By Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz
Earlier this month, I was joined by Erie County Department of Public Works Commissioner Bill Geary and other DPW personnel to review some of the work completed this year by Erie County and the contracting partners we utilize. More than 100 miles of roads were repaired in 2024 as part of the $55.8 million we earmarked for infrastructure improvements throughout the region, the most money we have ever spent in a single calendar year on road projects.
Thanks to cooperative weather, we were able to remain on track to address various roadway and engineering concerns. I thank all of our dedicated employees for helping to complete numerous projects and help our roads recover from previous years of extreme winter weather and general wear and tear.
More than 100 miles of roads were repaired this year – 10% of the county’s total road inventory – and that work included mill-and-overlay work, cold recycle and top course treatment, and oil-and-chip operations, as well as bridge and engineering projects across the county.
In addition, construction will soon be completed on the Abbott Road and Willet Road rehabilitation project that represents an investment of $6.9 million that was fully funded by Erie County. Included in that category of road rehabilitation was phase two of the project addressing Borden Road in Cheektowaga, an $8.5 million multiyear investment that is also fully county funded. Other ongoing projects include the rehabilitation of New Road in Clarence, an $8.4 million investment, and the Trevett Road slide remediation project, a $1.6 million investment in Concord. I once again thank all involved with helping to complete this necessary work before the winter weather season begins.
While the results of the 2024 presidential election may not have been what I preferred, it is clear the American people have spoken. I offer my congratulations to Donald Trump and his supporters on his victory.
What always made the United States of America different from almost every other nation is we are not of one race, religion or language, but we are bound together by a common belief that only in a democratic society can we reach our collective true potential. We have never been a nation built upon monarchs or ruling classes, but the wretched refuse cast off from somewhere else, yearning for a better life in a country founded on principles of democracy and equality. Our nation has not always lived up to its ideals, but it has persevered and has never stopped aspiring to be a more perfect union because good people have stepped up in times of crisis to ensure a better future for all.
I will continue to fight for the values of Erie County and the America I believe in. I ask all to do the same. Democracy is not a spectator sport.
We must all understand the urgency of the task before us in order to protect the bedrock principles of our republic.
I urge everyone to stay involved, stay observant, be active in your community, discuss the issues with others, and most importantly, continue to participate in the democratic process that has made our country a beacon of light to the rest of the world, hopefully creating a better nation in the process.
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