SOUTHERN SECTION: PROPOSED "CENTRAL CORRIDOR" TO THE BRONX: As early as 1949, the Westchester County Planning Commission and the New York State Department of Public Works (NYSDPW) proposed a six-lane, north-south "thruway" along the Bronx River Parkway-NY 22 corridor. The 13.5-mile-long expressway, which was to be designated NY 125, was to serve as a limited-access relief route for the Bronx River Parkway, which was not designed to accommodate commercial traffic. (The existing NY 125 in Westchester - Mamaroneck Road and Weaver Street - was to have been transferred to the Westchester County Department of Public Works.)

NORTHERN SECTION: EXTENDING THE "CENTRAL CORRIDOR" TO PUTNAM COUNTY: In April 1956, the Westchester County Planning Department recommended that a new north-south expressway be constructed along the NY 100 corridor from White Plains north to Mahopac, Putnam County. The proposed 21-mile-long extension of the Central Corridor Expressway was designated as a high-priority corridor from the Cross Westchester Expressway (I-287) north to the proposed Northern Westchester Expressway (NY 35), and as a medium-priority corridor from NY 35 north to US 6 in Mahopac.

The Central Corridor Expressway conformed to the planning philosophy of Hugh R. Pomeroy, the Planning Commissioner of Westchester County from 1946 until his death in 1961. Pomeroy believed that for the three north-south parkways in Westchester County there should be a parallel, limited-access route open to all traffic:

• WESTERN CORRIDOR: Saw Mill River Parkway, New York State Thruway (I-87)
  
• CENTRAL CORRIDOR: Bronx River Parkway, Central Corridor Expressway (NY 125)
  
• EASTERN CORRIDOR: Hutchinson River Parkway, New England Thruway (I-95)
  

NORTHERN SECTION: EXTENDING THE "CENTRAL CORRIDOR" TO PUTNAM COUNTY: In April 1956, the Westchester County Planning Department recommended that a new north-south expressway be constructed along the NY 100 corridor from White Plains north to Mahopac, Putnam County. The proposed 21-mile-long extension of the Central Corridor Expressway was designated as a high-priority corridor from the Cross Westchester Expressway (I-287) north to the proposed Northern Westchester Expressway (NY 35), and as a medium-priority corridor from NY 35 north to US 6 in Mahopac.

From the recommendation report:

The purpose of this route is to provide a north-south, mixed-traffic thoroughfare with adequate access from the White Plains and Port Chester-Rye areas to the entire north-central part of Westchester County and adjoining areas in Putnam County. The proposed expressway will supplement the Saw Mill River and Taconic State Parkways as a means of access for summer traffic to and from northerly resort areas.

Continuing north from the Cross Westchester Expressway (I-287) in White Plains, the proposed Central Corridor Expressway extension was to proceed northeast to a partial interchange with the proposed NY 22 Expressway in the Valhalla-Kensico Dam area. Access to the NY 22 Expressway would have been limited to the following movements:

• NY 100-NY 125 northbound to NY 22 northbound
  
• NY 100-NY 125 southbound to NY 22 southbound
  

The Central Corridor Expressway was to continue north along the western shore of the Kensico Reservoir. Near the Mount Pleasant-North Castle town line, the expressway would have crossed NY 120 (King Street). Continuing north between King Street and Whippoorwill Road into the Town of North Castle, the expressway would have crossed NY 117 (Bedford Road) and intersected the proposed Ossining-South Salem Expressway (NY 172) in the area of the Mount Kisco Country Club. About one mile north of this point, the expressway would have intersected the Saw Mill River Parkway.

Continuing north across the Saw Mill River Parkway and NY 133 (Millwood Road), the Central Corridor Expressway would have crossed New Croton Reservoir near Crow Hill Road in the Town of Yorktown. In the Amawalk area, it would have intersected the proposed Northern Westchester Expressway (NY 35) before entering the Town of Somers. Continuing north along the right-of-way of the present-day North County Trailway, there would have been an interchange with the proposed Peekskill-Brewster Expressway (US 6-US 202) near Baldwin Place. The Central Corridor Expressway would end in the vicinity of Mahopac near the existing US 6.

