EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Rockland Daily Sits Down With Legislator Joel Friedman

Yisroel R.

With the long-awaited Saddle River Road sidewalk project now complete, nearly a mile of new sidewalks and curbing have been added along one of Chestnut Ridge’s busiest roads, giving residents a safer and more convenient place to walk along a stretch where pedestrians previously had little choice but to walk close to traffic.

The $1.7 million project, funded through County money secured by County Legislator Joel Friedman, brought approximately one mile of new sidewalks along Saddle River Road in Chestnut Ridge. Construction began over the summer and was completed in roughly three months, becoming the first completed project under Rockland County’s broader $30 million countywide sidewalk safety initiative.

With the project now completed and already being widely used by residents, Rockland Daily sat down with Legislator Joel Friedman, who represents Chestnut Ridge as part of Legislative District 15, for an exclusive interview on how the project came together, how he secured the funding for the massive project, and what additional sidewalk improvements are coming next.

Q: Good morning, Legislator Friedman. Thank you so much for giving us your time. The Saddle River Road sidewalk project in Chestnut Ridge has been widely praised as a major success, with residents and officials pointing to how swiftly, efficiently and professionally the work was carried out. You have been credited with helping lead the project, securing the funding and making sure the different pieces came together. To start with the basics, how much sidewalk was installed, how far does the project stretch, and how much funding was required to make it happen?

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak with Rockland Daily. I first want to say that Rockland Daily has done a tremendous job providing coverage to the Monsey community and the broader Ramapo and Rockland areas. Keeping residents informed about what their government is doing is an important part of the process, and in that sense, local news is a partner in good government by making sure constituents know what is happening in their communities.

Regarding the project itself, the section that was completed is approximately 0.96 miles — almost a full mile of new sidewalk. It begins right after the New York State Thruway overpass as you enter the Village of Chestnut Ridge and continues along Saddle River Road until approximately Ackertown Road.

This is not necessarily the final piece of the project. We are hoping to complete additional sections on both ends next construction season, beginning after April, when the weather conditions are permitting and the remaining road permits will be issued.

On the northern end, the goal is to continue the sidewalk beyond the current Chestnut Ridge portion and further into the Town of Ramapo. Because that section falls outside the Village of Chestnut Ridge, the Town of Ramapo has to go through its own permitting process with the county. There was a delay in getting that portion ready this season, but the funding is already in place and the remaining process is being worked through, with the goal of completing that connection next season.

On the other end, there is already an existing section of sidewalk farther down Saddle River Road, and we are looking to close the remaining gap and create a more complete connection toward Ackertown Road as well.

Altogether, the project was made possible through approximately $1.7 million in Rockland County funding that I was able to secure for District 15. The goal from the beginning was not simply to build a stretch of sidewalk, but to create a safe, continuous route for residents walking along Saddle River Road.

Q: You have been credited with securing the funding that made this project possible. Can you share with our readers how that funding came together and how you were able to secure $1.7 million for the Saddle River Road sidewalk project?

Yes, and first of all, I want to emphasize that this was a team effort. My role was to make sure that the funding was available for this project and then to work with the county administration and the different municipalities to make sure it could actually be put to use.

The funding came through Rockland County’s 2025 budget, which included a $30 million countywide sidewalk safety initiative. The funding was structured to provide approximately $10 million a year over three years for sidewalk improvements along county roads throughout Rockland.

A great deal of credit goes to County Executive Ed Day, Legislature Chairman Jay Hood and members of the County Legislature on both sides of the aisle. This was a bipartisan effort, and there was a broad understanding that the county was in a strong financial position and that some of those resources should be reinvested directly into projects that improve safety and quality of life for residents.

I also want to give credit to former County Legislator Aron Wieder, who is now a New York State Assemblyman. He had been pushing for this type of sidewalk funding for years while serving in the County Legislature, and he played an important role in laying the groundwork for the initiative before moving on to the Assembly.

