Lewiston’s Riverwalk Problems Continue Like Bad Dream

Stagnant ponds and swamps pool and fester and swarm with potentially pathogenic microbes in the backs of homes on Riverwalk in Lewiston.

 

It seems as if the issues with Riverwalk Subdivision just keep going on and on. We previously reported on the long-standing problem of poor drainage on the Pletcher Road side of the subdivision. As it sits now the subdivision is actually comprised of two dead-end roads connected by a dirt path. The plans approved by the Town Board originally called for a continuous roadway that ran from Pletcher to Lower River Road.  But all that was actually built were the two partial roads that for some reason never were connected.

No one can answer the question as to why the developer, Joseph Deck, did not finish this road as planned, or how the town ever allowed him not to. The situation as it sits now has been properly termed as unsafe, and does not meet the town code for accessibility. Yet somehow this was overlooked by the town officials who were in office during that period of time.

As a development is being built, those roads are the private property of the developer until the Town Government agrees to accept them as a public road by a legal process known as a dedication.

For that to occur both the town board and the highway superintendent must agree that all drainage is properly done, roads are properly installed and that no extra burden will be placed on the taxpayers by having to correct an issue left by the developer.

At the time Riverwalk was accepted for dedication the Town of Lewiston Highway Superintendent was none other than Steven Reiter. Even at that time there were already problems with poor drainage and the through-road was never finished. Yet the town took over the property and now has to find a way to remedy those problems. 

It has been pointed out that Reiter’s close friend Michael Dowd and Mike Deck were business partners and that may be why there were no objections to the unfinished mess that was left behind by Deck. It also may be why no action was ever taken by the Town Board when Reiter was the Supervisor

There are legitimate concerns over fire, police and ambulance services being able to reach those homes in an emergency. So the question should be asked “why isn’t anyone taking any steps to make this developer follow through with his plans?” The town board has already authorized the installation of a large drain line that is intended to ease the problems of water laying in residents’ back yards all year.

Maybe it is time for the Town to finally make a real effort to make Mr. Deck connect those two dead ends or take legal action. Hopefully that is already in process for the drain line costs so that the taxpayers aren’t going to have to foot the bill for that too.  If that is the case, the Town of Lewiston should also take action to fix this known safety hazard for the residents as well.