By Mary C. Marvin, Mayor, Village of Bronxville

Jul. 19, 2017:  No longer the quiet period for village government, the summer months are now dedicated to public works improvements, with the most disruptive activities planned for the least congested times in the village.

All of the following will commence at some point during the coming weeks with the goal of substantial completion by Labor Day.

• 85 Pondfield Walkway and Stairs:  In collaboration with the adjacent property owner, repairs will be made to the area, as it is an important conduit from Garden Avenue parking to our stores and professional offices.

• Sewer Relining Project:  Set to begin in August, the village’s principal trunk line for the sanitary sewer will be relined from the intersection of Pondfield Road and Route 22 all the way to Meadow Avenue, including a section under The Bronxville School. Concurrently, we have submitted a grant application to the state, as, after researching, we believe we qualify for funding to help offset the full cost.

• Kensington Road:  The completion of the road and streetscape improvements in the area will be dependent on the exterior completion of Villa BXV. Curbing, landscaping, and existing sidewalk repair will extend to Beechtree Lane. A raised landscaped island will be added at the Sagamore Road/Kensington Road intersection for better ease of passage for both cars and pedestrians. Of importance, we do anticipate that the sidewalk on the Villa BXV side will be completed for walkers in time for the opening of school. After this work is completed, sections of Sagamore and Kensington Roads will be repaired accordingly.

• Road Repaving:  In conjunction with the completion of the FEMA flood mitigation project, sections of Midland Avenue will be repaved, as well as Crows Nest Road and Village Lane. Money and time permitting, Fordal Road would be next on the docket. Notices will be delivered to affected homeowners outlining the days and length of disruption so one can plan accordingly. If your street is not on the year’s list, all requests are catalogued and reviewed yearly for placement in the queue.

• Phase II Downtown Lighting:  New lamps will be added in the Kraft Avenue parking lot – many of them teardrop in shape – as well as in the environs of the west side traffic circle.

• Phase I Residential Lighting:  We have begun testing new LED lighting on Oriole Avenue between Orchard and Woodland and welcome your feedback (look for labels on the light posts identifying the new fixtures). The residential upgrades will occur only after an extensive testing period and in consultation with neighborhoods. At project’s end, the village will save 33% in electrical costs on a yearly basis not even factoring in the significant decrease in maintenance.

• FEMA Flood Mitigation Project:  This project is coming in on time and within budget, and public right-of-way portions will be completed in the next two weeks, thus freeing the school district to begin work on its property.

• Comprehensive Plan:  The village is preparing to issue a request for proposals ("RFPs") for planning firms to assist us in revamping our village code to reflect the needs and realities of 2017, on both the commercial and the residential levels. Chief among concerns on the residential side are the preservation of trees and historic structures, teardowns, reviewing size of additions vis-à-vis lot sizes, and duration time of projects. On the commercial front, chief concerns include the balance between retail merchandise stores and service establishments and the revamping of the approval process for the opening of any new businesses. Bids should be in hand by fall.

• Department of Public Works Building:  The trustees will be reviewing proposals to upgrade facilities on Palumbo Place. Never updated since being built in 1942, our DPW structures are woefully inadequate for 2017 needs. As an example, most of our intricate equipment must be stored outside because of space limitations, decreasing their average life-span by almost 50%.

• Retail Mix and Marketing Committee:  The committee is in full swing, with all constituent groups a part of the discussion. Subcommittees include communications, business outreach, marketing, signage and streetscape, and parking. It is a very positive collaborative group that I am confident will produce results.

• Metro-North:  Metro-North informed us that painting will begin in about four weeks on the south side of the underpass, followed by a repainting of the two covered walkways down to the street underpass, the surrounding canopies, and railing and even the station building itself. This is the start of what we hope will be the first in a series of improvements to the station area.

• Village Cameras:  Finally, as a point of clarification, our village cameras are NOT red light cameras. Red light cameras can be used only for red light enforcement with a civil penalty to the registered vehicle owner. Our cameras are surveillance only, except for extremely rare occurrences involving vehicle and traffic law violations where the driver can be positively identified by the footage. 

Again, any residents directly affected by any of the above projects will be contacted directly.