|
Back to Article List
TRANSCRIPT OF WORK SESSION WITH STATE:DISCUSSIONS OF NYS ROAD CONDITIONS
Release Date: July 28, 2014
On July 8th the Town Board met with the regional representative of the NYS Department of Transportation, State Senator Andrea Stewart Cousins and Asssemblyman Tom Abinanti to discuss NYS road conditions. Among the issues discussed: the need for the state to repave West Hartsdale Ave, a street that is in desperate need of repaving. The lack of maintenance on other state roads located in Greenburgh. The eyesore: Dobbs Ferry Road/Sprain Parkway staging area. Completing sidewalks on Central Ave. Working out agreements with local governments to be reimbursed if localities help out and address conditions on state roads and more….
The following is a transcript of this important work session. We will be encouraging the state to follow up on the concerns expressed at the meeting we had. Your thoughts on the comments made below are appreciated.
PAUL FEINER
MS. STEWART-COUSINS: Good
morning. Good to see you.
SUPERVISOR FEINER: First of
all, we're really very appreciative that
you both took your time out of your, you
know, your schedules to meet with us and
discuss, you know, some issues. And, you
know, thanks so much.
You know, I thought maybe I
could just go over some of the, you know,
the major issues that keep cropping up.
You know, one issue that people keep, you
know, calling me up, I was on my bicycle up
and down West Hartsdale Avenue and the road
is like a real disaster. You know, even on
the bike you can't even bike on the side of
the road because it's all cracked. And,
you know, it's a real hazard for
pedestrians, you know, and cyclists. And
I'm sort of wondering if, you know, there
is a possibility that we could accelerate,
you know, the repaving of that road. And
I'm also wondering if there is a
possibility that when they do repave it, we
might be able to address like the shoulders
and make it more of a -- you know, make it
more conducive for cyclists and
pedestrians. You have an awful lot of
people that would probably, you know, not
take the bus to -- I mean, you know, not
take their car out to the train station if
they could walk safely there. Maybe that's
the first item.
MR. GORDON: Well, you know,
pavement is a challenge right now, you
know. And paving and adding shoulders are
generally two different types of projects.
You know, maintenance type paving and
overlay usually just addresses what's
there. When you have to start adding
shoulders, which is a goal we have for
bicycle and pedestrian activity, when we're
able to do those kind of jobs, they get
more complex, because many of the roads and
unfortunately many of the smaller state
highways in Greenburgh have narrow
right-of-ways, you know, stone walls, trees
and everything that kind of prohibits you
from an easy, wide shoulder. So, they
become a little bit bigger job than
anticipated. When we do it, we want to do
a decent width shoulder so it's not two
foot widening, because that sometimes can
be as dangerous as nothing.
So, you know, the paving
program, we have obtained a lot of
programs. We have laid miles all over and
we try to maximize the efficiency of our
paving as best we can. Focus has to be on
the high volume, high speed roadways first.
You know, that's why you'll see more
attention on the Sprain and Taconic and
Cross Westchester than some of the smaller
roads, because there are more safety issues
on larger roads. We're trying to get to
the lower roads. We were just able to get
a few extra candidates in from the harsh
winter we had this year, and we're slowly
trying to get to the roads that are in
worse condition.
SUPERVISOR FEINER: Do we
have any estimate when say West Hartsdale
Avenue could be, you know, repaved?
Because it really is -- it's really
dangerous and it's used by, you know, a lot
of people. And, you know, again I saw
myself, you know, there is holes. There is
cracks. There is -- You know there -- It's
really -- You know, I'm not the only
bicyclists that use it. There is a lot of
other bicyclists. You have to go in the
middle of the road. It's just not safe.
There should be a sign saying, you know, no
bicycling allowed. I'm saying the thing is
it really is dangerous.
MR. GORDON: Well, we have a
full capital program update coming up this
fall where we'll outline, you know, our
next five year plan. And as we develop
that, we'll have a clear indication of what
the funding levels are and what the
priorities are and how far we can get with
what we have available to us. I could give
you a much better estimate, you know, as we
get near fall than I can right now.
Right now we're just going
with, you know, what's planned for the
moment. That road isn't on the planning
for now.
SUPERVISOR FEINER: Does the
State ever accelerate if there is
conditions that are really horrible? You
know, maybe you could just take a look at
it, you know, after you leave. But is
there, you know, if it really is dangerous
and it's hazardous, you agree that this is
not exaggeration. This is, you know, an
accurate representation. Could you ever
accelerate it and not say okay it's going
to happen five years from now? I mean,
could you move it up the ladder?
MR. GORDON: Yeah. We have
that -- we have that ability to do that.
As I said, we were able to get, you know,
some extra money from this winter
excelerate it. We targeted our worst
pavements in the region, in the five
locations that we selected. And we looked
at all of the ones that were very poor and
then tried to find the worse, you know,
really address the worst ones.
MS. STEWART-COUSINS: It was
on the list.
MR. GORDON: Well, it was on
the list, but it wasn't the worst of the
worst. So, we're trying to wean down on
that.
We -- we, a few years ago,
went to really a preservation program.
We're trying to keep our good pavements in
good condition to make them last longer.
It's an asset management strategy that
exists around the country. You invest in
your better pavements and bridges to extend
their life. We focus a ton of money on
that. And the downfall is some of the
poorer pavements have been left behind.
Now we're in a period of trying to catch up
with those poor pavements that we
stabilized a little bit the good pavements.
And it's a way to stretch the dollar as far
as you can.
SUPERVISOR FEINER: Is there
any possibility that, you know, and I know
this was a suggestion from Victor, the
Commissioner of Public Works, that let's
say the State is unable -- let's say there
is a real disaster and we contact, you
know, the State and there is -- you know
you're swamped with work or don't have the
resources or, you know, you're using the
resources somewhere else that we could say
do the work and then get reimbursed if it's
an emergency? Because, you know, I sort of
feel that, you know, I mean many times I
get complaints. It could be Dobbs Ferry
Road. It could be West Hartsdale. There
are a lot of roads. And if we could do it
then, you know, it's not like passing the
blame saying oh, it's the State's fault and
we would take responsibility and just get
reimbursed later on.
MR. GORDON: Well, we have no
legal way to reimburse you for work. It's
really, you know, if we had the funds
available, we would be able to do it. So
it's not -- It's a combination of capital
funding and personnel resources.
You know, the kind of work
you're talking about would be a capital
funding source. So, if the money was
available and it would fit into our
priority, in our plan, we would do it.
COUNCILMAN JONES: That's not
what you just said. What you just said was
you have priorities.
MR. GORDON: Right.
COUNCILMAN JONES: And you
take care of those priorities first.
MR. GORDON: Right.
COUNCILMAN JONES: Your
priorities, our priorities could very well
be different.
MR. GORDON: Yes.
COUNCILMAN JONES: So, it's
not a question of you don't have the money.
It's a question of it being a priority on
the same level and at the State level as it
is the Town level.
MR. GORDON: Right. We
sometimes will disagree on priorities. It
might be the worst road in your town, but
it might not be the top ten worst condition
that we have across the region.
