Letter to the Editor: Why King Street is the Wrong Spot for Ice Rink

King Street is the major thoroughfare for many in the Village. Additional traffic is a tremendous concern for residents. It is already too narrow for the amount of traffic that uses it daily. King St. is also the most direct roadway to reach Greenwich Hospital for many. King St. is the main road between Greenwich Hospital, Hutchinson River Parkway, I287/I684 and WC Airport.  Increased traffic is going to have a negative effect on Police, Ambulance and Fire response times. Ambulances and police cars can be heard throughout the day and night along King St. I certainly do not think a playground is more important than a life that may be lost due to the traffic that undoubtedly will occur.

The traffic lighting all along King Street from Port Chester, NY through Greenwich, CT is ridiculously sad. It is an absolute community safety hazard for both Rye Brook, NY and Greenwich, CT. There are only five working traffic lights between Ridge St. and Anderson Hill Road. Between Anderson Hill Road and Connecticut Liquors/Willow Run Rd. Greenwich, CT there are three to four working lights at any given time. Most of those are situated on a curve leaving one other light for this stretch of road. After this point there is one dim light. If not for the Atria Rye Brook, there would be no more lighting on the road. Once past the Atria Rye Brook, it is pitch black for over a mile, including the entrance to Bellefair where over two hundred and fifty homes are located. Past Bellefair, at the corner of Lincoln Ave. & King St., there is one more traffic light which barely illuminates the roadway. It is the middle of winter and there are no leaves on the trees yet this light is blocked by overgrown tree branches. This is the last light on King St. before Rye Lake Rd. (the turnoff for Westchester County Airport.). Most of the traffic, especially during this time of year, takes place during darkness. The poor roadway lighting described is a travesty and should be remedied regardless of whether the Ice Rink is granted approval but most certainly if it does.

Anderson Hill Road is another area that is in desperate need of lighting and landscaping. It is pitch black from King St. to Doral Arrowwood and then beyond the hotel. The overgrowth on the sides of the road is dangerous on a good day. It is extremely hazardous in inclement weather. If the Reckson Ice Rink is approved it will undeniably cause more use of Anderson Hill Road. This needs to be considered and improved regardless of the Ice Rink’s approval as well.

The King St. Area between Anderson Hill Rd. and Lincoln Ave. is more than unsettling. There are tree limbs and branches growing between the power, telephone and cable lines for a good amount of the way. It is not that way along the entire length of the Bellefair property--only parts of it.  Most of Rye Brook looks lovely and the trees are well kept, back from the road and not in the power lines. Why is this area so poorly maintained? In some areas the tree branches from the sidewalk extend over the double yellow lines on King Street. The walkways for pedestrians along this route is similarly upsetting. Sidewalks are either completely nonexistent or cracked and useless.

Both King Street and Anderson Hill Road have a tremendous amount of bicycle traffic. There is no legal or safe way for both cars and cyclers to share these roads. The area needs improvement to existing roads for drivers, cyclers and pedestrians more than an Ice Arena in the community.

For the residents of Bellefair which is somewhat of an “island”, King St. is the only road by which to get anywhere. King St. is already congested at numerous different times of the day. During Sandy the residents were basically on lockdown in the development because of downed trees on King St. between Lincoln Ave. and Sherwood Ave. Residents should not have to deal with increased traffic on the main road and be held hostage to their homes.

Furthermore the houses facing/backing up to King St. should not have to deal with additional pollution and exhaust from additional slow traffic on King Street. These residents will be forced not use their yards and decks. Many homes, including mine, will be subjected to a lower market value which is completely unacceptable.

Neighboring developments, Doral Greens and Doral Arrowwood, are in almost the same predicament. Though not directly on King St. and having a little more adaptability, it seems unreasonable for residents and guests to be put out of their way for this proposed Ice Arnea. Doral Greens has approximately 150 residences. Doral Arrowwood has numerous conferences weeklong and caterers celebrations on the weekends. This half mile of roadway generates a tremendous amount of traffic on its own while also contributing to the Village tax rolls.

A quick drive along King Street shows numerous residential and nonresidential buildings which would be negatively impacted by a delayed response from Emergency Services. Some of these are (in no particular order):

• King Street Nursing Home 787 King Street Rye Brook, NY
• Greenwich Woods Rehab 1165 King Street Greenwich, CT
• Cerebral Palsy of Westchester 1186 King Street, Rye Brook, NY
• Connecticut Health Greenwich 1188 King Street Greenwich, CT
• YMCA Day Camp 1232 King St. Greenwich, CT.75
• Blind Brook High School 840 King St. Rye Brook, NY
• Covenant of the Sacred Heart 1177 King St. Greenwich, CT.
• Brunswich Lower & Middle Schools 1252 King Street Greenwich, CT
• 250+ Homes in Bellefair at the Intersection of Bellefair Blvd & King St. Rye Brook, NY
• Approximately 150 Homes in Doral Greens on Anderson Hill Road & King Street
• Doral Arrowwood 975 Anderson Hill Road Rye Brook, NY