With thousands of families heading up to the Catskills today, please keep in mind that in addition to the temporary traffic patterns on Route 17 which are causing heavy delays, an additional alert was just added to add to your traveling headaches:
The NY State Department of Transportation will perform bridge inspections Thursday on Route 17 in the area of Exit 116 (Town of Mamakating).
Motorists will encounter alternating lane closures on State Route 17 in the eastbound direction and a right lane closure westbound beneath Burlingham Road in the Town of Mamakating.
This work is expected to be completed by 4 p.m., weather permitting.
For the duration of the summer, the NYSP alerts the public once again regarding the construction which is ongoing on Route 17. There is a temporary traffic pattern which will cause serious delays while heading to and from the Catskills on the weekends. The construction is taking place between exits 118 and 122 in both directions. While traveling towards NYC, drivers will encounter a one-lane construction pattern for a few miles.
The NYSP is urging everyone to leave plenty of extra time from Thursday afternoon through Monday while traveling to and from the Catskill Mountains.
Have a safe and relaxing summer!
(YWN Sullivan County News Team – 2009)
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3 Responses
Will construction be suspended on fridays?
I have been up there since the work has been in progress and it’s not going to be pretty this summer. The trip east is going to be pure hell because of only one lane open. My suggestion is to take the Thruway to exit 17 then hook up with 17k west (off of 84) and take that thru all the towns and you will wind up at the bottom of the Wurtsboro hill at 116..the same way will also work in reverse to get back from the mountains. This will be further but hopefully the taffic will flow better and be worth the extra mileage. I will be driving up to Monticello this Monday and will listen to the radio news as to what is happening on 17. Remember both 880 WCBS or 1010 WINS on AM radio give the traffic reports every 10 minutes. Also please call them to report if you see anything that will be a traffic issue…
1010 Wins 1- 877 466-1010 or 880 CBS 1-212 975-8888
I travel this route and I have to say it is imporant to realize there ARE alternate ways to get to the mtns than sitting on Thruway/17 combo.
People going up there should consider staying on the Thruway to exit 17 or 18 and then cutting across on the county/state roads.
You could also take 80 west then take NJ-15/US-206, NJ-94, or NJ-23 toward the “country.”
Granted these roads will take a bit longer (some up to an hour over “normal” travel time via Thruway/17) but at least you generally move along rather than sit on the Route 17 Parking Lot.
Google Maps is an excellent online mapping site as you are able to move your route and see how long it should take you.