MEDIA RELEASE

FOR THE WEEK OF APRIL 21, 2008

CONTACT: JOSHUA SLAUGHTER
    Office:  (631) 852-1300
Cell:  (631) 456-1718
 Email: Joshua.Slaughter@suffolkcountyny.gov

MONTAUK HIGHWAY IS ONE STEP CLOSER TO SEWER LINE

Browning Calls for Addition of Much-Needed Infrastructure in Reconstruction
of County Road 80, Legislation to Transfer Money Needed into Highway Project

Hauppauge, NY – Today Legislator Kate Browning (WF-Shirley) secured the vote of the Public Works and Transportation Committee to have Introductory Resolution 1186-08 come before the full legislature for a vote on April 29th. This resolution would transfer $3 million towards sewer infrastructure along Montauk Highway in Shirley and Mastic. Construction for this project is slated to begin in the spring of 2009, and has been a major need in the community for over a decade.

The reconstruction of Montauk Highway went through an intense round of public hearings back in 2004, 2005, and 2006. During that process, business owners along Montauk Highway expressed the need for sewers, as well civic leaders in the community. When Legislator Browning was elected in November of 2005, she vowed to move the project forward. Lengthy debate over how the road was to be constructed had delayed the process and the community wanted progress.

As the capital project moved forward, it was brought to Browning’s attention that there were not enough funds allocated for sewer lines. Legislator Browning immediately introduced I.R. 1186-08 to transfer the necessary funds into the project, so sewer lines could be included in the designs.

“This bill will allow the county to include sewer lines in the plans, so our business district along Montauk Highway can begin to thrive, and also so these businesses will stop contributing to the problems in the Forge River,” said Browning.

If these monies aren’t added to the project, and sewers are abandoned at this time, the cost to the taxpayers down the road will be substantial. The same sewer lines would cost $4.6 million in ten years and $5.7 million in fifteen years. These figures don’t include the cost of tearing up the road again, or the disruption to businesses that would result if the county had to go back later on.

“It’s fiscally responsible to lay the sewer lines now while the road is open for the reconstruction,” Browning continued. “I am planning for the future of this community, which is something that wasn’t done in the past here. It makes sense for the taxpayers and it falls in line with the creation a sewer district.”