Route 63

Press Release:

The New York State Department of Transportation, in coordination with the Federal Highway Administration, today advised motorists that State Route 63 through the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge in the Town of Alabama, Genesee County, will close to accommodate a federal culvert replacement project beginning July 1. The closure is anticipated to be in place until September 1.

Motorists are encouraged to follow the posted detour that utilizes State Route 77, Gasport Road, and State Route 31. Local traffic will be able to access Route 63 up to the immediate work zone. Access to the refuge will remain open for the duration of the closure.

Motorists should anticipate travel delays and build extra travel time into their schedule. Construction activities are weather-dependent and subject to change based on conditions.

Motorists are urged to slow down and drive responsibly in work zones. Fines are doubled for speeding in a work zone. Convictions of two or more speeding violations in a work zone could result in the suspension of an individual’s driver license.

A trio of goats in a tiny pen in the hot sun in a field off Route 63 has a caller to the Genesee County Animal Shelter concerned, and the animal control officer asked to speak to the caller, according to a dispatcher.

Earlier today, The Batavian received an email from a passerby who does not live locally. She wrote:

"I was traveling through yesterday on Route 63 between Batavia and Oakfield and noticed three goats in a VERY small fenced enclosure with no shade available. There was a small plastic 'house' but I'm not sure they would all fit inside and I'm sure it would be horribly hot if they could have. The enclosure was in the middle of a field not far from the road.

"I went by before noon and back again around 5:30. They were all still there. ... I felt so bad for them. What they need is definitely a larger fenced area and some thing to provide shade -- even a tarp over part of the fence would be OK."

Route 63/Judge Road in Oakfield, closed for three weeks after a sink hole developed, was reopened today by the Department of Transportation.

Lori Maher, spokeswoman for the DOT said officials determined that the sink hole was the result of minor settlement and probably exacerbated by dry weather, which lowered the water table.

The situation has been "remedied" Maher said and the detour removed.

PHOTO: Not previously published, taken a week ago.

The driver of a tractor trailer says a possible weight shift caused him to lose control of his trailer last night, causing his rig to rumble off  southbound Route 63 and strike a utility pole.

Pole #5867 was sheared off at its base and the trailer overturned.

The driver, Ljubisa Savuljeskovic, 55, of 192 Hugson St., Hamilton, Ontario Canada, was not injured in the accident.

The mishap was reported at 9:14 p.m.

A witness told Deputy C.J. Minuto that she saw Savuljeskovic swerve suddenly and then seem to overreact, causing him to lose control of the trailer.

National Grid was called to the scene to repair the utility pole.