So she got quite the surprise Monday when she saw a small fleet of paving trucks come down Rock Hill Road in Rocky Point, where she has lived for 30 years, to lay asphalt. But the crew was in and out of her block in a day and she couldn't be more pleased about it.

"It's as if they came just for my party," Ms. Voisey said. "This is certainly new and improved."

While the Brookhaven Town Highway Department certainly had no knowledge of Ms. Voisey's holiday plans, they're hoping this summer's efforts, after a winter that wreaked havoc on town roads, are appreciated by residents.

Brookhaven Town Highway Superintendent John Rouse, who is seeking re-election in November, is calling the summer of 2009 his most ambitious paving season yet.

The Rocky Point project, which included Rock Hill Road and is the biggest to date this year, will cover 17 streets in the "Tides" neighborhood. Rocky Point will be repaved to the tune of $630,000 this year, Mr. Rouse said.

"We've been focused a lot on Rocky Point, Mastic and Gordon Heights, which, for whatever reason, have been neglected," said Mr. Rouse, who added that projects will be equally distributed through each council district this paving season.

Mr. Rouse said the town prioritizes its projects, with safety concerns taking precedence. He said paving on Long Island Avenue, a seven-mile stretch between County Road 101 in Yaphank and Nicolls Road in Holtsville, will continue this summer. The massive project is being done in thirds. It began on the central section last year, will continue on the western portion of the road this year and conclude next year when the easternmost section is paved.

Election and weather aside -- Mr. Rouse said this winter was the worst he's seen in six years on the job -- the highway superintendent said he also wants to be aggressive because of the current asphalt prices. He said dollars now "go further" for the petroleum-based product than in years past.

And although rain has slowed down the highway crews in recent weeks, Mr. Rouse said he hopes to have repaved over 200 roads in the next six weeks -- a goal he says is the most aggressive on Long Island this year.

"The list will only grow into October," he said.

And Helen Voisey, who estimates that her street hadn't been paved in more than 20 years, isn't the only area resident happy to see the Rocky Point neighborhood being repaved this summer.

Councilwoman Jane Bonner, who lives in Rocky Point, said she's excited to see the commitment.

"I'm happy we're improving the infrastructure of the town," said Ms. Bonner, who also is up for re-election in November. "I'm gratified we're moving in the right direction."

gparpan@northshoresun.com

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