State Route 199 has reopened to traffic between Schultz Hill Road and Chase Road in Pine Plains, ending a closure that lasted nearly three months and forced drivers onto long detours across northern Dutchess County.
Heather Pillsworth, a public information officer for the state Department of Transportation, confirmed the reopening Friday morning, Sept. 19. The project replaced the Shekomeko Creek culvert, a structure built around 1909 that engineers had deemed unsafe for traffic.
The section of Route 199 closed June 23 so crews could remove the deteriorating culvert and install a modern box culvert designed to improve water flow and roadway safety. Originally expected to reopen in early September, the project was delayed by weather setbacks, pushing the finish date into mid-September.
Throughout the summer, drivers were rerouted onto detours that carried eastbound traffic north on Route 82 through Ancramdale and onto Winchell Mountain Road to reach Route 22. Westbound traffic from Route 22 was diverted onto Bean River Road at Pulvers Corners to reconnect with Route 199.
In a statement, the DOT thanked crews “for working quickly and efficiently to get the job done.” Officials said the new culvert is expected to reduce flooding risks and ensure more reliable travel along the corridor.
Thank you for this article. I am glad it is finished and travel on 199 can resume. I did see some beautiful scenery and businesses on the detour route which was nice.
Who was the general contractor on this culvert job ?
Thank you
Richard Cafiero