Legislator Testa Announces Rehabilitation of Washington Street in Peekskill

Minority Leader John Testa (Peekskill, Cortlandt, Yorktown) announced the passage of nearly $3 million in funding for the rehabilitation of Washington Street in Peekskill. The Westchester county Board of Legislators voted unanimously on Monday October 1. 2018 to approve the project.

A bond act for $2,960,000 was approved to repair the 1.23-mile span of Washington Street between Welcher Avenue and South Street. The newly approved funds are an addition to an early bond act for $330,000 that was used to design the project. The Washington Street rehab work will include milling, resurfacing, crack repair, replacement or adjustment of utility castings, concrete curb replacement, installation of handicap ramps, new traffic loops, and new pavement markings.

This section of Washington Street supports almost 3,000 vehicles per day and received a Pavement Condition Index (PCI) rating of 55 in 2016 and has continued to deteriorate. The PCI is a rating system based on a 0-100 score. A condition rating of zero indicates that the road requires reconstruction. A score of 100 indicates that the road is new. Based on the PCI rating of 55, this section of roadway requires structural rehabilitation to extend the life of the roadway.

Following the vote, Legislator Testa said, “I’ve been advocating for the rehabilitation of Washington Street for several years. The planning phase for this project began back in June of 2016 and I am glad to say that we are finally ready to begin the work. This section of Washington Street is an important roadway and is badly in need of repairs. When the project is finished, Washington Street will be in excellent condition and will be set to serve the people of Peekskill for decades to come.”

The Washington Street project follows a multi-year focus by Legislator Testa to rehabilitate county owner infrastructure across Northern Westchester that has been neglected and in need of repairs and upgrades for decades. Over the last four years, the county owned portions of Crompond Road/Rt. 202 and Main Street/Rt. 6 have been completely rehabilitated. The Washington Street project will bring the total amount of roadwork done to nearly 6 miles. Major upgrades have been completed in Blue Mountain Reservation and George’s Island Park. Additional upgrades are scheduled to begin at George’s Island in the spring.

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About Legislator John G. Testa

John G. Testa, a life-long resident of Peekskill, began his first term on the Westchester County Legislature in January 2010. Prior to his successful run for the District 1 Legislative seat, he served 3 terms as Mayor of Peekskill from January 2002 until December 2007. Before becoming mayor he also served a four-year term as a Councilman. From his first days in office Testa worked tirelessly to set the City on the path of economic stability. Peekskill flourished under this plan, increasing the city fund balance to its highest in history. During John’s tenure in office, the NY State Comptroller’s Office named Peekskill one of the most fiscally sound municipalities in the State; independent auditors proclaimed Peekskill as being in its best fiscal condition in over 30 years; and Moody’s Investor Service agreed to upgrade its bond rating, resulting in further savings. The plan he put in place was so successful that it enabled the City of Peekskill to pass three budgets in a row with a 0% tax increase. These fiscal skills will prove valuable to Testa as he works to put the brakes on what has been wildly escalating county spending and unchecked government growth. He has pledged his efforts to work to consolidate services, eliminate wasteful spending and improve efficiency. In addition to the fiscal conservatism that served Peekskill so well, Testa worked to promote the city, attracting investment, jobs and an increased tax base. Over $100 million of private investment came to Peekskill in the forms of new residential construction, retail space, and the redevelopment of historic structures. As Mayor, Testa led a successful battle to stop the unfair and unsafe plan to send sewage to the Peekskill plant from outside the sewage/water district. John’s roots are deep within the soil of Northern Westchester. His father’s family has lived here for more than a century and his mother’s family is nearing that mark. He is proud that he was born in Peekskill and has lived and worked here all his life and, with his wife Nancy raised their two children here.

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1 Response to Legislator Testa Announces Rehabilitation of Washington Street in Peekskill

tpisani1 says:

October 16, 2018 at 8:28 pm

Thanks so much, John!!

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