GOSHEN – Merlin Entertainments, owners of the Legoland theme parks, is going to develop plans to relocate and reconfigure exit 125 on Route 17, including construction of a bridge over the highway, as part of its proposal for its Goshen theme park.
The company said the plan would address concerns regarding traffic impacts on local roads by removing Legoland traffic from South Street and Harriman Drive in Goshen.
Officials said it would also help alleviate geometric shortfalls of the existing exit 125 interchange.
The $64,000 question is who would pay for it and Orange County Executive Steven Neuhaus, who is one of the major proponents of the theme park, said the main thing is to include the highway work in the scope of the traffic mitigation plan.
“To have Legoland and all the municipal partners involved – the county, the town – everybody saying that you need to address this major traffic issue, we’re finally admitting that they need to make these adjustments is a good thing and as far as I am concerned, I don’t care if Legoland pays for it or if the state or a combination of the two,” Neuhaus said.
If Goshen officials give their approval to the theme park, Merlin would be committed to the highway improvements, Neuhaus said.
Legoland’s local community relations representative, Phil Royle, said the company has heard the concerns of the public about traffic. “We think we are close to a solution that will successfully address concerns,” he said.
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