Power pipeline on tight schedule
If you think you’re seeing a staging area for a large pipeline project along West Neck Road and Shore Road over the next six weeks, you’re eyes haven’t fooled you.
The town and the Long Island Power Authority have come to an agreement to put in a new power cable between Southold and the Island, Supervisor Jim Dougherty said at the Town Board works session Tuesday.
In “a hell or high water” directive, Mr. Dougherty said he told LIPA the project must be done by May 15 so traffic will flow freely by Memorial Day weekend.
Police Chief James Read told the board the shoulders of West Neck and Shore roads as well the town-owned property of Goat Hill will be used for staging “thousands of feet of pipe” going down to Crescent Beach for the project. Chief Read said the only street closing or blockage he could see for the moment could be where Sunnyside Avenue, Stearns Point Road and Shore Road intersect.
Councilman Peter Reich said the cable will be 40 feet below the bottom of the bay on the Shelter Island side and could be 20 feet deep elsewhere. Mr. Reich said the town was seeking more information from LIPA on exact charts locating the cable to allow boaters and fishermen to know where safe anchorage and dragging for fish is allowed.
In other business the board looked at the Watershed Management Plan. This document looks at all waterways and has recommendations for improvements and remediation. By having a plan, it makes the process of funding for projects simpler and timelier. This week the board looked at upland recommendations in the plan and concluded the recommendations seemed solid. The entire watershed plan can be found on the town’s website.
Mr. Dougherty reported that town receipts for March were sharply down from March of 2012. The town took in about $50,300 last month, as opposed to $73,700 for March 2012.
