CENTRAL VALLEY – Local southern Orange County officials can’t wait for the redesign of the Route 17 Exit 131 interchange to get underway. The $115 million project was approved days ago as part of the state’s 2016-17 budget.
Woodbury Village Mayor Michael Queenan is looking forward to the improved traffic flow.
“This was a long time coming. Woodbury has suffered for many, many years with the traffic congestion in this area,” Queenan said.
Several municipal officials gathered with State Assemblyman James Skoufis,
who is credited with helping to shepherding it through the approval process,
along Route 32 in front of Woodbury Common Factory Outlets on Monday.
He said once the construction work begins, it should take over one year
to complete.
“We are moving the traffic more expeditiously and more efficiently
onto the Thruway where most of the Woodbury Common traffic is going back
to New York City, going back down south, sometimes down to New Jersey,”
Skoufis said.
Senator William Larkin also played a role in securing the funding. “One
of my biggest priorities in this year’s budget was ensuring the Hudson
Valley and Upstate New York receive a fair share of funding for local
infrastructure,” Larkin said. He noted that out of the $27 billion
slated for Upstate transportation projects, over $9 billion comes from
federal funding.
“Fixing the Woodbury I-87 interchange is the perfect example of
what we can achieve when folks from all levels of government team up with
local business and civic leaders to get things done,” said Congressman
Sean Patrick Maloney, a member of the House Transportation and Infrastruture
Committee.
The timing couldn’t be better especially with the additional traffic generated by the Montreign Casino and Resort expected to open in Sullivan County in two years.
