After an Aug. 15 meeting between the Town of Poughkeepsie, New York State Department of Transportation (DOT), Arlington Business Improvement District (BID) and Vassar College, the groups agreed upon maintenance responsibilities for upcoming highway lighting, landscaping, and sidewalk renovations along Raymond Avenue.
The agreements were struck as the town prepares to undergo a second wave of construction along Raymond, including an additional roundabout on Collegeview Avenue, beginning next summer.
After the construction, the DOT will plant 84 trees, 88 shrubs and 1,200 plants and bulbs north of College Avenue and BID has agreed to pay for landscaping maintenance. The group will also be responsible for sidewalk maintenance, including snow removal on medians across Raymond and connecting crosswalks. Property owners, however, will be responsible for regular cleaning and maintenance.
And though the DOT will also replace the 21 current streetlights with 68 newer lights as part of highway lighting maintenance, the town has agreed to pay the annual increase of $3,000 for future maintenance. At an Aug. 8 Town Board meeting, Councilman Dominic Seminara (R-2nd Ward) beseeched the board to find outside support for sidewalk and landscaping along Raymond, but supported the motion for the town to pay for lighting.
The support from the BID and Vassar, who contribute to the fund through their landowning venture College Properties, LLC, follows a precedent set for Raymond Avenue maintenance. After the first phase of construction on Raymond finished last year, Vassar agreed to pay for landscaping costs, including cutting grass, pruning bushes and monitoring tree growth. The college also agreed to provide sidewalk maintenance, including plowing snow on both sides of Raymond and maintaining the crosswalks, as well as paying for street lighting.
“It’s very important for pedestrian safety,” said Betsy Eismeier, Vassar College vice president for finance and administration, noting the responsibility of the college. Her comments were echoed by Town Supervisor Patricia Myers, who cited the difficulty with which DOT maintenance trucks navigate the Raymond roundabout.
According to Eismeier, Vassar will contribute to the BID’s effort to pay for maintenance of the incoming roundabout and medians, as well as additional snowplowing of crosswalks. Vassar has also pledged to rewire exposed cables across Collegeview underground.
However, the groups were unable to discuss their plans for a proposed $4 million public parking facility. After its construction on a site neighboring the Poughkeepsie Post Office, the DOT hopes the town will remain responsible for the facility for a 10-year maintenance contract. But Myers wants the DOT to give the town ownership of the facility, and plans to discuss the agreement with the DOT and Arlington BID before they hear bids on construction in the fall.
“I would rather that the state make the facility into the town’s parking lot,” said Myers. “Otherwise, the town would do maintenance on the state parking lot.”
The Town Board was expected to approve the measures on Aug. 22, after the Beat’s press time.