MS. STEWART-COUSINS: Let me
just -- let me just try and hear what is
being said. So, if their priority, if the
Town's priority is happening now, and they
are able to do whatever they do, if it were
a priority for the State say three years
from now, would there be some ability to --
to reimburse them at the time that this
might have been a priority say three years
down the road or do we not have a construct
for that?
MR. GORDON: We do have a
contract. We have a program called Reverse
Betterment Program, where, you know, a
community will undertake a project for the
State on one of our facilities and we would
reimburse them.
MS. STEWART-COUSINS: Okay.
MR. GORDON: So, we have to
have the funds available for that. Now if
a community, I hear what you're saying, the
community wanted to do it now and get
reimbursed three years from now when it
would meet our program, I don't think we
have ever had that situation come up.
That's sort of --
MS. STEWART-COUSINS: I don't
know that you're talking about three years
from now, but -- but you're saying if you
were willing to do it now and the State
would reimburse you at some time, you
didn't say --
SUPERVISOR FEINER: You know,
we would obviously, because the tax
capital, we would want to get it sooner
rather than later. But I sort of feel
let's say West Hartsdale Avenue, I know it
definitely needs work. There is no doubt
in my mind. Or I may get a complaint about
a pothole and, you know, let's say it might
be on Dobbs Ferry Road or on Hillside
Avenue, and the State may just not have the
resources to do it.
MS. STEWART-COUSINS: Right.
SUPERVISOR FEINER: But the
thing is we're on notice. I'll tell
Victor. People think it's the Town rather
than the State. So, they are blaming us.
But it's not our, you know, it's not our
road. And if we could have gotten
reimbursed for it, then instead of us
saying oh, it's the State's problem, and
everyone saying I can't believe it,
everyone is pointing fingers, then we get
the job done and then just get reimbursed.
I would think that that would be a way
where we could all work together and --
and, you know, solve -- solve the problem
or I mean sometimes it may be a stretch of
a road that needs to be repaved.
MR. GORDON: Well, there is
another option that exists. And it's, you
know, it's not often taken up. But, you
know, some of these roads could be, you
know, given to the Town and then you could
get, you know, more lane miles for CHIPS
funding to maintain them, but it would
become your road lock, stock and barrel.
SUPERVISOR FEINER: But then
it would have to be turned to us in a great
condition.
MR. GORDON: Well, that --
Sometimes we have done that in the past.
COUNCILMAN JONES: Get what
you pay for.
MR. GORDON: I mean, the way
to get more control over the roadways in
the Town is to take them out of the Town
roadways. And there are certain state
roads that might not control the function
of the state highway any more in
Westchester and be more local oriented.
That is a mechanism that exists, but it is,
you know, that's a big one for the
community.
SUPERVISOR FEINER: That
might be something the legislature may look
at, because I'm sure we're not the only
community in New York that is experiencing
this, you know, this problem and it might
be a way where local governments could --
maybe there could be something that would
make it attractive for communities to take
over a road.
MS. STEWART-COUSINS: Yes.
COUNCILMAN SHEEHAN: Are you
suggesting the Town take over a State road?
SUPERVISOR FEINER: No. I'm
saying maybe the State Legislature could
come up with a plan, a proposal that would
make it financially attractive, you know,
for us.
MS. STEWART-COUSINS: Besides
the CHIPS funding, additional CHIPS
funding.
SUPERVISOR FEINER: Right.
I'm saying this way, you know, we could
get, you know, get the roads fixed. Do it
quickly and it would be, you know --
MS. STEWART-COUSINS: What
would you consider an incentive? Because
it sounds like they are talking about as is
pretty much, more or less, and then with
additional CHIPS funding. And you're
saying that you think it would be something
that would be a little more incentive would
be like what for you?
SUPERVISOR FEINER: One would
be if people have like a private road and
the Town takes it over, they have to give
it to us in a condition that meets the
Town's standards. It has to be repaved and
in good condition. And then I would think
that in terms of maintenance, giving us a
certain -- if there is a certain budget.
So, every certain number of years we would
get a certain amount of money to, you
know -- you know, repave the road or do
potholes. Some sort of maintenance per
mile of State roads if the Town -- if the
Town takes it over. And it might be less
expensive for us to do it than, you know,
for you to do it. Just something you could
really think about.
MS. STEWART-COUSINS: Okay.
We could sort of brainstorm together I
guess.
MR. GORDON: Well, the
program exists in four cities. It's
allowed within the city. Many of the
cities maintain the state highways of the
city. What they get is an annual -- you
know, they get a monthly payment. We
authorize. You say you've done work. It's
up to speed. And you will get a monthly
payment.
So, it does exist for
legislation for a city, but not towns and
villages at this point in time. It's an
interesting idea --
MS. STEWART-COUSINS: We can
look at it.
MR. GORDON: -- for a large
town not a small town.
COUNCILMAN MORGAN: We're
looking at a road like West Hartsdale, it's
a heavily traveled road which connects
different areas of the county. And to redo
that road and add sidewalks, and obviously
there may have to be takings and then you
have the infrastructure for water
mitigation. I mean, that's -- that's a
large tab for a town to accept. You're
talking millions for -- for that job. And,
you know, I don't see the Town having the,
you know, capital money or anything to --
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: West
Hartsdale was slated to be repaved three
years ago.
COUNCILMAN MORGAN: By the
State, yeah.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: It was
reallocated.
COUNCILMAN SHEEHAN: So --
COUNCILWOMAN JUETTNER: There
is another issue though that would concern
me if we take it over. I would be
interested in knowing how the cities are
doing their upkeeping of state roads.
Whether they are getting enough State money
in order to make things ends meet, because
now with tax caps and all of that means
that we would be stretching even further.
MR. GORDON: Everybody is
stretched.
COUNCILWOMAN JUETTNER: Ex-
actly. That's the problem.
MR. GORDON: You guys, every
level of government is stretched at this
point in time.
SUPERVISOR FEINER: The
problem is people, the average resident,
they don't want to hear me saying oh, by
the way -- If somebody e-mails me or
contacts me, they don't want me to say oh,
it's not my fault. It's the State's fault.
They feel this is the Town. You know,
we're overseeing the Town. Basically they
want to make sure that their quality of
life problems are addressed. That's why I
sort of feel that, you know, I know on West
Hartsdale Avenue as an example, I know it's
not being addressed. It's very
frustrating. And if I'm on a road and I'm
personally bicycling on it and I have to go
in the middle of a road and people are
trying to --
COUNCILMAN MORGAN: Run you
over.
SUPERVISOR FEINER: -- run me
over. I think it was mostly the Town
Board. But the problem is I just feel that
you feel helpless. But that's one issue.
Maybe you could take a look at it.
COUNCILMAN SHEEHAN: Before
we leave that issue. If it was on the list
three years ago, did other roads along the
state get really bad or did the funding
being cut --
MR. GORDON: I don't remember
the specific details about that particular
funding and what it was relegated for.
