“Yeah!” and “Whew!”—an official ribbon-cutting for the Route 120 Bridge
See photos of the ceremony, the old bridge, construction, and the new bridge in “Read more…”
December 23, 2011
by Christine Yeres
The last pieces to put into place were the railings on top of the walls on the section of the bridge over the railroad tracks. A little more than three years after de-construction of the 1930’s Route 120 bridge began in September 2008, local, state and federal elected officials as well as Department of Transportation reps met yesterday morning at the base of north wall of the completed bridge, eager to take multiple scissors to a golden ribbon stretched across Allen Place and breath a collective sigh of relief.
Supervisor Barbara Gerrard announced that the town now possessed “a safe, beautiful bridge—and its landscaping will continue to make it even more beautiful.” Trees, shrubs and ground cover are in place; the second-level “planter box” that runs the length of the north side and serves as additional support for the bridge wall will be planted in spring.
“It is done, Barbara! What a great job!” said U.S. Representative Nita Lowey. “I drove over the bridge to get here this morning. And I remember when the rust literally fell off the bottom of it.” The bridge served, said Lowey, as a perfect example of the type of infrastructure the U.S. must undertake on a massive scale “to keep up with the rest of the world.” In addition, she said, she would continue to demand in Congress that they develop a long-range plan for infrastructure that would also provide critical jobs. “These are not make-work jobs. These are real people who need real jobs,” she said.
State Senator Suzi Oppenheimer praised Gerrard for her “determination—no matter how many misfortunes—to get it done!” State Assemblyman Bob Castelli complimented New Castle residents for “the dignity and grace with which they have waited” for completion of the bridge.
Gerrard praised fellow officials and DOT reps, saying “They had us on speed-dial and we had them on speed-dial,” referring to the several bumps in the road during construction. A group of residents delayed what would have been a June 2008 start by seeking a temporary restraining order which a judge denied in September 2008. When the State failed to pay the contractor due to budget difficulties in spring of 2010, Conti crews stopped work and the speed-dial lines lighted up.
“I especially thank the public for their patience through a challenging time,” said Gerrard. “We have a structure now that will last more than a lifetime—I’m thinking several lifetimes. And thanks to the merchants! Please, everyone,” she added, “go shopping before you leave town this morning!”
A police officer halted traffic for a few moments while, as a group, town board members, elected officials and DOT reps each took up scissors and together cut a wide golden ribbon stretched across Allen Place into many pieces.
The Ribbon-Cutting:The slideshow requires javascript and Flash
The slideshow requires javascript and Flash
The slideshow requires javascript and Flash
The slideshow requires javascript and Flash
The slideshow requires javascript and Flash
And to all the people that complained that this would change the character of the Town, I think not. This was a necessary repair and improvement to the entrance to Chappaqua
That was a long three years. Not sure this project is expressive of governmental efficacy and efficiency.
Now let’s add a traffic light at the train station exit!
How many mature trees were clear cut to put this bridge in? What are the plans for replacing them? Aren’t we supposed to be some sort of “Tree City”?? Do we value trees, that exchange CO2 for Oxygen, or do we just consider them some sort of nuisance?
I asked the engineers on site about the massive treeless walls of dirt supporting the new improved bridge. Will they collapse under heavy rainfall? The kind of intense rain in a short period of time that we are now experiencing on a more regular basis. He said it wasn’t his field of expertise but that it was a good question.
Trees hold soil in place, not so sure that grass or cheap shrubs do the same job. Time will tell.
It is a project that went thru process. It was long and I am sure arduous. As a long time resident for over 35 years, who drives over the “Chappaqua Bridge” to and from work each day the result is wonderful and it works. The trees will grow, the light may come if needed.
It is a good time to say thanks to all those who participated and congratulate them all for a job well done!
“It [the George Washington Bridge] took four years to build and was completed eight months ahead of schedule, saving $1 million. At the time, the bridge was the longest suspension bridge ever built. The span from anchorage to anchorage is 4,760 feet, and the towers are 630 feet high. The width of the bridge is 119 feet with a clearance at mid-span of 213 feet above the water.”
It took 4 years to build the original structure of the George Washington Bridge from 1927 to 1931.
How long did it take to build our little bridge completed in 2011?
3 years? Why?
Should we be giving kudos to our town officials?
Let this 120 Bridge construction serve as a reminder to all of us about government inefficiency and incompetence. 2 years of planning and applications followed by 3 years of construction, disruption, and congestion. Included was a 2 month shutdown due to federal funds being held up to Albany which in effect was held up to our local level. With the many construction workers, steel workers, and laborers unemployed it was disgraceful watching the snails pace of progress. How many times did all of us cross that bridge and there was nobody working? How many times did qwe cross that bridge and witness 2 people working with 8 workers watching. At ties there were more workers directing traffic than actually working on the bridge. Equally infuriating is that this was a New York State project and the contractor was Conti from New Jersey. Couldn’t we find a worthy NY contractor?
Next time you hear a politician talk about “shovel ready” and stimulus money remember this debacle. I now understand what people mean when they say that the government is the worst job creator and private sector is best to create and maintain jobs.
At Last!
It only took 1 year and 45 days to build the Empire State building.
I think this bridge is a wonderul addition to the town. Its beauty not only adds dignity and stature to our town, but it resolves the safety and traffic capacity issues. My hat is off to the construction workers to who did an outstanding job and the town board for seeing this project to completion. This bridge will benefit generations of Chappaqua residents and all who use it to visit our town.
All of the large trees and shrubs that were removed for this project were once small saplings at some point in the past. And so the cycle begins again. When Springtime comes and the newly planted trees and shrubs begin to sprout, all negative comments will be put to rest.
Your blog entries should be in reverse chronological order. The most recent posts should be at the top, not the bottom. I had something nice to say and you’re hiding it at the bottom of the page. If you can change this, please do.
Aesthetics, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder. It is fair to say that given local, state and federal budget constraints, we are fortunate that the simulated stone was used in the bridge renovation. You don’t have to drive that far from Chappaqua to see much less attractive bridges.
