MAPLE AVENUE SIDEWALK “POLARIZATION.”

The Maple Avenue Sidewalk Repair Project, for two years in its planning and development stages was implemented just a few short months ago.  While the intent was to fix sidewalks, provide adequate drainage systems and widen one of Smithtown’s main thoroughfares, it is a classic case of government munificence and that of applying quick, misguided fixes to alleviate one problem while causing a multitude of others.  To begin with, what mind-less, middling, mid-management level bureaucratic planner decided to preserve the old, outdated, rotting wood telephone poles and maintain them smack-dab in the middle of the brand spanking new, masterfully graded and expertly installed sidewalks?  Next, the driveways, in most of those I personally inspected, will have to be either re-graded or replaced at the homeowners’ own expense.  Finally, and this is certainly analogous to the mythical “the sword in the stone” fairy-tale, you now have to remove the telephone poles encased in cement in the middle of the sidewalks, so that pedestrians can safely navigate the pristine walkways. 

 These newly installed sidewalks are impassable and where necessary, must be ripped-up, re-done and replaced.  What a waste of scare government resources while causing further and unexpected delays to the project's overdue completion.  Now, I am not an engineer or an attorney.  However, if I were either one, I would have repositioned the telephone poles in a less obtrusive location and then would initiate a class action lawsuit against the inept governmental party(s) having jurisdiction.  One cannot saunter, jog, bike-ride, stroll a baby carriage or walk a dog down these pathways without bashing into a “deadwood” telephone pole.  Adding insult to a soon-to-be injury, these telephone poles are tethered to the sidewalks with steel cables, that are either frayed at the bottom (which could cause a mean gash on an inattentive walker) or without safety guards (can decapitate one’s head) if an unobservant jogger races into it.   Similarly, these obtrusive cables are anchored and cemented into the middle of the sidewalk, further constricting a pedestrian’s unobstructed right-of-wayThese conditions must be rectified immediately, before a serious and fatal accident occurs.

This government morass (a frustrating, confusing, or unmanageable situation that impedes or prevents progress) is indicative of the way things seem to get accomplished here in Smithtown, these days.  A common sense solution to “Fixing What’s Wrong in Smithtown,” is to sit everybody down in one room, together, and coordinate with utility representatives, public safety personnel, contractors and government officials to access overall project implementation and design the best and appropriate course of action to achieve maximum efficiency of the repair project.  Then, this team must determine what other problems may arise from fixing one problem while trying to prevent other problems from popping up, “in the middle of a sidewalk!”  Thank you.

Richard S. Macellaro