Once the countywide funding became available, I worked to make sure that a significant portion could be directed toward this project in Chestnut Ridge. Legislator Jesse Malowitz, who represents District 12, including Suffern and parts of Airmont and Montebello, was also extremely helpful. Some areas of the county do not have the same sidewalk needs, so legislators are able to work together and share portions of their available funding where it can have the greatest impact. Legislator Malowitz shared part of his allocation to district 15, which helped us dedicate the full $1.7 million needed for the Saddle River Road project.

From there, it was about working with the county administration, getting the agreements and paperwork in place, and making sure that the funding could actually move from the county budget into a completed project. Baruch Hashem, that cooperation worked, and today residents are seeing the results.

Q: Why was Saddle River Road chosen to be the first project under this sidewalk initiative?

Saddle River Road is one of the busiest roads in Chestnut Ridge, and the area around it has grown significantly over the years as more families have moved into the village. With that growth, there has naturally been much more pedestrian activity along the road — children walking to local stores, families walking to shul on Shabbos, and residents using the road throughout the day and into the evening.

People who have lived there for 20 years or more have told me that the need for sidewalks along Saddle River Road was already clear years ago. As Chestnut Ridge continued to grow and attract more families because of the quality of life it offers, the road became even busier, and having pedestrians walking close to traffic, particularly at night, became an increasing safety concern.

The Village of Chestnut Ridge leadership was very much on top of this issue. Mayor Sam Presti and the Village Board had been advocating for sidewalk improvements and working to make them a reality. The mayor, Deputy Mayor Chaim Rose, Trustee Shmuli Fromovitz and the other village trustees understood the importance of the project and worked hard to help move it forward.

Once the county funding became available, everyone was ready to move ahead, and Saddle River Road was a natural place to begin.

It is also important to note that Saddle River Road runs along the border of the Village of Airmont. By constructing sidewalks along this stretch, the project provides a significant benefit not only to Chestnut Ridge residents, but also to Airmont residents living on the opposite side of the road, ultimately benefiting residents of both villages who share Saddle River Road.

Baruch Hashem, we were finally able to bring all the pieces together and deliver a project that gives residents a dedicated, safe place to walk along one of the village’s busiest roads.

Q: How does it feel now that the sidewalk project is complete and residents are beginning to use it?

In many ways, the answer goes back to what we just discussed, the need for this project was very real, so seeing residents actually using the sidewalk now is extremely gratifying.

I have had many people come over to me and thank me for the project and tell me how much easier and safer it has made things for them. You already see people using it regularly, families walking to shul on Shabbos, children going to Newday, and residents simply being able to walk along Saddle River Road much more comfortably.

What has also been especially encouraging is hearing how pleased people were with the way the project itself was carried out. It moved quickly, it was handled professionally, and there was very good cooperation throughout the process.

When you see a project come together this successfully, from the planning and funding through the construction and then seeing residents benefit from it, it gives you a lot of encouragement to keep going. It gives you the confidence and the appetite to move forward with additional projects and to see what else can be accomplished for the community.

Q: You mentioned the efficiency and professionalism of the project. I have heard from many residents praising how smoothly the work was carried out. Even as someone who does not live in Chestnut Ridge but regularly drives through the area, I noticed how well the traffic was handled, the flaggers kept vehicles moving and there was very little disruption despite such a major project. What made the construction run so smoothly?

A project like this only works when everyone involved does their part, and this was really a tremendous example of cooperation between different levels of government.

First, I have to thank the Town of Ramapo, particularly Supervisor Michael Specht and Chief of Staff Mona Montal, for their cooperation. Through an intermunicipal agreement, the Town was able to make its contractor available for the project, which was a major part of allowing the work to move forward so efficiently.

A great deal of credit also goes to the Village of Chestnut Ridge and its engineer, Martin Spence of Spence Engineering. The Village spent months preparing extremely detailed plans before construction ever began. When a contractor arrives at a project and already has precise plans showing the elevations, drainage, retaining walls and what needs to be done at each individual property, it makes an enormous difference. That preparation allowed the crews to move quickly without having to stop and resolve issues as they went along.

A-Tech Concrete also did an excellent job carrying out the work. They organized their crews very efficiently, with one group preparing the next section while another continued working on the section already underway. That allowed the project to keep moving at a very strong pace.

