Schenectady, N.Y. — The Schenectady County Legislature voted to authorize a $1,353,000 in funding from the New York State Department of Transportation for the Nott Street Safety Improvement project, of which up to $250,000 will be funded by the Schenectady Metroplex Development Authority (Metroplex).
Bids for the project were opened on June 30, 2021 and the construction costs came out to be $55,916 under budget from what was previously estimated.
“While it was delayed due to the pandemic, we are one step closer to breaking ground on this important project,” said Schenectady County Legislator Michelle Ostrelich. “With construction expected to start next spring, a year from now we should be able to start enjoying the improvements brought about by all the hard work and collaboration between the County, town and the public.”
In December of 2016, Schenectady County was awarded a federal grant from the Highway Safety Improvement Program for the design and construction of the safety improvements near the intersection of Nott Street and Balltown Road in the Town of Niskayuna. The Highway Safety Improvement is a core federal-aid program that provides funding for safety projects on any publicly owned roadway to reduce fatal and serious injury crashes. Metroplex pledged matching funds of $250,000 to bring the project to fruition.
“This business corridor is an important part of the identity of the Nott Street/Balltown Road intersection and neighborhood,” said Schenectady County Legislator Tom Constantine. “We’ve taken the time to listen to affected businesses and the public to ensure the improvements will make it a safer place for residents to visit and shop.”
During the preliminary design of this project in the spring of 2019, the County, with the assistance of engineering consultants, met with representatives from affected businesses and held a public meeting at Niskayuna Town Hall. Further design modifications were made after careful consideration of the comments received and numerous additional follow-up meetings.
“With so many businesses and residents affected by this project, we wanted to take our time to make sure we got it right,” said Schenectady County Legislator Sara Mae Pratt. “We’re thankful to see this project finally come to fruition after many years of community input and planning.”
“While COVID-19 has affected many aspects of our economy, including the costs for construction materials, we were happy to have bids for this project come in lower than the estimated cost projections,” said Schenectady County Legislator Cathy Gatta. “The planned improvements prioritize resident and shopper safety in this busy corridor while staying under budget.”
The final design proposal for the project includes wide sidewalks on both sides of the street, removal of steps in the sidewalk closest to the buildings, angled parking with a raised curb to separate parked cars from traffic lanes, clear parking pattern requiring one-way entrance and forward-facing exit from the angled parking spots, an additional crosswalk as well as improved visibility for the crosswalks, island reconfiguration and relocation of the bus stop.
Construction is expected to take place in 2022.