UPDATED: http://www.everythingcroton.blogspot.com/2014/09/dick-nagles-92-statement-b4-board-on.html
Welcome to Everything Croton, a collection of all things Croton--our history, our homes, our issues, our businesses, our schools--in short, EVERYTHING CROTON.
As many of you know, the village is about to sign a 5 year contract with the Toughman despite massive local and area opposition; see meetings, letters to the editor, etc. going back many years. Bob Riekert of Ossining, an articulate critic of the Toughman and the traffic, public safety and other issues it has raised year after year, has sent a letter to EverythingCroton; it is printed below. Following this letter will be a number of related links you may have an interest in.
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Welcome to Everything Croton, a collection of all things Croton--our history, our homes, our issues, our businesses, our schools--in short, EVERYTHING CROTON.
As many of you know, the village is about to sign a 5 year contract with the Toughman despite massive local and area opposition; see meetings, letters to the editor, etc. going back many years. Bob Riekert of Ossining, an articulate critic of the Toughman and the traffic, public safety and other issues it has raised year after year, has sent a letter to EverythingCroton; it is printed below. Following this letter will be a number of related links you may have an interest in.
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To the editor:
DON'T CLOSE THE 9/9A BRIDGE!
For 3 years I have been writing to the Toughman Committee, the 4 mayors, local legislators, and now the NYS Department of Transportation, trying to convince them that they don't need to close the 9/9A bridge to run their race.
Their initial response was that the DOT didn't want the traffic lane crossing over the bike lane, which is a clear indication that they had no idea that the lanes don't cross, and can be easily separated by closing the center lane.
The excellent article in last week's Gazette told the confusion, anger and frustration that motorists undergo when they arrive in Croton, and find they have to back track to the Taconic or Rt. 100 to continue south to Ossining.
And the article printed the Toughman Committee's erroneous description of the detour from 9A to Furnace Dock to Mt. Airy to Rt. 129 South which most of us know would put the motorist right back to the closed bridge!
Even though the Committee brags about raising a million dollars for charity, they are unwilling to install the concrete barriers separating the two lanes as the DOT requires.
I suggested that using school buses or other vehicles in the center lane would be just as safe, and more affordable, but no one seems to want to consider any alternative to the creation of mass confusion caused by the closing of the bridge.
Since it is not obvious that the bridge would be closed as well as Rts. 9 and 9A in the digital signs warning motorists, I asked the DOT to add the words "& Bridge" to the signs.
This should be easy and is the least they can do so that motorists can take I84, Bear Mountain Expressway, or Rt. 202 to the Taconic or Rt. 100. But there has not been any positive response to this request either.
Unfortunately, there is no way to place enough detour or other warning signs for motorists from all over the north when you close down the entire western half of Westchester.
And it looks like the Village of Croton will have to undergo much vehement cursing annually for the next 5 years.
Bob Riekert, Ossining
ADDITIONAL LINKS YOU MAY HAVE AN INTEREST IN FOLLOW:
--TOUGHMAN 2014, A WRAP-UP OF PROBLEMS, LETTERS ETC. http://everythingcroton.blogspot.com/2014/08/toughman-2014.htmlDON'T CLOSE THE 9/9A BRIDGE!
For 3 years I have been writing to the Toughman Committee, the 4 mayors, local legislators, and now the NYS Department of Transportation, trying to convince them that they don't need to close the 9/9A bridge to run their race.
Their initial response was that the DOT didn't want the traffic lane crossing over the bike lane, which is a clear indication that they had no idea that the lanes don't cross, and can be easily separated by closing the center lane.
The excellent article in last week's Gazette told the confusion, anger and frustration that motorists undergo when they arrive in Croton, and find they have to back track to the Taconic or Rt. 100 to continue south to Ossining.
And the article printed the Toughman Committee's erroneous description of the detour from 9A to Furnace Dock to Mt. Airy to Rt. 129 South which most of us know would put the motorist right back to the closed bridge!
