HARTWICK - Property owners on the section of Route 28 targeted for upgrades by the NYS Department of Transportation are being asked if they want sidewalks included in the agency's plan for upgrading the state highway which has been delayed because of plans to relocate a historic structure close to the roadway.

Earlier this month, the DOT sent out questionnaires to between 80 and 100 people from Goey Pond Road south of the Dreams Park northward to the intersection of county route 11 asking about sidewalks.

"During our public outreach efforts, a wide range of opinions regarding the construction of sidewalks was expressed," wrote David Ligeikis, the agency's regional planning and program manager in a cover letter sent to property owners. "The intent of this questionnaire is to determine if there is a need to further consider sidewalks as part of the subject project."

The DOT had asked the town if it was interested in sidewalks, particularly in the Hyde Park area, during a meeting with town officials in December. At the time, town officials were unable to answer the question and asked the DOT to wait until they could get a better idea of what residents and businesspeople wanted.

"I kept stewing over it - how to answer that question," town supervisor Carol Niedzialkowski said Monday.

The supervisor said she told DOT project manager John Fitzgerald that she believed they needed to ask people what they wanted and suggested another public informational meeting. Instead, Fitzgerald proposed sending out a questionnaire to survey property owners.

The agency offered to write the questionnaire, send it out and when results are compiled, discuss the outcome with town officials so a final decision may be reached.

The DOT divided the stretch of highway into four sections: Dreams Park to the Commons; Commons to Greenough Road; Greenough Road to 11c; County Road 11c to County Road 11.

Property owners are asked to make a choice between sidewalks on the east or west side only; both sides; or no sidewalks at all.

According to the DOT, sidewalks can add character to an area by creating a 'village type atmosphere.' Additionally, they provide a safer alternative to walking on the road shoulder for pedestrians.

One drawback to sidewalks is the maintenance - primarily snow removal - which generally becomes the responsibility of property owners, according to the highway agency.

Niedzialkowski said she has "mixed feelings" about sidewalks along Route 28. There are places where she believes they would be nice, but at the same time she worries about maintaining them.

The town currently maintains the sidewalks in the hamlet of Hartwick, but Niedzialkowski was uncertain if the town would want to commit to maintaining sidewalks on Route 28 also.

Fitzgerald said this week that a decision to move a historic house will delay the project as much as 18 months.

The Willsey house, just north of the new Holiday Inn Express will be relocated to another site on the property, according to the agency's current plan.

Both the owner Mike Willsey and the State Office of Historic Preservation prefer the move as opposed to demolishing the structure, he said.

"We look to avoid historic structures, but it comes down to does it make sense?" Fitzgerald said.

The house sits on the inside of what he describes as a 'non-standard curve' and would be severely impacted by the project.

It is in the best interest of the house and the project that it be moved back, Fitzgerald said.

But the decision to move the house changes things and will trigger additional reviews of the project by outside agencies. The project is now scheduled for construction to begin in the fall of 2006 which Fitzgerald called the worst case scenario. He hopes work may get underway early that summer.

The DOT's route 28 project will rehabilitate and reconstruct 3.25 miles of the highway from just south of Goey Pond Road in the town of Hartwick to a little north of the intersection with county road 26 in the town of Otsego. It will provide left turn lanes at some intersections and a bi-directional turn lane from The Commons through Hyde Park to county route 11c. The Greenough Road intersection will be rebuilt to form a "T" intersection and improvements will be made to two bridges.

The DOT is asking that questionnaires be completed and returned by January 18.