DOT: Route 202 Construction Project to Reduce Accidents, Traffic Back Ups

New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) officials held a public informational meeting this week to update the public on the Route 202 construction project and answer questions. 

[Click on the video to the right for more details on the project as outlined by project engineer Joel D'Ascoli.]

Stephanie DeLano, public involvement coordinator for DOT, said the Route 202 intersection improvements and Bear Mountain Bridge replacement project is intended to improve traffic operations and address safety concerns at several intersections.

Construction has already begun and it is expected to be over by winter of this year. However, the final paving and landscaping will be completed in June, 2014.

Project highlights include:

• Additional travel lane in both directions along Route 35/202
• Route 35/202 bridge replacement over Hunter Brook
• New signal at Route 35/202 and Pine Grove Court
• New signal at Bear Mountain Parkway and Stony Street (a high accident area)
• New sidewalks along south side of Route 35/202
• Trail extension along Bear Mountain Parkway connecting new sidewalk on Stony Street

DeLano said the project would help reduce traffic at the dangerous intersections, reduce traffic back up and wait times along Route 202, as well as improve motorists' ability to make left turns onto and from Route 202 and the Bear Mountain Parkway extension. 

Hans Priebe, construction area supervisor, said there will be some back ups during the construction. 

In order to rebuild part of the Bear Mountain Parkway extension, officials said there will be no left turn allowed during part of the construction and eventually the parkway extension would be one-lane in each direction. 

Several residents in attendance asked questions and raised concerns during the meeting. One person asked if the traffic lights that would be installed on Route 202 would be timed to go on at the same time. The answer was yes. Another person asked asked if there was an incentive for workers to complete the project on time. Priebe said there was no incentive, but there is a penalty if they don't finish on time. 

Quin Treadwell, manager at the McDonald's on Route 202, said he believed his business would be negatively impacted by the construction. He said customers, who have to make a left out of the business, would need to cross two lanes plus an additional turn lane just to get to the other side. 

"If you can't access a property easily, you'll find somewhere else to go," he said. "I don't think they took all the businesses into consideration. I'm sure they're trying to take the safety of everyone into consideration."

Pat DiMattia, a Yorktown resident, called the plan "ambitious" but he said the improvements, such as the new traffic lights and additional turn lane, were needed. 

"We understand what they're doing is an improvement," said DiMattia, who lives off Old Crompond Road. 

The cost for the project is $11,584,000, according to DOT officials. For more information, visit the department's website.

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