Even though the Committee brags about raising a million dollars for charity, they are unwilling to install the concrete barriers separating the two lanes as the DOT requires.
I suggested that using school buses or other vehicles in the center lane would be just as safe, and more affordable, but no one seems to want to consider any alternative to the creation of mass confusion caused by the closing of the bridge.
Since it is not obvious that the bridge would be closed as well as Rts. 9 and 9A in the digital signs warning motorists, I asked the DOT to add the words "& Bridge" to the signs.
This should be easy and is the least they can do so that motorists can take I84, Bear Mountain Expressway, or Rt. 202 to the Taconic or Rt. 100. But there has not been any positive response to this request either.
Unfortunately, there is no way to place enough detour or other warning signs for motorists from all over the north when you close down the entire western half of Westchester.
And it looks like the Village of Croton will have to undergo much vehement cursing annually for the next 5 years.
Bob Riekert, Ossining
ADDITIONAL LINKS YOU MAY HAVE AN INTEREST IN FOLLOW:
--RICHARD NAGLE, DIRECTOR OF EMS HAS RESIGNED http://everythingcroton.blogspot.com/2014/08/richard-nagle-resigns-as-director-of.html
--AN IMPORTANT LETTER FROM CROTON UNITED'S VIRGINIA CALCUTTI http://everythingcroton.blogspot.com/2014/09/82814-virginia-calcutti-gazette-letter.html
Sorry, I am not happy about the Toughman coming to Croton.
ReplyDeleteThere's no need to apologize. It is Croton's officials, hell-bent on doing this, that should apologize to each and every person across the county they inconvenience. My son will have to leave for his part-time job TWO HOURS early just to make sure he is at work on time. His boss isn't interested in excuses no matter how justified.
DeleteGee ya better hope Indian Point doesn't melt down
ReplyDeleteHow about someone needing immediate help from our ambulance crew? The ambulance has to go through the back of Croton and Ossining to get to Phelps? What the heck do these people think they are doing? I am not a big fan of Hudson Valley hospital along with many others here in Croton whose Doctors are a part of Phelps. This board needs to go.....
ReplyDeleteLet me tell you about a really dumb-a** conversation I had with an official last week. No one they said, ever complains about the Chapin Run, as if comparing the two, Toughman and Chapin, was a perfectly reasonable thing to do. CR*P! Harry Chapin money goes straight to charity and tens of thousands of people are not messed with. The Chapin run is confined to a small area relatively speaking. But you know what, the official wasn't having it, adding that opposition was, wait for it, POLITICAL! That's right. You don't like garbage, it's political. Unhappy about the mayor declaring himself full time and getting his insurance paid for by the taxpayers, it's political! Don't like the boondoggle of Croton Point Ave, it's political! Don't like wink wink Gouveia deals, it's political. Well you know what, your wish is our command. THESE PEOPLE HAVE GOT TO GO.
ReplyDeleteThank you. I've been subjected to a similar line of logic, or rather the lack thereof, from a supporter of this board. I've also spoken to many businesses and this does zero--or close to zero--for their bottom line. And don't get me started on the "charitable contributions" to the local groups that have volunteered. There will be more on this in the days ahead.
DeleteIf the Toughman is giving so much money to charity, then who is paying for the Croton, DEP, State and County cops I see along Batten Road on my way to Somers/Yorktown so I can work at Sleepy Hollow? What happens if one of those people start to drown? Are they going to bring in those high school kids who lifeguard at Silver Lake? I am so angry about this that I want to scream. We need to vote out the board. Break the contract. Paying a penalty is lots better than putting up with this every year.
ReplyDeleteToughman does not care that someone in Croton who needs to to go Phelps in an emergemcy will not be able to..I wonder what the doctors at Phelps think of this...
ReplyDeleteThis is a travesty. The traffic on Batten Rd. last year was horrendous.