Fixing Scarsdale Roads is a Critical Safety Issue

Hi, my name is Jonathan Gruen, I have been a resident of Scarsdale for 16 years. As a 19-year-old who loves mountain biking more than anything else, political affairs rarely cross my mind. However, there are some issues, that cannot be ignored. I have come to this town hall meeting to talk about the state of Scarsdale’s road infrastructure. To describe this as a problem is an understatement, just driving through Scarsdale for minutes, one will realize the corruption that ensues in our town.

For one of the richest towns in America, with the highest property taxes in the country, how are our roads in such poor condition? Driving in Scarsdale has become a real challenge, not only do we have to avoid countless distracted drivers, and follow all traffic laws, we have to scan the road ahead to avoid potholes that are often big enough to swallow a tire. However, not all potholes can be avoided. My long-time friend, Jake hit one of those dangerous potholes this week. He suffered a double blowout and hundreds of dollars in car repairs. He described the incident as explosive. Rather than just being an issue of comfort for those who cannot afford an S-class Mercedes, these potholes can cause serious damage to vehicles and cause life threatening injuries. Using my pickup truck as an off-road vehicle in Colorado, I have begun to find that many of the dirt roads designated as off-road trails are often in better condition than Scarsdale’s “paved” ones. A few days after returning to Scarsdale from my university, I drove to the high school to visit my former teachers, only to find one of them fixing a fatal blowout to their front tire of their Jeep Wrangler, canceling class in order to fix his vehicle. Vehicles, like the jeep wrangler, with high profile tires, designed for heavy duty off-road travel should be fit for navigating Scarsdale’s roads, but unfortunately that isn’t the case. I urge the town to take a serious look at our road infrastructure and recognize the safety concerns associated with our roads.

For a town with the highest property taxes in the country, we should enjoy the safest and smoothest roads, not the opposite. With more frequent paving, the residents can enjoy smoother travel, greater safety and pay lower costs for vehicle maintenance. It’s only a matter of time before those dangerous potholes cause serious injury or take a life, act now Scarsdale. This isn’t a political issue, it’s a safety issue. Thanks for listening.

Jonathan Gruen is a Scarsdale resident, currently a university student, and an entrepreneur.