Operation Main Street, a plan that would see a section of Jericho Turnpike in New Hyde Park revamped with traffic calming features and aesthetic updates, is finally in the home stretch, New Hyde Park village officials say. Village contractor J. Anthony Enterprises will be putting the finishing touches on the $1.46 million project this week.
“It’s all but finished,” trustee Donald Barbieri said. “Honestly, I feel good. It’s looking solid. It took forever to get it done. They’re going to put more benches in and plantings; striping the road.”
New Hyde Park’s department of public works will maintain the planters and medians installed for the project. Twenty-five potted plants were recently installed along the turnpike, officials stated. More than 10 benches will be available on the turnpike.
“The benches are assembled,” Public Works Superintendent Tom Gannon said. “J. Anthony will be installing them soon.”
The sidewalks will feature the same rustic red brickwork already in place in some parts of the road near the intersection of Jericho Turnpike and Lakeville Road. New Hyde Park’s original 2009 plan was slated between Ingraham Lane and
Hillside Boulevard. The idea was to create a more pedestrian friendly and safer environment, while providing a downtown appeal for the shopping district.
Work had been halted in February due to weather, but was scheduled to pick up in mid-March, with a May 31 deadline. J. Anthony missed the May date, leading to funding stoppages by the Federal Highway Administration because of paperwork issues. Funding was reinstated June 11.
Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy originally secured a federal grant (about $1.6 million) for the village through a federal transportation appropriation and community block grant funds for the project.
McCarthy wrote to the chair of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure in 2009 pushing for the funds.
“There are many people that have been involved in this,” Mayor Robert Lofaro said. “The previous mayor, [Dan Petruccio] had already retired and it was still going on.”
Lofaro said he expects New Hyde Park to hold a ribbon cutting ceremony for the project, tentatively set for Saturday, Aug. 2.
