Mt. Kisco Receives $5M Grant for Preston Way Bridge; Work Slated for 2025
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Motorists who travel along Preston Way in Mount Kisco will have to prepare for a major detour next year when the bridge over the Metro-North train tracks will be replaced forcing closure of that street.
Funding for the work is in place after the Village of Mount Kisco was awarded a $5 million BRIDGE NY grant last month, part of $484 million in statewide funding to help municipalities pay for the rehabilitation or replacement of bridges and culverts.
Replacement of the entire span will cost roughly $8.6 million, said Mount Kiso Village Manager Ed Brancati. The remaining funds for the project is covered through a $3.6 million resolution that authorizes the village to borrow money for the work. Mount Kisco is still seeking assistance from the MTA to pay a share of the cost, he said.
“It will have a big impact, but I think it’s certainly necessary, it’s critical for the long-term future of that area and the village,” Brancati said.
The bridge has been earmarked for replacement for years since it was identified to have deteriorated. A $1.9 million BRIDGE NY grant was obtained by the village in 2018 but was never used, in part because of the additional funding that was needed and other projects that also required attention.
Brancati said that the $5 million grant replaces the smaller grant received six years ago.
The plan is to start accepting bids in about a month after the engineers have their plans approved by the state Department of Transportation (DOT), Brancati explained. Then a contract can be awarded before the end of the year to allow work to begin as soon as winter ends. Preston Way is likely to be closed for most of 2025 with the hope of reopening by the start of next year’s holiday season, he said.
Mayor Michael Cindrich said the village will have to coordinate an extensive detour plan and hold public meetings to let residents and motorists know of the upcoming closure. The village also wants to keep open the entrances to the shopping center containing Target and Shop-Rite as well as the car dealership.
Cindrich complimented Brancati for pursuing the latest grant, but called on the MTA to contribute to the work.
“It doesn’t mean that we’re not aggressively pursuing the MTA to pay their fair share, what we think is their fair share of this expense,” Cindrich said.
When bridges such as the Preston Way span were built to eliminate grade crossings more than 70 years ago, it was expected that the railroad at the time, the New York Central Railroad, and the state DOT would share in maintenance costs, according to Brancati.
The village could have opted to keep one lane open on Preston Way, but that would have elongated the project to about two years, he said.
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/
