SULLIVAN COUNTY — If you’ve driven to New York City in the past few weeks, you will have noticed that a section of Route 17 has been sanctioned as a work zone littered with bright yellow lights, orange warning signs and a speed limit reduced to 45 miles per hour for a stretch of several miles. 

You may also have noticed that very little work is getting done. That’s because as of October 2nd, the New York Department of Transportation (NYDOT) has paused construction on the $1.4 billion project. 

“The proposed project to enhance safety, reduce crashes and convert a critical 30-mile stretch of State Route 17 to Interstate 86 in Orange and Sullivan Counties is vital to the connectivity and growth of the Hudson Valley,” said DOT Region 8 Acting Director Jim Rusak.

Rusak said that the DOT has been evaluating project alternatives for several months and engaging with both stakeholders and members of the public. “As a result,” Rusak said, “it’s become clear that more time is needed to re-assess the project alternatives in consideration of feedback received and ensure compliance with the new federal requirements and guidelines.” 

He said he looks forward to further engagement with the public as the DOT works toward releasing a Draft Environmental Impact Statement next year, which will lead toward a Record of Decision in late 2026.  

Local environmental group Catskill Mountainkeeper praised the decision in an October 15 press release: “This reassessment is an important step- we want to thank Governor Hochul and the NYSDOT for listening to community feedback and pausing this environmental review process to better capture project alternatives that improve the quality of life and transportation access, affordability, and safety for residents along the Route 17 corridor.” 

While local developers see the construction of a third lane as a booster shot for economic development and a safety enhancement, Catskill Mountainkeeper believes that highway expansion, in addition to being an unnecessary waste of “billions” of tax dollars, will create more traffic congestion and lead to air pollution and higher asthma rates. 

Instead of expanding the highway, The ReThink Route 17 Alliance, a conglomeration of 24 environmental groups including the Catskill Mountainkeeper, wants to invest in community-centered transportation. This summer they released the report Invest in our Communities, Not a Wider Highway that lists potential projects that could “improve safety, health, and mobility outcomes across the region.” These include improving sidewalks, making intersection crossing improvements, expanding bussing systems, and fixing potholes.