Read this to the end. It is the most important thing we have ever written.
New Federal funds and policies favor getting the Route 9 Active Transportation Project built relatively soon. But this opportunity will pass us by if Sleepy Hollow's Mayor continues his obstruction.
Sleepy Hollow's Board of Trustees unanimously passed a resolution of support for the Project in November. (That's a year after the other four villages did, but we'll take it.)
Last month, officials in each of the coalition's five villages (Hastings through Sleepy Hollow) agreed their Mayors will sign a joint letter asking Governor Cuomo to push the State Department of Transportation (DOT) to help the villages build the Project.
After a draft of the letter was sent around, Sleepy Hollow's Mayor threw a bomb in the room, refusing to sign it. Then, this topic was discussed at Sleepy Hollow's Trustee Work Session on Tuesday.[1] The Mayor resumed his putting petty personal grievances ahead of the Village's interests.
Here is what was said at the meeting and the facts of the matter.
Fact: During the Plan's development, the Mayor told the group that he "does not want to water down the study" and that the group should make an independent proposal. The Village would take those recommendations under advisement.[2]
Fact 1: The Village only has (preliminary) engineering drawings for modest changes to one block of Broadway.[3] The Route 9 Project has plans that fix the whole length.[6]
Fact 2: The letter to Governor is about getting the project done. It requests Cuomo's "support for this project" to get "high-level support and engagement" from the DOT, and a "liaison tasked with helping us through the various processes necessary to build our project."
Fact: The plans the Village has on hand[5][4] have two lanes in each direction and no turn lanes. The Route 9 Project incorporates that work, literally drawing additions on top of it to give Broadway one lane each way, turn lanes and a protected lane for people cycling/scooting/using wheelchairs/etc. It also adjusts intersections to enhance crosswalk safety and cut excessive speeds around corners.[7][8]
Fact: The coalition is moving in same direction: creating a safe, cohesive corridor. The independent work Sleepy Hollow has done advances one segment of that. And the coalition's strength can help Sleepy Hollow get that segment over the finish line.
Fact: Was that meeting with the old Commissioner or the current Commissioner? (They changed in May of 2019.)
Fact: The Village had a traffic study completed back in 2016 [4] and the DOT made some preliminary drawings in 2017.[5] Now, four years later, the DOT is asking for another traffic study. Momentum? That's a runaround.
You know what gets things done _fast_ in New York? When Governor Cuomo says so. For years, Broadway was a pothole ridden mess from Phelps Hospital to the Old Dutch Church. In May of 2014, Cuomo drove down it to meet President Obama in Tarrytown. Astonished at the conditions, he told the DOT to fix it right away -- and they sure did.
Know what else this coalition has going for it? The other four villages in it are represented by the head of the New York State Senate!
And the icing on the cake? The leader of the United States Senate, is New York's very own Chuck Schumer.
Every County, State and Federal elected official, plus a slew of community groups, are ready to go to bat for us. But people with inside knowledge say that is only going to happen if every Mayor is in alignment on this.
We are at a VERY CRUCIAL MOMENT right now. The State DOT has opened up applications for the Federal funding stream specifically targeted for walking and cycling infrastructure.[9] The last time this happened was in 2019.
Plus, the current head of the US DOT is actively supporting initiatives just like the Route 9 Active Transportation Plan!
By working together, the coalition can put together an extremely powerful application (or a set of them).
In closing, Sleepy Hollow is at a crossroads.
The Mayor can continue spending Village money to maybe eventually improve one block of Broadway a bit.
Or he can sign this coalition letter to get the Federal money and State DOT help needed to fix all of Broadway.
Pick one of the points, above, that resonate with you.
1) Speak about it during a Board of Trustees meeting. The next one is Tuesday, July 13. Then on Tuesday, 7/27 and 8/10. Meetings are in 28 Beekman Ave and start at 7:00 pm.
The first public comment period comes after the staff presentations, if any, so that can be anywhere from about 15 minutes to 90 minutes into the meeting. There's another comment period just before the meeting ends. These
and/or
2) Write about it in an email to the Mayor and Trustees. (Remember to put in a subject line!)
and/or
3) Make a short video about it. The ending should tell folks to go to
biketarrytown.org for more info. Then either:
a) Post it to your timeline on Facebook (tagging @BikeTarrytn),
then share it to the 10591 group
b) Post it to Twitter (tagging @BikeTarrytown)
or
c) Email us a link to it (info@biketarrytown.org)
The Mayor's statements above are the latest in a long line of ever changing made up excuses. Here are more examples:
Here's a lovely bit of history: 30 supporters came to the 3/12/19 Board Meeting.
[1] Video of Sleepy Hollow's 7/6/21 Trustee Work Session https://vimeo.com/571899286#t=46m50s
[2] The Mayor's emails declining to provide input on the Route 9 Plan https://biketarrytown.org/broadway-for-everybody/2021-07-09-ken-wray-lying-about-route-9-study.txt
[3] The DOT and the consultant hired by the Village both created drawings that cover Pocantico St to the Old Dutch Church.[4][5]
[4] Consultant's traffic study and drawings: https://biketarrytown.org/broadway-for-everybody/2016-01-15-trc-broadway-pocantico-pierson-study.pdf
[5] State DOT's drawings: https://biketarrytown.org/broadway-for-everybody/2017-04-26-nysdot-broadway-pocantico-pierson--881278_w40_w139_concept.pdf
[6] The Steering Committee's vision along Broadway:
[7] Recommendations by Sleepy Hollow's representatives to the Route 9 Steering Committee: https://biketarrytown.org/broadway-for-everybody/route-9-sleepy-hollow-committee-recommendations.pdf
[8] https://route9active.org/doc/route-9-active-transportation_final-drawings-only.pdf
[9] https://www.dot.ny.gov/tap-cmaq
biketarrytown.org | info@biketarrytown.org | T: @BikeTarrytown | F: @BikeTarrytn