NYS DOT details propsed changes to Route 17/I-80

Chester -- The NYS DOT hosted a jam packed open house on May 6, elaborating on details of what they see as the future of the Route 17/I-86 corridor, focusing on the area of are Exists 126 to 128.

Of most interest to Chester and Warwick residents was the planned closure of Exit 127 and the remodel and upgrade of Exit 126.

Community members wrote to the DOT, urging them to keep Exit 127 open. Despite reports the closure was a done deal, DOT reps insisted no decisions have been made and they were interested in the comments of the community.

Jessica Laino of Chester told the Chronicle, “My exit is 127. It would be an inconvenience to me. It would be horrible, especially in the summer. I believe their mind is already made up.”

Susan Bahren of Chester said she was concerned how closing 127 will affect the Chester Industrial Park. However, she was impressed with the displays put up by the DOT. “I can see the validity of the changes they’re proposing,” she said.

Jeff Zahn, president of Sugar Loaf Community Foundation, said he would be organizing petition and letter writing campaigns to oppose the closure of 127. He said Sugar Loaf is a historic community deserving of its own exit. He described the closure of 127 as the “death knell” of Sugar Loaf.

As for the improvements to Exit 126 in downtown Chester, DOT project manager Mark Kruk said new ramps will be built bringing traffic to a single interchange at 126 instead of having two lights as it currently does.

For areas of 17 that have high crash rates the state proposes building collective distributor roads to divert traffic around the exits in Kiryas Joel and Wallkill. For the intersection of Kings Highway and 17M a new traffic circle would be built.

“That intersection need help so badly, regardless of what happens to the exist,” Kruk said.

The DOT’s rationale for closing 127 is that it is too close to 126. However, it was noted a few miles north on the highway several exits are bunched together and none of them are proposed to be closed. The state plans to expand the little-used Exit 128 and projects that 40 percent of traffic at 127 will divert to 128.

Kruk promised that nothing final has been determined and the DOT is interested in hearing from the community. That’s why they held the open house, which was requested by officials of the village and town of Chester.

Kruk said work on the project could begin by the end of 2026 if all goes according to plan. It has been more than 25 years since legislation was passed seeking to upgrade Route 17 to I-86. Much of the western portion of 17 has already been upgraded to I-86.