In the October 26, 2023 Southern Ulster Times Mr. Sal Cuciti wrote a letter about the Tillson/Toc intersection work, the timeframe and detour routes. He left out many of the facts on why the work is taking longer than originally projected.

First, the September finish date was predicated on closing Vineyard Avenue on March 18. However, once it was determined that a temporary traffic signal was required for safety on the detour route, we had to wait until the light was installed to close the road. The road closed on May 22, two months later than the initial anticipated date. Many people also do not realize the scope of the work. We are replacing all the water, sewer and gas lines, the intersection is a hub for these utilities. Many of the utilities were installed years ago and old maps were not always accurate, so there were many surprises. There was also a great deal of coordination between the consultants at Barton and Loguidice and the contractor with utility companies to move gas mains, fiber, etc. In many instances, there was more rock to go through then planned. Let’s also not forget that we are working in a stream and we received 55.7 inches of rainfall which is higher than normal and caused lost workdays.

I have been in communication constantly with residents throughout this process and in many instances met with them on site to solve issues that arose. We meet with the consultants and contractors weekly and sometimes daily to keep up to speed. Mr. Cuciti continues to contend this is a town project; he is incorrect, this is a Federally-funded DOT Improvement Project and needs to follow the DOT rules and protocols. The Town can influence certain aspects of it, and we have done that. As far as the detour route, unfortunately, there is no other access to town from Sunnybrook, Mountainside Woods, Brescia, Reservoir Road, Tano, Hilltop. Therefore, Vineyard Avenue had to be closed as well for equipment work on the intersection and safety reasons. If Mr. Cuciti had a better solution, then why didn’t he bring it forward in May when the work started instead of waiting until now to bring it up when we are four weeks from re-opening Vineyard Avenue. I offered to discuss this all with Mr. Cuciti last week, but instead he decided to write the Letter to the Editor. That’s because it’s election season and he was not focused on finding a solution, but more focused on how to spin his own narrative.

I am well aware of the inconvenience this has caused to many residents; however, I am also astounded by the resilience they have displayed. In a few weeks, most of the detours will be removed and we can get back to a level of normalcy in that area. We will have a new road with new sidewalks, a properly aligned intersection and a stream that has less chance of flooding and overflows. I appreciate what everyone has been through and look forward to finishing the project.