Ritchie Helps Improve Public Safety in the Town of Fowler

State Senator Patty Ritchie has once again provided much needed assistance to the St. Lawrence County Town of Fowler—this time with a grant to help it repair a critical roadway that suffered unexpected damage after an influx of heavy traffic due to a nearby construction project.

Two years ago, New York State replaced the Route 58 Bridge near Gouverneur.  Despite providing a by-pass in Gouverneur, many drivers chose to use River Drive in the Town of Fowler to get where they were headed.  Traffic on River Drive tripled, and those vehicles included tractor-trailers, large trucks and buses that the roadway was not designed to hold.  The traffic and large vehicles caused damage to shoulders, and took large chunks out of the pavement.  It forced the town to have to make repairs years before it expected to.

The town was denied funding by both the county and state, and contacted Senator Ritchie, who was able to provide Fowler with a $50,000 grant to cover the cost of the repairs.

“It’s hard enough when small towns have to find the financing to complete planned projects, but when something happens, through no fault of its own, the stress of finding the money can be overwhelming,” said Senator Ritchie. “That’s why I felt it was so important to help the Town of Fowler, not only to complete this important project, but ensure this roadway is safe for its residents and those who travel on it.”

“These improvements would not have been possible without the assistance of Senator Ritchie,” said Fowler Superintendent of Highways Randy Durham. “We thank Senator Ritchie for helping us acquire this important grant to help make our roads safer for drivers, and for her continued support of our town through other state initiatives.”   

In addition to this grant, Senator Ritchie recently provided the Town of Fowler with $50,000 for to build a new community playground, which was recently unveiled at the town’s annual “Family Day”.