$15M Route 9A Paving Begins This Week From Cortlandt to Ossining
News Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
Anyone who has driven on Route 9A from Cortlandt to Mount Pleasant during the last few years is well aware of the potholes and rough ride on that section of roadway.
In the coming weeks, a large portion of that stretch will be resurfaced as part of road work that promises to improve the condition of the pavement.
Local officials announced last Friday that the $15 million repaving project is for a 7.1-mile stretch of the heavily-traveled thoroughfare from Maiden Lane in Cortlandt to Route 133 in Ossining. It was slated to begin this week.
State Sen. Peter Harckham (D-Lewisboro) said the money would likely not have been available for the long-overdue work without the collective efforts of local municipal officials and Assemblywoman Dana Levenberg (D-Ossining) who doggedly lobbied Albany and the state Department of Transportation (DOT) for the project.
“This is a long time in coming,” Harckham said while making the announcement at the John-Paul Rodrigues Ossining Operations Center in Ossining. “You know (Route) 9A is really an outdated road. It’s not designed for the amount of traffic, particularly the trucks nowadays, and so there’s a lot that’s been going on.”
The repaving was set to begin on Sunday, but could last until next summer, according to the DOT.
It’s the latest appropriation of state money being put toward Route 9A. In the last few years, $3 million was spent on a study to examine safety and operation problems from Croton-on-Hudson south to Mount Pleasant, then $20 million was committed for the engineering and redesign of the difficult roadway following public input sessions with the DOT last year.
Levenberg said she was pleased that the paving is going to get done.
“So this is great news for our residents, for people throughout the 95th Assembly District, because we know that people take this road to get into the city all the time and from very different places, and it’s so important that we continue to focus on their needs,” Levenberg said.
She stressed that motorists who may get caught up in delays need to stay patient because the inconvenience will be for a finite time period and will make the road safer and cause less damage to vehicles.
All work will be conducted during nighttime hours with single lane closures during paving operations to minimize impacts on the public, a DOT statement read.
Work will consist of milling and resurfacing the existing pavement with a warm-mix fiber-reinforced asphalt overlay that is more durable and will minimize cracking.
Traffic signals will also be upgraded along with drainage improvements and curb ramps, where they exist, will be made compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The project is expected to enhance safety and mobility for drivers while supporting statewide sustainability efforts and furthering the long-term durability of New York’s infrastructure, according to the DOT.
Briarcliff Manor Mayor Steven Vescio, who has been an outspoken proponent of making badly-needed improvements on the state road, concurred that the commitment from the state is encouraging. He mentioned that it’s been years since there has been paving of the roadway and he looks forward to when the DOT returns with blueprints for the redesign of the highway since it’s a major artery for northern Westchester.
“This road is really in dire need of major upgrades,” Vescio said. “I’m glad to see the study is going to be progressing, I’m glad the engineering is going to be progressing and all of that construction money is going to be behind it. I know this is a small road for the state, but for our area it’s critically important.”
Route 9A, also known as the Peekskill-Briarcliff Parkway, opened in the early 1930s and has remained largely unchanged over the past 90 years. It has often been plagued with flooding, accidents and bridge strikes.
Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/
