Tompkins County Highway crew working at various sites

    Tompkins County Highway Division

    Tompkins County Public Works
    Highway Division
    170 Bostwick Road
    Ithaca, NY  14850
    Phone: 607-274-0300
    Fax: 607-272-8489
     Click to e-mail the Highway Office.

           Summer Schedule Hours:
    6:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday - Thursday (Field Staff)
    6:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday - Thursday & 6:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., Friday (Office)

           Winter Schedule Hours:
    6:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m., Monday - Friday (Field Staff)
    6:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m., Monday - Friday (Office)

    (Closed Weekends and Holidays)


    Scroll down for Road Preservation Law.

    For RPL permit information, call Jerry Stern, at (607) 274-0320, or e-mail permits@tompkins-co.org.


    Up-to-Date:

    Road Projects in Tompkins County

    Bridge Projects in Tompkins County


    BID DOCUMENTS - HANSHAW ROAD RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT

    SPECIFICATIONS

    PLANS

    ADDENDUM #1

    ADDENDUM #2


    ROAD/BRIDGE CLOSING(S):

    Bridge - Red Mill Road Bridge - NO THROUGH TRAFFIC

    Dates - Thursday, December 8, 2005 - indefinitely.

    Time - Beginning at 3:30 p.m. on 12/8.

    Reason - Unsafe for vehicular and/or pedestrian traffic.
     
     

    Bridge - Groton City Road Bridge - NO THROUGH TRAFFIC

    Dates - Tuesday, April 10, 2012 - indefinitely.

    Time - Beginning at 3:30 p.m. on 4/10.

    Reason - Unsafe for vehicular and/or pedestrian traffic.
     
     

    Bridge - West Seneca Road Bridge - NO THROUGH TRAFFIC *

    Dates - Monday, May 6, 2013 - Tuesday, September 3, 2013**.

    Time - Beginning at 7:00 a.m. on 5/6 - 4:00 p.m. on 9/3.

    Reason - Bridge replacement.

    * Curry Road intersection will be closed during bridge closure.

    ** Opening date subject to change.
     
     

    Road - Coddington Road - NO THROUGH TRAFFIC

    Dates - Monday, July 8, 2013 - Thursday, August 29, 2013.

    Time - Beginning at 6:00 a.m. on 7/8 - 4:30 p.m. on 8/29.

    Reason - Road culvert replacement extension and road rebuild.
     


    PUBLIC MEETING(S):

    NONE SCHEDULED AT THIS TIME.

    Regarding

    When

    Where

    Links -
     


    Coddington Road Information:
    Links - click on: "Road Projects in Tompkins County" (above), "Coddington Road (Design)", "Coddington Road Final Design Report"

    Hanshaw Road Information:
    Links - click on: "Road Projects in Tompkins County" (above), "Hanshaw Road (Design)", "Hanshaw Road Project"

     

    ROAD PRESERVATION LAW:

    NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF STATE
    41 STATE STREET
    ALBANY, NY 12231
    Local Law Filing

    County of Tompkins

    Local Law No. 1 of the year 2011
    A local law Amending the County Code in Relation to Road Preservation by Temporarily Excluding
    Certain Traffic that would Materially Injure County Roads

    Be it enacted by the Tompkins County Legislature of the County of Tompkins as follows:

    The County Code is amended by adding a new Chapter, which shall read as follows:

    SECTION I: FINDINGS & PURPOSE
    The Tompkins County Legislature has determined the County is facing a variety of
    impending major development efforts that may result in extraordinary, high-intensity
    traffic to and from development sites, causing significant and measurable damage to
    County Roads that jeopardizes the health and safety of residents and others who use
    those roads. Accordingly, the damage that results from high-intensity traffic must be
    anticipated, analyzed, and repaired promptly and to appropriate engineering standards.
    The Legislature has further determined that it is in the best interest of taxpayers and
    the general public to assign responsibility for the repair of damage to County Roads
    attributable to such high-intensity use, and, where necessary, for the improvement of
    County Roads to a standard appropriate for high-intensity use prior to the commence-
    ment of the activity, to those responsible for the damage rather than to all County tax-
    payers. The purpose of this law is to maintain the safety and general welfare of County
    residents by regulating heavy uses of County Roads that have the potential to adversely
    affect such roads. Well-maintained roads are important to the safety and economic well-
    being of the County and its residents.  Endeavors, such as construction, timber harvest-
    ing, mining, and natural gas drilling are also of economic interest. This law is not in-
    tended to regulate such businesses: the intent is to protect the public roads from damage.

