NORWICH – New York’s quagmire of regulations has $39 million in federal funds earmarked for Route 12 improvements all tied up in knots. And, according to state transportation officials, tackling those projects finally identified after a nine-year long study will require even more money from Washington.
That’s what Chenango County’s business and government leaders learned last week at a New York State Department of Transportation public hearing on a number of targeted Rt. 12 projects. All aim to enhance safety, speed up travel time and spur development along the heavily traveled, windy, two-lane main transportation corridor from Binghamton to Utica.
While DOT officials attempted to explain the intricate system of regulations that control funding designations and project scheduling, most in the auditorium at the Gibson School left shaking their heads.
“The federal guys say they already gave us money, you guys say we need more money. We go back and forth. I understand your situation, but tell me what to do. Who do you want me to call? How do we get what we need?” asked Unison Industries’ Gary Cummings.
The frustrated executive was part of a Chenango County Chamber of Commerce Route 12 Task Force started back in 1999. The group, which included representatives from Broome, Chenango, Madison, Oneida and the NYSDOT, retained a consultant to study short-term, Phase I projects, and later, long-term Phase II projects.
A Phase I project for the roadway between Chenango Bridge and Kattelville in Broome County was let to bid just last week. None, however, are projected to be completed for Chenango County until at least 2014, and then only with additional funding.
“I don’t know if burned out is the word,” said Cummings. “I’ve been coming to meetings for nine years. I just want it (Rt. 12) so we can pass and we can turn and we can be safe.”
Many of the Town of Norwich-based aerospace industry manufacturer’s 300 employees hail from the Binghamton and Syracuse areas. Because the plant is located directly on Rt. 12 (as is Chenango’s largest employer, the Raymond Corporation in Greene), employees must travel the route with its limited passing opportunities and growing congestion.
“We’ve had employees killed on Rt. 12,” said Cummings.
Unison was the gathering place for a press conference on Rt. 12 that was hosted by U.S. Senator Charles Schumer, D-Binghamton, last year. The Senator gave the NYSDOT an “F” for not spending the federal earmarks.
Five DOT officials were on hand to answer Cummings and other attendees’ questions and concerns. They presented the findings of the longer-term Phase II study (the Phase I public hearing was held previously) that included a four-lane interstate from Binghamton to Utica as well as a dozen other possible improvements.
While the interstate option would save 30 minutes of travel time from Binghamton to Utica, it was ruled out by a nearly $1 billion cost estimate. “Comparing any (economic) benefit to that cost just didn’t cut it,” Fitzgerald said.
Only a bypass on county Rt. 32 around the City of Norwich was deemed worthy based on a project cost to economic benefit ratio developed by the DOT. Motorists would take the Halfway House Bridge to county Rt. 32 to state Rt. 12 in North Norwich or visa versa. Wider intersections and a few spot repairs would save commuters and truckers approximately 5 minutes per vehicle and cost $14 million, the study found.
“A lot has been done on 32 already. It would represent a pretty good economic benefit,” said Fitzgerald.
The DOT officials said they were “cautiously optimistic” about completing a project that would improve a 4-mile section and traffic access to Raymond Corporation in Greene. With both the Greene and Broome County improvements, traffic flow in Norwich “should improve,” said NYSDOT Programming and Design Manager Pam Eshbaugh.
The study also identified six, three-lane segments in Chenango County and several passing lanes that could be implemented, but found low population and little economic benefit to them. Instead of combining the segments and passing lanes into the program already funded with federal earmarks, Fitzgerald said it “would make more sense” to implement those improvements locally.
“It’s the department’s hope that more federal dollars can be made available for specific passing lanes that can be identified by the task force,” said Project Developer John Fitzgerald.
Commerce Chenango President Maureen Carpenter said the business community was “frustrated” because “not a lot has been done with the funding we already have.”
Chenango County Highway Director Randy Gibbon said earmarks “don’t get spent where we are asking for it.”
Fitzgerald pointed to capitol funding that has stayed stagnant, the state’s projected budget deficit, and inflation. Fitzgerald said the region couldn’t spend the federal earmarks on anything but safety and bridge projects now, and spending them can’t be decided at the regional level. “The earmarks need to be spent alone and above current allocations,” he said.
Gibbon said roadwork continues on Interstate 86 in the Southern Tier despite that not being a safety or bridge project. “There are core (state initiated) projects that are no different than Rt. 12. It’s up to what’s important for the state versus what’s important to central New York, and you never know if it’s up to the regional DOT director to decide about projects or the state,” he said.
Fitzgerald called Interstate 86 “statewide significant” and “above and beyond” the Rt. 12 project.
City of Norwich Mayor Joseph Maiurano pointed out that Binghamton and Utica were the only two cities in the state not connected by an interstate, and questioned whether lower population growth in central New York was a result.
“You are not even taking that into consideration. There must be a correlation between them,” he said. Maiurano also questioned whether a federal stimulus package in the wake of the nation’s recession might result in infrastructure jobs in Central New York.
“There is some value in building a highway right straight through. This might be a time where we might be in the right time and the right place,” he said.
Peter Komendarek, purchasing manager at Raymond Corporation in Greene, agreed with the mayor, saying the state should “really take a look at an interstate.”
“If you really look at New York State and industries that have grown, they are all accessible to major highways. Look at distributions centers for Walmart, Best Buy and shopping malls. They are all near interstates,” he said.
Town of Norwich Supervisor David C. Law and Carpenter revealed that a new business is planning to locate in the town, one that would add several trucks to the roadway. “Having 32 as a truck route would be a big help,” Law said.
“We’ve been waiting nine years for improvements here and the only work completed is our locally-administered work on county Rt. 32. We’ve been waiting nine years,” Gibbon said. More motorists from Sidney and Bainbridge are traveling the roadway to work in Norwich, he added.
The DOT representatives said they would welcome discussion about potential industry and businesses targeting the Rte. 12 corridor.
Instead of discussing potential growth, Chenango County Board of Supervisors Chairman Richard B. Decker said the project should focus on retaining jobs and businesses.
“Every business and industry we have depends on Rt. 12. They have to get product in and product out. If you can get product in and product out, jobs will be created and people will come,” he said.