MAYVILLE - The next step in the Millennium Parkway project is currently before the County Legislature.
A resolution authorizing the state to begin securing right-of-ways passed the Administrative Services Committee on Monday. It will go before the full legislature later this month.
A representative of the Public Facilities department was on hand to explain that the resolution is the next step in the longtime state DOT project. The acquisition of right-of-ways could take upward of a year, to 17 months. As part of the resolution, the county will assume ownership of the state-acquired properties.
The proposal went before the full legislature last month as an emergency resolution, surprising some lawmakers.
On the evening's agenda in Dunkirk was the resolution authorizing the state to begin the next phase of the project, which had been approved as an emergency resolution by Legislature Chairman Fred Croscut, R-Sherman. As an emergency resolution, the proposal went before the full body without having first gone to any committees.
As explained by Public Facilities Director George Spanos, the state had met with the county only the week prior - which is why it first appeared before legislators at the full meeting.
"Thank you for accepting this as an emergency status," Spanos said. "We submitted it under an emergency so New York state could initiate the right-of-way phase and not have to wait for another month."
Keith Ahlstrom, D-Dunkirk, had questioned the reason for the emergency resolution, and even after hearing from Spanos admitted he was "not totally comfortable" with it going straight to the legislature."
"This project has been in the works for 10 years," Ahlstrom said. "Before I would be willing to support this as a legislator, who it may be impacting on my district, I would like to know what they are acquisitioning, where they are acquisitioning, where the final determination has been made that this right-of-way is going. In a project that has already taken 10 years, if New York state has to wait another month, I think, in fairness, the county should have the time, the legislature should have the time, the city of Dunkirk that is impacted by this should have the time to take a look at this."
The legislature then voted to table the resolution, with legislators Ron Lemon, R-Frewsburg; Jerry Park, R-Forestville and Doug Richmond, R-Westfield, opposed. Minority Leader Rudy Mueller, D-Lakewood, was absent from the meeting.
The Millennium Parkway is a 4.5-mile road construction project in the towns of Dunkirk and Sheridan.
The new highway will link the New York State Thruway with routes 60 and 5 in the two towns. It will connect the Chadwick Bay Industrial Park, just north of the Chautauqua County Airport in Dunkirk, to the Dunkirk-Fredonia thruway exit -- approximately three-quarters of a mile north of Exit 59.
Officials say it will have a positive economic, environmental and public safety impact on the local community.
"It will promote the growth of existing employers in the area and will attract new investment to the Chadwick Bay Industrial Park," U.S. Rep. Brian Higgins, D-South Buffalo, said in a 2005 news release announcing federal funding for the project. "(A total of) 190 acres of previously underutilized land will become accessible, leading to commercial and industrial development and job creation. The flow of tractor-trailer truck traffic in the region will drastically improve, and air emission and noise pollution levels will be reduced. I am pleased to be joined by County Executive Thomas, who understands the real quality of life improvements we will see in the Dunkirk-Sheridan area. This funding will no doubt lead to further development, job growth and safety for all."