By RICK MILLER
Olean Star
OLEAN — Work got underway on the $3.3 million Walkable Olean IV along South Union Street on Wednesday.
A crew from Millennium Construction, Niagara Falls, removed the sidewalk on the east side of the street between Green Street and Franchot Boulevard.
By mid-afternoon the crew began to remove a large maple tree in front of a home on that block on the east side of South Union Street.
Earlier in the day, the homeowner had learned the tree would come down to make way for a wider sidewalk on that side of the streetscape. Fifteen trees of various sizes will be removed for the project.
They called Mayor Bill Aiello and Alderman Jennifer Forney, but were told that the project went through public review and no one brought up the issue at the time.
Plans call for an eight-foot sidewalk on the east side of the street there.
The excavator the Millenium crew used to remove the sections of sidewalk turned around and started back up the street to widen the path for the new sidewalk. It was also used to pick up large branches from the tree for disposal.
The start of construction on Walkable Olean IV comes right after the city has received good news about the project. The New York State Department of Transportation, which previously told the city it was responsible for paving, recently relented and agreed to cover the costs, estimated by city officials at $200,000.
The South Union Street project begins as Millennium Construction is winding up Walkable Olean III along East State Street from the roundabout at State and Union streets to East Avenue.
As the crews start on the southern half of the roundabout, traffic will be shifted to the north side of the roundabout.
Traffic will be down to one lane with traffic lights. Use caution in the work zone.
North Barry Street is closed at East State Street and Time Square. South Barry Street is closed at East State Street and South Street.
Use the Time Square entrances to access the City Municipal Building. Entrances on East State Street are closed from construction.
The sidewalks along East State Street have been removed as part of the project. Time Square is accessible from the south end of North Barry Street.
