any nearby building.

The Office of Emergency Services also reminds residents to keep their house numbers visible so first responders can quickly locate a home in the event of an emergency. Residents should remove snow from around the numbers in both directions and be sure to use reflective numbers that show up at night.

County bridge 1077 on Harrison St. in Jamestown, viewed from Institute Street. (Image courtesy of Google Maps)

JAMESTOWN – The replacement of the Harrison Street Bridge over the Chadakoin River in the City of Jamestown continues to progress towards opening by the end of this year.

However, the original timeline of a November completion is no longer projected and instead, officials say it should be done by the end of December.  That is mostly due to difficulties with soil conditions recently encountered, which forced additional construction activities to take place in order to properly construct the replacement bridge foundations.

The bridge is being replaced by the Chautauqua County Department of Public Facilities and director Brad Brentley said the contractor is prepared to work in the colder weather to re-open the bridge, however extreme winter weather may impact this revised schedule.

JAMESTOWN – A reminder that the Harrison Street Bridge in Jamestown, next to the intersection with Institute Street, will be closed for replacement starting Monday, July 1 and will likely remain closed until November. The work is being coordinated by the Chautauqua County Department of Public Facilities.

In addition, starting Monday, July 8 the stretch of Foote Ave. running north of Harrison Street, up to Crane Street. will be closed for approximately 6 weeks to allow for repair work on the RR overpass. The roadway is scheduled to re-open mid-August. The work is being done by the Western New York and Pennsylvania Railroad.

Detour signs will be posted. Motorists must use alternate routes of travel and should use extra caution while driving near this and other construction areas.

County bridge 1077 on Harrison St. in Jamestown, viewed from Institute Street. (Image courtesy of Google Maps)

JAMESTOWN – Motorists that use Harrison Street in downtown Jamestown will have to find an alternate route of travel for several months as county highway crews work to replace a bridge starting in July.

As WRFA first reported in early May, the Harrison Street Bridge near Institute Street is overdue for replacement and it has finally made the list of projects for this year.

The Chautauqua County Department of Public Facilities says the bridge will be closed to traffic starting July 1, with the closure scheduled to last approximately five months with a plan to re-open the bridge in November 2019. As a result, Harrison Street between Foote Avenue and Main Street will be closed to thru traffic during construction and a detour will be posted utilizing Foote, Main, 2nd and 4th Streets. A separate truck detour will be posted as well due to the low clearances on the Railroad viaduct on Foote and Main Streets.

“The existing bridge has severely deteriorated as the original stone bridge foundations have reached the end of their useful life,” said Brad Bentley, Chautauqua County Director of Public Facilities. “When the replacement bridge is in place, the Harrison Street Bridge will have a safe crossing with no structural deficiencies and an expected service life of 50 to 75 years.”

The Harrison Street Bridge replacement project was submitted by Chautauqua County Department of Public Facilities to New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) and was selected by the NYSDOT as a Locally Administered Federally Aided project. In being selected, the approximate $3 million cost of the bridge replacement project will be paid for by a combination of Federal, State, and Local funds, with over 95 percent of the cost being paid for by Federal and State funds.

The Chautauqua County Department of Public Facilities understands that this bridge replacement project will be an inconvenience to the traveling public and has made efforts to minimize the length of the time to complete this important infrastructure project.