Farmingdale goes underground to get downtown looking up

A stroll along Main Street in Farmingdale's downtown is going to start to look a little different. 

The village recently completed the first part of a two-phase effort, which began in March, to place utility lines underground on Main Street to improve aesthetics and eliminate the problem of storms and car crashes downing lines and causing outages, according to Mayor Ralph Ekstrand.

All electric, phone and cable lines, including from PSEG, Verizon Fios and Altice have been run underground and activated on a roughly quarter-mile stretch of Main Street between Prospect and Conklin streets, the mayor said. 

Burying utility lines typically costs at least double the expense of constructing overhead lines, Newsday has reported. While generally more expensive to repair, underground lines also are less susceptible to the elements and other damage.

The mayor said workers have removed more than half the old overhead utility lines and he expects them to take down the remaining poles and lines this week.

After that, the section of Main Street will undergo an 18-inch widening on its east side. The sidewalks in that section will be replaced along with the west side curb, Ekstrand said.

The project's cost is approximately $1.2 million, not including street widening and sidewalk improvements, according to a village budget document.

Most of the money — $991,000 — came from a federal Community Development Block Grant Program, which awards funding to municipalities with populations of less than 50,000 to complete projects that address community welfare. A $500,000 state grant also was secured for the effort, according to the budget document. 

The remaining grant money will be used, alongside more federal funding and $94,000 in village funds, to cover the street widening and sidewalk beautification, the budget document showed.

The mayor is hoping the village will be able to complete the street widening, repaving and curb and sidewalk work by the village's Nov. 18 holiday parade. 

“It's going to look fabulous having no utility poles on Main Street, and we're glad that this is going to come to fruition just before Thanksgiving,” Ekstrand added.

Downtown merchants signaled support for the changes on Main Street but said the construction has caused some inconveniences for their clientele. 

Farmingdale Thrift Shop owner Tiro Turbendian, 65, said there was some disruption to his business when workers were placing utility lines underground, with customers who typically prefer to park in front of the store having to find other spots. 

Still, Turbendian said he is "happy for the outcome" of the effort and that the street widening is sorely needed to improve safety.

"I have seen a lot of accidents," the shop owner added.

Harry Cohen, 78, who owns The Chocolate Duck on Main Street, called the project “positive” for the village, adding that the street widening will improve the street’s flow.

However, Cohen, whose chocolate and cake decorating supply shop has been in operation for more than three decades, expressed some concern over the potential disruption to businesses during the holidays, especially since parking will be limited.

 If they find it inconvenient to shop, "people will go somewhere else," Cohen added.  

PSEG Long Island, the project's lead agency, completed its portion of phase one this summer, according to spokeswoman Elizabeth Flagler. The second phase is in the planning stages, she said, with no definitive timeline.

 While this is not the first time PSEG Long Island has completed a project of this kind, it is the most urban downtown setting where utility lines have been placed underground, Flagler said.  

Ekstrand said the second project phase will cover Main Street between Conklin Street to South Front Street, where the Long Island Rail Road cuts through the village, and will mirror the work in phase one.

He estimated construction could happen next year. 

By Joseph Ostapiuk

joseph.ostapiuk@newsday.com@OstapiukJ