Mayor questions Preston Way bridge's maintenance

By MARTIN WILBUR

Two weeks after the closure of the Preston Way bridge that has snarled traffic in Mount Kisco, questions linger over ownership and who is responsible for reconstruction, future maintenance and the project’s expense.

The New York State Department of Transportation has posted detour signs in the village and on the Saw Mill River Parkway and has readjusted the timing of five nearby traffic signals it controls in hopes of easing congestion as local officials look for a resolution of the legal issues after the sudden shutdown of the span on Dec. 3, said Village Manager Ed Brancati.

A special meeting has been scheduled for Monday, Dec. 22, where the Village Board is expected to convene with Village Attorney John Nelson to review his findings related to ownership and discuss potential negotiation, arbitration or litigation.

“Right now, we need to fix the bridge, and so I think the most important use of everybody’s time is to come to an agreement with the MTA as to who is responsible to build the bridge, to pay for the bridge and to get it done,” Deputy Mayor Karen Schleimer said. 

“As you all know, it’s not a quick fix, it’s not going to get done in six months, so we’re going to have to live with that, we’re going to have to drive around, we’re going to have to take detours, we’re going to have to work together,” she added.

Village officials are adamant that Mount Kisco does not own the bridge. There is also a shared maintenance agreement with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority since the span goes over the Metro-North tracks. In its order to close the bridge for safety reasons, the DOT referenced the village as the owner. A spokesperson reiterated that claim in response to a set of subsequent questions posed by The Recorder following its closure.

Brancati said at Monday evening’s board meeting that “there’s no proof that the village owns the bridge.” He pointed to the uncovering of a 1935 Public Service Commission order to eliminate the three grade crossings, which resulted in construction of bridges on Main Street, Lieto Drive and Preston Way by 1954. There are different maintenance agreements between Mount Kisco and the MTA for each bridge, he said.

A $1.9 million Bridge NY grant was initially obtained by the village when the project called for the crossing’s rehabilitation, which was estimated at $5.4 million. That grant was increased to $5 million in 2024 after it became apparent the bridge would require reconstruction, increasing the cost to $8.6 million. The MTA previously offered about $845,000 as part of a forced labor agreement.

“It’s not their fair share, it is not what they should owe but it’s what we’re able to get at the moment,” Brancati said. “That’s not to say there can’t be more, but it’s important to understand that those funds — the $5 million and the $845,000 — represent 68% of the cost estimate.”

In 2022, Mount Kisco also borrowed $3.6 million in case it needed more money, and those funds are in the bank, Brancati said. However, since the last estimate nearly two years ago, there has likely been further cost escalation. Brancati said the village will not have a more accurate estimate until the project goes out to bid, although officials will seek an updated cost projection.

Mayor J. Michael Cindrich said he has been reviewing old surveys and documents, which suggest either the state or MTA may own it, and is pressing for the MTA to at least pick up a fixed percentage of the cost. 

“These documents say to me the state built the bridge, the state acquired the land, and like Mr. Brancati said earlier, there’s a chasm here of who owns the damn bridge and maybe the attorneys will have more information on this,” Cindrich said.

Mayor questions DOT’s maintenance

Meanwhile, Cindrich questioned whether the MTA has done its part in adequately maintaining the bridge over the years after he has seen its deteriorated underside. As early as 2012, there were “yellow flags” about the bridge’s worsening condition, but Cindrich said he could find no evidence the MTA kept up with maintenance.

“The MTA knew they had a responsibility, a responsibility on maintenance,” Cindrich said. “It doesn’t take a fifth grader to go underneath that bridge today and look up at the steel, look up and say ‘That bridge hasn’t been painted in years, maybe decades.’ So where is the oversight?”

The MTA referred all questions this week about the Preston Way bridge to the DOT.

Schleimer said the seriousness of the issue goes beyond financial responsibility to rebuild the bridge but to the ownership question and future responsibility and liability.

Several residents and members of the Village Board stressed the need to keep the public informed. Resident Philip Dubon said that the project had been talked about for years and there should have been more done to prioritize planning and advocacy as the likelihood of closure increased.

Going forward, Dubon called on the village to focus on regular communication with the public even when there may be nothing new to report.

“Preston Way is not just another side street, it’s a key connector between Route 117 and Kisco Avenue, it’s an important link to the Saw Mill River Parkway into our shopping areas, and since the closure we’ve seen heavy congestion on 133, Kisco Avenue, Maple, cars routinely blocking intersections on Hillside and other areas, aggressive driving, increased cut-through traffic on smaller residential streets,” Dubon said.

Cindrich said the village was given only a few hours by the DOT to close the bridge and inform the public. It was aware of the significant impact it would have on traffic in a heavily used commercial corridor three weeks before Christmas, but did not want to dispense incorrect information.

Ed Reilly, the president of the Mount Kisco Chamber of Commerce, appealed to the board to also involve the chamber in relaying updated information because the closure impacts businesses, their employees and customers.

“Our clientele, our members rely on people coming from other towns,” Reilly said. “The workforce, I think at one point we estimated 10,000 additional people come into Mount Kisco each day, and with issues like traffic, which have been problems in the past, tend to lead to people not coming into Mount Kisco, and once they change their habits, sometimes they lose them forever, they find another place.”

Brancati said Mount Kisco has requested the DOT postpone projects it had planned at Route 117 and Barker Street and the elimination of the slip lane and associated improvements at the Route 117/Route 133 intersection.