COUNCILMAN SHEEHAN: Could we
find out?
MR. GORDON: But it sounds
about the same time that we really were
starting to invest in the preservation
first. And we had to dedicate, you know,
to get -- you know, to reallocate the money
to the preservation type roads, which
confuses people. I mean, honestly they see
it. They see a better road being paved and
then we get phone calls all the time. What
are you paving that road for? This one is
worse. It is part of a long-term strategy,
to extend the life of the facility. We
are -- You know, we knew the curve would
trend to get more roads. They will stay in
a poor condition a little longer. They are
more stable there. Until we free the money
up to address them. And we're on that
trend now of trying to get to the poorer
conditions.
COUNCILMAN SHEEHAN: Now you
lost me, because you said repave roads and
better conditions. I thought the
preservation program, which we're trying to
do here in the Town, as well as if you have
a road in good condition and it has cracks
and the alligator cracks and things like
that, you want to seal them so that you
don't lose the road.
MR. GORDON: That's part of
it. It's an incremental strategy. And
then it gets to a certain point and then
you want to resurface it with either a mill
and a fill or an overlay or something,
because at a certain point you really can't
crack sealing when it becomes -- it's
dangerous.
COUNCILMAN SHEEHAN: But at
what point when you can't crack seal it
anymore does it then go back into the pool
of bad roads? And now all of a sudden we
have East Hartsdale Avenue.
MR. GORDON: Really you're
looking at about idealistically about every
eight to ten years if you can do a surface
course rehabilitation with seal and fill.
You can extend the life and keep the water
out from underneath. Once it gets too
cracked, then an overlay will not be
effective. It will crack back up in a few
years. Then you have to start to go into a
deeper rehabilitation. You probably have
some underlying water issues, some edges,
you have some potholes.
COUNCILMAN SHEEHAN: Could
you just, and I'll leave it at that, look
into whether or not if and when this was on
a list, if it was three years ago, and why
it came off the list. Was it because of
drop in funding or because other roads were
deemed worse? I can't see the Town, you
know, being able to take over State roads.
The Town took over county roads for
$400,000 more than a decade ago and, you
know, it costs a lot more than $400,000.
So, you know, we have to be long-term smart
as well.
If it's truly a state road and
it has state purposes, I don't think we can
really do that as a town particularly.
MR. GORDON: I don't think
many places want to take over. It is an
option that does exists, if a community
really wants more control over --
COUNCILMAN MORGAN: If there
is no money attached to that.
COUNCILMAN SHEEHAN: Right.
You will go back to the office a hero.
COUNCILMAN JONES: You will
let us know about the reimbursement.
MR. GORDON: Right. We'll
look at the legislative thing.
MS. STEWART-COUSINS: The
thing is right now it's not for towns and
villages. So, we need to see if that makes
sense. I mean, I think it sounds like it
does. I don't know why. But like you said
a town of a certain size it might make a
lot of sense. And we'll be happy to look
into that.
Also in terms of as was
stated, the reassessment of the capital
funds and the five year program and so on
and so forth is happening in the fall as
well. So, I think we will make sure that
this is considered. I don't know --
Obviously I don't make the decisions as to
what gets considered, but I think
especially if it was on three years ago and
came off, I think it should be a candidate
for re-evaluation.
SUPERVISOR FEINER: For, you
know, just the town roads, one of the
thoughts, because everybody has the same
problems. Everybody is cutting and
cutting. We're approving the capital
budget today, and we're going to be
allocating about $3 million for road
repaving in 2015. But although $3 million
is a lot, we really need $5 million. And
the question that I had for the legislature
with the tax cap. You know, one of the
thoughts that I had was would the State
considered amending say the tax cap law and
maybe exempting road repaving from -- from
the tax cap provisions?
Because when we're doing the
capital budget, a factor for me is
different than a factor for the
Commissioner of Public Works. I'm looking
at the tax cap and trying to comply with
it. Commissioner of Public Works is
looking at his responsibility of
maintaining the roads. So, if we're
approving 3 million but we really need 5
million and we're not giving you the 2
million extra, our roads are not being
maintained as, you know, as -- as they
should be. And if, you know, this would
cost the Town, the State nothing and it
would just exempt us from that and give us
a little bit more encouragement. Give all
communities and the state more
encouragement to -- to --
MS. STEWART-COUSINS: So
you're looking for an exemption for
infrastructure?
SUPERVISOR FEINER: An
infrastructure exemption in the tax cap.
Because I think otherwise it's going to be,
you know, the infrastructure will be so bad
that, you know, everybody could have tax
cuts now and then you're going to see major
tax increases five years from now because
the roads are such a mess that everybody is
going to be playing catchup. And then, you
know, so that's the second thing.
The other issue, this is like
one of the biggest issues that, you know,
we get every year. The Dobbs Ferry Road,
Sprain Parkway, there is a staging area.
And, you know, I must write to you about
every -- every hour or something. And --
COUNCILMAN SHEEHAN: You're
familiar with the area.
MR. GORDON: I got a picture
of it.
COUNCILMAN SHEEHAN: You
happen to have a picture of it.
SUPERVISOR FEINER: I'm just
wondering, there were two thoughts. Most
people in the community, they feel that it
should stop being used, you know, as a
staging area. But, you know, other people
have also said if you're not going to back
off from using it as a staging area, are
you able to do some, you know, planting of
trees or bushes to hide the eyesore on the
road.
MR. GORDON: Yes to both.
SUPERVISOR FEINER: That
would be good. Rather than number one.
COUNCILMAN SHEEHAN: Next
question.
MR. GORDON: Right now --
right now it's empty. But, you know, but
we do have, you know, we do have challenges
in Westchester County, finding places to
store material and equipment temporarily as
you need to be. And the big issues we have
had over the past few years is after some
of these significant storms, and there is
tree damage everywhere. To clear the trees
quickly, you need to get them off the road
and get them somewhere. And we don't have
a lot of room in Westchester County to do
that.
So, we would like, you know,
to continue to have that in our pocket for
that temporary storage area. My question
is I get a lot of complaints. No one told
me exactly which view shed. Which
direction is the eyesore? I think I know
which one you're talking about. I thought
it was a neighborhood. But, I mean, from
the neighborhood, up on the side, you can't
see there. They have a heavy standard
tree. So, I assume it's coming down the
ramp you see it. Is that the primary?
SUPERVISOR FEINER: Dobbs
Ferry Road.
MR. GORDON: Correct. So,
you know, we have looked at a couple of
options to maybe, you know, put a berm and
some landscaping on that. On the, you
know, the B side and then where we could
bring a little access road that's more
hidden off to the side. And, you know, we
will try to constrain issues to only when
it's really necessary for some -- some
serious activity that's going on in the
area. Not as a constant, permanent storage
facility. But the access to and from the
Sprain, it really provides an easy way for
us and efficient way to move material
around in those extreme events. And we
really need to have that ability.
COUNCILMAN SHEEHAN: How
distant of a travel is it that you use that
first staging area? Is it five miles; ten
miles?
