Route 120 in Chappaqua Reopens With Completion of Culvert Project
News Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
The summer of unhappy residents and annoyed motorists has come to an end in Chappaqua.
Late last week the Route 120 culvert replacement project was completed by the state Department of Transportation (DOT) by the promised Aug. 18 deadline.
By early last Friday afternoon, the road was open with traffic flowing in the Millwood-bound direction. Crews could be seen collecting the detour signs that had been placed on the area’s roadways to alert drivers of the closure and loading them onto the back of a pickup truck to be carted away.
In her weekly message to the community, Supervisor Lisa Katz thanked residents for their patience and understanding.
“I know that construction projects can be inconvenient and frustrating, and that the noise, traffic detours, and temporary disruptions they bring are not easy to bear,” Katz stated. “Yet, your patience and the sense of community you’ve demonstrated have not gone unnoticed. And your willingness to adapt and to adjust your schedules significantly contributed to the smooth progress of the project.”
The DOT needed to replace a more than 80-year-old culvert near Kipp Street that had been deteriorating, and a few years ago had caused a dip in the roadway. After the project was pushed back, the town appealed to DOT in hopes of having the work done over the summer but close the road entirely when school is out of session and many people leave town for at least part of the summer.
By shutting down Route 120 instead of having the road open with one lane and the threat of causing massive delays, the length of the project was reduced from several months to six weeks.
There were detours established, one for local vehicular traffic and another for trucks.
After the first few days of work at the site, the DOT, which initially did not contract to have New Castle police officers direct traffic at the nearby intersection of Route 120 and Hunts Lane. Less than a week after the July 5 start to the project, there was major congestion and headaches in that area with the officers.
Martin has more than 30 years experience covering local news in Westchester and Putnam counties, including a frequent focus on zoning and planning issues. He has been editor-in-chief of The Examiner since its inception in 2007. Read more from Martin’s editor-author bio here. Read Martin’s archived work here: https://www.theexaminernews.com/author/martin-wilbur2007/
