State Sen. Shelley Mayer, Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano, officials from the New York State Department of Transportation, and other elected officials representing the City of Yonkers gathered July 17 at Andrus Park to celebrate the repaving of Central Park Avenue in Yonkers with funds secured by Mayer.
In 2017, Mayer, then assemblymember, secured $1 million to repave a section of Central Avenue in Yonkers beginning just north of the NYS Thruway overpass northward to Stokes Road. Work on the project began June 3. Repaving consists of removing the existing surface and replacing it with new asphalt from curb to curb. Milling and paving was expected to be complete by July 19. Additionally, the pedestrian sidewalk ramps are being improved with new or enhanced pedestrian signage. The entire project is set to be completed by mid-August.
“I am proud to have secured $1 million in funding to repave a section of Central Avenue,” said Mayer. “Thank you to Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie for supporting this effort when I was in the Assembly, and to Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins for her continued commitment to our communities. Maintaining our local roads and highways is pivotal to the success of our communities and small businesses. Central Avenue is a major arterial roadway for Yonkers and Westchester residents and it is critical that we invest in improvements and repaving efforts. Thank you to Gov. Andrew Cuomo for continued infrastructure investments, and to the NYS Department of Transportation and Mayor Mike Spano for being strong partners in completing this project.”
Spano called Central Avenue is a major thoroughfare in Yonkers and lower Westchester. “The quality of this road is essential to the area’s quality of life and economy,” he said. “Special thanks to Sen. Shelley Mayer for securing the funds necessary to repave the road and improve traffic conditions.”
Yonkers City Council President Mike Khader said his office receives dozens of calls each week from residents complaining about potholes and bumpy roads. “So this initiative, although something relatively simple, is very exciting and will surely improve quality of life for Yonkers residents,” he said. “Thank you to Sen. Mayer for securing the money for this project. I am sure residents are looking forward to smoother rides on Central Avenue.”
Assemblymember Nader Sayegh said extreme weather conditions over the years have caused extensive deterioration to local roads, resulting in severe damage like potholes that have caused extensive accidents and has wreaked havoc on vehicles. “Thanks to Sen. Shelley Mayer’s tireless advocacy, this vital economic corridor can continue to safely accommodate the hundreds of thousands of drivers that travel this widely used route annually,” he said.
Westchester County Legislator David Tubiolo said infrastructure is one of the primary responsibilities of government – being necessary for the commerce, convenience, transportation and overall well-being of society. “Thank you to Sen. Shelley Mayer for not only her efforts, but for delivering this much-needed funding for this capital project,” he said. “I’m happy and proud to have her as our partner and representative for Yonkers and Westchester.”
Yonkers City Council Majority Leader Michael Sabatino also thanked Mayer for securing the funds for this state road. “There are many roads in our City of Yonkers that are not local roads and the funds need to be secured from the state level,” he said. “This will greatly improve the quality of life for those who live and shop along Central Avenue.”
Yonkers City Council Minority Leader Mike Breen added: “I’m glad to see the state DOT finally addressing Central Park Avenue, (which) is an economic engine for Yonkers, providing shopping opportunities for consumers in the tristate area, jobs, and taxes for our community. I appreciate very much Sen. Mayer getting DOT to start fixing this mega road. I hope this process will continue up and down Central Park Avenue on a more regular basis.”
Yonkers City Councilmember Anthony Merante said residents and visitors can see – and feel – their tax dollars at work as they drive along this stretch of Central Park Avenue.
Here’s how the paving of Central Avenue will proceed: The fi rst round is now complete, from the Will Library south to the former Boulder Creek Steakhouse. That portion was funded by then-Assemblywoman now Sen. Mayor. The cost of paving, and the rising cost of asphalt, resulted in the project being scaled back.
However, two more upcoming rounds of paving Central Park Avenue will begin at some point in the fall, and in the spring of 2020. Central Avenue is a state road, so the state has the responsibility to pay for the paving, although the city did pay for emergency repairs to potholes. Several county roads in Yonkers, like Palmer Avenue and Yonkers Avenue, are the responsibility of county government to maintain.
I’m sure our readers have lots of complaints about other roadways in Yonkers that need repairs. Email them to dmurphy@risingmediagroup.com.
