WOODBURY – Advocates are pushing for a $500 million expansion of Route 17 amid future traffic concerns.
Orange County is already home to the hugely popular Woodbury Common Premium Outlets in Central Valley, and soon it will also be home to the largest Legoland amusement park in the world.
While Legoland construction is underway in Goshen, some are wondering if Route 17 – one of the main roads to get to both – will be able to handle all of the expected traffic.
Economic leaders held a news conference Wednesday in Albany, calling on lawmakers to approve a $500 million plan to widen the highway from two to three lanes from Harriman to Exit 100 in Sullivan County, which is also home to one of the state’s newest casino sites.
The state is already doing multimillion-dollar improvements at the interchange of Routes 17 and 87, but tourism advocates say more needs to be done.
Drivers News 12 spoke to seem to agree, regardless of the price tag.
Supporters say the improvements would support area tourism and pay for themselves over time. Others, however, oppose the development and say the area is better suited to smaller industry.
