A project that was first uncovered and reported in December of 1997, has been modified and will get underway within the next month. Under the Pilla administration, plans to widen Neperan Road and straighten it by filling in parts of the Tarrytown Lakes met with strong resistance from residents.
Under the Janos administration plans for the restoration of Neperan Road from Broadway to its end at the easterly Greenburgh line, were scaled back and considered more environmentally friendly. Only one question remained year-after-year. When would the work begin?
According to Tarrytown’s Engineer, Michael McGarvey, the Village Board has approved a contract with Canal Asphalt Company, and had a pre-construction meeting in late May with the New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) which will oversee the project. The placement of erosion-control fences around the Lakes have signaled that preparation work is underway.
With the delivery of granite curbstones, Neperan Road will receive a new sidewalk that is handicap accessible from Broadway up to the Tarrytown Lakes. The roadbed is to be milled and in places will undergo full-depth reclamation whereby the old asphalt will be removed along with the sub-grade as well, to a depth of eighteen inches. That will allow for the reconstruction and grading of the roadbed, making it more stable. Accompanying the roadwork will be drainage improvements to include catch basins and piping. On either side of Neperan Road, as it winds around the Lakes, new guardrails made from Cor-ten steel (which has a rusted appearance) will be installed. Raised crosswalks (four inches) will be added to slow down drivers, and will be white-striped for easy recognition. Bollards (metal posts) will be installed in the parking lot by the skate shack to prevent automobiles from getting too close to the edge.
The contractors have 250 days to complete the project but it is currently estimated that the work will be completed by the end of November if not sooner. At present, traffic will be allowed through Neperan Road, however, there may be a point at which the roadway will be shutdown, though not for any extended period of time. If road closure is necessary, it will be for safety issues and the public will be notified. Proper work zone equipment and safety hazards will also be implemented to avoid accidents.
The total contract amount for the Neperan Road project is $3,100,000. Ninety-five percent of that amount will be reimbursed by New York State and the federal government. Tarrytown will be responsible for 5% or $155,000.
River Journal staff writer
