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Village of Lakewood Completes Chaut. Avenue Green Street Retrofit Project

Pictured is Lakewood Mayor Randy Holcomb near an intersection on Chautauqua Avenue that was completed through the Chautauqua Avenue Green Street Retrofit Project. P-J photo by Katrina Fuller

LAKEWOOD — The Chautauqua Avenue Green Street Retrofit Project has been completed, after several months of work.

Lakewood Mayor Randy Holcomb said he is pleased to see the project finished and appreciates the hard work of all involved.

“It’s a little overdue, but it’s well-deserved, and we’re very happy to see its completion,” Holcomb said. “It looks so beautiful.”

The village will be hosting a celebratory ribbon cutting on Saturday, November 20th at 11:30 a.m. Other festivities will begin starting at 11 a.m. including live music and food service from the Cherry Bomb Food Truck. The celebration will end at 3 p.m. Visitors are also encouraged to visit the local businesses along Chautauqua Avenue to begin their holiday shopping.

“I would like to not only celebrate the opening of the Chautauqua Avenue Green Street retrofit project, but I also want to thank each and every business for their patience. This went well over the time frame, and it was extremely difficult for the businesses up and down Chautauqua Avenue. They took the hit the most. As sorry that we are that that happened, we are very thrilled to open up the new Chautauqua Avenue Retrofit Project.”

The project began in April 2021 by Kingsview Enterprises. The project was made possible by a grant from the New York State Environmental Facilities Corporation Green Innovation Grant Program and Clean Water State Revolving Funds, which were awarded in 2018. The funds were matched by the village through in-kind construction, Chautauqua County and the Chautauqua Lake and Watershed Management Alliance through its Alliance Foundation match fund. Barton and Loguidice, D.C.P. designed and engineered the project.

This project is one of several the Village of Lakewood and Town of Busti sourced from the 2018 Stormwater Management Engineering Study. Chautauqua Avenue and adjacent curb areas between Second Street and Summit Avenue were identified as potential spaces for green infrastructure improvement and downtown revitalization as part of this study. Key features of construction include permeable interlocking concrete pavers at three intersections and in curb areas, continuous tree trenches, porous flexible pavement tree surrounds, 11 stormwater street trees planted in structural soil, new stormwater drainage features and curbs, native plantings, and interpretive signs detailing the project and its benefits. By replacing traditional gray infrastructure, these features help to improve water quality for Chautauqua Lake and its watershed by increasing infiltration and biofiltration of stormwater. Permeable surfaces (permeable interlocking concrete pavers and Flexi-Pave) and tree trenches promote infiltration and biofiltration of stormwater, which reduces the burden on stormwater infrastructure in downstream areas and improves water quality entering Chautauqua Lake. Stormwater improvement projects such as this play a crucial role in addressing water quality impairment issues, such as Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs), along with providing a variety of aesthetic benefits and revitalization of the main street corridor.

Holcomb said the village is glad to see Chautauqua Avenue open before the holiday season.

“We’re just grateful to be opening it at this time,” he said.

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