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A $1.5 million construction project to repair and reinforce Market Street in Glasco, Ulster County, has commenced. The project aims to rectify the damage caused by erosion down a 40-foot embankment, which led to the loss of a 300-foot section of the road. The road has been deteriorating since the closure of the brickyards in Glasco in the 1950s, and the problem has accelerated in recent years. The project is expected to be completed by spring, depending on the weather conditions.
The project involves three components to prevent future problems. First, 15-foot trenches will be dug and ten drains installed along Market Street to lower the water table. Second, a part of Market Street will be lowered by three feet, and the removed material will be used to build up the "toe" of the slope. This is expected to reduce the artesian pressure that is causing sections of the road to collapse. Lastly, the project will straighten Market Street, which has moved over the years due to ongoing erosion. The plan is to return Market Street to its original configuration from the 1920s.
The project is being funded through borrowed money, to be paid back over 15 or 20 years. The actual construction cost is estimated at $1.27 million, with an additional ten percent of the cost added for contingency. If the contingency is not used, the total cost of the project would be reduced to $1.4 million.
The project is being overseen by Town Highway Superintendent Raymond Mayone, who told the Daily Freeman, "Construction has started and depending on the weather we hope to have it completed by spring. If we have a bad winter it could be a little longer."