On the west side of Route 9A is a very short stretch of North State Road which funnels into the downtown Village of Briarcliff.
Hurricane Irene wreaked havoc beneath that roadway which is replete with an underground Con Edison gas main and high tension conduit, Department of Transportation junction boxes for traffic signals on 9A,Village water, sewer, storm drains and localized electrical lines. All of these go under and over the culverts that carry water from a tributary of the Pocantico River. In fact, according to a Village official, water from over 395 acres of land which includes the Town of Ossining drain into a culvert as well at that juncture.
When North State Road was recently closed it was for a kind of “quick fix” so that residents would not be inconvenienced for too long in attempting to cross over Route 9A from either direction. The road is now open, however, further construction will soon take place, for the Village of Briarcliff has scheduled a total reconstruction and restoration of the infrastructure beneath the road’s surface.
The cost will be in the $350,000 to $500,000 range and Briarcliff has petitioned FEMA, along with related agencies, to defray the expense. North State Road to the east of Route 9A will be totally excavated and new culverts will be constructed. Bids for the work have been expedited and the length of time for project completion has been estimated to be 90 days. Construction crews will work well into the night and the road will be closed until the reconstruction is completed.
