BY PAUL MITCHELLNorth Country This Week

CANTON – The Canton Town Board on Wednesday night approved road construction projects on five town roads at a cost of more than $1 million.

The road work recommendations were introduced by Highway Superintendent Steven Smith, who noted this will be the fourth consecutive year the town will utilize services from the St. Lawrence County Highway Department. 

The actual estimated cost is $1,018,229 for work on  5.54 miles of town roads.

Smith said the town highway department now looks to work on roads getting towards reconstruction conditions to get additional years of road life.

“It’s the only logical way. To do bad roads that need a complete overhaul you can easily spend all your money,” said Smith. 

On the list:

• Stiles Road - complete road, 8,420 feet x 20 feet at a cost of $351,829
• Old DeKalb Road, 2,050 feet x 18 feet to the DeKalb town line (County Route 15) at a cost of $73,160
• Miner Street Road - 7,200 feet x 20 feet from the Grasse River Bridge to the Jingleville Road at a cost of $304,300
• Boyden Road - complete road, 10,600 feet x 20 feet at a cost of $259,500
• Old State Road - 950 feet x 18 feet to the DeKalb town line at a cost of $29,440.

Last road construction season, the town completed 7.5 miles of road work.

The resolution noted that prices and footages are subject to change once the bid books and CHIPS letters are received.

It was also pointed out that Assemblyman Scott Gray will lead a CHIP funding meeting on March 29 at the St. Lawrence County Highway Department outpost on  Rt. 11, town of Potsdam.

Smith also requested that if the budget allows, he would like to continue work on the Miner Street Road past the Jingleville Road.

In a related town highway matter, the town council approved a resolution that gives the highway superintendent the authority to sign road use agreements for the more than 100 miles of town roads, specifically the numerous renewable energy projects surfacing in the Town of Canton. 

“Renewable energy projects, including but not limited to both community and state solar projects along with renewable natural gas projects, are being developed in the Town of Canton, and whereas these projects typically employ road use agreements top compensate the Town for damages to town roads and govern the use of town roads to protect the president of the town, not be it hereby resolved that the Town of Canton, town board hereby authorizes the Town Supervisor and the Town Highway Superintendent as the only officers of the Town  of Canton authorized to sign road use agreements for the Town  of Canton after approval of form and content by the town board.,” the resolution reads.