Rye Brook approves Con Edison main replacement plan, extends work hours and moves street-opening authority to public works

The Rye Brook Board of Trustees on May 13 approved extended construction hours and street use for a Con Edison gas main replacement project covering segments of Hillcrest Avenue, Woodland Avenue and nearby blocks, and at the same meeting adopted a local law moving authority for street-opening permits from the building inspector to the superintendent of public works.

Village Administrator Chris presented the Con Edison plan and read the resolution authorizing the company to stage equipment in the road and to work Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., excluding holidays and the July 4 Port Chester High School event. Chris said the measures are intended to “facilitate and expedite the Con Ed gas main replacement project” and to provide residents with a contact for questions.

The work described by Con Edison representatives will replace an older low-pressure main with a new medium-pressure main over roughly four blocks and other nearby streets. The company said it will build the new main next to the old one, energize the new main once fully connected, then transfer customers from the old line to the new main in scheduled outages. Con Edison representatives told the board work is expected to take about three months beginning in roughly two weeks, and that crews will work block-by-block so not all streets will be closed at once.

Board members pressed Con Edison and village staff on access, staging and restoration. Michael Nowak, the village’s public works contact, told the board that residents would always be able to reach their homes though they may experience brief delays when crews are actively working in front of a driveway. He said emergency vehicles and school buses will “always have access as needed,” and that crews will plate open excavations and perform temporary restoration nightly.

Trustees also asked how Con Edison will handle service transfers and outages. Con Edison staff said the company will perform scheduled transfers that could take several hours when individual service lines are moved from the old main to the new main; they emphasized those transfers will be coordinated and announced in advance.

The board voted to approve the company’s request to suspend alternate-side parking where needed, allow street staging of equipment (typically two to three parking spaces for a backhoe or material deliveries), and extend allowable work hours to 8 a.m.–6 p.m., Monday–Saturday, except holidays. The roll call was unanimous: Trustee Epstein, Trustee Heizer, Trustee Merlino and Mayor Klein all voted yes.

Separately in the same meeting the board opened, then closed, a public hearing and adopted a local law amending chapter 215-7 of the Village Code to reflect that street-opening permits and restorations are administered by the superintendent of public works rather than the building inspector. Chris told the board the change brings the code into alignment with current practice; the board unanimously adopted the local law.

Con Edison and village staff said the village will send notice letters to affected residents and publish a single contact name, phone number and email for residents to use during the project. Staff also noted that final, permanent paving will follow temporary patching; Con Edison will mill and pave restoration areas once site work is complete and schedules permit.

The board expressly reserved the right to stop or modify work if conditions warrant; Michael Nowak said the village can relocate equipment or require a shutdown for major local events such as the Fourth of July fireworks if needed.