Written by Carol P. Bartold

Oct. 22, 2014: The Bronxville Board of Trustees advanced two major village infrastructure projects toward realization at its October 14 regular meeting.

The board adopted intermunicipal agreements with the City of Yonkers and the Town of Eastchester to secure financing for the repair of the Parkway Road bridge, closed by the New York State Department of Transportation in July of 2013 for "red-flag" safety conditions.

Both municipalities, in addition to the Village, agreed to a one-time commitment to help fund the estimated cost of $180,000 in engineering and structural work needed to reopen the bridge. Under the terms of the agreements, the City of Yonkers will contribute $30,000, and the remaining cost will be equally split between the Village of Bronxville and the Town of Eastchester, which will each commit $75,000 under the terms of the agreements.

"Everyone was careful to say we are all joining together to do emergency repairs," stated Mayor Mary Marvin. "In no way does our contribution constitute ownership." She said that issue will be left for resolution at another time.

At the time of closure, inspectors determined that four of bridge's six beams had suffered corrosion severe enough to cause buckling, holes, and a loss of approximately 50 percent of the beam ends.

"We have worked long and hard," Marvin said, "and I think it's a fair resolution of joint responsibility on this bridge."

Under the village's direction, WSP SELLS, the transportation and infrastructure unit of the engineering and design consulting firm WSP USA Inc., has begun its detailed inspection and analysis of the bridge's impaired structural components to document the current state of deterioration and prepare the project for bidding.

The board also adopted a resolution to declare the village's intent to become the lead agency for a $6.8 million flood mitigation project designed to relieve The Bronxville School campus and adjacent areas from chronic flooding. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) awarded the village and school district a grant for 75 percent of the project's cost. The village and the school district will equally share the remaining 25 percent of the project's cost.

Two structures will divert excessive stormwater flow that has previously overburdened existing water mains and caused extensive flooding away from those water mains into an underground storage piping network at Hayes Field on The Bronxville School campus. A stormwater pumping system of five pipes adjacent to Hayes Field will regulate flow into a dedicated underground force main pipe that will deliver the runoff across Midland Avenue to Palumbo Place and finally to Laurel Brook, near Scout Field, which drains into the Bronx River.

"We will incredibly benefit by this," said Mayor Mary Marvin. "There are no more 75 percent grants left, so we're very fortunate."

Trustee Guy Longobardo noted that residents of Garden Avenue, Tanglewylde Avenue, Field Court, Willow Circle, and beyond will experience relief from flooding once the project is completed.

The Bronxville Board of Trustees will meet on Monday, November 10, at 8:00 pm in the trustees room at Bronxville Village Hall.

Pictured here (L to R): Mayor Mary Marvin, Deputy Mayor Robert Underhill, trustee Guy Longobardo, and village administrator James Palmer.

Photo by Carol P. Bartold