The number of years remaining in which water and sewer lines for lower King Street can be left safely underground will be known at the town board's work session next Tuesday, according to New Castle Town Administrator Penny Paderewski.

The pipe fixes are a major part of the town's planned renovation of lower King, which is part of the town's halmet plan for downtown Chappaqua. It could go forward this summer and is currently estimated to cost about $645,000.

Other changes include sidewalk and pavement replacements, shifting parking spots towards the southern curb and creating a pocket plaza at the intersection with Allen Place. Some merchants are concerned or opposed to the project going forward this year due to concern that it could be disruptive and discourage customers, believed to already have been annoyed by the now-completed Route 120 bridge work, from shopping at their stores.

At the board's Jan. 17 work session, Paderewski was asked how long sewer and water replacement work could wait but she did not have an available answer. In contrast, when the town board agreed last fall to postpone similar pipe replacement work on South Greeley Avenue from 2012 to 2013, the decision was made based on finding out that the pipes could stay safely underground for another year. The South Greeley work, also a hamlet plan phase, was postponed because town board members wanted to give a respite to merchants on that road who had been impacted by both the bridge work and a renovation of their parking lot.

The town board will meet for its work session on Tuesday, Jan. 24, at 7:30 p.m. in New Castle Town Hall. It will be followed by a regular session at 8:15 p.m.

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