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Construction On Roundabout Expected Next Year

Traffic is busy at the Route 60 and 20 intersection Thursday. The state Department of Transportation will begin work on a two-lane roundabout next year. Photo by Jimmy McCarthy

FREDONIA — Following years of planning and some pushback, construction of a roundabout will proceed at northern Chautauqua County’s busiest intersection.

On Friday, the New York State Department of Transportation said the DOT will go forward with a two-lane roundabout at the Route 20 and 60 intersection. Work’s tentatively scheduled to begin next year, and it’ll also include the construction of new sidewalks and curb ramps, which comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Completion is expected in 2020, the DOT says. Project costs total $3.4 million.

Raised medians will be constructed near the approaches on Route 60 north and Route 20 east and west to eliminate left-hand turns into oncoming traffic — something the DOT says will curb a high crash rate near the intersection.

“This project will improve pedestrian connectivity, crossing the intersection and accessing area businesses,” Susan Surdej, DOT spokesman, said in a statement.

In 2016, DOT officials paid a stop to Fredonia to outline the project to the public. A majority of those who attended raised issue with the plan. Concerns were also relayed by nearby businesses including McDonald’s, which filed a lawsuit over an environmental impact assessment that the DOT failed to do. The DOT ended up rescinding its proposal in August 2017.

In April, transportation officials came back to Fredonia to explain the project. Again, it was met with resistance from a majority who attended, including businesses impacted by the project. McDonald’s Owner Enrico Francani called the project a “tremendous injustice” over the issues it’ll create for patrons trying to enter his establishment.

In total, the DOT received close to 60 public comments regarding the project since the beginning of the year.

“As we explained at an April 2018 public meeting, the department conducted a SEQRA Environmental Assessment of the project, which considered its potential impact on businesses, as well as public concerns about roundabouts,” Surdej said.

The SEQRA Findings Statement and the final design report and SEQRA Environmental Assessment were finalized last month, and the town and village were notified.

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