Spat with MTA delays bridge rebuild

By MARTIN WILBUR

Bickering between Mount Kisco officials and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority may soon be resolved to allow for the long overdue replacement of a bridge over Metro-North tracks in the village.

The village and the MTA have been negotiating terms of financial responsibility for the deteriorating Preston Way bridge, located between North Bedford Road and Kisco Avenue near the Target department store and Stop & Shop. When the bridge is closed, work is expected to last one year and will force motorists to detour, which will likely cause traffic headaches in Mount Kisco and into Bedford Hills.

There are still lingering questions regarding ownership, which differs from the arrangements for two other bridges over Metro-North tracks in Mount Kisco. Village Manager Edward Brancati said documents related to the bridge’s construction in 1953 and 1954 have revealed that the village appears to be responsible for the two approaches while the MTA is responsible for the center span. But having the MTA commit to paying for part of the estimated $8.6 million project has been challenging.

“We are trying to resolve this issue, but at the same time do it in a way that’s correct, that is right, that is consistent with what’s been done before, but at the same time trying to make sure we’re trying to keep the bridge open and operating for residents,” Brancati said.

Current negotiations are centering on the MTA paying $850,000 for the forced labor agreement, Brancati said. Mount Kisco has secured $5 million in funding from New York state’s BRIDGE NY program and will likely have to self-fund the rest through its capital projects budget, he said. 

Nearly a decade ago the Preston Way bridge was identified for a major repair. Mount Kisco originally obtained a $1.9 million BRIDGE NY grant in 2018 when the project was slated to cost $5 million. The village applied to the state for more funding and its grant was amended to $5 million in 2023.

However, the bridge has deteriorated to the point where it needs a full replacement. Brancati said that on March 13, the state Department of Transportation informed the village the bridge is now subjected to a five-ton weight limit.

Last year, work was forecasted to start this spring, but the dispute over ownership and finances resulted in delays.

The $8.6 million estimate was provided to the village in January 2024, and officials are expecting some additional escalation in cost.

On Tuesday, in response to questions from The Recorder, the MTA press office only stated that it is in “active negotiations” with the village and did not comment further on the issue.

There has been no projection given for when the agreement will be completed and the bidding process can begin, Brancati said. When bids are returned, the village will have a better idea of the project’s cost. Brancati said it would likely be four months from the time negotiations are complete to when work can begin.

Village board members voiced concern over the expense for the village and questioned why taxpayers will be on the hook for most of the funding. Mayor J. Michael Cindrich said the $5 million in state grant money was obtained through Brancati’s hard work and the MTA should still have to contribute a percentage of the project that approximates its ownership of the bridge.

“I don’t want to deal in numbers; I want to deal in percentages because my opinion is when the cost comes in it’s going to be higher than what the engineers anticipated based on the previous practice of bidding,” Cindrich said. 

Deputy Mayor Theresa Flora added that the dispute with the MTA threatens additional delays.

“There was an expectation that didn’t pan out, and I’m just worried this expectation is going to keep getting pushed,” Flora said of this spring’s original start date. 

Even if the MTA contributes just the $850,000 it will still be less costly to Mount Kisco than in 2018, Trustee Thomas Luzio said. Seven years ago, the village would have needed to lay out $3.1 million. Based on the last estimate and the forced labor agreement, which has been agreed to conceptually by the MTA, the village’s outlay is about $2.8 million, he said.

Trustee Karen Schleimer urged her board colleagues to make certain that any agreement for future work and maintenance is clearly defined to avoid future confusion.

Whenever the work begins, motorists will have to endure detours and likely delays. Brancati said traffic that would cut through Preston Way to and from the congested North Bedford Road will have to use the intersection of routes 117 and 133 and Main Street. Cars coming off the Saw Mill Parkway could get off at Green Lane in Bedford and proceed south into Mount Kisco or get off at the Route 133 exit, he said.

In addition to Target and Stop & Shop, there are various car dealerships and the busy Diamond Properties complex at 333 North Bedford Road in the immediate area.