Town of Shawangunk Highway Superintendent Rich Blazeski said his road crew will be taking immediate steps to fix what one town resident called the “deplorable conditions of the roads” in the Hardenburgh Road Area.

At Thursday’s Town Board meeting, Blazeski presented the board with a copy of a letter from town resident Arlene Rivera complaining about the conditions of some town roads that had run in several area newspapers. The letter was dated Jan. 8, 2022, a week after Blazeski was sworn in to replace former Highway Superintendent Joe LoCicero.

Rivera’s letter stated: “Cooper Road is broken and damaged in numerous places. Schrempp Road and Riverside Road are other examples of the dreadful conditions of the roads in our area. It is very difficult for the drivers to move freely and safely, especially at night. On behalf of the taxpayers of this area, I request that you take the steps necessary to get the roads repaired and bring relief to the people who travel them.”

After telling the board that he unsuccessfully attempted to contact Rivera by email to address her complaints, Blazeski told the Wallkill Valley Times after the meeting that in his email to Rivera he asked her to call him so he could meet with her to discuss her concerns.

“She’s making a legitimate case,” the highway superintendent said.

Blazeski said he knew that some of those roads needed to be repaired before he saw the letter in the local news media.

“Every year we have to do what’s called a 284 form that identifies the roads that I select to be repaired,” he said. “Previous to this letter even being written, I had actually identified those roads and we’d like to address them this year.”

Blazeski said Cooper Road and Schrempp Lane were two roads that he agrees needed immediate attention. He wasn’t sure how bad Riverside Drive was, but he planned to look into it.

He said the roads were located between Wallkill and Walker Valley.