Village confirms street paving plan for this year; sidewalk enforcement to increase

The Village of Rhinebeck told residents June 10 that several streets, including North Forest/Enoch and North Parkes, are on this year’s paving priority list and that crews plan patching and targeted repaving while they refine final costs and contractor quotes.

The announcement came during public comment, when resident Scott asked about paving on North Forest/Enoch. Kyle (superintendent of public works) responded that “North Forest Enoch is on our list. It's on our list to do this year,” and that the village has received multiple sets of quotes and is working to determine the final scope.

Trustees heard that the village sought estimates for 18 streets, and staff have prioritized the list to tackle the worst sections first. The village said it aims to advance enough work this year to put the village on a three‑year schedule to bring streets up to standard. Staff also said a rebid came in with printing glitches and mismatched numbers, so trustees tabled formal award decisions for about two weeks while staff verify the figures.

Board members and commenters pressed for at least localized repairs where roads are breaking up. One resident described sweeping “two or three pails of loose gravel every week,” calling the loose surface a nuisance and a safety concern; the superintendent said the bid packages include patching and targeted cut‑out repairs in addition to larger paving work.

The board also linked the road conversation to sidewalks and property‑owner responsibility. Brandy (staff member) said the village has begun stronger enforcement of property‑owner obligations for sidewalks and has increased code‑enforcement officer hours to cover at least three days a week. Brandy and other trustees noted that houses changing hands present enforcement opportunities: outstanding building or certificate-of-occupancy issues can be raised at time of sale.

Staff described timing constraints tied to state contractor schedules and CHIPS funds: tentative project starts are planned for October, with plant closures in November narrowing the window for certain work. Trustees discussed the tradeoffs of starting in late fall versus waiting until more favorable weather and emphasized patching and safety work in the interim.

The discussion closed with staff pledging to present a verified cost list at the next board meeting and to return with a recommended project schedule and street list for trustee approval.