Mount Vernon Mayor Says MTA Has Neglected Bridges Over Metro-North Tracks
MOUNT VERNON, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- The Westchester County community of Mount Vernon is complaining that the Metro-North Railroad is dragging its feet in replacing overhead bridges.
As CBS2's Lou Young reported, there are five run-down traffic bridges over the Metro-North New Haven Line in the area – dating from the 1890s. Mount Vernon Mayor Richard Thomas said the long-standing neglect of the bridges in downtown of his city has cut the city in half.
"Trucks that want to make a simple delivery -- they can't get across town, and what's worse about it, it's been like this for 10 years or more," Thomas said. "This would not happen for one iota of a second in Bronxville, Scarsdale, Larchmont -- any other community would never have the MTA abandon them like this."
To call the bridges obsolete is an understatement. The road bed is made out of wood, installed when most of the vehicles crossing them were pulled by horses.
"It looks disgusting. To be honest with you, it looks disgusting," said Mount Vernon barbershop owner Keith Francis. "Who's responsible for that?"
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is responsible, and the City of Mount Vernon said it is taking far too long to address the problem. Two bridges are closed to traffic entirely, emergency vehicles have to take longer routes, and businesses are suffering.
"There's no way that you can get to First Street; the other side of town," said Marcia Oliver of the Camelot Funeral Home. "We're cut off."
After a decade of lobbying and maneuvers, the MTA said it will begin to replace four of the bridges one at a time, starting next year.
The mayor wants temporary bridges installed in all five locations immediately.
"This bridge we're standing on is still not in the plan," Thomas said of one bridge. "They still omitted it."
Public Works Commissioner Ralph Uzzi was in the heated meeting.
"There appears to be a lack of concern," Uzzi said. "If they lived here they would have a wholly different approach; a wholly different mentality."
For its part, the MTA seems to acknowledge friction. In a statement, spokeswoman Nancy Gamerman said, "Given the mayor's recent statement, we look forward to discussing this matter further with the city."
The MTA plans to spend $27 million replacing the bridges over the next five years. Thomas said temporary bridges could be installed right away for a fraction of that price.
