Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz was joined today by Village of Williamsville Mayor Dan DeLano and members of the Village Board of Trustees, Town of Amherst Supervisor Brian Kulpa and members of the Amherst Town Board, Commissioner of Public Works William Geary, and Williamsville residents on Garrison Road in Williamsville to note ongoing road work there and announce that the Village of Williamsville will be taking ownership of the road from Erie County once the work is complete. Primarily residential in character, Garrison Road runs between Main Street and Wehrle Drive and is slightly more than one-half mile long.

“Erie County has over 1,200 center lane miles of roads, and a significant part of that inventory is shorter roads, such as Garrison, that really should be owned and maintained by the municipalities they are in,” said Erie County Executive Mark C. Poloncarz. “Our Highway Department repairs the road and then Erie County turns the ownership of it over to the Village. In this way the county road inventory can be lessened, which will allow for greater focus on more heavily-traveled routes, while at the same time municipalities can take ownership of roads that truly should have been theirs all along.”

Williamsville Mayor Dan DeLano expressed his thanks for the cooperation and efforts of county officials, including County Poloncarz, Public Works Commissioner William Geary, and Deputy Commissioner of Highways Charlie Sickler, and all DPW staff. DeLano noted that with the agreement in place the village will have the authority to prevent widening of Garrison Road, adding that village residents are adamantly opposed to any project that widens Garrison.

"This is a win-win for both sides. The county has one less road to maintain and we receive the amenities, including a right-turn lane extension, curb extension, and a flashing beacon at the crosswalk of Park Drive,” said Mayor DeLano. “Also, with our ownership of the road, we have the ability to prevent Garrison Road from ever being widened."

DeLano also noted that Williamsville's agreement with Erie County addresses critical drainage issues on Garrison, which will be alleviated through the installation of a well placed in the vicinity of Oakgrove Drive. "We look forward to ending these drainage issues for the benefit of the Garrison Road neighborhood and the community," DeLano added.

Classified as a minor arterial road, Garrison carries approximately 8,750 vehicles per day. 8 side streets tie into Garrison. Work being done on Garrison includes a mill and overlay of the existing roadway from Willowbrook Drive to within 100 feet of Main Street, equaling 2362 lineal feet of two lane roadway.

ADA-compliant sidewalk curb ramps are being installed at all intersecting side streets (Willowbrook Drive, Castle Creek, Oakgrove Drive, Scott Drive and Park Drive), and two rapid flashing pedestrian beacons will be installed at the Park Drive intersection with Garrison Road in addition to a realignment of the crosswalk there. Work on Garrison is expected to conclude by Friday July 27.

Commissioner of Public Works William Geary said, “Garrison Road is a good example of cooperation and doing what is best for the residents. Amherst now has a fully repaired road with new parking, new striping and crosswalk markings, and improved drainage. Transferring the road from Erie County to the Village of Williamsville makes sense for all involved.”

For more information:

On the Erie County Department of Public Works, visit http://www2.erie.gov/dpw/