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Town seeks USDOT design funding for 2.3-mile Route 119 Empire State Trail connection; towns and county expected to share match
Summary
Commissioner Garrett asked the board to support a USDOT BUILD/design application to retrofit a 2.3-mile segment of Route 119 with protected bike and pedestrian facilities, seeking design-only funding with partner matches from the villages and Westchester County and describing prior near-successful applications in 2024–25.
Commissioner Garrett told the board the town will again lead a USDOT BUILD-type (design) application to retrofit a 2.3-mile stretch of Route 119 to create a protected shared-use facility connecting to the Empire State Trail.
Garrett said the town previously requested $1.6 million for design with a $400,000 match in both 2024 and 2025, and that partners (Tarrytown, Elmsford and Westchester County) pledged proportional contributions. "For two years in a row 2024, 2025 both the village boards of trustees of Elmserd and Tarrytown resolved to pledge a 133,000 each. Town of Greenburgh pledged a 134," Garrett said, explaining the shared-match model for design funding.
He described improvements that would make Route 119 safer for cyclists and pedestrians: sidewalks where missing, a protected bike lane in the shoulder where road width allows, traffic-calming measures and coordinated signalization. Garrett said New York StateDOT prefers bike lanes aligned with traffic flow on both sides of the road rather than a single bi-directional facility, and staff will design in response to state preferences.
Past applications and prospects: Garrett said the town’s 2025 application reached final rounds but lost due to competition against a much larger pool of requests; he said 2026 program funding is substantially larger and offered greater chances of success if partners maintain support and the application addresses prior debrief feedback.
Costs and timeline: Garrett indicated a design-only ask this cycle (matching contributions under $200,000 per community in prior cycles) and described construction as a separate future step that could total tens of millions of dollars. He emphasized that local governments cannot be expected to carry full construction costs and that larger regional or state partners would be necessary for construction funding.
Next steps: Garrett asked the board for support to file the design application and said staff will continue coordination with the villages, Westchester County and state agencies; he offered to return with a timeline and a request for any local resolution needed.