MR. GUDER: Old school was
one of the sites where --
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Could
you speak a little louder, please.
MR. GUDER: Oh, sure. This
also was one of the places where the local
contractors were dumping their debris
there.
MR. GORDON: Some of it
wasn't even us. It --
MR. GUDER: And we had it
removed and then we put logs around it so
they don't come back and dump it. Normally
it's illegal dumping also there.
MR. GORDON: So, you know,
we're going to develop a plan to try to
find a way to shield it a little bit and
still provide access for those situations
where we really need it.
COUNCILMAN SHEEHAN: I
understand the question regarding how far a
distance do you draw from.
MR. GORDON: I'm not sure.
MS. STEWART-COUSINS: From
that staging area when there are extreme
events, what is the area that is serviced
in Westchester? Is it five miles?
MR. GUDER: No. Very close.
We haven't used it lately as a dumping
area. That was used by, like I said, like
the local contractor, people dumping.
COUNCILMAN SHEEHAN: Other
than that, is it mostly local material?
MR. GUDER: Yeah. We have a
tree down on the Sprain, yeah, we would put
it there, yeah.
SUPERVISOR FEINER: Victor,
is there like another location say in the
Town that's not within, you know, eyesight
of people that would be another
alternative, you know, location that, you
know, we could maybe offer the State?
MR. CAROSI: I think -- First
off I want to say thank you on behalf of
the DPW. We work very well together. I
just want to let you know we have a good
relationship.
Unfortunately, at times, I
know your resources as ours is limited. We
appreciate that.
With respect to this area, you
know, we also are limited as far as areas
that we can stage at times as well.
Perhaps it might be best if maybe we could
work locally to help. If it's a screening
issue, I think as Mr. Gordon suggested,
that we can -- perhaps the State can create
a berming situation.
They, like us, need staging
areas to be able to perform our work. If
it's -- if it's done in a manner that's not
visually obstructed at least to the
residents, we can find that middle ground
where it might be a temporary situation.
They will stage and they will move out.
But at least it's not something that you're
seeing an active construction site or what
appears to be an abandoned dumping area.
That might be a middle ground that we could
work with.
I'm not aware of any areas of
the Town that we could offer. We're in the
same position. We have very, very limited
resources for that type of operation.
COUNCILMAN SHEEHAN: So,
you're open to that?
MR. GUDER: Yes.
MR. GORDON: Yes. We looked
at a couple options and figure out how we
are going to get it done, sure.
MS. STEWART-COUSINS: But
it's something we can do?
MR. GORDON: Yes. I would
like to exactly come to some kind of middle
ground we can shield it enough but still
have it available to us and commit that
we're not going to use it as a permanent
place to store equipment or, you know,
things, but only when we have to have, you
know, where a construction operation needs
to store some things or debris removal
after a big storm, those kind of events.
COUNCILMAN SHEEHAN: We have
a yes and a yes.
SUPERVISOR FEINER: That's
good. Another issue that the commissioner,
you know, has, you know, brought to my
attention. Over the years, you know,
especially during the spring, we do a lot
of -- we get a lot of complaints about
litter on, you know, on state
right-of-ways, and, you know, whether it's
Central Avenue, Dobbs Ferry Road, Hillside.
And many times, like this year, we allocate
Town employees to clean up the litter. And
I'm sort of wondering if there is any, you
know -- and then, you know, it gets
relittered. I'm wondering if there is any
possibility that we could get some
reimbursement or work out some arrangement,
you know, not only the Town but there may
be other municipalities also, where
communities could -- that pitch in could
get reimbursed for -- for our efforts,
because it is taking employees out of --
MR. CAROSI: Production.
SUPERVISOR FEINER: Right.
MR. CAROSI: Expanding on
that. What the Supervisor is really
getting towards is the quality of life. We
all are looking to try to, with the tax
dollars that we have available, trying to
help our communities perform better for our
residents. And looking at some of the
roadways that the state -- the state
roadways, as you know, we have six
different roadways throughout our community
that are state maintained to some different
degrees.
I understand dwindling
resources, but what we're looking for is
ways that the State, where these roadways
could be maintained from a visual aspect a
little bit better. Clearing of the debris
along the side of the roadways. Making
sure basins and storage drainage systems
are more functional. Street sweeping. We
have traffic islands. Cutting the grass
7/8/14 - Work Session 20
occasionally. Litter patrol. These are
the type of things that, you know, local
municipalities do on our own roads and
rights of ways.
It seems that the State DOT,
maybe your deeds are not the same along the
lines to the local character of your
roadways as we would like. It's kind of an
act of how we could better match our needs
and as far as our quality of life to our
residents with the ability as a State DOT.
MR. GORDON: Well, it goes
back to the same as the first question.
There is no reimbursement program
available. So, that's the first thing.
You know, what we have to do
when -- We can enter into shared service
agreements with communities, where we share
services that can be done maybe more
efficiently by one community versus
another. But then, you know, we have to do
a reciprocal share. You know, we would
have to perform something for the Town and
money that you spent. It gets complicated
and it's hard to do.
We have a standard that we
apply for, you know, mowing and litter and
it's consistent and it may not be what will
meet your expectations. You know, that's
when certain communities just take it upon
themselves if they want it to look nice for
them, when they are able to, they just do
it. We're glad they do it.
SUPERVISOR FEINER: That's
the problem that we have like with the tax
cap. Let's say, you know, our employees
are swamped with, you know, day-to-day, you
know, work and then the commissioner asks
us could he have overtime, because with
overtime they could clean up the roads.
And then we say yes. Then there is a
better shot that we're going -- chance that
we're going to be not in compliance with
the tax cap. So, these are like the
difficulties.
I mean, you have funding
problems. We're having funding problems, a
cap that's limiting our ability to provide
the services that people really, you know,
want and people are complaining. Like, you
know, a few months ago somebody complained
about Central Avenue. Right near the
Cotswold section of Edgemont. They said
Central Avenue was just like a dump. And,
you know, just very -- it gets very
frustrating.
MR. GORDON: The quality of
life is a different thing. There is visual
and then there is, you know, the quality of
the surface and the signals.
SUPERVISOR FEINER: Right.
MR. GORDON: You know, our
priorities are, you know, what they call
center line out. I mean, we try to take
care of the road and then move off the
road. You know, litter is annoying, but
it's not a safety problem. It's not, you
know, cause for a safety public issue. You
know, mowing, not as often, is the same.
You know, we try -- we get out
there as we can as consistent with all our
other facilities.
COUNCILMAN SHEEHAN: What
happens with the mowing? What happens when
the mowing, though, starts to affect site
distances?
MR. GORDON: Well, that's a
safety issue. We should be identifying
those, you know, more often when it comes
to that issue. You know, it's scary. I
mean, our policy is to mow a road no more
than two or three times a year. And then
addressing sight distance or some other
special conditions that are more often.
