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Sullivan County Public Works readies winter fleet, advances bridge and paving projects; recycling tonnage shifts noted
Summary
Public Works staff detailed winter preparations including brine systems and weather stations, outlined bridge and paving schedules through 2027, and reported higher cardboard tonnage but lower single-stream recycling revenue.
SULLIVAN COUNTY, N.Y. — County Public Works staff told the committee they are preparing equipment and contracts for the winter season, advancing multiple bridge and paving projects, and tracking mixed results at county recycling facilities.
Staff reported plans to install four connected weather stations across the county to give live road and precipitation data and provide text alerts for storm conditions. The department is also buying brine-making tanks and mounting brine tanks on trucks to expand pre-wetting and reduce salt use. Staff said the county calibrates truck spreaders and uses ground-speed controls to regulate pounds of salt per lane-mile.
","Nut graf: These steps aim to reduce salt consumption, improve roadway safety and control winter maintenance costs; the county also reported progress on bridge replacements and paved roads, and significant changes in recycling tonnage and revenue.
Public Works reported that pavement and striping work is about 75% complete in the current season, with County Road 32 finishing soon and planned paving on other roads next year. Major bridge projects include a replacement at Forestburg (Bridal 82) where steel girders are scheduled for September, County Bridge 121 in Parksville (materials awaited), and design work on Bridge 301 with construction slated for 2027. Several other bridges are planned for 2027 construction under state programs.
The department said guide-rail fabrication is underway for County Roads 103 and 107, shoulder embankment repair is scheduled for County Road 19 near Claryville, and County Road 121 needs armor/shoulder repair to prevent future washouts. Staff also said a contractor's striping machine failure caused some delays and that the county will extend a contract to pick up remaining striping work.
On vehicle and equipment preparation, staff said they are assembling additional skid tanks and 1,000-gallon brine tanks to expand brine application to more trucks, and are replacing aging pickups and other fleet units. The county plans a surplus auction in September for older vehicles and equipment.
Recycling and landfill operations showed mixed signs: staff said cardboard tonnage rose to about 1,000 tons year-to-date (up from ~300 tons the prior year), with a check recently received from a processor for about $13,000, while single-stream tonnage and revenue were down overall. Staff reported single-stream tonnage at roughly 1,200 tons versus an expected ~2,000 at this point in the year; year-to-date revenue was down about $250,000 and tonnage down about 20% compared with prior periods.
Staff said loading, hauling and disposal bids were received from multiple vendors and landfills; the county will continue vendor Q&A before final selections. Staff also reported outreach on alternatives, visits to other facilities (including Taylor Recycling) and discussions with partners about climate-smart certification work.
The department reminded the committee of upcoming public events: a composting seminar with Cornell on Sept. 17 and a household hazardous waste collection day on Sept. 28.
Ending: Staff said work will continue through the fall to finalize contracts, complete striping and paving, and complete winter vehicle and brine-system preparations ahead of the season.
