Making Central Ave Safer After Children Hit By Car

GREENBURGH, NY — The two children hit by a car at Lawton and Central Avenue Friday night are still at Westchester Medical Center, Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner reported Monday.

"Detectives advise that the 11 year old child is progressing nicely and may be released from the hospital as early as today," Feiner said in an email to residents. "The 14 year old is in a medically induced coma resultant to his condition - swelling. He is still listed critical but stable. Hopefully time is his ally as he fights to recover from his traumatic injury."

The children were crossing North Central Avenue near Sacred Heart Church when they were hit. Central Avenue is a state-owned road so any safety improvements must be approved and implemented by the state.

"As we understand it, the kids were crossing Central," Feiner said. There is a crosswalk by the church but it has no lighting by the cemetery, on the west side of Central. The signage to designate the crosswalk is literally right at the crosswalk going south: there does not appear to be advance notice of it."

Feiner said he has written to the NYS Department of Transportation and will ask them to review safety suggestions proposed by the Hartsdale Neighbors Association. He will also reach out to State Senator Andrea Stewart Cousins and Assemblyman Tom Abinanti and ask for their help to make this location safer.

"We have had successes in the past in persuading NYS to make improvements so getting something accomplished is realistic," Feiner said. "In recent years NYS has improved crosswalks at Jackson Ave/Ravensdale and in 2018 NYS implemented a suggestion we made to install a left turn arrow on Underhill/Old Army Road.

"A rotary, which we discussed with the Planning Board, could slow down traffic on the “speedway” stretch between Harvard and Four Corners, and need to be considered."

He said residents have suggested other ideas including a blinking light, a traffic light and more punitive laws including no pleading down on points and fines if motorists are caught speeding near school zones.

In connection with Four Corners revitalization, a pedestrian island for safe harbor in crossing has been advocated. Such an island, with lighting, could be extended from the corners up a number of blocks to cover the residential corridor. The roadway is 60 feet wide at that point and most likely could accommodate it.

"Better lighting overall in this dark area needs to be explored as does the speed at which traffic travels," he said.