The cancellation of the Central Corridor Expressway spawned two scaled-down proposals for north-south arterial routes in the center of the county as follows:

PHELPS WAY: Around that time, there was a second, less ambitious attempt at constructing a north-south expressway through north-central Westchester County. The New York State Department of Transportation proposed a conversion of NY 117 (Bedford Road) from Sleepy Hollow (North Tarrytown) to Katonah into a four-lane, limited-access expressway. The NY 117 expressway was to connect the proposed Hudson River Expressway (I-487) with I-684. Only one section of the NY 117 Expressway, the 2.9-mile Phelps Way in the vicinity of Rockefeller State Park, was opened to traffic. The remainder of the route was killed by community opposition.

THE HEATHCOTE BYPASS: In the mid-1960's, there was a modest attempt at a bypass for NY 125 through Scarsdale and New Rochelle. The Heathcote Bypass was constructed as a two-lane, limited-access route between Palmer Avenue and Wilmot Road. Although there are three overpasses along the mile-long NY 125 bypass, there are no interchanges.

The Heathcote Bypass was built on the abandoned, dual-track roadbed of the New York, Westchester and Boston Railroad, the same right-of-way that was to be used for the Central Corridor Expressway.

WHITE PLAINS FEEDER ROUTE: In 1962, NYSDPW officials proposed a 1.4-mile, eight-lane expressway spur from EXIT 5 of the Cross Westchester Expressway south to downtown White Plains. From the Cross Westchester Expressway, the proposed arterial route was to run southeast along Tarrytown Road (NY 119), veer east along Fisher Avenue, and end at the intersection of Grove Street and Quarropas Street.

The $5.7 million cost of the proposed route was to be equally divided among the state and Federal governments, was to be an integral part of the $100 million redevelopment of downtown White Plains. While state and city officials pushed for the expressway link, residents and merchants were opposed, fearing the deterioration of the area and the loss of business that the expressway would bring.

By the early 1970s, the plan that was being pushed was not an expressway at all, but rather a high-volume arterial street. Russ Blau, contributor to nycroads.com, recalled the details of the White Plains "Feeder Route" as follows:

The "Feeder Route" plan called for widening Tarrytown Road to eight lanes. The roadway would have been elevated beginning somewhere north of the Hamilton Avenue intersection, and continued south over the Main Street-Battle Avenue intersection. Curving southeast over the Metro-North railroad tracks, the Feeder Route was to split into two separate roadways, cross over Bank Street, and return to ground level several blocks east of the railroad. Beginning at South Lexington Avenue, the Feeder Route would have been split into two one-way streets with signalized intersections.

Several blocks of the road were built. Specifically, Quarropas Street, formerly a two-way, two-lane side street, was converted into a one-way, four-lane street. In addition, Fisher Avenue, which was widened and relocated to connect with Quarropas Street. These two streets were to carry the southbound lanes of the Feeder Route. The northbound roadway of the Feeder Route was to be Martine Avenue, which was already a principal one-way street, up to the beginning of the elevated section.

In addition to the issues you mentioned, the elevated nature of the roadway was a major focus of opposition, especially in the Battle Hill neighborhood (west of the railroad). Opponents feared that the large elevated structure would act as a "Chinese Wall" splitting Battle Hill from the rest of the city.

In 1973 or 1974, when I served as President of the White Plains Youth Council, I made an appearance before the City Council to express opposition to the construction of the Feeder Route. A few years thereafter, the plans were finally abandoned.

SOURCES: "Let's Be Realistic About Thruways" by Hugh Pomeroy, Westchester County Planning Department (2/21/1950); "Preliminary Plan for Major Thoroughfares in Northern Westchester," Westchester County Planning Department (1956); "Report on the Planning Aspects of the Location of Proposed Interstate Route 87" by Hugh Pomeroy, Westchester County Planning Department (3/03/1961); "White Plains Backs State Plan for an Eight-Lane Feeder Road" by Merrill Folsom, The New York Times (9/19/1962); "Westchester Maps Need for Roads" by Merrill Folsom, The New York Times (4/28/1966); Russ Blau; Daniel T. Dey; Stephen Sassi; Douglas A. Willinger.

• NY 100, NY 125 and NY 117 shields by Ralph Herman.
  

CENTRAL CORRIDOR EXPRESSWAY LINKS:

• NY 100 (Mark Sinsabaugh)
  
• NY 100 Traffic Counts (New York State Department of Transportation)
  
• NY 125 (Mark Sinsabaugh)
  
• NY 125 Traffic Counts (New York State Department of Transportation)
  

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