Aug. 13, 2014: Repairs to the Parkway Road Bridge, closed for over one year and still confusing motorists who attempt to use Parkway Road as an entry point to Bronxville, could begin this fall, according to Village Administrator James M. Palmer.
The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) closed the bridge, built in 1952, after its 2013 biennial inspection disclosed that two conditions classified as "Red Flag conditions" existed--substantial deterioration in load-carrying elements of the bridge, as well as holes in the girders of the two-span steel structure.
The bridge sits on reinforced concrete abutments and a center pier. NYSDOT issues Red Flag conditions when a primary structural component is likely to fail before the next biennial inspection, which would have occurred in 2015 for the Parkway Road Bridge.
The village has received a proposal from consultants that Palmer plans to present to the board of trustees at its September 8 meeting. The proposal is designed to assess the scope and potential cost of the bridge's repair and its rehabilitation. WSP SELLS, the transportation and infrastructure unit of the engineering and design consulting firm WSP USA Inc., proposes to perform a detailed inspection and analysis of the bridge's impaired structural components and document the current state of deterioration.
NYSDOT's inspection revealed two Red Flag issues at four locations in the bridge's structure. All involve degradation where support girders meet the center pier, with three of the six girders demonstrating significant failure.
"Upon the board's approval," Palmer said," WSP is prepared to design the repair specifications and put the work out to bid, then oversee the bid award and the repairs and rehabilitation."
He stated that, under the most ideal timeline, WSP SELLS would be able to prepare bid specifications so that all the work needed to restore the bridge to a usable condition could take place over the winter.
Palmer indicated that, in preparation to facilitate the board of trustees' approval of the proposal and allow WSP SELLS to begin work right away, the village attorney, Jim Staudt, is in the process of drafting an intermunicipal agreement, which will be circulated to all relevant governmental agencies for their signature. The Parkway Road Bridge falls within the jurisdictions of Bronxville, Eastchester, Yonkers, and the county of Westchester. "It's my hope that we would have that agreement in place prior to bringing the firm on board," Palmer said.
WSP SELLS's $32,900 quote also includes preparation of design plans, construction documents, and cost estimates for the project. Additionally, the firm's proposal covers documentation to address the conditions noted by NYSDOT and provides part-time inspection during construction.
"This is a priority," Palmer emphasized, "and the village is going to take the lead on this piece."
Pictured here: Parkway Road where the Parkway Road Bridge is situated.
Photo by N. Bower
Bronxville is a quaint village (one square mile) located just 16 miles north of midtown Manhattan (roughly 30 minutes on the train) and has a population of approximately 6,500. It is known as a premier community with an excellent public school (K-12) and easy access to Manhattan. Bronxville offers many amenities including an attractive business district, a hospital (Lawrence Hospital), public paddle and tennis courts, fine dining at local restaurants, two private country clubs and a community library.
While the earliest settlers of Bronxville date back to the first half of the 18th century, the history of the modern suburb of Bronxville began in 1890 when William Van Duzer Lawrence purchased a farm and commissioned the architect, William A. Bates, to design a planned community of houses for well-known artists and professionals that became a thriving art colony. This community, now called Lawrence Park, is listed on the National register of Historic Places and many of the homes still have artists’ studios. A neighborhood association within Lawrence Park called “The Hilltop Association” keeps this heritage alive with art shows and other events for neighbors.
Bronxville offers many charming neighborhoods as well as a variety of living options for residents including single family homes, town houses, cooperatives and condominiums. One of the chief benefits of living in “the village” is that your children can attend the Bronxville School.
The Bronxville postal zone (10708, known as “Bronxville PO”) includes the village of Bronxville as well as the Chester Heights section of Eastchester, parts of Tuckahoe and the Lawrence Park West, Cedar Knolls, Armour Villa and Longvale sections of Yonkers. Many of these areas have their own distinct character. For instance, the Armour Villa section has many historic homes and even has its own newsletter called “The Villa Voice” which reports on neighborhood news.
Village of Bronxville Administrative Offices
337-6500
Open 9:00am - 4pm excluding holidays and weekends
Bronxville Police Department
337-0500
Open 24 hours
Bronxville Parking Violations
337-2024
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Bronxville Fire Deparment
793-6400