Schenectady County announced that the planned safety improvements to Nott Street near Balltown Road will begin on Monday, March 21, 2022. The project is expected to be completed by the end of September.
Carver Construction, Inc. is expected to operate at the location Monday to Friday from approximately 7am to 5pm, but hours could vary depending on what work is being done. Traffic on Nott Street is expected to remain open with intermittent lane closures for construction equipment to move around the site or during paving operations. Businesses will have pedestrian access during normal hours of operation. Sidewalk pouring is expected to take place at night using high strength, early-setting concrete, so they will be accessible in the morning, minimizing disruption to businesses and shoppers.
“Our friends and neighbors really stepped up during the pandemic to support local businesses, including those located in the Nott Street business corridor,” said Schenectady County Legislator Michelle Ostrelich. “While the area may look closed off during construction, residents and visitors alike can rest assured that their favorite shops will still be open throughout this 4-phase process. We’ve worked with the contractor to identify ways to minimize impact on businesses and shoppers while this transformative project takes shape.”
“This transformative project will make the Nott Street corridor a safer, more inviting place to visit— creating wider sidewalks, curb cuts, and an additional crosswalk to make the area more accessible for all of our residents,” said Schenectady County Legislator Sara Mae Pratt. “I’d like to thank all of the business owners, community members, and the Town of Niskayuna for their input on this important project. It was truly a collaborative effort.”
“This strip is an important part of the surrounding neighborhood, the Town of Niskayuna and the County,” said Schenectady County Legislator Cathy Gatta. “We’re so excited to announce the start of this project that will improve the look and feel of this busy intersection while making it more business and shopper-friendly.”
Project Phases
The project will be broken down into 4 phases:
Phase 1 will shift traffic north a few feet towards the business plaza and the new Nott Street alignment will be constructed to the south between Balltown Road and Clifton Park Road. This work will include building the new road, constructing the new sidewalks and curbs as well as paving and striping the CO-OP parking lot.
Phase 2 will shift Nott Street traffic onto the new highway alignment and work will begin on the front of the businesses. The western half of the parking lot between the CO-OP and Clifton Park Road will be constructed, including sidewalk work, stamped concrete and curbing.
Phase 3 will include moving the business parking onto the completed Phase 2 section and the reconstruction of the parking lot in front of the CO-OP, which includes sidewalk work, stamped concrete and curbing between the CO-OP and Balltown Road.
Phase 4 includes the final top course of paving over the entire project area, sign installation, striping, and site restoration.
The phase schedule is subject to change.
Project Background
Schenectady County was awarded a federal grant from the Highway Safety Improvement Program for the design and construction of the safety improvements near the intersection of Nott Street and Balltown Road in the Town of Niskayuna in December of 2016. The Highway Safety Improvement is a core federal-aid program that provides funding for safety projects on any publicly owned roadway to reduce fatal and serious injury crashes. Schenectady Metroplex Development Authority (Metroplex) pledged matching funds of $250,000 to bring the project to fruition.
During the preliminary design of this project in the spring of 2019, the County, with the assistance of engineering consultants, met with representatives from affected businesses and held a public meeting at Niskayuna Town Hall. Further design modifications were made after careful consideration of the comments received and numerous additional follow-up meetings.
Legislators from District 3 met with business owners, town leaders and neighbors throughout the process to ensure the needs of the community were addressed in the final design while still focusing on vehicle and pedestrian safety.
The final design includes wide sidewalks on both sides of the street, removal of steps in the sidewalk closest to the buildings, angled parking with a raised curb to separate parked cars from traffic lanes, clear parking pattern requiring one-way entrance and forward-facing exit from the angled parking spots, an additional crosswalk as well as improved visibility for the crosswalks, island reconfiguration, and relocation of the bus stop.
Funding
The total project cost, including design, inspection and construction is $1,534,162.
- Metroplex is contributing $250,000 of the construction costs;
- The federal government is reimbursing 90% of the remaining project costs;
- NYS is reimbursing 7.5% of the remaining project costs; and
- Schenectady County will cover the remaining share.