Revised Bike Path Route Will Require Users to Cross Traffic on the Fenimore Road Bridge
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After we posted an article last week about the construction of the bike path to link Scarsdale Village to Fenimore Road we were alerted by several readers that the plans had been changed. Due to a million dollar budget cut - and other reasons - the county has revised the route.
It turns out that the new plan will put users atop the Fenimore Road bridge and require them to cross the bridge and the south entrance ramp to the Bronx River Parkway.
Under the previous plan, the path would have extended underneath the Fenimore Road Bridge and across the tracks to the bridge at Greenacres Avenue. This would have prevented bikers and walkers from crossing into traffic.
However, now, users will have to brave traffic on both the entrance ramp and the busy bridge to link from one side of the path to the other.
Why was this change made? We exchanged emails with Westchester County Director of Park Facilities David DeLucia who explained it this way:
“The route to connect to the existing pathway was changed. The trail will cross Fenimore at a new crosswalk, and flashing lights operated by a push button. The crosswalk will take trail users across the South bound entrance ramp where it meets Fenimore Road, and then cross Fenimore Road just to the East of the entrance ramp to just east of the entrance to the Railroad station.
The original ramp structure with concrete piers to the north of Fenimore leading up to Greenacres Avenue was a new element in the historic landscape of the Reservation. This would have been difficult to construct and still keep the historic character of the landscape. The current configuration involved less tree removal and ground disturbance.
The budget changed by about one million dollars. The plans changed due to costs, historic and environmental reasons.”
We asked DeLucia if he was aware of how dangerous it was to cross the bridge as the road leading to it veers sharply and is a blind curve. He said, “The plans were developed by our consulting engineers, and reviewed and approved by our traffic engineers. I know the intersection well and are making it as safe as possible. There will be a system of signage, striped cross walks, flashing lights, and a push button alert.”
Closing the Gap on the Bronx River Bike Path
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New path from Hitchcock Church to the Fenimore BridgeWestchester County has finally begun on work to close the gap on the Bronx River Bike Path between Greenacres Avenue and Scarsdale Village. Presently, bikers and walkers travelling the path, which runs up to Kensico Dam and down to Yonkers had to leave the path in Scarsdale and travel along Fox Meadow Road to access the northern half of the path.
This will be rectified in the next 18 months when work is complete on a path to bridge the gap. Westchester County is underwriting the $6.7 million project which will add 1.6 miles to the path. Ironically, the path will not travel on the east side of the parkway because some Scarsdale residents objected to it traversing Fox Meadow. Instead, the path will extend underneath the Crane Road Bridge to the west side of the Parkway where the path will be built along the westside of the train tracks. It will return to the east side by going underneath the Fenimore Road Bridge and continuing to the Greenacres Avenue Bridge. There a ramp will travel up to the top of the bridge to the new 10-foot wide sidewalk that is already complete. From there, riders can meet the existing path opposite Hitchcock Church and continue past the County Tennis Courts.
We took some photos in Greenacres where workers were clearing and grading the path which will eventually be paved.
So if you see back hoes and dump trucks under the bridges, this is why.
The view from Fenimore Road north
DeCicco & Sons to Replace Acme Supermarket in Eastchester
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The competition is heating up for supermarket shoppers in our area. Just as the DeCicco’s in Scarsdale Village is undergoing a much-needed renovation and expansion, the other branch of the family, DeCicco & Sons, has announced that it will open at 777 White Plains Road in Eastchester, replacing the Acme Supermarket that has recently announced its impending closure this fall. “We believe that our focus on quality and exceptional service will resonate strongly with the Eastchester community. We look forward to meeting our neighbors and friends in our new location,” shared John DeCicco Jr., CEO of DeCicco & Sons.
The new store will offer prepared foods and baked items made daily, on-premise, by their chefs and bakers. “As a family, we have always focused on quality above everything else. The quality of our meats, poultry, seafood, and produce is a big part of what we are known for,” says Joe DeCicco Jr., the store’s Chief Purchasing Officer. The store will highlight DeCicco & Sons’ charcuterie and cheese, freshly rolled sushi, in-house bakery, as well as fresh produce and prepared meals. The team also plans to build an extensive beer retail and in-store pub, where educational events and tastings will take place. DeCicco & Sons exclusively carries antibiotic and hormone-free, humanely raised meat from family farms. Other notable items include store-made mozzarella, fresh guacamole, and a full-service bakery.
