Route 17 project to be subject of forum
WALLKILL — A proposed conversion of a section of Route 17 to Interstate 86 in Orange and Sullivan counties will be the subject of a forum on Wednesday at the town of Wallkill Community Center, 7-9 Wes Warren Drive, Scotchtown, according to the state Department of Transportation.
The agency is hosting the forum from 2 to 4 p.m. and again from 6 to 8 p.m. Representatives will be available to provide information, answer questions and gather input, the DOT said.
The project involves the planned upgrade of a 30-mile stretch of Route 17 between exit 113 in Wurtsboro and the Thruway (I-87) in Orange County, to interstate standards, the agency said. It is meant to improve congestion-related travel times and speeds and address features of the corridor that currently do not meet interstate standards.
An environmental impact statement will study “a reasonable range of alternatives” for the project. Among the concepts being evaluated are lane use, interchange improvements, bridge replacements and enhanced park-and-ride facilities, including expanded capacity and electric vehicle charging, said the DOT, which expects to complete a final environmental impact statement for the project in 2025. The project has a website, www.route17.dot.ny.gov, with more details.
In a newsletter, Catskill Mountainkeeper, an environmental group, said its representatives will be at both sessions sending the agencies the message that they need to rethink the project, which they call misguided and a waste of taxpayer dollars.