And one of the things you get
on Central Avenue is that, you know, there
is so much commercial frontage there that,
you know, they take care of it differently
than the places where there isn't
commercial frontage. There is a big
differential in what you see. You see a
well landscaped area for a portion of it
and then you see a portion on the right
side, northbound, on the east side, where
there is no commercial, fence line and big
property back there, that no one is taking
care of but us. And that looks overgrown
compared to the nice, manicured places that
the commercial landscapers are taking care
of with their business. That is, you know,
an aesthetic problem that exists on that
roadway.
COUNCILMAN MORGAN: We're
asking about things with the Town and
roadways and infrastructure. An issue that
has come up over the years, and I know
there was plans in the making, for the 9A
bypass. The 9A bypass affects the Village
of Elmsford, Town of Greenburgh. Just the
infrastructure, the damage, water lines and
sewers, you know how the road is out there
with all of those trucks that go by every
day. Is it -- What is the timeline? Do we
have any or is that just really a wish list
that maybe we get lucky one day and there
is money for it?
MR. GORDON: Well, you know,
it's another -- it's another good project.
It will have great benefits for many
reasons in there. And, you know, we put
the priority back in our program updates
and I hope there is money available for it.
COUNCILMAN MORGAN: 'Cause
we're looking up on 9A. Regeneron is doing
a new building. Alcor is doing a project.
You know, we have Coca-Cola. We have
FedEx, UPS. Every day there is thousands
of trucks that travel that road. If you
stand out there, you see the road has --
it's like the rocky road. It's got all the
bubbles.
MR. GORDON: But the project
we're also talking about right now is just
Warehouse Lane. It's the connection to
Warehouse.
COUNCILMAN MORGAN: Exactly.
MR. GORDON: The connection
beyond there is a whole different ball
game.
COUNCILMAN MORGAN: Sure.
But at least that, that really helps a lot
of the big issues. We'll sign up right now
for that.
MR. GORDON: I'm in full
agreement with that. We have to get the
right spot in the funding and
prioritization to get what we're doing.
We'll update it this fall and I'm hopeful.
MS. STEWART-COUSINS: And
we'll push that.
COUNCILMAN MORGAN: We have
private business owners like Robert Martin,
they are willing to help to do work back
there with the State and the Town.
MR. GORDON: That all helps
us when we put it in, you know,
partnerships with public and private.
COUNCILMAN MORGAN: Private,
sure.
MR. GORDON: You know, it is
a tremendous asset in help and leverage the
ability to get funds. I think we need
to -- I know we're going to have a separate
meeting on that project coming up. We need
to sort of identify the values on that so
we can put it in as part of the package for
that.
COUNCILMAN MORGAN: The value
may help with the flooding on the 9A issue
too. It's more than just traveling
through. There is a lot of things that can
be corrected.
SUPERVISOR FEINER: Great.
COUNCILMAN JONES: We have
been talking about, while you're
considering that, maybe you could consider
perhaps a system of credits. That way
there won't be money going back and forth.
Maybe the money we spend cleaning up litter
or potholes could be credited to some other
money that we owe or that we would owe.
That way there wouldn't be any money --
there wouldn't be any actual reimbursement
that had to occur. It could be a system of
credits.
MR. GORDON: Well, that's
that shared service agreement. If we can
identify real cost to different activities,
we can enter into a shared service
agreement, which allows us to work together
on different things without having to send
dollars back and forth.
COUNCILMAN JONES: Got you.
MR. GORDON: But it has to be
a describable task with a supportable value
to it.
COUNCILMAN JONES: Sure.
SUPERVISOR FEINER: Another
issue that keeps coming up is last year the
State put more sidewalks on Central Avenue
but they left out like some links. So, you
know, they did like maybe 70 percent of the
road is passable for pedestrians, walkable
or people can bike on it, but there is a
lot of empty area. Is there a possibility
that the State in an upcoming capital
budget could address the mixing links.
Because it was such a fabulous -- it would
be such a fabulous quality of life and you
did most of the work already.
COUNCILMAN SHEEHAN: They
were highly praised, the residents, where
you did do the repairs.
MR. GORDON: What you did see
was you saw, you know, we have to retrofit
our system for ADA compliance. So, our
first priority was to find the places that
had deficient ramps or sections of sidewalk
that just weren't acceptable anymore and we
weren't able to do a contiguous. We went
out there and addressed those. We have a
whole list of these issues. We're not
complete with that program yet. We have
more cases on. So, I'll have to go back.
If you can provide me with a
list, the links that are most important
that I could bring back, that you think are
the most used to the Town as opposed to,
you know, we want the whole road done.
That's a desire, but we're in a priority
location, and maybe we can squeeze a couple
of them into it.
MR. CAROSI: You mentioned a
couple of times a little about your plans
in the future and funding. You know,
obviously we all have concerns about
funding as well. But is there an
opportunity for comments to your capital
fund. You mentioned in the future you have
another capital plan that is going to be
drafted or coming up. What opportunity may
we have as a municipality to see that some
comments on our local roads can at least be
-- be addressed in the capital plan.
Whether they are approved or funded is
something else. But is there an
opportunity for the local municipalities to
get a part of that capital plan
development? That might also help for our
9A bypass that we talked about.
Potentially sidewalks, other improvements
along the state roads. The Supervisor
suggested the ability to basically make the
state roadways more, I guess,
transportation friendly as far as
alternative transportation. Wether it's
walking or bike paths.
Right now there is difficulty.
If there is a way that we could be part of
that dialogue, I think it might help to
shape that in a manner that would
potentially help local communities.
MS. STEWART-COUSINS: I don't
believe that -- that is what normally
happens.
MR. GORDON: Be a part of
that.
MS. STEWART-COUSINS: This is
what happens. Obviously they have a way of
classifying roads and so on and so forth.
You know, nobody, no matter which level it
is, people get input from, from each other
in terms of what's happening. Of course
when we do a budget, sometimes we'll have
hearings in various municipalities where
people can come and say okay, what about
this or what about that. But, I mean, the
reality is by the time we're talking about
it there, it's already in.
MR. CAROSI: Well developed.
MS. STEWART-COUSINS: Right.
So, conversations like this are more
important, because this really is the run
up to when the State budget gets -- gets
crafted. This is that period when the
governor says in January this is what I'm
talking about, is because of what's
happened during these months. So, I think
this is our, you know, really an
opportunity that you have taken advantage
of, which is very good.
SUPERVISOR FEINER: In terms
of, we have a new Greenburgh Health Center.
Some people have talked about the need for,
you know, more sidewalks on, you know, on
Knollwood Road leading up to the health
center. If the town and the community, we
feel there is a need for the sidewalks, you
know, would the State be able to, you know,
be supportive? Mr. Reninger is here and
he's been an advocate for sidewalks on
Knollwood.
MR. GORDON: We're always an
advocate for sidewalks ourselves. We
generally, you know, nothing -- Again,
sidewalks are a hot commodity in that
communities really benefit for them whether
your on the state highway or not. Some
communities have taken it upon themselves
to build the sidewalks along the roadway.
You end up maintaining them anyway no
matter if you build them or we build them,
you maintain them.
