The second phase of improvements to Baldwin’s Grand Avenue has been given the go-ahead after the Nassau County Legislature’s Rules Committee unanimously approved the project on Jan. 6, Legislator Debra Mulé announced in a news release.
The committee agreed to a $1.01 million contract between the county’s Department of Public Works and the firm of Lockheed, Kessler & Bartlett Inc. for engineering and design services related to improvements on Grand Avenue, from Stanton Avenue to the Southern State Parkway.
The second phase would include resurfacing the road, remarking pavement and upgrading traffic signal infrastructure. Additionally, the project would involve the installation and repair of sidewalks, curbs, Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant ramps and drainage structures.
“Completing the transformation of Grand Avenue is an essential component of our longstanding mission of stimulating the economic revitalization of downtown Baldwin and making this major roadway safer for pedestrians and motorists alike,” Mulé stated. “I am thrilled that the Rules committee has approved this vital contract and that the County has sufficient funding in place to begin the initial stages of this major infrastructure investment.”
The Legislature enacted a Complete Streets Law in 2013 — an effort to make the roads safer and more accessible for cars, pedestrians, bicyclists, public transportation users, older adults, children and people with disabilities.
However, the start of the construction was plagued by delays, and did not begin until 2017.
The second phase would build on nearly $7 million of improvements completed in late 2023, along a 1.4-mile stretch of Grand Avenue, between Stanton Avenue and Merrick Road. That first phase included reducing the number of lanes from four to two, adding a center left-turn lane, repaving the road, and reconfiguring traffic signals.
Mulé, who represents Baldwin in the 6th Legislative District, has been a strong advocate for investing in Baldwin’s infrastructure, previously securing $14.3 million in the county’s capital plan for the Complete Streets Project. She said she’s working to secure an additional $5.7 million in the proposed fiscal year 2025 capital plan.
These efforts are in addition to the downtown Baldwin revitalization initiative, which includes $3 million in authorized funding and another $2 million pending approval.
“Not only will these improvements to Grand Avenue serve as the foundation for the community-powered, transit oriented revitalization of downtown Baldwin, they will greatly improve traffic safety for motorists and pedestrians who rely on this major roadway,” Mulé wrote to the Herald. “Because a 13-vote supermajority is needed to pass the bond ordinances that fund the capital plan, my Democratic colleagues and I will leverage our voting power to demand that the Blakeman administration includes these vital funds in a comprehensive infrastructure plan that addresses the needs of all 19 legislative districts.”