By Mary C. Marvin, Mayor, Village of Bronxville

Mar. 1, 2017:  The construction continues!

As an update, Midland Avenue has been opened to southbound traffic. The northbound lane is still a very active work site. We do expect Con Edison to finish the gas replacement work on this side by Tuesday, the 28th, and we will open the lane immediately following the last inspection.*

Emergency Situation on Route 22:  As one major project mercifully winds down, Con Edison notified us that there is an emergency situation on Route 22 near Elm Rock Road that requires them to replace a gas main. From what we can gather, the line may have been compromised by the persistent water leak in the vicinity that was only recently repaired by Suez Company. Since Route 22 is a state road, we have no control over closure, detours, or construction permits. We were notified that the hours of work would be from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm beginning Thursday, February 23, with a completion date of March 20. We will closely monitor and share updates as we receive them.

Safe Passage:  Continuing the theme of traffic and safe passage, many of you have suggested increasing the number of stop signs in the village as a way to slow traffic.

On this subject, the village is guided by the Manual on Uniformed Traffic Control Devices. Decisions made contrary to their advice can impact liability.

The Manual on Uniformed Traffic Control Devices explicitly states that "a stop or yield sign should not be used for speed control." They are also not intended for a thru-street, only those with intersections. Historically, placement of stop signs that run contrary to the above guidelines have actually proven to increase speed as a result of drivers accelerating after coming to the stop. In addition, there is an increase in the incidence of rear-end collisions at locations of improperly placed stop signs.

Also, in the interest of safety, residents have proposed the use of "Children at Play" or "Slow Children" signs in child-rich neighborhoods. Again, the Manual on Uniformed Traffic Control Devices and state and federal traffic standards reject the use of these signs because they openly suggest that playing in the street is an acceptable safety practice. The signs also give parents and especially children a false sense of security, as the sign is assumed to provide protection, when in reality, it does not. Studies demonstrate no evidence that these signs result in reduced pedestrian accidents or lower vehicular speed. If the village placed these signs, it would imply that the village condones children playing in the street and thus expose us to greater liability.

On the other hand, signs that alert drivers to nearby playgrounds are extremely beneficial, because these parks, such as our own Sagamore Park, are often located in areas where a reasonable driver would not expect a large group of children to be congregated.

In the same vein, bicycles and skateboards may not be ridden on the sidewalks in our two village business districts.

Crosswalk Safety:  Crosswalk safety is also a major concern. The soon-to-be installed overhead lights on Kraft Avenue and on the west side near the train station will aid greatly in visibility. I know on dark winter nights with pedestrians clothed all in dark colors, drivers had to exercise great caution because at a crosswalk, the pedestrian has the undisputed right of way.

When a pedestrian enters a designated crosswalk at an intersection that is not controlled by a stop sign or traffic light, the law gives pedestrians the exclusive right of way. The law not only requires the car in the immediate lane to stop, but also the cars traveling in the opposite direction must stop. A good example of this would be the intersection near the soccer store.

If the intersection at a crosswalk has a stop sign or traffic light, as in the configuration near Rosie's Restaurant, the pedestrian must obey the traffic control device and yield to cars as directed. Pedestrians crossing a roadway at any point other than within a marked crosswalk must yield the right of way to all vehicles.

Garbage, Recycling, Special Pick-ups:  With spring in the air, many residents are also inquiring as to what can be thrown away as garbage, what items must be recycled, and what items require a special pick-up.

Plastics marked 1 through 7 can be recycled. These include some not-obvious items such as medicine containers, yogurt cups, shampoo bottles, and even buckets and flower pots. The caps and lids of containers are now also recyclable as well as aerosol cans.

Added to this list are cereal boxes, even with the wax lining, phone books, pizza cartons, corrugated cardboard, glossy magazines and inserts, aluminum trays and foil, egg cartons, and detergent bottles.

The following are items that cannot be accepted for recycling:  Paint or oil cans, Pyrex, plastic and Styrofoam packing materials, waxed cardboard such as milk cartons, cardboard containing any trace of food, paperback and hardcover books, clothes hangers, and uncoded plastic such as found in large toys and plastic tableware.

Only glass that has been used for packaging food or beverages may be recycled. Light bulbs, mirrors, and ceramic and kitchen cookware must be placed in the regular garbage.

If you have other items that need to be disposed of, call our public works department at 914-337-7338 and arrange for a bulky waste pick-up. Items such as carpeting, furniture, mattresses, and box springs are picked up on a weekly basis. Refrigerators (with Freon and doors removed), air conditioners (with Freon removed), washers, dryers, televisions, and computer monitors are picked up during the second week of each month. The village cannot accept car batteries, construction debris, stone and concrete, propane tanks, tires, bathtubs, and water heaters for removal. The service costs $20, and all items should be placed curbside by 7:00 am on the morning of the scheduled pick-up.

*Editor's note:  Please note that the Village of Bronxville issued an eAlert on Tuesday, February 28, after submission of this column to MyhometownBronxville by the mayor, saying:  "On Wednesday morning at 9:00AM Midland Avenue will be open in both directions for pedestrian and vehicular traffic."