Governor Hochul Announces Release of Scoping Report for Transformative State Route 17 Project

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the completion of the scoping report for a project to enhance safety and mobility along a 30-mile stretch of State Route 17 in Orange and Sullivan Counties. This future project - which is still in early design and environmental review stages - will help reduce instances of motor vehicle crashes, provide greater access to all users of the transportation system, improve resiliency and clear the way for the roadway to obtain federal interstate designation. The scoping report is an important 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 through traffic from exiting and entering vehicles, are among the alternatives being advanced for detailed study. State Route 17 is a heavily traveled artery that ties together the Mid-Hudson, Catskills and Southern Tier regions.

"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," Governor Hochul said. "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 State Route 17 Mobility & Access Improvement Project involves improvements to the stretch of State Route 17 between Exit 113 in Wurtsboro, Sullivan County, and Interstate 87 in Orange County. It is intended to address operational and safety deficiencies, improve congestion-related travel times and address features of the corridor that currently do not meet interstate standards. Multi-modal improvements will be assessed and considered.

As part of the scoping process, the New York State Department of Transportation, in partnership with the Federal Highway Administration, 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). NYSDOT expects to publish a Draft EIS for the project in 2025.

One alternative being advanced would retain State Route 17's existing two-lane mainline layout throughout most of the corridor while adding interchange auxiliary lanes between Exit 130 and Exit 130A and new collector-distributor (C-D) service roads from Exit 120 to Exit 122 and from Exit 122A to Exit 124. A C-D road separates freeway through-traffic from other vehicles that are exiting or entering the freeway and helps keep weaving and lane-changing vehicles away from high-speed traffic on the mainline freeway.

A second alternative being advanced for further study calls for the construction of a third travel lane from Exit 120 (State Route 211) to Exit 130A (U.S. Route 6) in addition to new auxiliary lanes and C-D roads. Both build alternatives would also make targeted safety improvements throughout the entire corridor, including slope and curve modifications, shoulder upgrades and improvements to pedestrian and mass transit accommodations.

Several interchanges - including Exit 120 (State Route 211) - would also be reconstructed under both build alternatives. The disposition of others, including Exit 114 (Mamakating Road), will be the subject of further study during the EIS process.

Landmark investments in the Mid-Hudson Valley have already resulted in the expansion of Woodbury Common Premium Outlets and the construction of LEGOLAND and Resorts World Catskills Casino. Over the past several years, projects have been completed by the Department of Transportation to enhance safety on sections of Route 17, including reconstruction of the interchange at Exit 131, where Route 17 meets Interstate 87 and Route 32 (Woodbury Common Premium Outlets) and reconstruction of Exit 122 Stage I and Exit 125 (LEGOLAND) to meet interstate standards.

New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, "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. 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."

Congressman Pat Ryan 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."

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