Drivers, businesses raise concerns over flooding on Taconic State Parkway
Residents say it's been like this for years, especially on the Taconic by Commerce Street and up to West Stevens Avenue.
People who live in the Hawthorne/Valhalla area of Mount Pleasant say they are fed up with flooding along the Taconic State Parkway.
"Every time it rains, it's just a real big inconvenience," said Christie Bucchieri, who works nearby.
Bucchieri says it's been like this for years, especially on the Taconic by Commerce Street and up to West Stevens Avenue, where she works.
"Roads get shut down," Bucchieri explained.
She's not the only one who has concerns when that rain starts to fall here.
"Always been whenever it rains, from the parkway," said John, who owns a business in the area.
Rich Benkwitt, superintendent of highways for the Town of Mount Pleasant, says this is a difficult spot.
"A very low-lying area, it's flood-prone, and a lot of silt ends up down there. It's a crisscross in who's responsible for cleaning it up, and a lot of times, we just end up going there and cleaning them out," Benkwitt told News 12.
They can't do that right on the parkways, but he says they've been working on flood mitigation all over. On Thursday, he says a drainage crew went out to West Stevens Avenue to address water pooling near the Taconic.
News 12 reached out to the New York State Department of Transportation about any potential plans for improvements on the Taconic.
"Following yesterday’s heavy rains, New York State Department of Transportation maintenance crews are inspecting the drainage infrastructure along and adjacent to the Taconic State Parkway in the vicinity of Stevens Avenue and Commerce Street in Westchester County to determine if any additional measures are possible to help reduce future incidents of flooding. In the meantime, NYSDOT continues to monitor conditions in the area," said a spokesperson with the NYSDOT.
