Minor collector road is collecting more federal funds

CORNWALL — The plan to repave a section of Great Hill Road began awhile back on a humorous note for the Board of Selectmen. Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the remote road over Mohawk Mountain has been classified as a main collector road. It hardly seems that could be the case, but it does makes it eligible for federal stimulus funding. At a time when road maintenance costs are high and continue to rise, that kind of funding is not to be ignored.

Great Hill Road does get a significant amount of traffic, the selectmen noted at their May 3 meeting — although maybe not as one of the few ways to get to the town of Milton, which is what earned it the classification. Milton is no longer the popular destination it was historically; but no one here is about to tell that to the government.

However, skiers do use Great Hill to get to Mohawk Ski Area in the winter, and it’s the only way to get to Camp Mohawk in the summer.

The town’s original funding toward the project has been upped more than once, as other towns either refuse stimulus funds or find they don’t have any projects that qualify. The budget is now at $160,000, allowing for an additional 2,000 feet to be added to the 2 miles already planned for resurfacing.

One of four companies expressing interest has submitted a bid. The board voted to accept a bid of $98,891.94 from The Gorman Group LLC —a bid which was submitted before the additional funds came in.

The town will ask the state, which administers stimulus money, to approve the contractor, as well as an extension of the project.

Work is expected to take place this summer, from the intersection of College Street to the crest of the hill.

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