Highway Superintendent:     Merle C. Otis Deputy Highway Superintendent:  Bruce E. Shawcross, Jr.  Email:                                     highway@townofleray.org        Address:                                8433 Willow Street                                                    Evans Mills  NY  13637  Phone:                                    Highway Office                      315-629-4401                                                    Mobile                                      315-778-0545                                    Emergency-nights and weekends   315-629-4171  Fax:                                         315-629-4936  Business hours:    April 15 – October 15  Mon to Thurs 6:00 A.M. – 4:30 P.M.                                      October 15 – April 15  Mon to   Fri     7:00 A.M. – 3:30 P.M.

The Highway Department maintains all Town roads including paving and repair, roadside mowing, snow removal, street sweeping and signage.  The Town also contracts to provide snow removal services with the Village of Evans Mills, Jefferson County and the State of New York.  In addition, the Highway Department picks up brush and yard waste on a limited schedule. The Highway Department takes great pride in the Town of LeRay highway system.  If you have any questions, concerns or suggestions, please call the office or mobile numbers listed above.

Driveway Permits

Permits are required for new entrances on any highway in the Town.  Applications for driveway permits on Town highways are available at the Town Clerk’s Office or at the Highway Superintendent’s Office.  Instructions and specifications are included with the application.  There is no fee for the permit, which must be approved by the Highway Superintendent, and inspected after installation. For new entrances on County highways, one should contact the Right-of-Way Agent at the Jefferson County Highway Department at 315-782-9174.  On New York State highways, requests for residential entrances should be made to the DOT Residency Office at 315-785-9317 while commercial entrances should be made to the Permitting Officer at the Regional Office at 315-785-2326.

Yard Waste

Leaves and brush are picked up several times during the months of April and May and during September and October.  Leaves must be bagged (clear bags preferred) and free of any paper, metal or other household waste.  Brush must be at least 3’ long and may be up to 12’ long and up to 6” in diameter with no wire, nails or other metal attached.  Yard waste should be placed at edge of lawn but NOT in the road; it is hazardous and illegal.

Road Maintenance

The Town is responsible for repairs and improvements on Town highways while Jefferson County is responsible for County highways and the State of New York for State highways.  In addition, the Villages of Black River and Evans Mills are responsible for their streets.  On occasion, the Town may be assisting one of the other municipalities in repairs or improvements under a shared services agreement.

Snow Removal

Snow accumulation is monitored and evaluated throughout the day and night, insuring the most effective use of resources and the best possible snow removal response.  Plowing typically begins in the very early morning hours and continues throughout the day and evening as warranted. To facilitate snow removal efforts, the Town prohibits parking on Town roadways from December 1st to April 1st between the hours of 1:00 A.M. and 6:00 A.M. unless signs indicate otherwise.

Mailbox Repair

Some mailboxes may be taken down or damaged because of snow removal processes.  Sometimes, through no fault of the Town, private snow removal contractor or resident, the post has simply rotted and the weight of the snow hitting it knocks it down. According to the NY State Attorney General’s Opinion No. 99-1, when a property owner places his or her mailbox in the Town’s right-of-way, the Town is not liable for damage to the mailbox if such damage is caused by non-negligent snow removal activities.  Whether the Town is responsible for damage to a reasonably placed mailbox is a question of fact relating to the conduct of the snow removal activities. It has been the policy of the Town Highway Department to replace mailboxes and posts taken down or damaged during Town snow removal.  However, it is suggested that you replace any expensive or fancy mailboxes or posts with a basic mailbox and post as these are the only types provided for repair and replacement.