DOT approves Alex Bay riverwalk project

ALEXANDRIA BAY — The state Department of Transportation gave the village the green light on its $1.13 million riverwalk construction project.

Mayor Terry J. Robb said the village will be requesting letters of interest from about a dozen engineers for the design of the mile-long trail.

The village has not set a deadline for submitting the letters. However, it hopes to narrow down its candidates to three firms and interview them in December, Mr. Robb said.

"I'm excited that we're getting the process going," he said.

The village initially planned to start taking bids for the five-year project in July but had to wait for DOT, which is funding the project, to process the paperwork.

Funding for the project comes from a matching grant from the federally funded Transportation Enhancement Program, which is administered by DOT. The program will cover 80 percent of the project and the village will match the remaining 20 percent, or $226,780, with donated land, construction material and in-house labor.

Mr. Robb said the village hopes to seek bids from contractors for the construction of the walking trail next spring. The construction could begin as soon as spring, he said.

The trail will start at the public beach on Sisson Street and stretch around the Casino Island waterfront and the River Hospital parking lot. It will continue through Market Street and Howell Avenue before turning toward the downtown area on James Street. It will circle back to the beach and park pavilion via Church and Fuller streets.

The village soon will create a six-to 10-member advisory committee to oversee the project. Mr. Robb said the village hopes to form the committee this month.

Town and village residents who would like to participate should call the village office at 482-9902.