Mount Kisco lands $7 million grant for street safety

Metro Creative Connection

Posted Friday, January 2, 2026 9:50 am

WHAT IS ‘COMPLETE STREETS?’

• Signed into law in 2011, the Complete Streets Act requires state, county and local agencies to consider the convenience and mobility of all users when developing transportation projects that receive state and federal funding.

• A "Complete Street" is a roadway planned and designed "to consider the safe, convenient access and mobility of all roadway users of all ages and abilities." This covers pedestrians, bicyclists, public transportation riders, and motorists, including children, the elderly, and people with disabilities.

• Roadway design features include sidewalks, lane striping, bicycle lanes, paved shoulders suitable for use by bicyclists, signage, crosswalks, pedestrian control signals, bus pull-outs, curb cuts, raised crosswalks, ramps and traffic calming measures.

• The benefits? According to the law, Complete Streets will contribute to a "cleaner, greener transportation system" and "more citizens will achieve the health benefits associated with active forms of transportation while traffic congestion and auto related air pollution will be reduced."

By Carol Reif

MOUNT KISCO, N.Y. - Pedestrian safety and traffic control efforts in Mount Kisco received a $7 million holiday present last month.

The U.S. Department of Transportation publicly announced the award on Tuesday, Dec. 23.

The federal grant is being awarded through the federal Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) program.

“This is a transformative investment in the safety, accessibility, and livability of Mount Kisco,” said Mayor J. Michael Cindrich. “These improvements will help protect pedestrians, calm traffic, enhance emergency access to Northern Westchester Hospital, and make our streets safer for everyone who lives, works, and visits here.”

The SS4A program -- established under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law -- is a nationwide initiative “designed to help communities prevent roadway fatalities and serious injuries through data-driven planning and implementation of proven safety strategies,” village officials explained.

Of the total award, $6,520,000 is dedicated to implementation activities and $480,000 will support supplemental planning and demonstration efforts.

According to Assistant Village Manager Kenneth Famulare, the total estimated cost of the project is $8,750,000, Mount Kisco providing the required non-federal match, or 20 percent of the $7 million.

One option for obtaining the money for the match is through “debt issuance,” or borrowing, he said.

Project Overview

The grant will fund pedestrian safety and traffic calming improvements along 1.85 miles of West Main Street, Main Street, and Lexington Avenue, all critical corridors that had experienced 690 crashes between 2018 and 2022.

Ninety-eight of those accidents involved injuries and in another 13, serious injuries.

High-crash locations were identified by traffic consultants AKRF in the village’s recently completed Mount Kisco Complete Streets Safety Action Plan.

Key improvements include:

• Upgrading six traffic signals with emergency vehicle preemption and reflectorized backplates;

• Adding leading pedestrian intervals and exclusive pedestrian phases;

• Installing corridor lighting and standardizing 11-foot travel lanes;

· Enhancing pedestrian infrastructure with upgraded accessible pedestrian signals, high-visibility crosswalks, curb extensions and curb ramp upgrades, pedestrian hybrid beacons (HAWK signals) or rectangular rapid-flashing beacons, and pedestrian safety refuge islands;

• Constructing a new sidewalk on the west side of Lexington Avenue, and

• Improving crossings at the intersections of St. Mark’s Place and Main Street, Lexington Avenue and Columbus Avenue, and Lexington Avenue and Radio Circle Drive.

These improvements are consistent with the Federal Highway Administration’s proven safety countermeasures, village officials said.

Timelines

This past spring, as the village was working on its Complete Streets plan, AKRF project manager Elaine Du had noted that the SS4A awards would be announced in late November or early December.

She estimated that it could take about six months to get a formal agreement signed between the village and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and also to get added to government’s Transportation Improvement Project’s (TIP) list.

Once Mount Kisco has its hands on the money, it can start its design phase. That could take anywhere from eight months to a year to complete, Du said, adding that the length of the construction part depends on the complexity of the project itself.

Traffic

In addition, the project includes a demonstration program to “pilot” quick-build neighborhood traffic calming on cut-through streets including, but not limited to, West Hyatt Avenue, Gregory Avenue, Smith Avenue, Moore Avenue, and Grove Street.

Temporary measures, such as rubber raised crosswalks, speed cushions, raised tables, and movable speed feedback signs, will be deployed for three to six months.

Before-and-after speed and traffic volume data will be collected and used to create a permanent traffic calming program and support the 25-mph village-wide speed limit.

“The demonstration component allows us to test solutions, collect real-world data, and engage residents before making permanent changes,” said Village Manager Edward W. Brancati. “This approach ensures smarter investments and better outcomes for our community.”

Next Steps

Mount Kisco will work closely with the Federal Highway Administration to finalize and execute a grant agreement, village officials said, emphasizing that no project costs will be incurred or reimbursed until that agreement is in place.

Village officials thanked the U.S. DOT for its “significant investment” and for reaffirming its “commitment to improving roadway safety, reducing crashes, and creating safer streets for all users.”

For More Information

For more information about the SS4A program visit www.transportation.gov/grants/SS4A