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Widening and Paving Old Albany Post Road Not a Solution to Flooding
Letter Reprinted at the Request of the Writer Original Sent to: Robert Tranter Regional Environmental Officer, FEMA Dear Mr. Tranter:
Pursuant to the Public Notice in the Putnam County News and Recorder on June 18, 2008, I am writing to comment on the proposal for mitigation funding to the Town of Philipstown for improvements to a section of Old Albany Post Road.
The current plan of widening and paving a portion of Old Albany Post Road is not a solution to the flooding that occurred during the storms of April 2007. In fact, it would probably worsen the situation since the velocity of water is greater on a paved surface.
Furthermore, the reason for the flooding is not sufficiently addressed in the current plan. The highway department paved a portion of another road in Garrison, Avery Road, claiming that this would solve the erosion problem. The result is that more material is entering the stream!
As a member of the Philipstown Roads Committee from 1994 to 1997, we produced a report for the town based on careful study and research, which included invaluable resource material as well as an engineering report by Gary Woods, P.E. Recommendations for drainage and construction were made for all roads in Philipstown, both paved and gravel roads.
We looked at maintenance and rehabilitation, cost, safety, environmental impacts and scenic preservation. The committee submitted interim reports to the Town Board on an ongoing basis.
Though the report was not fully completed, since the Town eventually gave us a deadline, we had hoped that this report would be useful as a basis for further study.
In actuality the report has been largely ignored. I believe that the major problem with our roads is that we do not have neither proper nor adequate drainage. This is certainly the case on the Old Albany Post Road, among others. Drainage solutions and maintenance are addressed in the roads report and I suggest that the FEMA request a copy from the Philipstown Clerk.
Grading the roads and then leaving loose soil on the sides of the road, as practiced by the highway department, only leads to soil erosion and wasted materials. Allowing improper driveways to be built causes soil erosion onto our roads.
Widening roads so that trucks and cars can easily speed down our dirt roads is not a solution, but a safety hazard and waste of taxpayer's dollars. We need site specific engineering and need to implement proper drainage, construction and road materials, and need to compact the surface material after grading. Erosion controls also need to be implemented.
As a member of the Roads Committee, I was responsible for the chapter on Scenic Preservation. I believe that the proposed work would adversely affect the historic significance of the road. The cause of flooding on Old Albany Post Road needs to be addressed. Paving and widening the road is not the solution to flooding.
Barbara DeSilva
Philipstown
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