New Paltz considers replacing trip-hazard-laden old sidewalks with asphalt

New Paltz Mayor Tim Rogers considers fiscal management as an important focus of the job of running village government. There have been no property tax increases while Rogers has been in office, for example; the preference is to target those who need particular amenities such as parking, rather than have those costs be borne by the population at large. Rogers also has an eye for efficiency: work on the intersection of Mohonk Avenue and South Chestnut Street both eliminated an “off ramp”-style turn that was dangerous for pedestrians, and also addressed a serious drainage issue that led to deep, long-lasting puddles. If there is an opportunity to improve conditions for village residents but shift the cost burden off village taxpayers — be it through grants, or by having a project paid for with money from the state or federal budget — the mayor will work to get that done. Leveraging the tiny village budget might be considered a hallmark of Rogers’ administration. 

Questions arose on March 13, at the board meeting, about how this consistent approach is being applied to sidewalks. Sewer replacement work is due to be started along Prospect Street, where the sidewalks are in need of replacement. Rogers, recognizing that this is an opportunity to be efficient by tackling both of those issues at once, set into motion plans to replace the trip-hazard-laden old bluestone with asphalt. The particular approach the mayor wants to take would be what’s done on campus: put down a layer of the compacted rocks known as “item 4” in the construction business, pour several inches of asphalt on top of that, and line it with a concrete curb. The mayor notes that such college sidewalks, which include ones installed along Plattekill Avenue, appear to be holding up well under use. 

However, there are residents on Prospect who see this as giving up part of the historic quality of the village, and would like to at least have a discussion about it. One of those residents, William Wheeler Murray, is a trustee and broached this at the meeting. The mayor did not appear receptive to the idea, noting that using stone would “double the price” and that it wouldn’t be fair to do this just on one street. Replacing all the sidewalks in the village with stone would cost “tens of millions of dollars.” After first suggesting that Murray’s neighbors come up with a way to pay for that work themselves, Rogers pivoted to suggesting that perhaps a different sidewalk should be replaced, instead. “I wholeheartedly disagree with Prospect being a special island to itself,” the mayor told Murray. Painting a picture of Prospect Street being left unfinished while neighbors raise funds for stone sidewalks, Rogers later posted about asphalt sidewalks on Facebook. The post referenced the discussion, but listed Church Street and Tricor Avenue as examples of spots that could benefit from this approach — not Prospect. 

At one point Murray disputed the mayor’s assertion that bluestone would cost hundreds of thousands of dollars, saying simply, “I don’t think it will cost that.” 

“It doesn’t matter what you think,” Rogers replied. “Our engineers have already told me.” 

It was Murray’s suggestion that having a community discussion before making this decision that was met with the mayor’s suggestion that there be a “pivot” to replacing sidewalks somewhere else in the village instead. Stana Weisburd at one point acknowledged that Murray was representing a point of view, but later remarked that “a lot of time and effort and money has gone into this, and I wonder if anyone else wants to vote on it.” Alex Wojcik encouraged Murray to research funding models. 

Rogers did not directly answer questions about the difference in lifespan of the two materials, saying only that asphalt is “easy to maintain.” The mayor also declined to provide evidence from engineers, saying that trustees have access to the all available engineering reports. Asked for additional information by email after the meeting, Rogers cited engineer Dennis Larios as saying that for installation, “bluestone would be about $50-$55/sq. ft. and blacktop about $25-$30 per sq. ft.” Asked to address the question of maintenance, Rogers said that there is no document to support the idea that it’s less expensive over the long haul, saying in part that “there have been very clear discussions for years about maintenance advantages regarding this design. I just do not have a report from an engineer to send you. Engineering reports cost money.” 

One engineer who was willing to offer some comments was John Schultis, who oversees many sidewalk projects in Kingston. There are no asphalt sidewalks in that city — just bluestone and Portland cement — but Schultis did offer insight based on that experience. While not offering precise numbers, Schultis said that the bluestone replacement is five times as expensive as the cement work. That’s because care must be taken in laying these stones to best result: first comes a concrete slab, and then sand, and then the stone itself. It’s the same technique used in Stone Ridge, and Schultis expects at least 50 years without any trip hazards or other issues. 

Kingston sidewalk preservation expert Peter Roberts notes that there are bluestone walks along Wurts Avenue in that city that have been there without issue for 150 years. “If it’s put down correctly, it will last longer than concrete,” Roberts said. 

Both Roberts and Schultis agreed that tree roots are the bane of all sidewalks, regardless of material. They also both noted that the reason it was in vogue in the 19th century is because it came from quarries in Rosendale. Now, bluestone usually comes from sites along the Delaware River. 

The cost of shipping is one of the variables that one would consider in calculating the carbon footprint of using massive stones for sidewalk projects. For asphalt, the fact that it’s made from oil would be a factor. Attempts to find an expert willing to speak on the comparative ecological impact of using asphalt or stone were unsuccessful by press time, but as this question will be taken up at the next village board meeting, there is more time for such an expert to come forward.