Important Reminder: Restoring Sidewalks and Town Right-of-Way Property

Dear Neighbors,

The Town of Ausable is increasing its efforts in maintaining safe, attractive public sidewalks and roadways for everyone’s use. As part of our ongoing improvements — such as the recent Main Street sidewalk upgrades — we want to remind residents of an important responsibility:

If you remove, damage, or alter any portion of a Town sidewalk, curb, or right-of-way (for example, for a utility connection, driveway work, or other private project), you are responsible for restoring it promptly and to current Town standards.

Why This Matters

• Public safety — Open excavations or substandard patches create tripping hazards and can be damaged by snow removal equipment.
• Uniformity — Matching the new higher standards (e.g., 6-inch reinforced concrete with proper base) keeps our sidewalks consistent and long-lasting.
• Legal obligation — Property owners are responsible for restoring disturbances they cause in the public right-of-way.

What “Proper Restoration” Looks Like

Recent sidewalk projects use these specifications (all repairs must match):

• 5 feet wide × 6 inches thick reinforced concrete.
• 6 inches of compacted Item 4 gravel base.
• 4,000 psi concrete with proper reinforcement (rebar and wire mesh).
• Broom finish, tooled edges, and smooth transitions at driveways.
• Full integration with adjacent Town-installed sidewalk.

Temporary fixes such as bag-mix concrete are not acceptable for permanent repairs.

Please Act Promptly

• Notify the Highway Department or Code Enforcement before starting any work that disturbs a sidewalk or right-of-way.
• Complete permanent restoration as soon as possible (typically within 14 days, weather permitting).
• Contact us if you need guidance or contractor recommendations.

Failure to restore properly may result in the Town completing the work and billing the responsible property owner, consistent with Town authority and New York State law.

We appreciate your cooperation in keeping Ausable’s sidewalks safe and well-maintained. Questions? Please reach out to:

• Highway Department: Pat Akey, (518) 834-9052
• Code Enforcement: Trent Gravelle, (518) 975-6202

Thank you for helping make our Town better for everyone!

Sincerely,
-Tim