We generally will do the
sidewalks when we do, you know, a more
substantial rehabilitation or
reconstruction of the roadways and as an
individual sidewalk job. What a lot of
communities are doing is they are using
local and federal agency programs to build
sidewalks on the state highways. I don't
know that you guys have tried that yet. I
don't recall one being in Greenburgh. But
many communities do that.
MR. CAROSI: What's the name
of the program?
MR. GORDON: It's a local
federal highway program. You know, we give
federal aid. It's an 80/20 match for
sidewalks. And in the Westchester area
there is a funding source, CMAQ, congestion
mitigation and air quality, that allows
sidewalks to be funded with that money
because it encourages people not to drive.
I don't recall the Town of Greenburgh has
looked into that. Other communities are
doing that, and it is a funding source
that's much discounted.
COUNCILMAN JONES: Is there
anything that relates to the area that
you're talking about around the health
center, the intersection of 100A and 119
where there was a pedestrian triangle built
I think last year?
MR. GORDON: Yeah.
COUNCILMAN JONES: It seems
that there is some confusion between
pedestrians and motorists. What exactly to
do at that triangle. Some signage would --
would be helpful in terms of even, you
know, a person walking, those types of
signs or you know --
MR. GORDON: Caution.
COUNCILMAN JONES: --
caution, pedestrians crossing, something
like that. And then residents have also
mentioned coming out of the health center,
I believe it's -- it's -- maybe if you make
it a no left turn. Was that a no left turn
sign coming out of the health center or no
right-hand turn?
MR. RENINGER: Not at the
present time.
COUNCILMAN JONES: What are
we looking for though, no left turns,
correct?
MR. RENINGER: Yes.
COUNCILMAN JONES: A no left
turn sign would be helpful in terms of
mitigating some of the perceived dangers in
that road by the health center and the
traffic triangle. That might be a less
expensive fix.
MR. RENINGER: If I could add
something on that issue. The health center
sidewalk is actually inundated by the Town
Board when the health center was approved.
It's actually a federal facility. It's
funded by the federal government. So,
approximately half of the center doesn't
have a sidewalk, and it's a gross violation
of federal, you know, requirements for ADA.
Also about the funding, the
intersection that I'm speaking about, that
was actually funded for improvement in 1995
by the New York State Transportation Bond
Bill. And that money sitting there is
available for use. The State DOT has, for
unknown reasons, decided not to use that
money that's already bonded to improve that
intersection. And since they put a
pedestrian island in there, it's really
gotten very difficult. I'm talking about
119 through 100A. Trying to improve it
afterwards. They had to do it over twice.
It's still a very dangerous
intersection. And, you know, we don't
understand, that was funded by the 1995
Bond Act. Why that money isn't available
to complete that project. There is
constant flooding there. The underpass is
closed. And there is something like
$6 million that was funded.
MR. GUDER: We're aware that
was prepared as part of the health center
construction. It was done by the health
center.
MR. RENINGER: That's a
question we never got an answer to, who
actually built that. That's one of the
more generic questions about this whole
discussion. It's been very focused on
specific issues. I think the more generic
question is, what is the role of the State
and the Town in these projects which are
directly adjacent.
MR. GUDER: Well, we look at
those projects -- we look at those projects
and how it affects the state roads. And we
have a process for highway permit and those
things. That's what came about. This
review was set up. We put a crosswalk and
an island and we worked with you also. But
whatever, whatever affects the highway, the
traffic, you know, we look at it and we
approve it based on that.
MR. RENINGER: Actually there
is a tip out there, maybe you don't want to
do this, at this 2802 and 06, funded
improvement of that whole intersection.
And it's never been done since 1995 --
MR. ABINANTI: May I make a
comment?
MR. RENINGER: -- when the
voters of the entire state approved that
project.
MR. ABINANTI: First of all,
good morning. I'm sorry I couldn't make it
earlier. I was ably represented by my
counsel, Joanne Sold, who just briefed me
on what you discussed before.
Just one comment on these type
of issues here. I am impressed by the --
the efforts of the State DOT. They do a
very good job. I think they are
underfunded. I think they are under-
staffed. I would like to see them perhaps
make up for that with a little bit more
conversation with local people. 'Cause I
have seen some situations where my office
has been called in after a project is
completed. We dealt with the intersection
of Knollwood Road and Dobbs Ferry Road for
example. That intersection wasn't working.
And we had some meetings with the Town
Police Department, and you rearranged the
traffic lights and did some other things.
Those problems I think could
be avoided if we had a little bit more
coordination beforehand. I don't know how
we do that, but I would like to. This is
another example of it. I personally can't
figure out why we have that triangle there.
I, as a driver, think it's very dangerous,
because it's very low. You don't see it.
If you're used to that intersection and you
haven't been there in a while, like me, I
don't always go through there, it's a turn
that I don't normally make. All of a
sudden there is this piece of concrete in
the way with no sign on it. So, you don't
see it.
You have a similar situation
on Dobbs Ferry Road, right out front of the
gas station. For some reason it was
designed to have a lip on it. I can't
figure out why that lip is there. You're
expecting as a driver coming in to go into
two lanes, and all of a sudden there is a
piece of concrete in front of you.
So, these are the types of
things I would like to see discussed with
the local officials and their traffic
experts before we get to this point.
Because if we're going to do part of a
project and then leave it and not complete
it, we may up with a situation that's worse
rather than better. I think that may be
what we have right now.
There was always a discussion
about the impact on the community of
putting the health center where it was put.
And I, for one, was never an advocate of
putting the health center there, because
those of us in the community who live there
saw all of the problems that were going to
come down the line, some of which we're now
talking about. Having now to make bad left
turns. Not having a completed sidewalk.
When you know the neighborhood, you realize
that some of the things that need to be
done are just very difficult to do and/or
impossible to do. And they are the very
things that you need for the safety of the
project in the first place.
So, for example, there is
another way to get into the health center.
Nobody has ever explored. I've suggested
to them over and over again, try to come in
through 119 and a back way in rather than
coming down Knollwood Road. There is an
easement back there, 'cause I was a
community leader at the time, and we made
sure there was an easement back there. But
nobody has ever explored it. The health
center has refused to do it. So, you get
all the traffic instead out on a very
dangerous road, Knollwood Road.
If there is some way we could
have some conversations, my office would be
pleased to be involved in this stuff. I
know it's more work for our office. Paul
has already suggested that my office
monitor the traffic problems as a designee
of the State DOT. But I don't think my
three staff members have the time to do
that. So, I respectfully decline.
But we would like to work with
you and try to bring in local knowledge to
see, you know, if we could be helpful in
saying, you know, that's just not the way
the people in this area see that
intersection. Perhaps we should try
another approach.
SUPERVISOR FEINER: Another
thing that keeps coming up, you know, every
few months -- This is the last question I
have -- is on Benedict Avenue there is,
like right near where the Sheraton is,
there is an island and it's never
maintained. And the grass grows real high.
It's a real traffic safety, you know,
problem. And the Town, you know, has used
our resources to address that. And I'm
sort of wondering if, you know, I mean it's
really dangerous. People will sometimes
point it out and then we'll send a crew
out.