“We are planning an extensive renovation prior to the opening in Summer 2020,” explained Mike Puma, DeCicco & Sons Director of Operations. “We will be renovating the store from the floor to ceiling to bring the location up to our DeCicco & Sons environmental standards. This includes highly efficient heating, ventilation, cooling, and refrigeration systems. Nearly all of our mechanical systems will be ‘smart-enabled’ to ensure the smallest carbon footprint,” continued Puma.
The Eastchester, New York store will bring approximately 150 jobs to the area. “Our employees have a big impact on the experience in our store, as well as the product we put-out to our customers. We know that taking very good care of our employees, translates into our employees taking exceptional care of our patrons,” explains Luisa DeCicco, Director of Human Resources for the family-owned chain. “These positions offer a 401k retirement plan, affordable quality health coverage, company-paid maternity and paternity leave, college scholarships, excellent opportunities for career advancement within the company, and a pay-rate that is well above our industry average.” DeCicco & Sons encourages anyone interested in applying to click here, including Acme Supermarket employees recently impacted by the store closing.
DeCicco & Sons was founded in 2006 by John Jr, Joseph Jr, and Christopher DeCicco with the opening of the DeCicco & Sons Ardsley store. The three sons grew up in the grocery industry with their fathers, who opened their first store in the Bronx in 1973, only fourteen years after arriving from Italy.
The family-owned business presently operates premium markets in Ardsley, Armonk, Brewster, Harrison, Larchmont, Millwood, Pelham, and Somers, New York. The store in Scarsdale is not owned by the same branch of the family.
Drunk Driver Kills Pedestrian and Topples Clock at the County Center
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Photo by Emily Attar(Updated August 27) Police have identified a Bronx woman who was killed at the County Center on Saturday August 24, and charged the driver who hit her with DWI.
According to police, Susan Benjamin-Bailey, 57, of East 230th Street in the Bronx died after she was hit by a Chevrolet Cruz driven by Glen Robinson of Elmsford at 6:40 am in front of the Westchester County Center. Robinson was taken to Westchester County Medical Center in Valhalla, where he was treated for minor injuries, and then taken to police headquarters where he was charged with DWI. In addition to hitting Benjamin-Bailey, he plowed into the millenium clock in front of the County Center and toppled it.
Scarsdale10583 reader Emily Attar forwarded us this photo taken Saturday morning following the accident. The car is suspended on the traffic island and the clock is on the ground.
Scarsdale Swimmers Make Waves at the Counties
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13 and Under Girls Relay Team: (From left) Devin Topkara, Sophie Schwend (Front) Serena Wu and Caroline Largen.Scarsdale swimmers were among the hundreds of competitors at the 94th Westchester County Swimming Association meet held from July 29 – August 1, 2019 at Rye Playland. Over 30 clubs competed and overall, the swimmers from the Scarsdale Town Pool placed third in the county.
At the Conferences on August 8, Justin DiSanto received first place high point in the 15-17 boys, Aidan DiSanto received 2nd place high point in the 13-14 boys and Megan Lee received 1st place high point in the 15 -17 girls category. Megan is a rising junior at SHS. Justin and Megan swim on the SHS Swim and Dive teams and Aidan will be joining the team this year.
Serena Wu came in 5th for the 12 & under 50-yard butterfly, swimming a 29.13. This was her first year on the team and she loved it! Below is a picture of Serena and Coach Inga.
The 13&U girls (pictured at top) came in 8th for their medley relay:
Charles Lemerond, age 9, a fifth grader at Heathcote School who swims for the Wykagyl Country Club medaled in 10U freestyle, back and fly.
Caroline Largen of Scarsdale, age 12, placed 4th overall at Counties in the 11-12 year old 50 yard breaststroke with a time of 34.38. This was her third summer swimming for the STP swim team.
Here are a few photos of Scarsdale swimmers. You have more photos and results from the meet, please email them to [email protected].
Caroline Largen
Charles Lemerond medaled in 10U freestyle, back and fly.
Serena Wu with her coach, Inga.
At Counties, Justin DiSanto (SHS rising Junior) received first place high point in the 15-17 boys category.
Aidan again received 2ns place high point in the 13-14 boys
