New York State Department of Transportation Regional Design Engineer Cameron Schulz speaks Thursday at a public hearing. P-J photo by Michael Zabrodsky

LAKEWOOD – Several Lakewood residents aired their concerns Thursday about the proposed Route 394 (Fairmount Avenue) sidewalk extension project.

Representatives from the New York State Department of Transportation held a public hearing at the town of Busti offices, 125 Chautauqua Ave., to gather feedback regarding the project.

DOT Regional Design Engineer Cameron Schulz said the DOT did listen to residents at prior public hearings, and in an Aug. 13, 2025 Post-Journal article, DOT Assistant Regional Design Engineer Robert Schaller said the original project was to have sidewalks on both sides of the road, but because of resistance from business owners and residents, the DOT scaled it back to one side of the road.

Even though several people spoke against the proposal, Schulz said public comment is still being sought.

“The design team did take that information back and try to find some middle ground that would align with the active transportation policies that the department has to encourage multimodal in addition to bikes, pedestrians, and still meet some middle ground with the community, and that’s what we’re presenting this evening, and it’s still a preliminary presentation of what we’re proposing. So that’s why we’re here,” Schulz said. “I think that the team did listen and did hear and tried to figure out if there’s somewhere we can come down to some middle ground and come to something that is agreeable to the community and will still meet the needs of the transportation system.”

The DOT did log comments by residents, and all comments need to be submitted by March 18 to the DOT.

Tom Bertges, co-owner of Lakewood Furniture Gallery, 75 Fairmount Ave. said the project will affect his business directly. His business already was impacted when the state completed a road widening project in the 1990s on Fairmount Avenue.

“Now, you could say during the presentation, it’s not going to impact businesses, but we all know it’s going to impact businesses and affect me directly, as well as all the other business owners. Number two, this is an unnecessary waste of money,” Bertges said.

Keith Wade, of 118 Fairmount Ave., said he does walk Fairmount, but depending on the weather, they can be unsafe.

“Now, when you’re talking sidewalks, yes, it sounds safe at first, but I’m a walker. I do walk Fairmont. Sidewalks are not safe in winter. You can plow them, yes, and they’re safe for a while, but with our ice, our weather, sidewalks are not safe in the winter. They are a liability and they are a hazard,” Wade said. “So I’m just saying safety should be at the top of everybody’s concern and a sidewalk is not the solution.”

The DOT said the project involves improvements to highway facilities within the project limits. It will include mill and overlay of existing asphalt pavement from Winch Road to Elmcrest Avenue, constructing new sidewalks on one side of the roadway from Ashville Road to Shadyside Avenue, and widening the roadway between Shadyside Avenue and Elmcrest Avenue. In addition, the project proposes to replace signage.

The DOT also said the proposed project would enhance overall safety for motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians while providing better, safer access to businesses and neighborhoods within the project limits and the busy commercial district east of it. Parcels of land need to be acquired for construction. No residential buildings need to be acquired, and the acquisitions are not expected to adversely affect businesses. Affected property owners will be contacted directly by the DOT.

John Jablonski, Spruce Street resident, and former Executive of the Chautauqua Watershed conservancy said he thinks the proposal is a good compromise. Even though trees are proposed to be removed and new trees planted in their places, Jablonski said it will be a nice gateway into the village.

“I think this is very good for the businesses on Fairmont Avenue,” Jablonski noted. “And I think this it is a really good thing for the village, and will be great when it gets done, and make it much safer, and a better place.”

To submit comments by email send to robert.schaller@dot.ny.gov or by regular mail to:

Cameron Schulz, P.E., Regional Design Engineer

Attn: Robert Schaller, P.E., Assistant Regional Design Engineer

New York State DOT Region 5

100 Seneca Street

Buffalo, NY 14303 or call (716) 847-3043.

Please include project identification number (PIN) 5064.37 in all correspondence.