Department of Public Works

About Public Works

The Public Works Department consists of four sub-departments. A unique aspect of the Village of Horseheads is that all Public Works employees share duties in the various sub-departments, which means a water operator also plows snow or a cemetery worker works in the parks department.

The department also strives to use shared services as much as possible using men and equipment from many adjacent municipalities and the school district. We also share salt storage with Chemung County and a vehicle fueling facility with the Horseheads Central School District.

Streets and Maintenance

The Department of Public Works is responsible for maintaining 31 miles of streets in the Village of Horseheads.  DPW crews routinely plow, patch, clean, repair, sign and manage the Village streets to protect the public and maintain an efficient transportation infrastructure for the Village’s residents and businesses.

Buildings and Grounds

The Village owns 18 buildings plus numerous other structures along with over 150 acres of property in various locations. The Public Works Department, through its various departments, provides maintenance and repair to these properties. The employees of the department strive to keep all of the Village’s properties in the best shape possible.

Brush and Leaf Pickup

Each Spring the Village DPW does a brush pickup for residential properties. DPW employees will pickup brush, branches and bushes only, they must be placed parallel at the curbside. Only brush, branches and bushes will be picked up at this time, leaves and yard clippings will not. The program lasts approximately 3 weeks and begins in mid-April. An annual announcement will be made regarding when the brush pick up will begin and end.  

Each Fall the DPW will pickup bagged leaves at the curbside. Leaves must be placed in clear plastic bags or biodegradable bags and placed at the curb. Only bagged leaves will be taken at this time. The program runs from approximately mid-October through the end of November.  An annual announcement will be made regarding when the leaf pick up will begin and end.

Sidewalk Repair/Replacement

It is the responsibility of each homeowner to properly maintain and repair any public sidewalk that adjoins their property. The Village’s Sidewalk Removal and Replacement Program is as follows: Village employees and equipment will remove the existing sidewalk. The property owner will be responsible for replacing the sidewalk and restoring the disturbed area. You can either do the work yourself or hire a contractor. The sidewalk must be constructed according to Village specifications.

How to apply - All property within the Village of Horseheads is eligible for the program excluding government owned property. To apply the property owner should contact the Village Clerk’s Office and ask for a sidewalk program application form. The office is open Monday through Friday 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. You can bring your completed applications to the Village Clerk’s Office.

Snow Removal

Department of Public Works employees strive to keep Village streets clear of snow and ice, often putting in sixteen-hour shifts to keep our streets open and passable during inclement weather. At the first signs of slippery conditions, DPW personnel are dispatched to improve conditions.

During snowstorms residents are encouraged to remove vehicles from the street. The Village has a 2:00am to 6:00am parking ban on all Village streets year round, and it is enforced by the Village Police Department. We also request that you do not shovel or blow snow into the street.

Street Paving

The Village’s goal is to keep streets in the best condition possible in the most cost-effective manner. We replace or resurface streets using several different methods. The most costly is to completely re-build the street by removing the curbs, milling off the existing paved surface, re-paving, and then replacing the curbs and driveway approaches. We try to do this kind of re-construction on four or five streets each year. They are selected by determining their overall condition, date of last paving, and amount of traffic. We also do surface maintenance using crack filling and/or slurry seal, which extends the life of the existing surface, and prevents premature failure and the development of potholes.

Potholes are a constant problem especially on older pavement. We do our best to patch potholes as quickly as possible. In the colder months, this is a never-ending job especially in early spring. Cold patching a pothole will only last as long as the pothole stays dry. Once water infiltrates the pavement and traffic drives over it, the temporary patch will come apart. The best remedy for potholes is hot mix asphalt, but this only becomes available in mid to late April when the asphalt plants reopen. 

Street Sweeping

The DPW crew sweep all curbed streets once per month April through October. The downtown business area and the major roads are swept at least twice per month.

Trees

The Village is responsible for all trees on Village owned property, and within the street right-of-way. If you feel there is a problem with a tree in these areas please contact the DPW so we can inspect the tree and take the appropriate action.

Street Lights

All streets and public areas within the Village of Horseheads are lit for the safety of the public. The street lights within the Village are Village owned and have high-efficiency LED bulbs. If you notice a problem with a street light, please contact the Village at 739–5666.

Traffic Control

Traffic control signs and traffic lights within the Village right-of-way are maintained by the DPW.  It is our responsibility to maintain the street name signs at every intersection and to replace signs as necessary to maintain their readability, and to repair any damage. . If you notice a problem with any street signage, please contact us.