Residents press county to open emergency access during Fair Street reconstruction

King’s Grant condominium residents told Putnam County legislators that construction on the Fair Street reconstruction project has disrupted daily travel and school bus access, prompting calls for temporary emergency egress and better traffic controls.

Residents said the construction detour has frequently blocked the community’s primary access, sometimes preventing drivers from reaching school buses and creating confrontations with neighbors. “What we’re really looking for is that emergency exit, have the town temporarily open it for us,” said a resident representing King’s Grant.

County staff and legislators said the project is complex, multi-year and that contractors have provided flaggers during certain hours. Legislators asked county construction managers to seek short-term solutions, particularly during school-morning and afternoon peak times. One legislator said he would speak to the contractor the next day about adding morning protections and to coordinate with town officials.

Residents described safety incidents and property confrontations and said prior agreements about emergency access had been inconsistently implemented. County staff acknowledged past communications with the town and the fire department and said they would re-engage the contractor and town officials to explore interim measures, such as time-limited access or shared funding for additional crossing guards.

No formal change to the contract or a new funding commitment was approved during the meeting; legislators said they would pursue further coordination with the town and contractor and monitor school-peak hours for immediate relief.