The Times Herald Record is reporting that a draft of a state-commissioned study, has been released to Sullivan County legislators yesterday concerning the dangers of Route 17B.

The draft reportedly has found that several intersections along Route 17B have more car crashes than the state average – and at some intersections, accident rates are more than double the state average.

The report reportedly sheds more light on what the DOT wants to do with the road, which residents have long called dangerous.

One accident in the summer of 2005 left six people dead, and during the summer months, when the Catskills are packed with vacationers, Hatzolah is constantly responding to calls of car accidents on the roadway.

Creighton Manning recommends 13 projects in Bethel and Thompson, including adding turning lanes, traffic signals and realigning the entrance to Airport Road.

The study found that the busiest days on the road are weekends in the summer months.

(Source: Times Herald Record)