Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transportation Infrastructure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Public opposition surrounds Basin Road bridge plan; Legislature refers proposal back to committee
Summary
Dozens of public commenters addressed Resolution No. 451, which would remove the U&D railroad bridge over Basin Road and replace it with an active-transportation bridge. After robust public comment, the Legislature voted to refer the resolution back to the Housing & Transportation Committee.
A contentious item at the Nov. 18 Ulster County Legislature meeting was Resolution No. 451, a proposal authorizing removal of the railroad bridge over Basin Road on the Ulster & Delaware (U&D) Railroad Corridor to allow large construction vehicles to pass and to replace the structure with an active-transportation bridge connecting to the Ashokan Rail Trail.
During the public comment period the clerk’s list recorded 24 speakers; large numbers of those who signed up addressed Resolution No. 451 specifically. The public-comment roster includes multiple individuals listed as opposed to Resolution No. 451 (for example: Meg Carey, Larry Roth, Russ Bonk, Mathew Lundy, Heather Lundy, Helen K. Chase, Steve Peruso, Harrison Balduf, Tim Kelly, Karl Beard, Maryanne Moughan and Sherret Chase) and several listed in support (for example: Janet Rigoux-O’Shea, Susan Auchincloss, Patty Goodwin, Dominick Mercurio and Betsy Blair). The record shows the body recessed at 8:35 PM and reconvened at 8:40 PM.
On the floor, Legislator Collins moved and Legislator Grene seconded a motion to refer Resolution No. 451 back to the Housing & Transportation Committee; that referral motion carried 20–0 (Absent: Legislators Kitchen, Maloney and Uchitelle). The meeting record notes the referral and that the committee will take the item up for further consideration; the record does not include verbatim statements of each public commenter.
The resolution's text, as listed in the agenda, framed the removal and replacement as intended to allow movement of large construction and delivery vehicles while creating an active-transportation connection; opponents and supporters in public comment registered competing views on impacts to the Catskill Mountain Railroad Corridor and local traffic and access. Referring the item back to committee pauses any immediate action and directs additional committee review and possible amendment before the Legislature considers it again.
