Village schedules 2010 paving program

Rockville Centre’s 2010 roadway paving program is currently in the design phase and is scheduled to include Gateway, Fenway, Intervale, Winding Road up to Greystone, Kent Court, Dorset Lane, Leeds Court and Rodney Place.

The village will continue to follow a two-stage process initiated in 2006 to confirm when curbside trees need to be removed during roadway reconstruction, which includes the preparation of the roadbed and the replacement of all curbs and driveway aprons and which may include replacing the water mains and other infrastructure.

"Trees are removed for two reasons only," said Village Engineer Paul Pallas, "one, because the tree roots are impacting the roadway or the water lines; or two, because the trees are diseased and create a hazardous condition."

Tree roots that extend into the roadway often have to be cut away, undermining the tree, which then becomes a hazard, Pallas said.

When village engineering and public works personnel determine that a tree should be removed, a licensed arborist is sent to conduct a second and separate inspection to confirm the engineering judgment.The village will contact residents whose curbside trees are scheduled for removal and ask them to sign a tree release form.

The tree removal is incorporated into the road construction design and added to the bid package. The trees are removed before any major road construction begins.

Just prior to road construction, residents on the affected streets are notified of the construction schedule and the impact on driveway access and street parking.

Since 1986, the village has repaved more than 38 miles of roadway — over 70 percent of Rockville Centre's streets.