Knickerbocker Project Archive

E-mail updates specific to the Knickerbocker Road project are available to all interested individuals. Please send your request to Paul Schenkel with “knickerbocker update subscription” in the subject line. Updates will be sent as the project enters new phases. Alerts will be issued if scheduled work will affect normal routines of residents, pedestrians, or motorists.

If you have questions or concerns about this project, please call the town's Department of Public Works at (585) 248-6250 or e-mail Paul Schenkel.

Project update 10/30/09
This project is on schedule. Decking has been placed and asphalt should be going down shortly. Expect traffic to be open in both directions very soon.

Project update 9/11/09

After a bunch of hard work, they were able to complete the paving of the stone area near Carter's Grove  phase ahead of schedule.  Starting next week they will begin to rebuild the intersection of Van Cortland Drive and Knickerbocker Road.  Van Cortland will have to be shut down to all traffic between Knickerbocker and Old Farm Circle until sometime on Wednesday.  Please enter via Stuyvesant Road.
 
Progress on topsoil restoration has been going well.  Most of the areas that have been completed have already been hydroseeded.

Project Update 8/17/09
Work continues. Highway Department crews are in the process of restoring asphalt to all the driveways and private drives. Now that all the concrete gutter and curb are in place they have also been starting the topsoil restoration. As I am sure you have already noticed, the sidewalk is starting to take shape. Shortly crews will be laying down the asphalt surface. The weather has not agreed with us lately. We are looking at completing much of the work by mid September. Two way traffic will continue for a few more weeks.  

Project update 7/1/09
On July 8th, workers will be onsite recycling the existing asphalt.  At that time, the road will once again become one way from Stuyvesant to Jefferson Road.  Starting July 7th, the north side of the road from #103 to the start of the Knickerbocker Farm and from Knickerbocker Farm stand down to Jefferson Road will be prepped for new concrete gutter.  Those homes affected will be notified in person.  Also the week of July 13th, Knickerbocker Road will be closed except to local traffic and emergency vehicles between Van Cortland and Jefferson Road.  Crews will be completing the final grade and paving the stone portion adjacent to Carters Grove.

Project update 3/18/09
The recent stretch of good weather has been a tremendous asset for our crews working on the Knickerbocker Road project. If the weather holds, we could be done sooner than the projected completion date of the end of July. We realize that this has caused a little confusion with our road closure plan and we apologize for any inconvenience that we may have caused. We have been trying to get as much work done as possible, while the weather cooperates.
We are now to the point were we need to put into place our long term road closure / detour plan. Starting Thursday 3/19/09, until further notice, we will restrict Knickerbocker Road to one way from Jefferson Road to Van Cortland Drive on weekends and non-work days. Vehicles will only be able to travel in the westbound direction or up the hill.  However, for the safety of our crews, that stretch of road will be closed to all traffic except for residents in the area of Carters Grove, schools buses, and emergency vehicles on weekdays during the hours of 7:30AM and 3PM. We hope this will not be for more than a few weeks and we will be sure to notify residents any time this should change or if there are periodic times that the road can be open during working hours.

We are currently installing catch basins and storm sewer pipe near the intersection of Jefferson Road. The large disturbance that you might have seen below Carters Grove was from us dredging an existing detention pond that was there so we can increase its capacity to hold water during storm events. You can expect that any larger area that we excavate will be replanted with additional trees when the restoration takes place.

As a reminder, these improvements are necessary so that we can address water quality not just the quantity, as required by the NYS-DEC..

Project update 3/04/09
The weather has been cooperative for getting some of the off-site drainage improvements complete. The storm water area opposite East Street near the Little League fields is complete. Town crews will be seeding it once the spring weather has arrived.

We have now re-concentrated our efforts to just below Knickerbocker Road adjacent to Jefferson Road. Currently, stone rip-rap is being installed to help slow down water that will be coming from the drainage improvements on Knickerbocker Road. Over the coming days, a 24-inch pipe will be placed from the state's land, up the hill, to just opposite Carters Grove. A swale is also being added along the old Auburn Trail that will collect water from the retention pond below Carters Grove. Once these features are complete we can begin construction adjacent to the road again.

Project update 02/09/09
For the most part, the Town reached its goal last fall with the reconstruction of Knickerbocker Road between Mendon Road and the top of the hill. Restoration work (grass seeding) will resume first thing this spring.

Currently, we are working on storm sewers on the Jefferson Road side of Knickerbocker Road. This kind of project typically begins at the lowest point and works uphill. Over the coming weeks we will be placing a 24-inch pipe from the flat area to the shoulder of Knickerbocker Road just opposite Carters Grove. During this phase there should be very little or no disruption to traffic.

Some of you have probably noticed the work underway on the NYS Canal Corporation land adjacent to Rt. 96. Many of today's construction projects require that you not only address the quantity of storm water runoff but also the quality. Prior to the runoff discharging into a water body such as the Erie Canal, the silt and other particulate needs an opportunity to settle out. The construction that you see is a storm water feature that does just that.

Project update 10/28/08
After a few delays, Knickerbocker Road is now open in both directions. The town's Public Works crews are busy finishing projects before we switch over to exclusively picking up leaves. Crews will continue with top soil restoration until weather no longer allows it. Once the corn is harvested, the Highway Department will final grade the north side of the road and will prepare for replacement of the asphalt sidewalk. As a reminder, once we have completed our leaf pickup we hope to again start work throughout the winter months. Those activities should be minimal in disruption and not alter traffic flow.