MR. ABINANTI: It's on state
property to take care of a problem, right.
SUPERVISOR FEINER: You know,
I'm sort of wondering, if you're not going
to maintain it, you could put -- This might
be a stupid idea -- I was thinking since it
definitely is a traffic hazard, because
it's a road obstruction, if you could have
even put an artificial, you know --
MR. ABINANTI: An artificial
plant instead of a real one?
SUPERVISOR FEINER: No.
Artificial -- I'm saying something. So
this way if you can't do it, you know,
maybe do like the stuff they have on, you
know, at the -- you know, the fields, you
know, artificial turf. And then you don't
have to worry about -- Then you'll never
have the overgrowth.
MR. ABINANTI: Why don't we
let them look at the issue. The issue is,
Paul, sight distance. Why don't we let
them look at the sight distance issue.
SUPERVISOR FEINER: Would you
say that many times there are sight
distance problems?
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Ab-
solutely.
SUPERVISOR FEINER: That
really is --
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Coming
off of 119.
SUPERVISOR FEINER: Yeah. It
really is dangerous. It's dangerous.
MR. BODIN: I can't let this
go by. This traffic aisles you're talking
about, they are using incorrect data. The
yellow line is suppose to be on your left,
not on the right. Every place they have
these islands, they have a white line on
the left. You can't see it. It doesn't
tell you it's a ramp.
They absolutely refuse to do
it. They break the law all the time. And
nobody can stop them. So, until they start
following the law, there is no reason to
put the raised thing in there. They do it
because you can't stop them. A line on the
left for a right turn ramp, where there is
a raise, it's got to be yellow. Why? It
doesn't have to be white anywhere except on
a highway entrance. They absolutely refuse
to change.
So, until DOT starts to follow
the law and gets off their high horse, you
got these problems. There is no reason for
it except you can't make me change. And
hang on guys, it's about to change.
Governor Cuomo wants a safer road and it's
coming. DOT hasn't got the message yet,
but they are going to get it very shortly.
You don't have to use any of
that white lines on any turn except on a
highway. That's in the manual right now.
You refuse to stop doing it. Just do it on
a highway. You put that channelizing line
in, they don't know where to stop. Nobody
can stop you. It's a shame. Because all
you're doing is creating problems for
people. Everything you've talked about
here is solvable if you only followed the
law but you won't. I'm sorry. I just
couldn't take this anymore.
SUPERVISOR FEINER: Any other
questions because we have Frank's Nursery?
COUNCILWOMAN JUETTNER: There
is a gentleman with a question.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: I have
a problem we have discussed a number of
times.
SUPERVISOR FEINER: Do you
want to come up.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Okay.
The intersection of Dobbs Ferry Road and
Hartsdale Road that's just before the Shell
station, just west of the Shell station.
About two and a half years ago DOT
redesigned that entire intersection. It's
very complex. It's -- it's traffic coming
from Hartsdale Avenue merging into
Knollwood Road. Dobbs Ferry Road comes up
at an angle and makes a weird --
MR. ABINANTI: That's the
intersection I was talking about.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Yeah.
And the problem we have is that in that
redesign, the traffic signal that controls
the southbound traffic on Hartsdale Road at
Dobbs Ferry Road is -- stays red for two
minutes for the traffic coming from -- from
my neighborhood, which is really about half
a dozen neighborhoods that go down towards
Elmsford. In the morning at best, when
that light turns green, it turns green for
14 seconds. There is enough time for four
to six vehicles to get through that
intersection before it turns red again for
two minutes. People try to get to work in
the morning can spend ten minutes waiting
for that light, for their turn to get
through that intersection.
I mean, honestly, most people
will U-turn, figure out alternate ways
around that area, not go there, but it's a
mess. And we could really use some relief
at that intersection with lengthening the
green signal for the Hartsdale Road
intersection at Dobbs Ferry.
Now I personally have a stake
in this besides the interest in the
community in that my home is two homes off
the corner. So 24 hours a day, seven days
a week, I have drivers hitting the horn to
get the first guy in line to move their
butt, 'cause they know that that light is
only green for 14 seconds. So, we have to
live with the noise pollution from that.
And, additionally, because
that light is so long, all we see is litter
coming out the car windows from people who
have now finished their slice of pizza and
just figure oh, this is as good a place as
any. I'm out there three, four times a
year with a garbage bag that I fill up with
beer bottles, liquor bottles, McDonald's
bags and other unmentionables I won't even
go into here. But it's -- it's really
unpleasant.
I would take the opportunity
to maybe ask Paul if the Town might
consider putting up a no littering sign on
the utility pole that's just off the
intersection. It might be a little bit
helpful for that.
I had two other things.
SUPERVISOR FEINER: I even
suggested at one point, I said you could
have put a no littering sign and maybe even
a camera, a video, you know, camera just to
let people know, you know, smile if you're
littering because you're on camera.
Because I sort of feel that you could put
no littering, but if you don't have a
police officer right in front, people are
still going to litter. So, if people feel
that there is a chance they are going to
get caught, then they won't litter. It
really is a major, you know, a major
problem.
MR. ABINANTI: We have speed
cameras. Now we're going to have litter
cameras.
COUNCILMAN SHEEHAN: How many
miles of roadway do we have in the Town of
Greenburgh?
MR. CAROSI: 130 or so.
COUNCILMAN SHEEHAN: 130 or
so. Some areas say no littering and the
rest doesn't, there is an implication there
it's okay to litter. You have to be
careful of where you put --
SUPERVISOR FEINER: I don't
really -- I don't really think that people
pay attention to signs if they feel they
are not going to get caught. Because
everybody knows you're not suppose to
litter.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: I'm
sure on Dobbs Ferry Road and Knollwood
Road, that's a very challenging
intersection for traffic, because it comes
up to grade from a hill coming westbound on
Dobbs, and Knollwood drops down and so
forth. The traffic signals at that
intersection are very oddly angled. When
you're heading southbound on Knollwood
approaching Dobbs, you can see the traffic
signals for the westbound traffic. And
it's very confusing, because you'll be
going and see a green light. It's really a
green light for westbound traffic. And I
was wondering if you guys could take a look
at it. Perhaps look at whatever methods
you have, polarizing filters or whatever
for those traffic signals so that the
southbound drivers can't see the signal.
One last thing. I was going
to request the $20 million for the 119
flyover reconstruction. I've heard that
might be a problem. But back to that 119
intersection at Knollwood Road. You're all
familiar when you're coming on the -- I
have to get oriented -- on the southbound
service road of the flyover. As you
approach, as you're heading east and you
approach Knollwood, there is a right-hand
sweeping turn onto Knollwood Road. There
should be a yield sign there. There is
nothing. So that people, they don't have a
stop line at the red light. They just fly
into that sweep. And then traffic coming
across the flyover, you know, is constantly
at odds. I think there was a yield sign
there. I think it got removed sometime in
the reconstruction. And I think it should
be replaced.
