Study Plots Route of Proposed $10M Chappaqua Pedestrian, Bike Path
The engineering firm retained to design a 1.5-mile pedestrian and bike path connecting Chappaqua Crossing and downtown Chappaqua presented a route to New Castle town officials last week that avoids most private properties and school district land.
The proposed ChapLine would extend from North Greeley Avenue on the southern end to Roaring Brook Road at its northern terminus. It could require a land swap of about a half-acre parcel with a private property owner and navigation through delineated regulated wetlands, according to the feasibility study shared publicly last week by the project planner and engineer from the firm Barton & Loguidice.
It would be at least 10 feet wide and paved with asphalt except where there would be a footbridge over a gorge and an elevated boardwalk over wetlands.
However, the estimated cost for the project is $10 million, which would likely require the town to amass a combination of grants, state and federal funding and possibly even private donations in order for the ChapLine to become a reality. When first discussed in 2014, town officials voiced a desire to promote walking and biking, connecting pedestrians and bikers between downtown and Chappaqua Crossing while encouraging residents to avoid using their cars, when possible, for short trips within the town.
Despite the financial challenges, project engineer Ryan Weitz expressed optimism that there may be funds available for non-traditional infrastructure projects.
“I think what really places this presentation, in my mind, at a good time is all of the discussion about infrastructure spending and the emphasis on infrastructure spending that is not just automobile-based,” Weitz said. “Infrastructure that can provide a relief to roadways and make it so we’re not all tethered to our vehicle.”
Leigh Jones, the project manager, said there are multiple state and federal funding opportunities, including money from the $2.5 billion Connecting America’s Active Transportation System Act, which has passed the House of Representatives and awaits a vote in the Senate. The money would be doled out to communities across the nation to build connected active transportation systems that ensure people travel safely by foot, bike or wheelchair.
New York State would likely be slated for about $100 million of the money, Jones said.
The recently approved federal stimulus, a state Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Climate Smart Communities Grant and a new state program to fund trails are other possibilities, she said.
Weitz said the proposed route from south to north would start at North Greeley Avenue and Bischoff Avenue near the 88-unit Chestnut Oaks condominium complex, follow the Metro-North tracks and the Saw Mill Parkway, traverse a portion of one private property owner’s land and narrowly avoid Chappaqua School District land. It would end at Roaring Brook Road.
There would be about 20 public parking spaces at the northern terminus near the intersection of Chappaqua Crossing across from Horace Greeley High School. At the southern end, there are about 33 existing parking spaces – 20 on Bischoff Avenue and another 13 on North Greeley. Nine of those spaces would be reserved for Chestnut Oaks residents.
A portion of the trail would have a concrete deck boardwalk with piles and a bridge would go over the gorge, he said. The boardwalk section, although largely in a wetland, would be elevated to allow for wildlife and water to pass underneath.
The idea would be to try to avoid as much wetlands as possible and minimize impact by using a lower retaining walls near the northern portion of Chestnut Oaks.
The town would need permits from DEC and the Army Corps of Engineers.
“Our work really began in terms of working with Chestnut Oaks, Lawrence Farms, the school and looking at permitting regulatory requirements so that essentially we’re trying to thread the needle here and avoid, minimize and mitigate to the greatest extent possible any perceived conflicts or constraints with an overall goal of safety, user comfort and meeting the goals of the trail itself,” Weitz said.
Since the trail would not just be for exercise but for commuting and nearby residents, there would need to be safety measures put in place, including the use of lighting with bollard-style structures and surveillance cameras, Jones said.
There would also be signs and mileage markers at both ends and along the route.
For the town, identifying funding sources and receive support from nearby residents and the school district. Supervisor Ivy Pool said it’s an exciting project but unless funding would be secured it can’t realistically move forward.
“I’m really excited about this. I feel like every time you guys come back before us, you present us with some more options and some more good thinking and I get even more excited about this project, even as I have remaining sticker shock,” Pool said.
Councilwoman Lisa Katz said the town must also get tentative buy-in for the latest design from the school district and neighboring residents, since there had been previous displeasure expressed by some at Chestnut Oaks and Lawrence Farms.
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/