Krupski: Roanoke Avenue paving project will be delayed

The long-awaited paving project for Roanoke Avenue will be delayed for several weeks, according to a press release issued by Suffolk County Legislator Al Krupki’s office.

The multi-million project for the street — also named County Road 73 — has been discussed in recent years and was expected to be completed by the beginning of the school year.

The release states the work will be delayed due to “an issue with the contractor’s schedule.”

“I know this is disappointing to many Riverhead residents and creates an inconvenience,” Mr. Krupski stated in the release, “but I have been in continued discussions with the Suffolk County Department of Public Works and was reassured they will work closely with Riverhead Town police, the fire department and the school district to ensure the safety of residents.”

He added many of the problematic issues along Roanoke Avenue have already been addressed such as “replacing and expanding deteriorating drainage systems — which will mitigate the flooding of Cranberry Street and Southern Parkway and improve water quality of Merritt’s Pond — installing ADA compliant sidewalks and upgrading traffic signal equipment.”

Once the project is complete, there will be two 11-foot travel lanes (north and south bound) with 4-foot shoulders for about 1.25 miles between Main Street and to County Road 58 (Old Country Road), the release states.

Top photo credit: Barbaraellen Koch. Below photos by Tim Gannon.