Hundreds Attend NYSDOT Route 17 Open House - Roadway Expansion Project Remains on Schedule

The Open House held by the New York State Department of Transportation on May 6 in Chester centered on proposals involving Exits 126, 127 and 128 on Route 17.

By JOHN JORDAN

CHESTER—The New York State Department of Transportation held a well-attended public open house on May 6 here at the Chester Senior Center to discuss proposed changes to area interchanges (Exits 126, 127 and 128) on Route 17 as part of the $1-billion “NYS Route 17 Mobility & Access Improvements Project,” also known as the Route 17 expansion project.

NYSDOT officials and project consultants were on hand to explain the current proposals involving Exit 126 (Route 94-Chester), Exit 127 (Greycourt Road to Sugar Loaf and Warwick) and Exit 128 (Oxford Depot, Craigville Road-County Route 51). In an interview with NYSDOT Project Manager Mark Kruk, P.E., the scoping report proposes to improve the Exit 126 Chester exit by creating a “Single Point Urban Interchange” that would feature one traffic light for both eastbound and westbound ramps instead of the existing two traffic lights. The plan also calls for additional ramp capacity and other improvements to all ramps, he noted.

The proposal calls for the closure and relocation of the eastbound entrance and westbound exit ramps of Exit 127 to Exit 128, which currently only features an exit in the westbound direction. The proposed plan would add a westbound entrance ramp and entrance and exit ramps in the eastbound direction to make Exit 128 a full interchange in both directions off Route 17.

Kruk explained that Exit 127 does not have significant traffic. Another factor in its proposed closure is that as NYSDOT seeks to convert Route 17 to federal Interstate 86, the closure of Exit 127 would put Exits 126 and 128 in compliance with federal highways standard goals that call for exits being separated by approximately three miles. While the proposal calls for the closure of Exit 127, NYSDOT would make improvements to the Kings Highway and Lehigh Avenue intersection nearby. The plans involving Exits 126, 127 and 128 will also enhance safety on and off Route 17 in the Chester/Monroe section of the highway, he added.

He characterized the proposed interchange work at Exits 126 and 128 as extensive and would each cost “tens of millions of dollars.”

Mr. Kruk said that other interchange closures currently being proposed are Exit 114 (Wurtsboro) and Exit 129 (Museum Village Road in Monroe). The proposal to close Exit 114 in Sullivan County has prompted some criticism from area residents and businesses.

He stressed that the plans being discussed are proposals and are not final. Specifically, he offered some hope to those opposed to the Exit 114 closure when he said: “To be clear, for Exit 114 we are still looking at options, potentially a partial interchange or a full interchange and we continue to have those conversations with the Federal Highway Administration.”

The Route 17 project is currently in the draft environmental impact (DEIS) stage. Kruk said that the NYS Route 17 Mobility & Access Improvements Project remains on schedule and that NYSDOT is expected to release the draft environmental impact statement this summer with a public hearing on the DEIS slated for this fall, which will be followed by a 45-day DEIS comment period.

The plan would then be subject for further review by NYSDOT with the issuance of a final environmental impact statement (FEIS) and a Record of Decision by the Federal Highway Administration rendered in the winter of 2026. By the end of 2026, NYSDOT expects to put out to bid the first of three large projects in connection with the Route 17 expansion. Kruk said that the three Design-Build project bids would likely be staggered. The bid on the first project would potentially coincide with the scheduled completion of the final phase of the Exit 122 improvement effort currently being undertaken by ECCO III Enterprises of Yonkers, NY. Work recently began on the $67.8-million project at Crystal Run Road in the Town of Wallkill that is anticipated to be completed in late 2026.

Last September NYSDOT released a scoping report that noted three options would be evaluated going forward, including a “No Build” option.

One alternative being studied 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. State officials explained that 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. The cost of that option was pegged at $1,302,000.00 in the scoping report.

A second alternative being reviewed 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. The cost of that project was estimated at $1,412,500.00, according to the scoping report.

Kruk said that the project cost estimates for both options in the scoping report include planned interchange improvements and Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) upgrades.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has previously committed $1 billion in funding for the Route 17 expansion project.