Palmer Streetscape Finally Under Way In Larchmont

LARCHMONT, N.Y. – A number of trees have been reduced to stumps in Larchmont’s downtown in the last week as the village begins the long-delayed Palmer Avenue Streetscape project.

Parking was prohibited on sections of Chatsworth Avenue on Monday.
Photo Credit: *Brian Donnelly*

Excavation has begun on Chatsworth Avenue near the corner of Vanderburgh Avenue.
Photo Credit: *Brian Donnelly*

Trees in the downtown have been uprooting, causing pedestrian hazards. They will be replaced and planted in a soil that better keeps roots in place.
Photo Credit: *Brian Donnelly*

A color-coded map of the Palmer Avenue Streetscape Project.
Photo Credit: *Brian Donnelly*

A map of the Palmer Avenue Streetscape Project.
Photo Credit: *Brian Donnelly*

by Brian Donnelly

09/09/2014 5:30 a.m.

The work started with tree removal and replacement and will include curb replacement, new street lamps and the creation of a mini plaza at the corner of Palmer and East avenues. The latter was spawned out of a need to make all curbs wheelchair accessible to conform to the Americans with Disabilities Act.

“In order to do that right we had to increase the area for the proper slope. While doing it we realized this is a good opportunity,” Larchmont Mayor Anne McAndrews said.

All scheduled work cannot be completed in 2014, because of a Con Edison project that further delayed the $1.6 million project this summer. McAndrews said the Streetscape will spill into the spring of 2015, but is relieved to finally see the project get started.

The area of Chatsworth Avenue between North and Roosevelt avenues had been scheduled for repaving, therefore it is first up for the Streetscape. The curbs are being replaced and conduits for lighting installed, which will also happen on all other streets involved in the project.

“Simply put, those curbs have to go in first,” McAndrews said, adding that Con Edison will share the cost of repaving.

All work is outlined in a map that accompanies this article and is color coded to show the sequence of work. The project will move to the following sections of the downtown area listed in order from first to last:

Chatsworth from North to Vanderburgh avenues and Chatsworth from the Metro-North train stairs to Franklin Avenue (red)
Palmer Avenue from Chatsworth Avenue to Depot Way (yellow)
Palmer Avenue from Chatsworth to East avenues (pink)
Palmer Avenue from East to West avenues (green)
Palmer Avenue from Chatsworth to Franklin Avenue (light blue)

If the pink area is completed by the first week of November, then work can continue this year on Palmer Avenue from East to West avenues (green). If it is not completed by then, the green area will be held off until spring 2015.

In that scenario, the light blue area would be the last area completed in 2014.The west end of the project on Palmer Avenue will be done in 2015.

The Streetscape stretches from the railway all the way to PDQ along Palmer Avenue.

“We want to make it a more attractive area to walk,” McAndrews said. “We’d love to see more evening activities on Palmer Avenue.”

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