New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Sept. 19 that a scoping report for a project aimed at enhancing safety and mobility along a 30-mi. stretch of state Highway 17 in Orange and Sullivan counties has been completed.
The future project — which is still in its early design and environmental review stages — will help reduce instances of motor vehicle crashes, provide greater access to all users of the state's transportation system, improve resiliency and clear the way for the roadway to obtain federal interstate designation.
New York Highway 17 is a heavily traveled artery that ties together the Mid-Hudson Valley, Catskills and Southern Tier regions of the state. In total, the roadway runs 397 mi. east-southeast from the small town of Mina on New York's western border with Pennsylvania to the community of Hillburn, just north of the New York-New Jersey state line.
Hochul noted that the scoping report is a crucial step in the environmental review process that documents the evaluation of preliminary concepts and identifies those to be studied further. Several potential improvements, including additional lanes and the construction of new roadways at key locations to better separate thru traffic from exiting and entering vehicles, are among the alternatives being advanced for detailed study.
"Like so many of our bridges and highways, State Route 17 is a product of the mid-20th century that no longer meets the needs and demands of 21st century New Yorkers," she explained. "This scoping report reflects the ongoing partnership that exists between the state and the community as we seek to reimagine this vital roadway into a modern highway that will reduce congestion, enhance safety, promote tourism and improve quality of life in some of the fastest growing regions of the state."
The mobility and access improvement project will involve making upgrades to the stretch of N.Y. 17 between Exit 113 in the Sullivan County community of Wurtsboro, and Interstate 87 in Orange County.
Two ‘Build' Alternatives Currently Being Studied
As part of the scoping process, the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), in partnership with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), solicited input from the public, stakeholders and involved agencies on the project needs, project concepts and scope of issues to be addressed for the project.
As a result, NYSDOT is advancing two "build" alternatives in addition to a "no-build" alternative for further study in an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The agency expects to publish a Draft EIS for the construction work in 2025.
One alternative being advanced would retain N.Y. 17's existing two-lane mainline layout throughout most of the corridor while adding interchange auxiliary lanes between Exits 130 and 130A, as well as new collector-distributor service roads from Exit 120 to Exit 122, and from Exit 122A to Exit 124.
A collector-distributor road separates freeway thru-traffic from other vehicles that are exiting or entering the freeway and help keep weaving and lane-changing vehicles away from high-speed traffic on the mainline route.
NYSDOT's second alternative involves further study on the construction of a third travel lane from Exit 120 (N.Y. Highway 211) to Exit 130A (U.S. Highway 6) in addition to new auxiliary lanes and collector-distributor roads.
Both build alternatives also would make targeted safety improvements throughout the entire corridor, including slope and curve modifications, shoulder upgrades and improvements to pedestrian and mass transit accommodations.
Several other U.S. 17 interchanges, including Exit 120 onto N.Y. 211, would also be reconstructed under both alternatives. The disposition of others, including Mamakating Road at Exit 114, will be the subject of further study during the EIS process, according to NYSDOT.
"State Route 17 is an important connector between New York's downstate regions and some of the most popular and fastest-growing regions upstate, including the Catskills and Southern Tier," noted NYSDOT Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez. "The scoping report is an important milestone in the environmental review process, but our work is ongoing, and we will continue to engage with the community to ensure that the end result is a project that reflects the community's input and addresses the safety needs of the system."
Improved Highway to Further Mid-Hudson's Vitality
Due to earlier safety enhancements on sections of N.Y. 17 in the Mid-Hudson Valley, landmark investments have been made that resulted in the expansion of Woodbury Common Premium Outlets, as well as the construction of LEGOLAND in Goshen, and Resorts World Catskills Casino in Monticello.
NYSDOT completed a reconstruction of the interchange at Exit 131, where N.Y. 17 meets I-87 and N.Y. 32, adjacent to Woodbury Common Premium Outlets, and another rebuild of Exit 122 Stage I and Exit 125, where LEGOLAND is located, to meet interstate standards.
U.S. House Representative Pat Ryan, D-18th District, said, "The safety of Hudson Valley families is always the top priority — especially when it comes to road design. This is a huge step towards transforming Route 17 into a safer roadway with a more efficient design and resilient infrastructure. I'm looking forward to working with officials across every level of government and delivering the federal resources needed to start this crucial project and see it through to completion."
Union leaders in the area are also happy to see that the first steps are being taken in the roadway's enhancement process.
"Opening the Route 17 corridor is the key to unlocking Hudson Valley's economic potential and the creation of good-paying jobs," commented Greg Lalevee, business manager for the International Union of Operating Engineers (IUOE) Local 825. "Governor Hochul and regional members of the legislative branch have fought tirelessly to make this happen. This announcement today is a testament to her leadership."
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