    SECTION II: AUTHORITY
    The County is authorized to adopt this local law by Section 1650(4) of the New York State
    Vehicle and Traffic Law as well as by the Municipal Home Rule Law that authorizes the
    County to adopt local laws to protect the health and safety of its citizens.

    SECTION III: DEFINITIONS
    1. High-Frequency, High-Impact Truck Traffic: Traffic to and from a project site that
    generates more than one thousand (1,000) truck trips. For purposes of this law, a truck
    trip is a trip to or from the project site involving a truck with a gross weight of thirty
    (30) or more tons (truck and load combined). A single truck makes two truck trips if it
    meets the weight limit traveling to the project site and meets the weight limit traveling
    from the project site.
    2. Bond: A commercial bond to ensure that the condition of the County Roads is not ad-
    versely impacted by high-frequency, high-impact truck traffic. The County Legislature
    may accept an equivalent financial guarantee in lieu of bond.
    3. Bond Release: A bond release given by the County Highway Director based on satis-
    factory road conditions at completion of the high-frequency, high-impact truck traffic.
    4. Permittee: The permittee is the person responsible under this law to obtain a permit
    regardless of whether the person in fact obtains a permit. The permittee is the person
    responsible for the project generating the truck traffic. In any instance in which another
    permit is required, such as a building, drilling, or mining permit, any person who ob-
    tained any such permit or was required to obtain such other permit shall be deemed the
    permittee for purposes of this law. In the event no other permit is required, the owner
    of any property on which the activity is taking place shall be deemed the permittee for
    purposes of this law.
    5. Person: Any individual, public or private corporation, political subdivision, govern-
    ment agency, municipality, industry, co-partnership, association, firm, trust, estate, or
    any other legal entity whatsoever.
    6. Temporary Project: Any non-permanent activity that generates high-frequency, high-
    impact truck traffic on County Roads whether or not the project itself is located in the
    County.  Projects include, but are not limited to, construction projects, mining, and 
    drilling activities. With regard to projects that require another permit, such as a build-
    ing, drilling, or mining permit, all activities covered by that other permit are considered
    part of the temporary project for purposes of this law.  Agricultural operations as defined
    by New York State Agricultural District Law and the movement of agricultural products
    are excluded. Also excluded are school buses, law enforcement vehicles, fire-fighting ve-
    hicles, military vehicles, and municipal vehicles engaging in road work on behalf of
    municipalities.

