The 13.2-mile Westchester section of the Bronx River Parkway extends from the Bronx border to Kensico Dam Plaza in Valhalla. It is the only major Westchester parkway that is maintained by the county government. The others (the Hutchinson River Parkway, the Cross County Parkway, the Saw Mill River Parkway, the Sprain Brook Parkway and the Taconic State Parkway) are owned and maintained by the state.
Construction of the Westchester section of the parkway was completed in 1925, making the Bronx River Parkway the first modern, multi-lane, limited-access parkway in North America. Although a portion of the parkway first opened to traffic in 1922, it was not until November 5, 1925, at a cost of $16.5 million, that the Bronx River Parkway was officially dedicated and opened to the public.
Among other "firsts," the parkway was the first to utilize a median strip to separate the opposing lanes, first to be constructed through a park and the first to have intersecting streets cross over bridges.
Here are FAQs about the Crane Road Bridge project and how it will affect the traveling public:
Q. Where is the Crane Road Bridge located?
A. The Crane Road Bridge is located immediately south of Exit 12 (Crane Road) on the Bronx River Parkway and spans over the Bronx River and the Metro-North Railroad tracks on the Scarsdale/Greenburgh border (between mile markers 11.7 and 11.8).
Q. Why must the bridge be replaced?
A. The current bridge was built in 1924 and has deteriorated, requiring increasingly more frequent and costly repairs with diminishing returns. It must be replaced to ensure the safety of the estimated 30,000 motorists who use it each day. This is a project to completely demolish the old bridge and build a new replacement
structure.
Q. What additional safety features will be constructed on the new bridge?
A. To improve traffic safety, the new bridge will be realigned, have wider lanes, shoulders and include a northbound deceleration lane to Crane Road. Sidewalks will be constructed to enhance pedestrian access to the Bronx River Parkway reservation and the southbound Metro-North platform. Currently, the four travel lanes on the bridge are 9.5-feet wide with no shoulders. The new bridge will be constructed with four 11-footwide lanes, with 2-foot-wide left and 4-foot-wide right shoulders in each direction.
Q. How much does the project cost?
A. The project costs about $54 million, with approximately $39.4 million going to construction and the remainder for design, right-of-way acquisition, railroad flagging and inspections. The bulk of the project (80 percent) will be financed from federal Highway Bridge Rehabilitation and Replacement Program funds. Another 15 percent will be contributed by the state. The county's share will be about $2.7 million.
Q. How long will the project take?
A. The construction project will take approximately 34 months, depending on the weather. The estimated completion date is spring 2015. Construction will be done in four stages.
Q. How will the construction change daily morning/evening commutes on the parkway?
A. In early stages of the project, it is unlikely that the construction will impact rush hour commutes (morning/evening), as any lane closures should occur during midday (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.). However, in the later stages of construction, there will be permanent lane closures on the parkway in the vicinity of the bridge and ramp closures.
Q. What work will take place first?
A. Construction over the next 10 to 12 months will involve the following:
- Use of a portion of the Scarsdale merchant parking lot for construction equipment staging area.
- Removal of trees (at night).
- Construction of three of the six new concrete piers and deck above.
- Construction on the southern portion of the new railroad bridge.
Q. How will traffic be affected?
A. We apologize for any inconvenience caused by the Crane Road Bridge construction. Read the latest updates about road closures.
- Pipeline Road/Aqueduct Road entrance ramp to the southbound Bronx River Parkway was closed in July of 2012 for the duration of the entire project.
- The pathway area to the Bronx River Parkway reservation south of Crane Road Bridge has been redirected to the intersection of Depot Place with Ardsley Road/Popham Road and will remain accessible.
- There will be periodic Bronx River Parkway single lane closures, weekdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- There will be limited parkway closures (both lanes in one direction or the other) from Harney Road to Crane Road, weekdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Detours will be posted accordingly.
- Limited night and/or weekend parkway closures in one or both directions will also occur in all stages (closures may occur from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. weekdays or 10 p.m. Friday to 6 a.m. Monday on weekends).
- The public will receive advance notification of closures and project activities through press releases and signs.
Q. What will the new bridge look like?
A. Architecturally, the new bridge will resemble the original bridge, including the stone covered concrete piers that resemble a clutch of "mushrooms" holding the bridge structures.
Q. How long is the bridge?
A. The new bridge will be 464 feet long. The main bridge section will be 371 feet long and the railroad bridge section will be 93 feet long. The current bridge is 391 feet long. The main bridge structure is 315 feet long and the railroad bridge is 76 feet long.
Q. What contractor was awarded the project?
A. The project was awarded to E. E. Cruz and Company of New York City, the lowest bidder.
Q. Will Scarsdale village shopping be accessible?
A. Yes, shopping in the Village of Scarsdale will be accessible, although some detours will be in place
during the later stages of the construction.
Q. Will Bicycle Sundays be impacted by the project?
A. Bicycle Sundays will not be impacted this year. In later stages of the project, there may be a redirection of Bicycle Sundays. The public will be notified of any changes by press releases and updates posted.
Q. Will the reservation pathway be impacted by the project?
A. The paved Bronx River Parkway Reservation Pathway south of the bridge will be accessible during the entire project. The dirt path beneath the bridge and connecting to Pipeline Road will be closed starting the week of June 11, 2012. The public will be notified of any pathway changes by press releases and signage.
Q. How has the county informed local residents and merchants about the project?
A. Throughout the five-year environmental and design stage, the county held a public hearing and four public informational meetings with local residents and municipal officials. In addition, meetings were held with the Scarsdale Neighborhood Association Presidents and representatives from the Scarsdale Chamber of Commerce. Press releases are periodically issued. The public will receive advance notification of the project's activities through press releases and signage. Additional questions or comments may be submitted online at www.westchestergov.com/craneroad. This section of the county's Web site (also accessible from the home page) is devoted entirely to the Crane Road Bridge project.
Q. How can I get updates on closures?
A. We will issue press releases and post news on our Web site and on our Facebook and Twitter pages. In addition, you may sign up for "Crane Road Bridge Repair Project" e-mail alerts at www.westchestergov.com/subscribe.
We apologize for any inconvenience caused by the Crane Road Bridge construction. Read the latest updates about road closures.
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