New York kicked off an $18 million safety project to improve safety roadways along State Route 17 in Sullivan County. Governor Kathy Hochul announced on July 3 that the New York State Department of Transportation will lead the resurfacing and installation of major safety upgrades between the Hamlet of Parksville and the Village of Liberty.
Expected upgrades will include “resurfacing, repairs to concrete joints, upgraded guiderails, new signs, pavement markings, and the installation of audible rumble strips to help prevent roadway departures and crashes,” according to a press release from Governor Hochul’s office.
Sullivan County District 6 Legislator Luis Alvarez says the upgrades are desperately needed, especially for travelers coming from the northern part of Sullivan County.
“You can feel the bump. You can feel your tires going up and down as you’re traveling there. It’s not a clean, smooth surface,” said Alvarez, whose district includes Liberty. “If I would go back there and drive on that road, you can hear my vehicle vibrating from it.”
It’ll also include improvements along Exits 98, 99, 100, 100A, and Short Avenue.
“Governor Hochul’s transportation investment is about more than pavement — it’s about affordability and public safety,” said New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez in a press statement. “From local commuters to the thousands of families and visitors who arrive each season, State Route 17 is one of the Catskill’s most critical transportation corridors, and these enhancements, which include the installation of new multiple new safety features, will ensure a more dependable and smoother ride for those who live, work and recreate in Sullivan County.”
Alvarez clarified that these latest Route 17 improvements are separate from the Route 17 expansion efforts, a $1.4 billion proposal to add a third lane to the state highway. “This has nothing to do with widening the road. This has to do more with the safety of the public traveling on that road,” said Alvarez.
Some ramp closures and minor delays are expected, with construction to be completed by winter 2027.
Alvarez said to use precaution as the state’s transportation department makes upgrades.
“Your safety comes first [rather] than trying to run through there as fast as you can… just take it slow. Take it easy, and go through and get where you are safe and with health.”
Image: Village of Liberty signage in Sullivan County (Photo Credit: Village of Liberty)