GLOVERSVILLE - With Route 30A being designated a limited-access highway, city officials are looking into the possibility of building a parallel access road that could accommodate development.
The new roadway would stretch from South Kingsboro Avenue to Steele Avenue on the western side of Route 30A.
The new roadway, if approved, would be similar to Pine Street, where several businesses are located and visible from 30A, but there is no direct driveway access from the state highway to each business.
The project is in the conceptual stages now, and any further action on the project would require an engineering study and permission from the state Department of Transportation.
First Ward Councilwoman Robin Wentworth said city, county officials and town of Johnstown representatives met to discuss the project earlier this month.
First, a proposal to build the road would need to be submitted to the state Department of Transportation. That requires an engineering study to figure out factors such as drainage and how utilities would be brought along the road, said Fulton County Planning Department Director Jim Mraz, who became involved at the request of city officials.
The cost of construction hasn't been estimated yet.
After the engineering study is done, officials would submit it to the state asking for permission to "break the access barrier along Route 30A and allow for this public road to connect into Route 30A," Mraz said.
Mraz estimated an engineering study would take three to six months. It wouldn't be until then that DOT could make a decision.
Wentworth said the cost of the engineering study alone could run $30,000, which could be split by multiple stakeholders.
"We're looking at ways to come up with how to divide that," Wentworth said.
She said two property owners in the area have expressed interest in helping fund the engineering study. Additionally, municipalities could split the cost, she said.
"We all agree this is a worthwhile project," Wentworth said. "We need to have some vision. It's been discussed for many years. I'm not putting it out for a vote yet, but I wanted to put it out there so everyone is aware of it."
Mayor Dayton King said he reached out to Mraz in 2010 to find out the barriers to building an access road.
"One of the things I thought was collectively brought to my attention when I was campaigning was the lack of access on Route 30A," Mayor Dayton King said.
He said he hopes the access road would offer additional space for development visible from the state highway.
"We just need to make it easier to do business in Gloversville and Fulton County," King said. "That's one of my goals here with this project. Let's not make it so people have to jump through hoops."
Amanda Whistle covers Gloversville news. She can be reached at gloversville@leaderherald.com.