Frustrations grow in Somers over delay in Route 202 project
"Everything that we did, all the communication, all of it was for naught because of incompetence at the state level," said Somers Highway Superintendent Nick DeVito in a Facebook video earlier this week.
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Frustrations are boiling over in Somers over a state project along a busy stretch of road. Officials with the town say it was slated to start Monday. But they tell News 12 that it's been pushed back, sparking major concerns.
"Everything that we did, all the communication, all of it was for naught because of incompetence at the state level," said Somers Highway Superintendent Nick DeVito in a Facebook video earlier this week.
That video was to update people on a culvert replacement project through the New York State Department of Transportation.
The work is planned for Route 202 near the corner of Warren Street. But when we talked to DeVito on Thursday, no work was going on.
"Apparently there's a sewer line that didn't get picked up in the engineering that when the contractor came to mark out to dig, it showed up all of a sudden. Now we're basically in a two-week hold," says DeVito.
Those two weeks matter. DeVito says they were told the work would be finished before school starts.
"You're talking about like 90-minute bus detours for kids to be on every morning," DeVito tells News 12.
The closure from this project impacts a main artery of the town and is right by schools.
"It's tough because it's going to affect everyone's family. Everybody works and has things they have to do," says Anthony DeGrazio, who lives nearby.
Despite this delay, the project will remain on schedule to be done in time for the school year, weather permitting, according to the New York State DOT.
"State Route 202 between Crane Road and Warren Street in the Town of Somers will remain open through the Independence Day holiday. A new date for the road closure and start of construction will be announced in the near future. The project to replace the culvert will remain on schedule to be completed in time for the school year, weather permitting," NYSDOT wrote in a statement.