The traffic management was also handled extremely well. As you mentioned, the flaggers made sure motorists could continue getting through without unnecessary backups while also keeping the work zone safe.

Another important part was the way the contractor worked with the residents along Saddle River Road. When work affected a fence, landscaping or another part of a property, crews communicated directly with homeowners, knocked on doors when necessary, explained what was being done and worked with them to restore anything that needed to be addressed.

Between the Village leadership, Mayor Sam Presti, Deputy Mayor Chaim Rose, Trustee Shmuli Fromovitz, and the village trustees, the Village engineer, the Town of Ramapo, the contractor and the county, everyone worked together toward the same goal. That cooperation, combined with very strong planning and professional execution, is really why the project was able to move as smoothly and efficiently as it did.

Q: Building off what you have said, one thing that really stands out about this project is how positively it has been received. With a major public works project, it is not always possible to make everyone happy, but in this case we have heard a lot of positive feedback from residents about both the final result and the way the work was carried out. What does it mean to you to see that kind of response?

It was extremely important, and I really cannot stress enough how much cooperation went into this project from every level of government.

I especially want to recognize the leadership of the Village of Chestnut Ridge. Mayor Sam Presti and the Village Board were focused on this issue long before construction ever began. In fact, Mayor Presti had reached out to the county years earlier about the importance of bringing sidewalks to county roads in the village. The mayor, Deputy Mayor Chaim Rose, Trustee Shmuli Fromovitz and the other village trustees stayed on top of the process and made sure that when the opportunity for funding became available, Chestnut Ridge was prepared to move forward.

That preparation made a tremendous difference. The Village had the engineering and planning in place, understood what was needed, and worked continuously with the county to keep the project moving. That kind of involvement from the local government is a major reason why everything came together as smoothly as it did.

The Town of Ramapo was equally cooperative. Supervisor Michael Specht and Chief of Staff Mona Montal were always a phone call away, and when the opportunity came to share the Town’s contractor through an intermunicipal agreement, they worked with us immediately to make it happen. That cooperation did not only help this project — it also created a model that can make future projects easier to move forward.

When you have the village, the town, the county, the engineers and the contractor all working together, and then you see residents so satisfied with both the process and the final result, it really shows what government can accomplish when everyone is focused on the same goal. That is something that gives me a lot of encouragement for the projects still ahead.

Q: Looking ahead, what other sidewalk projects can residents expect to see move forward through this county funding?

Yes. I want to take this opportunity to announce through Rockland Daily that we expect to begin additional sidewalk work very shortly in the Village of Airmont.

One project will be along New County Road, from Route 59 toward South Monsey Road. We are also preparing an additional sidewalk project along the county-owned section of Cherry Lane beginning at Route 59.

Both of these roads are county routes, and the projects are being advanced through the same broader sidewalk funding initiative that made the Saddle River Road project possible. The paperwork and planning have been moving forward, and we are looking forward to seeing construction begin soon.

After seeing how successfully the Chestnut Ridge project came together, we want to continue that momentum and bring the same kind of safety improvements to additional areas throughout the district.

Q: What is your final message to the residents of the Village of Chestnut Ridge and to your constituents throughout District 15?

I would tell residents to look at this project as an example of what can happen when government works the way it is supposed to work.

We are now approaching an election, and understandably, people sometimes become discouraged. They hear promises during election season and then wonder whether anything will actually come from them. Some people even ask, “What is the point of voting if nothing ever changes?”

I think a project like this shows that government can produce real results. When the right people get elected, good things happen. When elected officials listen to the needs of their constituents, and when the different levels of government cooperate and work toward the same goal, things can get done.

That is what happened here. The county, the Village of Chestnut Ridge, the Town of Ramapo, the engineers and everyone else involved worked together, and today the residents have something tangible that improves safety and quality of life in their community.

My message is that people should stay engaged and continue making their needs known. When government listens and everyone works together, you can accomplish a great deal for the residents we are here to serve.

Thank you, Legislator Friedman, for your time, and we wish you continued success in delivering results for the residents of District 15.

Thank you, Rockland Daily, for the opportunity, and hopefully we will continue going from one successful project to the next.