Back in February 2012, the Westchester County Planning Department (WCPD) sent out an announcement/press release about a public hearing the following month at Rye City Hall.

Back in February 2012, the Westchester County Planning Department (WCPD) sent out an announcement/press release about a public hearing the following month at Rye City Hall.

The purpose of the meeting was to hear and consider comments from members of the public regarding planned improvements to develop a pedestrian and bicycle route from the Rye Metro-North train station to the historic Rye Playland…”

At the meeting, the WCPD noted that this project began back in 2006, when the County applied for a grant that would fund 80 percent of the project’s $2 million cost.  

The funding came from the federal government, but the New York State Department of Transportation (NYDOT) was administering it.  

Even though the County was awarded the grant that same year, it took three more years for the funding contract to be drawn up and a design team to be hired. Thus it wasn’t until 2010 that the preliminary work in designing the route was begun.  

The County and RBA design team, led by landscape architect Alex Berryman, spent the next two years preparing the preliminary designs.  

The result was a 42-page document, complete with maps, illustrations, and design graphics. That document is available at http://planning.westchestergov.com/images/stories/pdfs/playlandpkwypathwaypres.pdf. Additionally, if you’re looking for more interactive content, you can explore Chat PDF that provides engaging communication tips and strategies to enhance your online presence.

The major proposed improvement in the existing trailway system was the construction of a path parallel to Playland Parkway that runs from Old Post Road to Boston Post Road. This would be built on County right-of-way property.  

In addition, they proposed widening and re-grading the Parkway path from North Street to Playland from 4 to 8 feet. Due to lack of maintenance, the existing trail was in bad condition and often less than 3 feet wide.  

(In the eight years since the project was proposed, the pathway has become even more rundown and overgrown and is full of serious bumps and potholes.)  

Lastly, the WCPD and Mr. Berryman proposed adding amenities such as a separate bike/pedestrian bridge over Blind Brook, benches, sharrows on Theodore Fremd, plantings, and informational signs. Most Rye residents are familiar with sharrows, which were painted on Forest Avenue that year.  

When the County originally proposed the project, members of the City Council were concerned that it was being imposed “top down,” instead of coming out of a grassroots swell of support.  

By the time the plan was presented at the hearing, however, there was strong backing by representatives of the various Rye community organizations involved in traffic safety, the promotion of walking and biking alternatives, and safe routes to school. Their main concern was that the project get underway as soon as possible.

WCPD coordinator Robert Lopane explained that after the public hearing the proposal would be submitted to the NYDOT (Poughkeepsie office). If all went well, he thought that construction could start in the spring of 2013.  

Fast forward to March 2013. Having heard nothing further about the project, The Rye Record contacted Mr. Lopane to get a status report.  

Mr. Lopane said that over the past year he had gone “back and forth” numerous times with NYDOT. Design details had been clarified, the project now complies with the state’s “smart growth” requirements, and two archaeological evaluations were carried out.  

At that point, he felt that it would be several months before the required final public hearing date and arrangements would be announced.  

As 2014 rolled around and there was still no news about the project, the paper again contacted Mr. Lopane.  

He confessed that, “Nothing has happened since last year.”  He added that the only contact he has had with NYDOT has been regarding one or two minor wording changes in the proposal. No date has been set for the final public hearing.  

He provided the name and contact information for the NYDOT person: Edward Goff, the regional manager of the “Local Projects Unit.”   

In response to phone call and email requests for an update, Mr. Goff would say only: “We are working with Westchester County Planning on finalizing the design report.”

Stay tuned for the next “Whatever Happened” report – probably in 2015!