9A bypass update in Greenburgh

9A BYPASS UPDATE--ESTIMATED COST COULD BE ABOUT 60 MILLION --NO FEDERAL or STATE DOLLARS CURRENTLY COMMITTED

TOWN BOARD TO END FUTURE PAYMENTS TO TAX INCREMENT DISTRICT FROM TOWN OUTSIDE VILLAGES BUDGET

Recently, the Town Board heard project updates from a NYSDOT representative on the 9A Bypass that’s been in design for decades. After the presentation, the Town Board agreed to pursue ending future payments into the TIF (Tax Increment Financing) fund from the B (Town Outside Villages) Budget. This represents over 90% of the annual payments that are made. The 9A bypass, if ever built, would reduce traffic congestion on Saw Mill River Road. There remains over $7M in TIF Funds, which could be used to help support the cost of any major capital projects in that area.

Watch the full portion of the work session on the 9A Bypass here: https://youtu.be/Z9txcJQKlY4

Regional Design Engineer Mark Tiano joined via Zoom to report that the preliminary designs and draft environmental assessment won’t be submitted and reviewed until toward the end of this year for a fourth iteration of the plan to connect Route 119 and a 287 exit ramp to 9A via Warehouse Lane. There are no construction funds allocated for this project which he estimated might cost about $60M. The TIF fund currently has about $7M, which could be used to support any required local contribution to state and federal funding. 

After decades of studies for this project, Supervisor Paul Feiner asked how likely it is that this work will get done in the near future when there is no funding source for it. 

Hartsdale Civic Association leader Eric Zinger added, “the issue is not the bypass, the issue is whether we should be segregating property taxes from specific areas which can only for specific purposes(which we don’t do anywhere else in Town) in a tight financial environment, especially in light of the fact that there is no imminent plans to move forward.it is should we constantly be putting money in a fund when we’re struggling financially.” The TIF funds collected from this area from the B Budget amount to “$295,000 that go nowhere each year.” 

Councilman Francis Sheehan repeated his proposal to continue the TIF fund but limit its funding to the A (Town entire) budget changes in the TIF District due to changes in assessments in that district going forward, which was agreed to by all. Currently, Elmsford is contributing its A (town entire) budget changes in the TIF district to the fund and, under the proposal, the unincorporated area would do the same.

Elmsford Mayor Robert Williams thought it would be a good idea going forward to have the DPW commissioner tap into some of the existing TIF fund for debris removal and other TIF district maintenance, which would help with the constant flooding that comes to this basin area from the Saw Mill River. This opened up another line of inquiry into the many studies through the decades on reengineering the area for flood mitigation, with the most recent study that looked prime to activate into a plan from the Army Corp of Engineers but got shot down by the State. The Board recommended revisiting the latest study and what’s possible as well for funding there. 

In the meantime, regarding the TIF district, which shall remain, the Town Board asked the Town Attorney to draft legislation to remove the B budget funding going forward. This would require a public hearing and a resolution which is being prepared. 

 Paul Feiner

Greenburgh Town Supervisor