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Ossining Residents Force Roundabout Referendum

This story has been updated.

Ossining residents gathered at Village Hall to announce they had collected enough signatures to force a referendum on a proposed roundabout

Ossining residents gathered at Village Hall to announce they had collected enough signatures to force a referendum on a proposed roundabout

Photo Credit: Sam Barron

OSSINING, N.Y. -- The Greater Ossining Chamber of Commerce announced Friday they had collected enough signatures to force a referendum on a proposed roundabout in downtown Ossining.

The chamber collected 2,703 signatures, more than the 2,146 needed. They will be presenting the petitions to the village clerk Friday afternoon.

"This is a historic day in the Village of Ossining," Chamber President Gayle Marchica said at Village Hall. "We did not meet our expectations, we exceeded them. The Village of Ossining has awoken a sleeping giant. You're going to hear from us. We're not going to make it easy for you to make the wrong decision ever again."

The referendum would take place within 60 days. A typical election costs taxpayers $30,000, the village clerk said at a March 1 village board meeting. 

The roundabout would be funded via a $500,000 bond at the intersection of Main, Spring and Brandeth Streets and Central Avenue.  

The chamber has feared a roundabout would negatively impact local businesses. Three former mayors, Miguel Hernandez, John Perillo and William Hanauer have also opposed the roundabout.

Gearity said the intersection still needs to be brought up to current safety standards.

"The anticipated cost of either a roundabout or a conventional updated signal at the 5-way intersection is about the same, as is disruption to downtown pedestrian and vehicle traffic," Gearity said. 

Gearity said an update on the process will be made at the March 8 Village Board Work Session. Gearity has said the roundabout will save money long term and make Ossining safer for pedestrians.

Anyone may file a written challenge in the next five days to the petition. The Village Clerk has an independent responsibility to review the submission to determine the validity of the signatures, Gearity said.

For Daily Voice's previous coverage of the roundabout, click here and here.

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