Major School Crossing Improvement In The Works In Town Of Mamaroneck

TOWN OF MAMARONECK, NY — Town of Mamaroneck officials said a recent tragedy in the Village of Mamaroneck remains at the forefront of their minds as they set about to make notable improvements in pedestrian safety.

As the new school year gets underway, the Town of Mamaroneck has announced that a $1.25 million state grant will help put in place major safety improvements for the children, often accompanied by their parents, who walk to and from the Mamaroneck School District’s Murray Avenue Elementary School.

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"Colonial Avenue cuts through a residential neighborhood — it is narrow and busy, and its proximity to the Murray Avenue Elementary School compounds the pedestrian safety issues because school children and other pedestrians must walk on uneven grass strips next to the road or on the edge of the pavement," Town Supervisor Jaine Elkind Eney explained. "The state funding will enable us to make these meaningful and much-needed improvements. The town is always working on enhancements to pedestrian safety. The loss of two innocent lives while on their way to school in our community highlights the importance of these ongoing efforts."

Town officials said pedestrian safety improvements to Colonial Avenue are especially timely as the community continues to mourn the tragic death of a mother and her five-year-old son who on June 20 were struck by a mini-bus while walking in a crosswalk on their way to the Mamaroneck Avenue School.

Elkind Eney noted that the Colonial Avenue Pedestrian Improvement Project is consistent with the Town’s Comprehensive Plan. The project, in line with the stated goals of the plan, seeks to balance the mobility needs of people and cars by undertaking physical improvements to pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, while enhancing transportation options and connectivity by expanding bicycle, pedestrian, and mass transit infrastructure to improve access without using an automobile.

Funding from the State Department of Transportation will allow the construction of disability-compliant crosswalks and sidewalks, as well as curbs and drainage infrastructure improvements on Colonial Avenue, between Weaver Street and Murray Avenue.