By Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz

An extensive road work program is planned countywide for 2023, thanks to major infrastructure investments that will be overseen by the Erie County Department of Public Works. This latest round of road projects reinforces my administration’s commitment to investing in infrastructure to help ensure residents and visitors to our region can travel safely.

This year’s investment of nearly $50 million has allowed for work crews to begin these critical projects. Over $4.7 million will be invested in mill and overlay work covering approximately 19 miles of county roads in 2023, including work in Amherst, Boston, Cheektowaga, Eden, Grand Island, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Sardinia and West Seneca.

In addition, more than 20 miles of county roads are scheduled for cold recycle and top course treatment, work that reflects a total investment of over $5.1 million. These projects include roads in Boston, Colden, Collins, Concord, Hamburg, Lancaster, Sardinia and Wales.

There also is nearly $31 million being invested in major reconstruction projects, including Borden Road in Cheektowaga, Kenmore Avenue in the Town of Tonawanda, Vermont Street in Holland, Back Creek Road in Boston, Trevett Road in Concord, East West Road in West Seneca, and various stretches of road in Cheektowaga, Tonawanda and Lancaster. Oil and chip operations will be conducted on 34 county roads, primarily in rural districts that cover nearly 75 miles. This includes roads in the towns of Elma, Newstead, Holland, Wales, Marilla, Aurora, Sardinia, Collins, Concord, North Collins, Eden, Boston, Brant and Evans.

In addition to extensive road work, bridges and culverts are on the agenda in 2023 and represent an investment of $6.3 million. Nine bridges around Erie County will see repairs this year, and two significant culverts are scheduled for replacement. We also have scheduled for the North French Road bridge in Amherst and the County Road bridge in Clarence to be bid on and replaced in 2024. I am proud of these plans to significantly invest funding in roads, bridges, and other county properties this year. I thank my colleagues in the county Legislature for their support of our infrastructure improvement plans and also ask all county residents for your patience as we work this summer on completing this robust project list.

Finally, I join everyone in honoring all of the men and women from our United States military who made the ultimate sacrifice by giving their lives to serve our country. Please take some time on Memorial Day to pay respects to all those who died while serving in the U.S. armed forces. May God bless them and their families.