Check Presentation Ceremony
Congressman John R. “Randy” Kuhl, Jr. and an entourage of state, county and local officials stood a stone’s throw away from Route 15 at the corner of “Kuhl Road” this morning to present a check for $20 million dollars symbolically cut from the recently passed Federal Transportation Bill H.R. 3. It was, as they say, a seminole moment for everyone involved. It’s been a long painstaking process to acquire funding to convert a six-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 15 from the Pennsylvania border to Presho into a four-lane, that once completed will be designated Interstate Highway 99. The Check Presentation Ceremony signaled the first step that will open the door for realizing an almost impossible dream of making Route 15 safer for those passing through our town and especially for local travelers to get home safely.
Speakers were: NYS Assemblyman from Elmira, Tom O’Mara; Ted Bennett, Chairperson of the Chemung County I-86 Committee; Phil Roche, Chairperson of County Supervisors; NYS Senator, George Winner; NYS Assemblyman, Jim Bacalles and Peter White from the New York State Department of Transportation; Lindley Town Supervisor Harold Semple and Randy Kuhl.
Also attending the Check Presentation Ceremony was: County Sheriff Dick Twedell, Corning Mayor Al Lewis and Jack Benjamin from Three Rivers.
Now I’d like to toot some horns for people here in Lindley, because without their dogged effort this day may have been just another ordinary day here in Lindley. Bill Canfield and Fran Woodring never lost sight of the prize, nor did Joanne and Laverne Rose, Dee Hill, Dick and Kitty Pierce, Terry Hill, Howie McFall, Dick Johnson, and Harold Semple. Bill and Fran continued to write letters to the media and federal and state officials and faithfully attended the Area Wide Transportation Committee in Corning to keep the Route 15 project on the docket. They were instrumental in moving this project along. Everyone I’ve mentioned played a key role working for the needed funding to complete Route 15. Nothing of this magnitude happens in a vacuum.
I’d like to give a special Thank You to Congressman John R. “Randy” Kuhl, Jr. We were fortunate to have Randy steering this project through the bureaucracy. Without Randy, it just wouldn’t have happened. Randy listened to us at his Town Meetings plead for help. Not only did he listen, he stepped up to the plate and took action. When he moved up to the federal level as a U.S. Congressman he didn’t leave us behind. In fact, he became a member of the Transportation Committee to better position himself to help us. And that he did. Today was Randy’s day as well.
We all stood at the corner today with broad smiles on our face. Memories of those who’ve died on this road were uppermost in our minds. It was for them that this group held together during major defeats and setbacks. But today we won one. We have $20 million dollars from the federal government that will almost guarantee more funding to come. Voting “YES” on the New York State Transportation Bond Act November 8th seals the deal.
Click on the photo to go to Sallyann's photostream for more pictures of today's ceremony.
Speakers were: NYS Assemblyman from Elmira, Tom O’Mara; Ted Bennett, Chairperson of the Chemung County I-86 Committee; Phil Roche, Chairperson of County Supervisors; NYS Senator, George Winner; NYS Assemblyman, Jim Bacalles and Peter White from the New York State Department of Transportation; Lindley Town Supervisor Harold Semple and Randy Kuhl.
Also attending the Check Presentation Ceremony was: County Sheriff Dick Twedell, Corning Mayor Al Lewis and Jack Benjamin from Three Rivers.
Now I’d like to toot some horns for people here in Lindley, because without their dogged effort this day may have been just another ordinary day here in Lindley. Bill Canfield and Fran Woodring never lost sight of the prize, nor did Joanne and Laverne Rose, Dee Hill, Dick and Kitty Pierce, Terry Hill, Howie McFall, Dick Johnson, and Harold Semple. Bill and Fran continued to write letters to the media and federal and state officials and faithfully attended the Area Wide Transportation Committee in Corning to keep the Route 15 project on the docket. They were instrumental in moving this project along. Everyone I’ve mentioned played a key role working for the needed funding to complete Route 15. Nothing of this magnitude happens in a vacuum.
I’d like to give a special Thank You to Congressman John R. “Randy” Kuhl, Jr. We were fortunate to have Randy steering this project through the bureaucracy. Without Randy, it just wouldn’t have happened. Randy listened to us at his Town Meetings plead for help. Not only did he listen, he stepped up to the plate and took action. When he moved up to the federal level as a U.S. Congressman he didn’t leave us behind. In fact, he became a member of the Transportation Committee to better position himself to help us. And that he did. Today was Randy’s day as well.
We all stood at the corner today with broad smiles on our face. Memories of those who’ve died on this road were uppermost in our minds. It was for them that this group held together during major defeats and setbacks. But today we won one. We have $20 million dollars from the federal government that will almost guarantee more funding to come. Voting “YES” on the New York State Transportation Bond Act November 8th seals the deal.
Click on the photo to go to Sallyann's photostream for more pictures of today's ceremony.
posted by sallyann | 3:24 PM
5 Comments:
There were other prople who wrote letters and who were on the original committee that met with the Pa. and NY DOT's and the many meetings at Williamson High school. Denny Smith, Jim Lundgren, Bill Canfield and Harold Semple come to mind. I just wanted to give these folks a pat on the back too.
Ever since Rt. 15 was improved 53 years ago,(HOW MANY???) there has been talk of finishing the 4 lanes to Penna.State line. In these years, many ,many people have had input and have exerted an effort to get this section finished. Some are probably no longer with us. When trying to thank everyone who has been involved,it is very easy to overlook someone. So whether you answered a questionaire, wrote a letter,attended a meeting -or contributed in some other way Thank You for your efforts.
I like to say-maybe in my lifetime, Rt.15 will be finished.
If it is, it will be through the efforts of the politicians and the average citizen-like you who got the job done-. (Yay for Randy and to his connection to the Roots of his ancestors.) Today was a good start-the outlook seems promising-but "Keep Your Eye on Your Fries" as my first grandson used to tell me and don't let up the pressure.
That's right Kitty, keep your eye on the Fries! Vote for the NYS Transportation Bond Act November 8th.....
Yes, I would like to thank everyone who was involved in getting the money to finish the four lane highway. I for one can't wait for the highway to be built; so then maybe we could breathe a little bit easier by not having the truckers on this two lane stretch of highway especially around hours the kids get on and off the schoolbus. Thanks Again.
I would like to thank Terry Hill for his recommendations to Randy Kuhl when Randy said "What do you want me to do" at his town meeting after the Buffalo youngsters were killed. These ideas were really utilized when the Saftey Committee met with all the dignataries following Randy's visit. We now all double stripes, rumble strips, no passing zones. Thanks, Terry for positive recommendations.
Also, Bill Canfield and Fran Woodring deserve a lot of credit for attending the meetings and keeping us up-to -date instead of having to get half the story from newspapers. Thanks for the time and dedication.
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