Route 120 Bridge Replacement Commemorated in Chappaqua
After more than a decade of design, discussion and construction, officials from the state and the Town of New Castle officially commemorated the opening of the new Route 120 bridge on Thursday morning.
The bridge, which cost $20 million to replace, feeds directly into downtown Chappaqua from the Saw Mill River Parkway. It was fully opened to traffic on Dec. 6.
“This is a privilege to be here for the grand official opening,” said New Castle Supervisor Barbara Gerrard, who saw the completion of the project in the final month of her board tenure. “It has been a very, very long process but ultimately what comes out of that process is what really matters and we really think it’s an exquisite bridge.”
Gerrard also thanked the community for their patience while the work was being done. For the past two years during construction, residents and merchants had to endure periodic lane closures and snarled traffic, particularly during the busiest hours, which frustrated motorists and angered some business owners already worried about a difficult economy.
The bridge was originally built in 1930 but had deteriorated to the point that after about 70 years traffic flow had to be restricted, said state Department of Transportation Commissioner Joan McDonald who attended the Thursday ribbon cutting. At the height of its use, an average of about 14,000 vehicles crossed the span daily.
McDonald said the DOT was careful to work with the town and the community to make certain that the design of the bridge was consistent with the historic character of the area. It was built with a natural stone facing and 1930s-style street lamps. Although construction is complete, aesthetic improvements such as landscaping and the installation of cobblestone will be done in the spring.
She lauded state elected officials for having the foresight to have a plan to fix New York’s roads and bridges, which helps put people to work.
“New York continues to lead the nation in making strategic infrastructure investments to jumpstart and grow the Empire State’s economy,” McDonald said. “Gov. Cuomo recognizes infrastructure is a way to revitalize communities, a pathway to economic development and to create jobs.”
The project was completed about $2 million over budget, McDonald said.
Rep. Nita Lowey said there are projects throughout the state and the nation that should be done for safety reasons to spur the economy. She said when she returns to Washington she will make funding for infrastructure improvements a chief priority. Each $1 billion in infrastructure investment leads to at least 30,000 construction jobs and $6 billion in economic activity, Lowey said.
“I am so pleased that after years of planning and construction we can finally see the new and improved Route 120 bridge today,” she said.
Replacement of the deck had initially been discussed as early as 2000. Deciding on a suitable design was one hurdle. A group of local residents took the state to court in 2008 to fight the project as well.
Gerrard said one of the most difficult episodes was when construction workers walked off the job on April 1, 2010, after the state had fallen behind by nearly $1 million in payments to the contractor, mostly as a result of New York’s fiscal woes. Workers were off the job for more than two months.
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/