Lewisboro pedestrian bond: right idea, wrong time
Connecting our communities with sidewalks and bike paths? Great idea
Rushing into it with a bond authorization of $2.1 million before the completion of the Lewisboro Master Plan? Bad idea!
Connecting our communities with bike paths and sidewalks generates a lot of excitement and support in Lewisboro. There are safety issues in our hamlets, and those crosswalks and signals would provide safe walkability to our business/shopping centers. It would increase business development in the hamlet. And we could shop locally, instead of being forced to drive to neighboring villages and towns.
Residents have already begun a plan for future development. One concept was discussed at the June 26 Lewisboro Town Board Meeting. At the July 10 meeting, there was a presentation that outlined initiatives going all the way back to 2008. Making this idea a reality will require significant work in planning, financing and coordinating with the New York State Department of Transportation.
Lewisboro is already undergoing a master plan that is a blueprint for development of our community. The teams have solicited input and provided regular feedback to the community. This master plan includes the development of connectivity with sidewalks and bike paths. When complete, it can be used as a sign of good faith in seeking to obtain grants.
But the town board wants authorization now to incur $2.1 million dollars of debt, asking voters to approve it before the master plan is completed and presented to the town.
This is not just jumping the gun — it’s building a roof before the foundation has been laid.
Some town board members express a desire to build on the momentum of excitement to begin the project. One claimed that the bond will result in a tax increase of merely $66 per household. Really? It sure sounds great — if it is the total cost per household to complete development in each hamlet. We all know how quickly municipal projects develop cost overruns, delays, and other costly surprises. Also, what’s the cost for the necessary drainage work and eminent domain to build a truly connected system?
Most people agree that sidewalks and bike paths would be wonderful.
But we elect town board members to be smart leaders who make practical, informed decisions based on all the available information, not because of their enthusiasm.
The Lewisboro Town Board should demand a detailed plan for the allocation of $2.1 million so residents understand how their taxpayer dollars will be spent.
Some questions come to my mind:
Exactly how is the $2.1 million being allocated? Will it connect all or some of Lewisboro? Will it buy the same number of miles of sidewalks and bicycle paths for isolated areas of each hamlet? Or will the project start at one location and continue through one or more hamlets, and then just stop somewhere. Is there a map?
Where will the walkways and bike lanes be built in each hamlet?
How much of the borrowed funds will be for studies and planning vs. actual shovel in the ground construction?
It appears that most of the sidewalks and bicycle paths will be developed on state roads. Should Lewisboro residents bear the cost of this development? Is there federal or state funding that might be available?
What is the projected annual cost of upkeep to maintain the bicycle paths, sidewalks and crosswalks once built?
Another issue lurks in the shadows.
People are concerned about the condition of our secondary roads. The town is way behind in maintaining a paving schedule that keeps our roads in good repair. Some say that for safety’s sake, the two initiatives should go hand in hand.
The more you peel back the skin of this onion, it’s clear: this is a much larger, much more complicated initiative and requires careful and detailed planning.
We should not rush into this, only to potentially see a project not completed because the money didn’t go as far as they hoped and dreamed it would.
The vision to develop our communities is a good one. But this is our town, and before we borrow that kind of money, we need a specific fiscal plan that explains how much this project will cost and how we will undertake each and every phase of the initiative.
In my opinion, we need this information before we can vote on the bond in November.
A retired corporate sales executive, Mary Ann Loustaunau is a 30-year resident of Lewisboro and a candidate for Lewisboro town supervisor.