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Residents urge Safe Streets grant and call out long delay on Weaver sidewalk extension
Summary
At a Town Board work session, several residents praised the town’s application for a USDOT Safe Streets for All grant and pressed for immediate low‑cost safety measures; one speaker from Larchmont said the Weaver sidewalk extension remains stalled awaiting NYSDOT approval and urged enforcement and a lower speed limit.
Residents and parents urged the Town Board to pursue a USDOT Safe Streets for All grant and to take immediate, low‑cost steps to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety while longer planning proceeds.
Mike Smeets, who said he grew up locally and has three daughters at Chatsworth, thanked the board for applying for the grant and said the planning process is "an amazing opportunity to lay a long term foundation that's gonna yield results." He emphasized that most children live within two miles of school but are often driven because routes feel unsafe.
Jordana, who gave her address on Delancey Avenue, urged the board to begin simple, lower‑cost interventions now — regularly repainting crosswalks, installing mid‑crosswalk signs and illuminated markers on both sides of crosswalks, adding "no turn on red" restrictions at troubled intersections, and painting and signing bike lanes. "There should just be crosswalks basically everywhere in my dream world," she said, and urged more enforcement of driving laws and anti‑idling rules to improve air quality.
Dara Freemark of Larchmont told the board the Weaver sidewalk extension project has not yet been approved by the New York State Department of Transportation and said the current plan would not fully connect Weaver to Hammocks and the high school. She described high speeds on the curvy descent of Weaver (estimating drivers at 50 mph where the posted speed is 30) and asked the town to lobby NYSDOT to lower the limit to 25 mph on Mamaroneck's side. The Supervisor acknowledged the Weaver extension grant has taken "an extraordinary amount of time" and cited land-acquisition and state review hurdles.
Why it matters: Residents said a Safe Streets planning grant would let the town prioritize projects across municipal boundaries and build a long‑range approach instead of only reactive fixes. Several commenters encouraged the town to pair planning with low or no‑cost measures and stronger enforcement to reduce immediate risks.
Town response and next steps: The Supervisor said the town plans to apply for the USDOT Safe Streets for All grant and listed numerous recent and planned safety projects (Hickory Grove sidewalk, Colonial Avenue TAP grant, crosswalk enhancements, a local road safety action plan). Staff said the Weaver extension is under state review and that the town will continue to press for coordination with NYSDOT and enforcement.
