Brockport looking into pothole problems

In some spots on Main Street in the downtown area of Brockport it's a game of "bob and weave" as drivers attempt to avoid potholes.

"We've been in constant contact with Department of Transportation officials about the deplorable conditions on Main Street," Mayor Josephine Matela said. "It's a state road so it's up to the DOT to address it."

Matela, Harry Donohue from the village's department of public works and Fred Perrine from the Town of Sweden met with several DOT officials on March 29 to look at the street situation.

The Main Street section, Matela said, is tentatively scheduled to undergo a complete revamp - similar to the projects recently undertaken in the Villages of Albion, Holley and Medina.

"The problem is Brockport isn't on the schedule until 2007," Matela said. "Right now the DOT is reluctant to put any money or manpower into repairing the street because of the possibility of the upcoming road project."

Matela did say, though, that the 2007 date is tenuous and depending on the money the state has to spend, the project for Brockport could be bumped back to 2009. She said the village merchants and those who travel through Brockport "can't continue to live with the conditions the way they are now."

The winter freezes and thaws contributed greatly to the street's degradation. "We are working with the DOT to find a way to address the road conditions now," Matela said. "We need to make our Main Street drivable so people don't have to avoid Main Street."

Matela said she and other local officials are going to be in contact with elected officials in an attempt to move the Brockport street project along and get the potholes repaired.

"DOT officials concur that something needs to be done and we're all going to be looking into getting some resources allocated to get Main Street repaired," Matela said. "We're all going to try and work together to solve this problem."