Bethlehem lands $5M grant state from DOT

Grant funds will replace and repair sidewalks on major roads in Town

DELMAR – The Town of Bethlehem will share $13.6 million in funding awarded by the New York State Department of Transportation to three Capital Region districts for community based investments to reduce vehicle emissions and congestion.  Bethlehem’s $5,275,632 tranche tops those received by the Town of Clifton Park ($3,450,346) and Saratoga County ($4,887,648), the region’s two other award winners.

Town Economic Development & Planning Director Robert Leslie said he learned of the award when a Town resident told him he had watched the news last night and asked if that was the funding the Town had applied for.  Leslie opened the DOT website . “It was a pleasant surprise,” he said. “We were very excited to hear about the award.”

Leslie said the grant request was submitted in January, as a joint effort by his department, the Town’s Highway Department and the Town’s engineers.  “We felt we put forth a strong application because of our approach of bundling all the project sidewalk locations together.”  He said sidewalk replacements are a priority for the Town and the Town saw an opportunity to replace sidewalks using state and federal money.

Bethlehem was awarded the full amount of the grant request it made.

Upon learning Bethlehem got the nod, Leslie advised Town Supervisor David VanLuven. “We were thrilled by the big news,” VanLuven said. He said he had been optimistic Bethlehem would receive an award, but was surprised DOT awarded the full amount requested.  “This puts us on the path forward to restoring our most heavily used sidewalks in Town and gives us the ability to put in ADA compliant sidewalks,” VanLuven said.  “Now it will be easier to walk on the sidewalks, push a stroller or use a mobility device.”

VanLuven said the improvements will get more residents walking.  “If there is more opportunity created for people to walk, it is more likely for them to do so,” VanLuven said.

The Town will use its grant to replace and install ADA compliant sidewalks along sections of State Routes 443 (Delaware Avenue from Cherry Avenue to Adams Street), 140 (Kenwood Avenue from Cherry Avenue to Delaware Avenue), 396 (Bridge Street from South Street to Smith Avenue), 85 (New Scotland Road from the Price Chopper roundabout to Fisher Boulevard) and Elsmere Avenue (from Norge Road to the Albany Rail Trail Overpass).

Leslie said the sidewalks are mostly asphalt surfaced, only four feet wide and in poor condition.  He said the grant will fund replacing them with concrete 5’ wide ADA compliant sidewalks, including curb ramps and detectable warning pads. Drainage issues will also be fixed.

Both Leslie and VanLuven tempered their excitement by acknowledging the long road ahead to implement the sidewalk project. VanLuven explained the Town first needs to receive the official grant commitment from the state and then because the project involves roads in the State’s right of way, the state process must be followed.  “It’s an exhaustive process to get it approved by DOT and only then can we get contractors on the ground building  the sidewalks,” said VanLuven.  “But at least we have a path forward now.”

Leslie explained that engineers must first create a design plan, then a bid must be put out for contractors, the contractors hired and the State must approve each of these steps.

“It is really hard for town crews to do the work because the requirements for doing work on state roads are really strict,” Bethlehem Highway Superintendent Marc Dorsey said.

The town is working with the State to determine who will do the work, Dorsey and Leslie said.

Dorsey said that it is about half the cost to build sidewalks on town roads, especially when town employees do the work.

As for a project schedule, Leslie said, “all we know right now is the amount of money and the location of the sidewalks that will be replaced.”  Due to the DOT process, “we won’t see a shovel in the ground this year,” he said.  However, he anticipates engineering planning will begin in 2024.

“This grant is a huge step in the right direction,” Dorsey said. “This will essentially mean that almost all of the sidewalks along State roads in town will be repaired or replaced in a short period of time.”

“These roads are in the state’s right of way so we need to meet the State’s standards,” said VanLuven.  But, he added, “We do all the construction work, the maintenance and the upkeep and if something goes wrong, we do all of the repairs.”

The project will cost $6,594,540 in total.  With the federal grant and an additional $813,990 of State aid, the Town will pay for only 8% of the project’s cost or $504,918. VanLuven said the balance will come from the Town’s general fund.

The grant award is for supporting “community based investments that reduce vehicle emissions and congestion,” according to a DOT press release. Awards were made on the basis of public benefit, air quality improvements, cost effectiveness and providing public accessibility.

These grants are part of a $61.4 million fund awarded to 21 projects across New York State made available through the Federal Highway Administration and administered by the State DOT. The funding is provided through the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement program and the Carbon Reduction Program.

The project’s Delaware Avenue portion is in addition to any work being done under the Town’s “Complete Streets” program.  However, Leslie said, “this is part of the Town’s complete streets initiative to make it safer for people to travel as pedestrians.”

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