Public Engagement Begins on Margaret Street Construction Project

The City of Plattsburgh will be replacing outdated public utility infrastructure under the section of Margaret Street between Cornelia Street and Broad Street and will be consulting the community as to what improvements can be made to the street as it is being reconstructed. 

Current utilities servicing the residents and businesses on Margaret Street date back as far as 1903. There has been an increase in main line utility issues over the past 10 years including an uptick in water line breaks and several sewer line issues which may be attributed to the age and material of the existing utilities. The City of Plattsburgh would like to take a proactive approach by replacing the aging infrastructure vs. a reactive approach and fixing the utilities as they fail.

First Stages of Planning

The City of Plattsburgh has identified the section of Margaret Street between Cornelia Street and Broad Street as an area for future reconstruction because the aging utility infrastructure that sits under that portion of the street dates back to 1903. The City’s first priority is to mitigate any damage that may be caused by this ageing infrastructure failing, impacting a central area of the city’s downtown district.

The City is in the very early stages of planning for this project and any associated construction work would likely begin in 2023. Part of the planning process includes gathering public feedback as to how Margaret Street is currently used and how it could be improved when the street is reconstructed. Funding for this project is to be provided, in part, by the NYS Touring Route Program.  Options for improving downtown sections of Brinkerhoff St. and Court St. will also be explored as part of this project.

The City has begun working with C&S Companies, a design, engineering and project management firm to seek and analyse this feedback and provide the City with conceptual designs and cost estimates that reflect the input from the community stakeholders. A Public Advisory Committee has been created consisting of local businesses and property owners, representatives from City Departments and other members of the community.

Please visit the Project Page for full details on this project.