By CRAIG FREILICH

POTSDAM – The village has all but completed new sidewalks and paving on Leroy Street and May Road, but work continues on Clarkson Avenue and Pine Street.

The projects are funded with $1.45 million in federal stimulus funds. General contractor Luck Brothers of Plattsburgh is handling reconstruction of Pine Street and Clarkson Avenue, which includes new drainage and bicycle paths as well as road paving.

The project, announced in April 2009, is taking longer than expected, according to village developer and planner Fred Hanss, primarily because the federal funding is forcing officials to take into account regulations and requirements that don’t have to be dealt with when working on locally funded projects.

Village Public Works Superintendent Bruce Henderson says work on Leroy Street and May Road is all done except for a top coating of asphalt on the roadway, to be done in the spring.

This past building season, the village replaced about 1,000 feet of aging water line along the northern end of Leroy Street from Bradley Drive to May Road, and made fresh tie-ins to 14 residences.

He says 2,100 feet of curbing and 1,500 feet of sidewalk have been installed there, including a section along May Road up to the Community Bank branch.

And those sections of Leroy Street and May Road have been repaved.