people standing at podium

Two decades after it was closed following 9/11, Westchester County Executive George Latimer is calling to re-open Kensico Dam Road for public use.

Watch the full news conference.

Latimer said: “We recognize that this road goes across a dam that holds back thousands of gallons of water, and we understand that it is a very important dam to secure for the health and safety of hundreds of thousands of Westchester County residents. But I also know that all across America, roads of importance and bridges that connect one side of a place to another, in some fashion, those bridges are also being secured in a way that still allows for their use.”

The opening of this road will provide long overdue traffic relief to the residents and businesses of the Town of Mount Pleasant, the Town of North Castle and the City of White Plains.

In a letter to the New York City Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Vincent Sapienza Latimer wrote “We know that protection of the lives of our residents is of paramount importance.  We do not believe that protection would be compromised by limited re-opening of the roadway, under terms agreeable to all parties.”

To mitigate any security concerns regarding the integrity of the Dam, the County has comprised a list of safety measures that would remain in place. This measures include:

  • Continued closure of Kensico Dam Road during nighttime hours;
  • Prohibition of ‘Oversized’ vehicles;
  • Limited hours of operation, targeted toward rush hour traffic; and
  • Other specific elements of upgrade protection.

County Legislator Margaret Cunzio said: “I feel that this is a necessity for emergency services purposes. As we know, when we are dealing with emergency services, time is of the essence. And in my mind, having the capacity to have fire departments and emergency services have access to this road, would not only be invaluable but it could also save a life.”