For many years now, I have been pleading with the New York State Department of
Transportation and working with our representatives in Albany to repair and repave the
state roads that serve as major arteries in our town. In years past, a lack of funding has
been a recurring excuse for the continued cycle we have been enduring in which
potholes are temporarily filled with cold mix – only to reopen again in a matter of weeks
or less. I’m now happy to announce that NYS has finally allocated the funding to come
up with a more permanent solution to the problem, at least for NYS Routes 303 and
304. Large sections of these state roads, both in deplorable condition, will finally be
repaired.
The repair and repaving work will primarily consist of milling and filling the roadway and
resurfacing with warm-mix asphalt to extend its service life and improve the quality and
safety of the pavement. Additional concrete, road marking, and drainage repairs will
also be made when possible. On NYS Route 303, work will span from Al Foxie Way in
the Town of Orangetown all the way up to Route 9W in the Town of Clarkstown. For
Route 304, the work will stretch from West Nyack Road to Route 9W. This much-
needed project, aimed at addressing the safety and functionality of these routes, will
provide significant improvements to daily commuters and local businesses.The total
investment allocated for Route 303 is $9 million, while $16 million is slated for Route
304.
Work on both roads is set to commence this spring, with specific timelines still being
finalized. Both of these projects are significant in scope and residents should anticipate
periodic lane closures and travel delays as the work proceeds. In order to minimize
these impacts, the NYSDOT has committed to performing the bulk of the work during
the overnight periods.
In the meantime, my office continues to receive numerous calls from residents whose
cars and tires were damaged on NYS roads. To report a pothole on a NYS road, calls
can be placed to 1-800-POTHOLE. In order to file for a potential reimbursement for
repairs, a small claims form must be filled out and submitted to the appropriate regional
NYSDOT office. For damages incurred on NYS roads in Rockland, the number to call is
845-431-5750. The form itself can be found on the NYSDOT website at
www.dot.ny.gov. The maximum claim for this method is $5,000 and there are a number
of requirements for eligibility.
In addition to the pothole and road condition issues, many residents are also frustrated
over the ongoing bridge reconstruction work on the Route 304 bridge overpass at the
New York State Thruway. This work, also a project for which the state is responsible,
will recommence in the coming weeks. Phase 1 will continue to replace the decking on
the southbound lanes of Route 304 and this work is expected to be completed in the
late fall of 2026. Traffic will then be directed onto that surface and Phase 2, in which
construction of new decking on the northbound lanes, will begin. This phase is expected
to begin in the spring of 2027 and finish by the end of that year.
Again, please remember that these are NYS roads and projects over which the town
has no control. Even so, the Town of Clarkstown has been proactive in engaging with
our state representatives, local DOT contacts, and residents on all these issues.The
safety of our residents is always our top priority, and I am thankful to all our state
officials who have helped to finally get these roads addressed.