Project update 9/24/08
Progress is going well with our improvements to Knickerbocker Road. The weather has been working in our favor. Crews will be completing the excavation necessary for the new concrete gutter on the south side of the road. Hynes Concrete should be on-site on Friday, 9/26, to pour the new gutter. Residents affected will receive notice before they temporarily lose driveway use. Next week, 9/29 - 10/3, we will be concentrating on preparation for paving. Each intersection will be milled to correct grade for when the final asphalt is applied. During the week of 10/6, a binder coarse of asphalt will be applied with the final coarse following just after with an expected completion date by Friday, 10/10.

Restoration is on-going. You probably noticed 3 large holes near Mendon Road. They were dug so that we can fill with better organic material to help with the success of the 3 trees that will be placed there. Slowly, crews will be placing topsoil along the new gutter and will eventually seed. Once the corn has been harvested on the north side of the road, we will finish restoration including the replacement sidewalk, should weather permit.

One-way traffic will continue until shortly after Friday, 10/10, when we will reopen lanes in both directions.

Project update 8/27/08
Westbound travel on Knickerbocker Road has been restored. Crews will be working over the next couple of weeks installing the new storm sewer system. Starting on Thursday, 8/28, and roughly every 2 working days thereafter, there will be temporary closures (7AM - 3PM) while crews lay pipe across the road. Each night the road should be re-opened to westbound traffic.

Project Update 08/22/08
A binder coarse of asphalt was applied today for the new realigned portion of Knickerbocker Road. On Monday, 8/25, crews will be put down the top coarse. Now that the portion between the stream and the top of the hill (house no. 103) has had it's asphalt recycled and reapplied, our crews can begin the installation of storm sewers and concrete gutter. A road crossing for a new sewer pipe has been scheduled for Tuesday, 8/26. You can expect that the road will be reopened to westbound traffic starting on Wednesday, 8/27. Periodic daytime closures between 7:00 AM and 3:00 PM will follow for the next couple of weeks.

Project Update 8/12/08
The equipment, referred to as a "train," that will recycle and re-pave the asphalt between the stream and the top of the hill (house #103) is scheduled to arrive Wednesday morning, 8/13; the ensuing work should not pose much of a disruption to traffic. The pouring of the new concrete gutter between Mendon Road and the stream is postponed until this Thursday, 8/14. Paving of the new re-aligned portion is on schedule the middle of next week.

Project Update 08/07/08
Progress continues to go well on the realignment portion of the project at the intersection of Mendon Road.  With the stone in place, you can start to get a feel for where the new road surface will go. Now that Rochester Gas &  Electric have completed their work at relocating the support guide wires for the utility pole on the corner we can finish our excavation of the new intersection. We had hoped to be able to allow traffic back on the stone base and to open up the westbound lane, but unfortunately with the amount of rain we have been having we are asking for your patience while the area dries prior to paving.

On Monday, 8/11, one of our contractors will be on site to mill, recycle and repave the asphalt road surface between the stream and the top of the hill (house #103). They use an incredible piece of equipment referred to as a train. It is a sight to see should you be interested. It might seem premature to place the asphalt surface down but by doing this first it will assist crews at determining the level for the new gutters and catch basins. This process should take only a day, weather permitting, and will have minimal impact on traffic. Please follow the direction of the flagmen on site.

On Wednesday, 8/13, the new concrete gutters will be poured between Mendon Road and the stream.  After almost a week of curing, we will then quickly pave the binder coarse of asphalt over the stone base.  Our hope is that by Wednesday, 8/19, westbound traffic will be open again. 

Your continued patience is appreciated and we again remind you to be courteous to your neighbors on Jordan Road should you be cutting through.

Project Update 7/30/08
Progress on Knickerbocker Road is going very well; we are already ahead of where we thought we would be. Installation of the new storm sewer system between the stream and Mendon Road is now complete.

Being ahead of schedule brings us that much closer to our next road closure. Unfortunately, there needs to be opportunity for us to tie the new road alignment into Mendon Road. Crews have begun preparing for the base of the new road surface. They have excavated deep enough so that they can fill and compact the area with stone. Starting on Friday, 8/1 crews will be working at the intersection of Mendon Road; it will be necessary for the road to be closed in both directions until Friday, 8/8. Also during that week, new concrete gutters will be poured from Mendon Road to just before the stream. Those gutters take approximately 1 week to cure so the road will reopen to westbound traffic but vehicles will be traveling on stone for that short istance. When we are confident that the gutters have cured, there will be a short 2-day closure while we apply the binder course of asphalt. These dates are always subject to change based on weather and ur progress.

We are trying our best to be sure Knickerbocker Road is always passable. We appreciate your patience during temporary closures. We will keep you up-to-date as milestone dates near. As always please be ourteous when cutting through Jordan Road.

Project Update 7/23/08
Work continues on the Mendon Road side of the project. Crews have removed soil for the re-aligned road and stock piled materials adjacent to the stream. The old storm sewer was removed last week; yesterday morning a combined crew from our Sewer and Highway Departments began installing the new catch basins and pipe. They will be working from the stream uphill toward Mendon Road. The westbound lane has also been removed. Survey crews have been on-site locating the new centerline of the road as well as the catch basin locations. Storm sewer work will continue for the rest of the week. The eastbound lane closure continues between Mendon Road and Jordan Road.

Project Update 7/16/08
Beginning this week through the remainder of the summer, Knickerbocker Road will be closed to eastbound traffic from Mendon Road (Rt. 64) to Stuyvesant Road. Posted detour will be from Mendon Road to Thornell Road to East Street back to Jefferson Road (Rt. 96). Westbound traffic from Jefferson Road to Mendon Road will always be maintained.