Mt. Kisco Looking at Fall Completion of NWH Intersection Work

Motorists traveling through Mount Kisco near Northern Westchester Hospital should brace for ongoing delays into the fall as the state Department of Transportation (DOT) works on the intersection reconfiguration at routes 117 and 172.

Mayor Gina Picinich said the DOT met with village officials late last week to get an update on the work, which is snarling traffic during certain times in that area. She expects the work to be done in time for the holiday season late this year despite claims from DOT that it could be finished as soon as the end of summer.

“I do anticipate that the public will continue to be inconvenienced and that there will continue to be delays and that’s to be expected when construction happens at a major intersection like this,” Picinich said.

The DOT undertook the project starting last year to improve safety at the intersection, particularly for pedestrians. New sidewalks, curbs, drainage structures and traffic signal poles have already been installed at the site, said DOT spokeswoman Heather Pillsworth.

She said the next phase of the project, which was anticipated to start this week includes the intersection safety enhancements, new crosswalks and permanent closure and removal of the slip lanes. Instead, there will be standard right turn lanes.

Then there is also paving striping and landscaping, Pillsworth said.

As part of the improvements, the new traffic signals will feature the latest technology has to offer. It should also provide for a smoother and less congested traffic flow, Picinich said.

Once the work is done, pedestrians will no longer have to summon up as much courage to cross the busy intersection.

“The intersection by CVS is really dangerous and there’s not a clean and clear way to get across the street over to the hospital,” Picinich said. “So now having the pedestrian crosswalk will make it that much more user-friendly, and even from a bicycle perspective as well.”

Last week, the village met with members of its Beautification Committee and the volunteers who have been involved in the adopt-an-area project, Picinich said. The discussions centered on how the new sidewalk, which will be bumped out into where the slip lanes have been located, will be able to accommodate landscaping and plantings, she said.

Once work is finished, it will have been worth the wait, the mayor said.

“When the project is complete, it will outweigh the inconvenience,” Picinich said. “But there will be congestion and people should continue to seek additional routes when they see that the congestion is highest.”

North Bedford Road Work

Crews that have been toiling to finish infrastructure and road work on North Bedford Road are getting close to the end.

Picinich said the project is likely to be done within the month following the installation of new water pipes. Last week the village was completing the water testing making sure the connections from the laterals were sound, she said.

There are still some other tasks remaining, including the restoration of the sidewalks.

Paving has begun and everyone who has driven most of North Bedford Road has liked what they have seen, Picinich said.

“It looks good, it’s a nice drive and everybody’s tires will be fine,” she said.