N.Y. HAY Law § 199

§ 199. Widening highways; petition. When any part of a highway in any\ntown of this state, not in an incorporated village or city, running\nbetween two or more villages or cities, has, because of the wearing away\nby a river or stream or any other natural cause, become narrower than\nthe width required by statute, and is dangerous to the users of such\nhighway, twelve or more resident taxpayers of such town may present a\npetition to the supreme court in the judicial district within which such\ntown is situated. The petition shall describe the part of the highway\nproposed to be widened and state that such highway has become lessened\nin width by the action of a river or stream or other cause, that it is\ndangerous to the traveling public, that the widening and improvement of\nsuch highway is necessary for the public convenience and welfare, that\nthe highway is an important leading road between two or more cities or\nvillages, that the cost of such widening and improvement would exceed\nthe sum of two thousand five hundred dollars and would be too burdensome\non the town or towns otherwise liable therefor. Such petition shall be\nverified by at least three of the petitioners. On receipt of the\npetition by supreme court the court shall appoint a time and place for a\nmeeting to hear all persons interested in the proposed widening of the\nhighway. The court shall examine the part of the highway proposed to be\nwidened, hear any reasons for or against such widening and ascertain the\nprobable cost of the work. If the court shall determine that the\nproposed widening of the highway is necessary and that the cost thereof\nwould be too burdensome for the town, exceeding in probable cost two\nthousand five hundred dollars, they shall notify the board of\nsupervisors of the county of such decision. The board of supervisors\nshall thereupon cause one-half of the amount of the estimated cost to be\nraised by the county and paid to the supervisor of the town or towns in\nwhich that part of the highway proposed to be widened as aforesaid is\nlocated, and said supervisor shall apply the sum so received by him\ntowards the payment of the cost of such widening. The balance of the\nexpense shall be raised in the manner provided by law, by the town or\ntowns in which that part of the highway proposed to be widened as\naforesaid is located.\n