New Saw Mill Parkway Bridges Project Coming in Mount Kisco, New Castle

MOUNT KISCO, NY — Work is underway on a $17.1 million project to build two new bridges that will carry the Saw Mill River Parkway over Kisco River and Branch Brook into the towns of Mount Kisco and New Castle.

It's going to mean delays and detours from April through the end of the year.

The project is part of the $542 million Empire Bridge program, a key piece of New York's commitment to rebuilding critical infrastructure across New York State.

"With unpredictable and extreme weather on the rise, now is the time to strengthen critical bridge and parkway systems across New York to withstand future weather events," Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in the announcement. "This project is essential to the safety of New Yorkers throughout the Mid-Hudson Valley, and as we continue to rebuild our bridges and roadways, we will ensure this state is stronger and more resilient than ever before."

The project will include replacing the bridge that carries the Saw Mill River Parkway over the Kisco River and building a new bridge to replace the culvert that carries the Parkway over the Branch Brook.

The two new bridges will be wider and five feet higher than the existing bridge and culvert to help prevent flooding and road closures during future extreme weather events.

New guide rail, bridge rail and concrete median barrier along the Saw Mill River Parkway will also be installed as part of the project.

The project will be completed in two phases.

The first phase will involve work and construction on the northbound side of the Saw Mill River Parkway, which is expected to take place April to July 2017. During that time, an onsite, temporary detour will shift northbound and southbound traffic to the existing southbound lanes.

The second phase will include work and construction on the southbound side of the Parkway, which will take place between July and December 2017. During the second phase, traffic will be maintained on the newly constructed northbound lanes.

Some nighttime closures of this section of the Parkway may occur during construction of the new bridges, and traffic will be detoured using State Routes 117 and 133. The project is anticipated to be complete by the end of 2017.

"I am very pleased that Governor Cuomo's Empire Bridge program has come to New Castle and Mt. Kisco," Assemblyman David Buchwald said. "The Saw Mill River Parkway is a vital thoroughfare in Westchester. The $17.1 million is an excellent investment in our area’s infrastructure and these new bridges will serve the growing number of travelers on the Saw Mill River Parkway safely and efficiently."

The Empire Bridge program, administered by the New York State Department of Transportation, is replacing 100 aging structures across the state. The new bridges will be more resilient and better able to withstand flooding, officials said.

"Thanks to the Governor's Empire Bridge Program, 35 bridges in the Hudson Valley Region have been or will be replaced with stronger structures that will ensure access to emergency responders and the public, even during the worst of storms," New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Matthew J. Driscoll said.

Completion of the Empire Bridge program is expected to provide residents of communities across the State stronger and more resilient bridges, and reduce the potential for highway travel delays and detours during heavy rains and floods. It is also meant to ensure continued access to critical lifesaving services in the event of an emergency.

Once it starts, remember that fines are doubled for speeding in a work zone. In accordance with the Work Zone Safety Act of 2005, convictions of two or more speeding violations in a work zone could result in the suspension of an individual's driver's license.

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