Temporary Road Planned For New Hempstead Road

The New Hempstead Road reconstruction has moved into its next phase – flattening out the “S” curve on the hilly portion of the east-west thoroughfare.

Rockland County Highway Department Capital Projects Manager Joe Pyzowski said the contractor is working on the temporary road.

“They’re going to be building a temporary road from Little Tor Road to the highway department building,” he said.  “They’re building it right now. It’s a way to stage the work.” 

Pyzowski said the advantage of the temporary road is that traffic will continue to flow in both directions.  With two lanes available, there will not be delays caused by alternating traffic. Paving of part of the temporary road already began near Little Tor Road. 

Once the temporary road is completed, construction work will be concentrated on the north side of  Barriers will be installed and Pyzowski anticipates the new traffic pattern will be in use by mid January.  Digging is under way to lower the road on the northern side by 10 feet, which will help to alleviate the sharpness of the curve.

“The severe ‘S” curve will be much flatter,” said Pyzowski.

In the meantime, asbestos removal is scheduled for the former county clerk’s building. 

“Once the asbestos is out, that building will come down in a few days,” he said, adding by early January the white, one-story structure will be gone.

Other aspects of the 28-month-long, $28.5 million reconstruction project are moving along.  Stonework is being added to the walls of the Demarest Kill Bridge, which was completed in November.  The final concrete work on Little Tor Road is being finished.  New Hempstead Road west of Little Tor Road will be graded and so the large number of traffic barriers can be removed.

The schedule for the construction is through this week only instead of the usual two-week cycle.

• Little Tor Road west side sheeting and pour walls – Dec. 19 to Dec. 23
• Backfill Little Tor Road west side wall – Dec. 19 to Dec. 23
• Gas main from Little Tor Road to Main Street – Dec. 19 to Dec. 23
• Drain and wall prep work – Dec. 19 to Dec 23.

The contractor, Montesano Bros, Inc. of New Rochelle, will shut down work on the project from Monday, Dec. 26 through Friday, Dec. 30.  It is scheduled to resume Monday, Jan. 2, 2012.