Representatives of the state Department of Transportation met with members of the Monroe-Woodbury community in Central Valley June 12 to discuss the redesign of the interchange where routes 17 and 32 funnel down into the state Thruway entrance.
Ten million annual visitors to Woodbury Common, the 220-store open-air shopping outlet, make travel particularly daunting on weekends and holidays. The Monroe-Woodbury School District, located in the same vicinity, has elementary, middle and high school buildings that bring some 4,000 students a day on the same roadways during the school year.
The DOT design team is working to avoid the need to take any school property to help alleviate the crush at the intersection. While residents have repeatedly asked for a direct connection from the Thruway or Route 17 (currently undergoing conversion to Interstate 86), U.S. Rep. John Hall told citizens at a town hall meeting in 2007 that the DOT, a public agency, is not permitted under federal law to create an entrance to privately owned property.
Three years ago, Metro-North proposed building a train station at Woodbury Common to take advantage of the hundreds of parking spots at the northern end of the shopping center that are dormant on weekdays. Woodbury residents vigorously fought the plan.
Sandra Jobson, a DOT spokeswoman, said a public hearing is planned for September.
“Right now, we”™re going over the environmental concerns and completing the draft document, which should be ready by September. Then, the next step will be a public hearing, which we will hold when the draft is ready; we don”™t have a date or time fixed yet.”
To view the project, visit www.NYSDOT.gov/route17exit131.
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