And, lastly, I'm sorry, it
just occurred to me. Back to behind my
home at Dobbs Ferry and Hartsdale Road.
That's a really bad limited sight distance
spot also. There is a sign there, but the
road drops off precipitously as you
approach Dobbs. We had a big accident back
there a couple nights ago. It woke my wife
in the middle of the night. A smash or
whatever. It was gone when I got up in the
morning but it happens.
MR. ABINANTI: Approaching
the Sprain Brook Parkway coming from the
Shell station?
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: No.
It's as you're approaching Dobbs Ferry Road
on Hartsdale Road. As you're heading south
of the intersection.
MR. ABINANTI: Coming down
Knollwood Road?
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Coming
down Hartsdale Road not avenue.
MR. ABINANTI: Coming out of
Orchard Hill?
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Yes.
Up at Hilltop Farms.
MR. ABINANTI: Up at Hilltop
Farms.
SUPERVISOR FEINER: You had a
question.
UNIDENTIFIED SPEAKER: Thank
you very much.
COUNCILMAN SHEEHAN: Thank
you.
SUPERVISOR FEINER: Then
after this we'll go on to the next agenda
items.
MR. ROSE: Thank you. My
name is Harold Rose. I live on Knollwood
Road, but up further north. I'll make this
very short if you give me enough time,
okay.
Knollwood Road has, and I'm
not talking about traffic per se, but there
is a drainage problem on Knollwood Road at
the bottom. The gentleman is shaking his
head, okay. Right on the corner of Buena
Vista on Knollwood.
The rain comes down and there
is like a gully. I don't know what you
call it technically. I call it a gully.
And it fills up with water. The spring or
the fall, when it rains, the water stays
there and does not flow into the drains,
which are about a hundred feet north of --
actually a hundred feet north of my house.
It just stays there. It overflows onto the
street. Onto the roadway.
The cars come speeding up.
It's a 30 mile an hour zone, and the
7/8/14 - Work Session 39
Greenburgh police, nobody goes 30 there.
They are always catching speeders.
The cars come -- come over.
They hit the water and they spray up water
like you wouldn't believe, and they are
going to hydroplane. One of these days
somebody is going to get killed on that.
In the wintertime, then the
water freezes, then you have ice on the
roadway. This time of the year it's a
breeding ground for mosquitoes. In front
of my house it's like 200 feet of roadway
space. It's all full of stagnant water,
which everybody says it's mosquitos
breeding ground. We have mosquitos that we
call them quarter pounders. They are like
this (indicating). So, if you can do
something about that.
In previous years I've called
the DOT, and once or twice they did come
out about three months after I called.
They clean it up and they take care of it.
But something permanently has to be done.
Nobody has cleaned it up to any great
extent in the last three or four years.
Somebody was out there a month ago with a
shovel. Spent four minutes trying to clean
out some drainage. That was it. If
anybody wants to see the hydroplane
problem, I've got a video.
SUPERVISOR FEINER: Can you
maybe e-mail it to me? And then we can
send it to you.
MR. ROSE: Okay. Thank you.
Try to do something, because it's a
mosquito problem. It's a hydroplane
problem and it's ice on the roads at time.
SUPERVISOR FEINER: I
appreciate your time and mostly the follow
up to the many e-mails. Thank you.
And, you know, people are
watching and they have other concerns. We
addressed a lot of different issues this
morning. But if you e-mail me, then I'll
continue to send you additional
suggestions. But I hope we could get some
progress on some of these things. Thank you.
MS. STEWART-COUSINS: Thank you.
MR. ABINANTI: Could I just
add one thing, Paul, that I don't think you
discussed and they are not prepared to
discuss. I would like them to add it to
their list. That is sound barriers along
the Sprain Brook Parkway. That's been a
problem for years. We were told that when
there would be a major project of
improvement. They have had several major
projects and there has never been sound
barriers put on there.
MR. GORDON: It might be what --
MR. ABINANTI: You ripped up
the entire road and redone it twice.
MR. GORDON: That's not a
major project.
MR. ABINANTI: Are we talking
about moving the Sprain Brook Parkway to
somewhere else? That would be the major
project?
MR. GORDON: The criteria is
is that you would move travel lanes closer
to the noise receptors, widening or the
ramp --
MR. ABINANTI: If it's
defective in the first place, why would we
have to wait for it to become more
defective to put noise barriers there?
MR. GORDON: That's just the
program. That would be logic.
MR. ABINANTI: Years ago,
before the big increase in traffic, the
noise was at 70 decibels.
MR. GORDON: The other option
is the barrier on the south and on the
Sprain was put in by a legislative line
item. That is the other funding
opportunity for it. It's a line item
budget.
MR. ABINANTI: The state
senator at the time, he decided to do one
side, not the other side. At the time I
lived on the other side.
MS. STEWART-COUSINS: That
was at the time where we actually had line
items. And, unfortunately, we don't have
them anymore.
MR. ABINANTI: I lived on the
other side, which is why my side didn't get
them.
MS. STEWART-COUSINS: Well,
I'm sure there was a reason for a lot of
things, but I think again, I think this was
an important meeting. You know, hopefully
we will continue the conversation. There
is a list of things that we will follow up.
From a legislative standpoint we might be
able to be of assistance. And certainly I
too want to thank, we didn't have a chance
to have any opening remarks, but I do want
to thank DOT Mr. Gordon, Mr. Guder, of
course, as well as you for making this
happen.
I don't think enough
communities, you know, to answer what you
brought up, I don't think enough
communities really take the time to invite,
you know, various departments, such as the
disabled, to talk about it preemptively or
even some things that have happened. How
we can, you know, how we can readdress it.
I'm happy we're doing this.
We'll continue to do it. We'll do what we
can. We have a list of things. We will
follow up from a legislative standpoint the
things we can do. The capital, we will try
and get your priorities. And the
partnerships that we talked about,
hopefully this Town and DOT will continue
to collaborate to see what we can do.
And obviously our offices are
here in order to be those people who ring
the bell loudly if we need response from
DOT or any of the other offices.
SUPERVISOR FEINER: Terrific.
MS. STEWART COUSINS: Thank
you.
COUNCILMAN SHEEHAN: We
didn't have the normal opening, because we
wanted to get right into the questions.
MS. STEWART-COUSINS: I
understand.
COUNCILMAN SHEEHAN: So, in
addition to the representatives from DOT,
we want to thank State Senator Andrea
Stewart-Cousins for coming with your staff
and State Assemblyman Thomas Abinanti with
your staff. And we should do this more
often. And thank you so much for coming.
MS. STEWART-COUSINS: Thank
you.
SUPERVISOR FEINER: Mary Jane
Chafski's staff is also here.
ooOoo
Certified to be a true and
accurate transcript of the above-captioned
stenographic minutes.
______________________________
Lori Ann Sacco
Official Court Reporter
****************************************************
Visit our web site at www.greenburghny.com and view archived Supervisors Reports.
****************************************************
To unsubscribe to list send an e-mail to:
imailsrv@cit-e.net
Please put the following in the body of the e-mail:
Unsubscribe gblist
|
