Planning board approves wetlands permit for Oak Summit culvert replacement after public hearing

The Town of Washington Planning Board on a unanimous voice vote approved the wetlands permit needed for the Oak Summit Road culvert replacement, after a public hearing at which engineers and local residents discussed timing, detours and possible water-quality add-alternates.

Dan of Collier's Engineering summarized the project as a full replacement of the existing structure at Oak Summit Road and Cami Road with a pre-cast concrete modular structure expected to have a 75-year lifespan. He told the board that "this project is 100% state funds," that the Bridge New York grant awarded $1.5 million for construction and soft costs, and that the project must be bid by May 1, 2026 under the DOT design window.

Neighbors pressed the board on access during construction. Tim Marshall, a nearby dairy farmer, said, "not having the bridge in service would be a great inconvenience to me," describing routine farm movements of equipment and fuel. Dan acknowledged alternatives had been studied — including building a new bridge alongside the old one to maintain traffic during construction — but said the town board had selected the current replacement alternative. He repeatedly characterized the contractor schedule as uncertain and said conservatively the detour "at most may be six to eight weeks," while noting some contractors could finish much faster if their means and methods allowed.

Residents asked about temporary bridge options; the board said Bailey-type temporary bridging is possible but costly and was not programmed into the current plan. Mike Perini, another resident, asked whether any surplus in the $1.5 million grant could fund an add-alternate for a covered water-quality structure that would allow salt spreaders to be turned off under the bridge; Dan said add-alternates can be placed in the bid package but time constraints and grant requirements mean the town board must decide whether to pursue such options at its upcoming meeting.

Environmental concerns also arose: commenters asked whether guardrail materials would be galvanized or weathering steel and urged minimizing metal inputs to Sprout Creek; Dan said state-standard box-beam guide rail is planned and he would confirm specifications.

The public hearing was closed by motion, and the board approved the circulated resolution granting the wetlands permit by unanimous voice vote with no recorded roll-call in the transcript. The board and engineers said final permits from NYSDEC and the U.S. Army Corps were expected within about two months and that, if permits and bids align with estimates, construction could proceed during a single summer season.