Two contractors up for Jericho Turnpike revamp project
Competing bids on the Village of New Hyde Park’s “Operation Main Street” project are in final review stages, according to officials. The project aims at improving the business district along Jericho Turnpike.
J. Anthony Enterprise Inc. of Bohemia bid $1,469,374, while Old Bethpage-based New York Paving, who installed the new traffic medians on the turnpike, submitted a $1,527,043.10 bid. Neither contractor returned calls for comment.
“The bids came in at a price where we think we can move forward and do the project,” Trustee Donald Barbieri, who spearheaded the project from its inception, said. “We’re doing our due diligence. Currently, we’re reviewing the low bidder, making sure they’re someone we want to hire. If everything goes right, we should begin construction in early July.”
The project originally hit a snag in March, because of a pending agreement with Verizon and KeySpan to move utility lines. The plans include rounded corners that would extend slightly into the roadway to be added at locations yet to be determined, along with installation of medians with plantings and access to water sources to maintain the plantings.
“It’s my understanding that construction crews are in Floral Park doing the asphalt overlays at this time,” Mayor Robert Lofaro said, referring to the New York State Department of Transportation’s [DOT] separate $21.6 million turnpike repaving plan.
New Hyde Park’s plan was originally between Ingraham Lane and Hillside Boulevard. The idea was to set up modern traffic calming features that create a more pedestrian friendly and safer environment, while providing a downtown appeal for the shopping district.
“We have been told, let’s see what happens, that the [DOT] Jericho Turnpike overlays, would probably happen in August of this year,”
Barbieri stated. “It doesn’t seem like there’s that much time. I was told that they are planning on coming through and doing the resurfacing here.”
Benches will also be installed on sidewalks, which would be paved with the same rustic red brickwork already in place in some sections of the road near the intersection of Jericho Turnpike and Lakeville Road.
“Hopefully [the state] can coordinate everything as quickly as possible,” Barbieri stated.
Carolyn McCarthy originally secured a federal grant (about $1.6 million) for the village through a federal transportation appropriation and community block grant funds for the project. McCarthy wrote to the chair of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure in 2009 pushing for the project.