    SECTION IV: GENERAL PROVISIONS
    1. The County Legislature determines that high-frequency, high-impact truck traffic assoc-
    iated with temporary projects would materially injure County Roads.
    2. Upon a determination by the County Highway Director that a temporary project may
    damage a County Highway as a result of high-impact, high-frequency truck traffic on the
    County Highway, the Highway Director shall erect signs on the appropriate sections of
    County Highways, setting forth the notice that such vehicles are excluded, and the notice
    shall also be published in the official newspaper in Tompkins County.
    3. Any permitee may apply to the County Highway Division for a permit providing for
    an appropriate exemption for the vehicles serving the temporary project. Such permit 
    shall be granted, upon appropriate terms and conditions, if the vehicles are performing
    essential local pick-up or delivery. For purposes of this law, pickup and delivery associated
    with New York State-permitted mining or gas-drilling operations shall be deemed essential
    local pickup or delivery.
    4. Any such permit shall designate the route(s) to be traversed and contain other reason-
    able restrictions or conditions deemed necessary by the County Highway Director. The
    conditions may include, but not be limited to, requiring the permittee to make road im-
    provements to ensure that the roads have the strength and capacity to handle the antici-
    pated traffic. The permit shall be carried on all vehicles serving the project and shall be
    open to inspection by any peace officer acting pursuant to his special duties, or police
    officer. Such permit shall be for the duration of the temporary project.
    5. In order to obtain a permit the permittee must submit a permit application to the 
    County Highway Division, which shall include all information required by the County
    Highway Director including, but not limited to: vehicle identification and owners/operators,
    vehicle weights, load weights, materials carried, route(s) to be followed from State High-
    way to site, duration of activity (beginning date and end date), frequency of trips and
    times of operation. The applicant shall pay a permit fee to be established by the County
    Legislature, but in no event shall the fee be less than $50.
    6. The County Highway Director may require the permittee to submit documentation
    (including, but not limited to, photographs and videos) of the condition of the roads,
    shoulders, and all structures (culverts, bridges, etc,) that will be traversed by the permitted
    traffic as a condition of the permit.
    7. In addition to the restrictions on routes and other reasonable restrictions, the County
    Highway Director will decide if the scope of work is such that a Bond is required, and the
    amount of any suchbond. The determination of the need and amount of any bond shall be
    based on a determination of potential damage to County roads based on the truck routes,
    weight of the vehicles, frequency of travel, seasonal conditions and the type-category
    (classification) of the roads on the approved routes.
    8. A permittee aggrieved by a determination of the Highway Director regarding the need
    for or conditions of a permit may, within ten (10) days of the determination, appeal to the
    County Administrator. No action inconsistent with the determination of the County Highway
    Director shall take place pending the determination of the County Administrator.
    9. The permittee shall be responsible for assuring that the high-frequency, high-impact
    truck traffic does not prevent any impacted County Road from remaining in safe and use-
    able condition for all legal uses of the road throughout the duration of the temporary project.
    10. Upon completion of the high-frequency, high-impact truck traffic project, the permittee
    will apply to the Highway Director for a Bond Release. Upon inspection of the traveled
    roads, as necessary, the Highway Director may approve the release of the Bond. If the
    release is not approved, the Highway Director will specifically document the tasks that
    must be accomplished in order for the Bond to be released, which may include, but not be
    limited to, the payment of money for the repair to damaged roads.  The permittee must
    remedy the specified problems before the bond may be released.
    11. If the permittee does not comply with this law and all the terms and conditions of the
    permit and operate within the parameters specified on the permit, the permit may be
    revoked at the discretion of the Highway Director.  In the event that high-frequency, high-
    impact truck traffic uses any County Roads without the required valid permit, the Highway
    Director, any law enforcement officer, or code enforcement officer, has the authority to
    deny access to the roads and, in cases where a County permit was required, to shut down
    the project. This relief is in addition to any and all damages and penalties.
    12. The permittee will be responsible for the repair of any damages that occur to any
    County Road when a project proceeds with or without a proper permit, as well as for
    all fines and penalties specified in this law.
    13. In lieu of obtaining a permit, any person who may be responsible to obtain a permit
    may enter into a Road Use Agreement with the County, although the County has no
    obligation to enter into a Road Use Agreement. In such case, the requirements shall be
    governed by the Agreement, rather than by permit conditions.

    SECTION V: ENFORCEMENT
    The Highway Director, in consultation with the County Attorney, shall enforce the
    provisions of this article and all rules, regulations, and designations made pursuant
    thereto. Such enforcement shall include, but not be limited to, legal or equitable pro-
    ceedings, including without limitation an action for specific performance brought
    in the name of the County.

    SECTION VI: PENALTIES FOR OFFENSES
    A. Any person who violates this article shall be guilty of a violation and subject to a fine
    of not more that $500 and/or imprisonment for not more than fifteen (15) days. Each and
    every act committed that is prohibited by this law shall constitute a separate violation.
    Each time a vehicle travels on a County Road without a permit as required by this law
    shall constitute a separate violation. Violations may be prosecuted by the County District
    Attorney or any other person with authority to prosecute violations within the County.
    B. Upon failure of any permittee to comply with the requirements of this article, the
    permit shall be subject to suspension, revocation or to the imposition of conditions.

    SECTION VII: INVALID SEGMENT
    Should any section or provision of this Local Law be declared by a court of competent
    jurisdiction to be invalid, such decision shall not affect the validity of the Local Law
    as a whole or any part thereof other than the part declared to be invalid.

    SECTION VIII: EFFECTIVE DATE
    This Local Law shall take effect on January 1, 2012.
     
     


    The Highway Division maintains close to 302 highway miles and 109 bridges
    in Tompkins County.  The mission of the Highway Division is to provide highway and bridge construction, maintenance, and emergency services safely, effectively, and efficiently for our local and traveling public customers, while promoting self-esteem and growth as individuals.

    Road Maintenance staff construct, maintain, and repair roads, maintain
    intersections and roadside drainage, eliminate roadside hazards, and repair guardrails.  The Tompkins County Highway Division also maintains more than 4,500 signs. 

    To report a road or bridge emergency, call (607) 274-0300.



    (Revised June 12, 2013)