Demolition begins on pedestrian step street in Claremont

Demolition began Monday on a deteriorating pedestrian step street in the Bronx.
Excavating equipment was used to take apart the exterior wall of the 120-step staircase, which has been deteriorating and causing dangerous conditions for pedestrians below.
A new elevated pathway will be built from the ground up and will have a new pedestrian landing, benches, handrails and improved lighting.
For years, the elevated pathway served as a shortcut for P.S. 53 students and parents, connecting the upper section of Claremont Parkway to the street level on Clay Avenue.
Bronx residents in the neighborhood say they are glad to see progress being made despite the noise.
The demolition is scheduled to last about six weeks.
The new pathway is expected to open to the public sometime in the fall.