Construction on Rte. 219
Is Our Money Slip Slidin’ Away?
by Lois Ann Zendarski (09/12/2008)
Dubbed by some as the “Springville bypass road”, the construction of the 219 expansion was to have been the link between Springville and Salamanca, eventually reaching Interstate 86 in the Southern Tier. However, the project is coming up against numerous problems. Serious landslides and redesigning of the road have made the project go $20M over budget.
What began as a 4.2-mile extension of Route 219 from Route 39 in Springville to Peters Road in Ashford costing an estimated $86M has now gone over budget by an estimated $20M. The extension would consist of 2 lanes each—northbound and southbound roads and includes 11 bridges. Two of the bridges will be 705-foot span arch bridges over the Cattaraugus Creek gorge. However, due to landslides, the road design had to be altered. Measurements taken show the landslide area to be very deep, about 100 feet below the surface.
The landslide is located on Scoby Hill Road, alongside the primary work area. However, this is not a new finding. Landslide issues in the project area were noted as far back as 2007. The NYDOT changed plans and opted to lower the proposed new road surface instead of installing a bridge over Scoby Hill. A bridge over the Scoby Hill area would have a potential of structural distress. Embankment material that had been placed on the Scoby Hill area was removed to alleviate soil pressure. Apparently the action was not quick enough to avoid the landslide problem that is plaguing the project, causing an area resident’s home to separate from its foundation, making it uninhabitable.
According to Kathy Konst, (D) District 5 Erie Co. Legislator’s website, “There are studies that were completed, as part of the West Valley Demonstration Project in 1979, that refer to the area where the landslide occurred as ‘landslides, slumps.’ In a phone interview, Legislator Konst said, “ The NYSDOT did not take this into consideration when it was designing the project.” She said that they did improper follow-up with regard to technological and geological reports. They, (NYSDOT), missed key reports about unstable ground with the potential for landslides. They could have realigned the road costing considerably less money.
Ms. Konst is concerned about emergency vehicles being unable to reach residents at the base of Scoby Hill. She is also concerned about the dangerous conditions in the area and at Scoby Hill Park as well as liability issues. She would prefer the DOT not be in the county park.
The NYSDOT told the county legislature that they would restore the park to a better condition.
Surveyors from Foit-Albert, an engineering firm from Buffalo has been taking measurements with regard to ground movement to determine if the placement of embankment material was helping with the slumping. Representatives from Foit-Albert could not be reached for comment.
Madeline Koliwaske, a 51-year resident of Scoby Hill Road watched as her home slowly began slumping. She began noticing cracks in her yard in 2007 after the state removed some trees. She also noted cracks across the road from her home. The cracks became deeper crevices.
On August 22, 2008, a well was drilled to insert cables into the ground to monitor the movement of the earth around her home. The State deemed her home not safe in which to live. She received a formal letter telling her she needed to leave her house. Her belongings were packed up and she is now staying in a local motel. She is now waiting to find out how long she’ll be displaced.
Mrs. Koliwaske feels that the project is a result of poor planning and that the State will not listen to residents. She asks, “Do they know for sure that they can go through with the project?
Although it is difficult, she tries to keep her spirits up by helping others and not dwelling things. She hopes for a quick resolution to her present living arrangements.
Merle Harvey owns Harvey’s Farm Market & Greenhouses on Route 219 in Springville near Scoby Hill. His property and his business are in jeopardy due to the landslide behind his business. He said that the state was ill prepared to begin this project, as there was not enough in-depth knowledge. Mr. Harvey said that the bank is unstable. Water is still being drained from the area, filtered and then drained into the creek. He is concerned that water he relies on for his business will dry up. NYDOT cannot assure him that it won’t. He said that it is a “no win situation for politicians, they are between a rock and a hard place. They sure have challenges.”
At this point he is unsure as to how things will eventually work out. But, through it all, he tries to keep things into perspective. He jokingly will tell that dealing with the State is, “like crawling into a cage with an 800 pound gorilla.”
Others have experienced water loss and more homes are being affected by this project. Legislator Konst said the NYSDOT told her that it would cost too much to derail the project.
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