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Engineers say rock outcrop led to split design on North Washington; connecting middle section would cost about $150,000
Summary
Town engineers told the Greenburgh Town Board the unfinished middle section of the North Washington Avenue sidewalk was omitted from the contract because a large rock outcrop and adjacent housing‑authority foundations made excavation costly and risky; they estimated $150,000 to add the connection.
Town engineers defended the scope and budget of the North Washington Avenue sidewalk project, saying a large rock outcrop and nearby housing‑authority foundations made excavation cost‑prohibitive and risked undermining adjacent homes.
Deputy Town Engineer Chris Gelardo and Assistant Civil Engineer Aaron Harwood told the Greenburgh Town Board the original conceptual plan called for a continuous sidewalk from West Hartsell Avenue to Central Avenue but that the middle segment was never included in the approved contract drawings. "That middle section was never in the contract," Gelardo said, adding that geotechnical analysis and borings to remove the rock would have delayed the project "a couple of months" and increased costs significantly.
The engineers said the contract instead provided two separate sidewalk sections that together allow residents on North Washington to reach Central Avenue safely. Harwood said the objective was pedestrian safety and speed of delivery: "We wanted to build where you see new sidewalk as soon as possible," he said, noting the alternative would have required a geotechnical study and excavation that could affect nearby foundations.
On cost, staff estimated the additional work to analyze and remove the rock — including borings, geotechnical design and any excavation — would be roughly $150,000, an amount the engineers compared to the cost of installing 400–500 feet of sidewalk in other high‑need areas.
Board members pressed whether the middle section had been included in the RFP and whether contractors later declined the work. "It did not go out to bid with that middle section included," Gelardo said; the board followed up to confirm the drawing overlay matched the contract documents. Engineers also said they met with residents to explain the omission and that the town could revisit the middle section as a potential second phase if funds and feasibility allow.
The engineers closed by listing other sidewalk priorities — including the Ardsley/Fort Hill intersection, the playground area near Taxi Road, Virginia Road near an elementary school and areas around Roanbrook Park — and the board members praised the finished Juniper Hill and Hillside Avenue sidewalks.
The board did not take a formal vote on funding a middle‑section excavation during the session; engineers said the town will continue to prioritize projects that maximize pedestrian safety and make use of capital funds across multiple neighborhoods.
