A $1 Billion proposal to widen Route 17 from two to three lanes in both directions between exit 131 (Harriman) and exit 113 (Wurtsboro) is moving along with the support of Governor Hochul and the New York State Department of Transportation. The feasibility study, known as the Route 17 PEL Report, was issued in 2021 by NYSDOT.

The Route 17 PEL Report erroneously includes that adding a third lane will reduce GHG emissions, while it excludes bus rapid transit and accessible public transportation options. MH Sierra and Catskill Mountainkeeper are concerned about the environmental impacts and the necessity to fund this proposed $1 billion dollar project.

Congestion on Route 17 is due to discretional travel mostly limited to Friday and Sunday during a few months of peak recreational travel. There are far better and more environmentally friendly ways to address this increased seasonal usage through tide-sharing and public transportation.

A third lane will increase traffic and congestion and cause millions of tons of additional CO2 emissions with a six-lane highway running into the Catskill Mountains. This is neither smart nor sustainable economic growth. It does not meet the climate mandates of New York’s Climate Leadership and Communities Protection Act (CLCPA) and Justice 40 initiatives.

This is one of the worst ways to spend $1 Billion in public funds. The proposed expansion of Route 17 will damage the enjoyment of the Catskills, an environmental gem of the Hudson Valley. It also will cause economic and health related harm to residents, and to our beautiful and priceless natural heritage in New York.