Town to keep road open at former psych center

In order to keep it open, the Town of Smithtown will take over some minor repairs and all snow plowing on the state road known as "The Boulevard" that cuts through the former property of the Kings Park Psychiatric Center.

Smithtown Supervisor Patrick Vecchio said he met recently with Ronald Foley, regional director of the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, to discuss what can be done to keep the boulevard open.

Foley said the state was considering closing the boulevard in bad weather, since it didn't have the funds for manpower to keep it clear of snow and ice.

The road, which cuts through the state land from Route 25A to St. Johnland Road, is used by Kings Park residents as a way to avoid going around the massive property, but more importantly, said Vecchio, it also is used by emergency vehicles that would lose precious time getting from the south side to the north side of the town if the road was to close.

The state will reimburse the town for its cost of plowing. The town will bear the cost to "fill an occasional pothole," said Vecchio.

The question of what to do with the property has been in flux since 1999 when a portion of the land became Nissequogue River State Park, with the rest of the property added in 2006.

Some areas are open to the public, but there are dozens of crumbling, unsafe and contaminated buildings that are off-limits.

The state has agreed to begin taking those buildings down with some of the $29 million secured by state Sen. John Flanagan (R-East Northport) for cleanup, but the project has been delayed because of the state financial crisis.

The state may close the road temporarily once the demolition does begin for reasons regarding safety, Foley said.