Thursday, December 12, 2024
Just off Hewlett Avenue in Merrick, Hempstead town officials gathered Oct. 25 to celebrate 100 miles of new and resurfaced road across the town.
The construction teams behind the paving, Posillico Civil Inc., and H&L Contracting, replaced the town’s 60-year-old asphalt formula in favor of a new technique, which is expected to double the road’s lifespan.
The new road is paved by first using adhesive spray, pouring asphalt on top, which was smoothed and steamrolled, leaving fresh asphalt with a sticky texture. The result was a brand new, long-lasting road right at the foot of residents’ driveways which should hold up better in the seasonal battle against potholes.
The 100 miles of repaved roads set a record for the town for the fifth consecutive year, with more to come before 2025 — and officials said around 12 more miles of road could be paved by the end of the year.
“This team that I have working with me made a commitment to the residents, and now it’s paying off,” Town Supervisor Don Clavin said.
In the last four and a half years, we’ve done almost 340 miles of roadway, and we’re not going to stop. We’re committing to another 100 miles next year, and it’s all going to be union work as well.”
This road paving project is a part of a larger effort to improve the quality of life for residents in the Town of Hempstead.
“We are unified in the town of Hempstead on improving things,” Clavin said. “These roadways need the improvement. We are the largest township in America — we have a population of 800,000, and the residents deserve it.”
The paving plan strives to meet an ambitious goal: reach every road in the area as soon as possible. According to a release from the Town of Hempstead, all the town’s approximately 1,200 miles of roadway could be repaved within 15 to 20years.
“We’re trying to give people timetables when they’re going to draw those smooth roads,” Clavin said. “We’re hoping in the next few years, we can get all these roads done.”
In addition to repaving roads, Clavin issued a guarantee that the new asphalt won’t be disturbed by future maintenance.
“We’ve spoken to the utilities,” he said. “If they come and touch your brand-new paved road, they’re going to put it back to the condition they found it. We’re spending the taxpayers’ money, and we’re going to hold everybody accountable, so everybody gets a smooth street.”
Councilman Dennis Dunne Sr. was enthusiastic about the accomplishment. “This is wonderful,” Dunne said. “I’m getting 26 miles in my district. Last year, I got six.”
“Don Clavin is the reason it went off — our supervisor said, we’ve got to do something with these roads,” he added. “He took the bull by the horns and had our support because we needed it.”
The road repaving project was conducted to improve safety for residents of all ages, whether walking, biking, or driving.
“Public safety is really important to us,” Dunne said. “My kids could be riding a bike in the street and flip or pop a tire. There’s a lot of seniors walking with the walkers trying to cross the street and getting startled. We have to do the right thing.”
This achievement is important to show taxpayers where their money goes, Dunne said.
“As the Town of Hempstead experiences some harsh New York winters, our local roadways certainly take a beating,” Councilman Chris Schneider said in a news release.. “Supervisor Clavin and I are committed to responsible investment in our infrastructure, ensuring that our Town roadways will be maintained and repaired more quickly and efficiently than ever before.”
This accomplishment is a part of a larger investment into the town’s automotive infrastructure, including a more rigorous material testing program.
“Quality of life issues are very important, whether it’s roads, business, economic development — you know you want your community to be a nice place,” he said. “This is us giving back to the community.”
While roads are seeing improvements across Hempstead, officials said the Highway Department is easy to reach if repairs are needed. To report potholes, (516) 489-5000 ext. 3471 or fill out a Helpline Form at HempsteadNY.gov.
