The Flanders Road resurfacing project will begin on Oct. 16, according to informational signs erected this week on Flanders Road and County Route 105.
A $5.18 million contract for the work on Flanders Road, a state highway, was awarded by the State Department of Transportation to Rosemar Contracting of Patchogue on Sept. 11, according to online records. Rosemar was the lowest of eight bidders on the job, which includes milling and resurfacing the existing pavement. The bids were opened on Aug. 21.
The work is scheduled to be completed by Sept. 30 next year.
The state plans to “mill and fill” Flanders Road (SR 24) from the traffic circle to Bellows Pond Road, “to restore the pavement riding surface…to a smooth and distress-free condition,” according to the state DOT website. “Mill and fill” means removing the existing surface layer of the roadway with a milling machine and then laying new asphalt to replace what was milled and hauled away.
Flanders Road was not originally on the 2014 project schedule, but was “accelerated” for construction this season after road conditions were cited as a factor in the fatal accident Jan. 16 that claimed the life of Barbara Tocci, 46, of Hampton Bays.
An outcry from angry local residents, including the victim’s family and friends, and pressure from state lawmakers helped get the project bumped up in the schedule, according to Assemblyman Fred Thiele. Thiele told RiverheadLOCAL on July 21 he expected road work to begin “right after Labor Day.”
The state DOT could not be reached for comment regarding disruptions to traffic patterns during the work.
The survival of local journalism depends on your support.
We are a small family-owned operation. You rely on us to stay informed, and we depend on you to make our work possible. Just a few dollars can help us continue to bring this important service to our community.
Support RiverheadLOCAL today.
