Temporary Stop Sign Debuts at Chappaqua’s King-Greeley Crossing
Motorists traveling through downtown Chappaqua will have to get used to a new stop sign, the latest change for the hamlet that is related to the ongoing streetscape project.
On Monday, a temporary stop sign was installed on King Street at the intersection of South Greeley Avenue. It will be in place until the new traffic signal for that location is up and running later this year, said Supervisor Robert Greenstein.
Greenstein said safety concerns and conditioning drivers to stop after coming down the King Street hill once the traffic light is in service were the factors behind the new stop sign.
Since the South Greeley Avenue stop sign had to be moved back from the intersection with the reconfiguration of the new sidewalk and outdoor space along with ongoing work downtown, there was concern that drivers traveling along both streets wouldn’t be able to see if a car was moving into the crossing. The stop sign was placed on the corner outside George’s Men’s Shop, Greenstein said.
“It’s a visibility issue for cars stopped on South Greeley Avenue,” he said.
The South Greeley-King Street intersection has been problematic for motorists for years, particularly those who are unfamiliar with the territory. When traveling down King Street, drivers heading straight onto lower King or making a left turn onto South Greeley Avenue have the right of way over vehicles that have been halted by stop signs at both North and South Greeley avenues.
Greenstein said all of the stop signs at the intersection will be removed once the traffic light is functioning. Originally, the town had expected the new signal to be installed and working by as soon as September when school resumes but there may be delays in connecting the light, he said.
In preparation for the traffic signal, five pedestrian poles will be installed starting within the next two weeks, Greenstein said. The poles will allow pedestrians to press a button to change the walk signal to green.
The first three pedestrian poles will be installed at the corners by Starbucks, North Country Sotheby’s and George’s, according to the supervisor. In order to accommodate the poles, excavation will done for the footings followed by the pouring of concrete. Excavation to accommodate the electrical conduits for the pedestrian poles will also need to be done.
New sidewalks and curbing, light poles and other decorative improvements have been or will be done throughout the downtown.
A larger sidewalk to accommodate tables and chairs will also be a feature at the South Greeley-King Street intersection across from Starbucks.
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/
