Medina mayor worries detour from 104 bridge project will damage village streets

MEDINA – Mayor Mike Sidari is concerned that redirected traffic from Route 104 through the village will result in damage to village streets.

The state Department of Transportation has hired a contractor, Union Concrete and Construction Corp. of West Seneca, to replace a bridge on Route 104 over Oak Orchard Creek. The bridge will be closed to traffic beginning April 26 and the new bridge is expected to open in early September.

Traffic will be re-routed to routes 63 in Medina and 98 in Albion and then to Route 31.

Sidari on Friday sent a letter to the DOT and the contractor, saying he is concerned the additional large vehicles, such as tractor trailers and farm tractors pulling implements, that will be using Route 63 heading north through the village. He worries the larger vehicles may go over a curb and onto grass and a sidewalk at the intersection West Avenue and Prospect.

“Also, with the extra several hundred cars and trucks a day driving on Rout 63 which is owed and maintained by the Village I believe there may be damage to our village streets,” Sidari wrote in his letter.

He asked for the DOT to record the portion of Rt. 63 that is owned maintained by the village of Medina, as well as the intersection of West Avenue and Prospect, to show the condition before the detour.

“At the end of the project any damages done because of the detour (should) be repaired to the specs of the Village of Medina DPW Superintendent,” Sidari wrote.

The mayor a portion of the state-owned section of 63 in the village – from the Oak Orchard Bridge to Village line east – “is in deplorable condition.”

“With the extra heavy traffic the pavement will break down considerably more which can result in vehicles going out of control,” Sidari wrote. “The NYSDOT must come out and inspect that section and make temporary repairs (before and during bridge work) as well as milling and paving once the bridge project is completed.”