Credit: New York State Department of Transportation
Three infrastructure projects have begun in the Pine Plains-Stanfordville area as a fourth is wrapped up. Aimed at improving road safety and addressing structural deficiencies, the projects will repair local culverts and bridges and require motorists to seek alternative routes.
In Pine Plains, the New York State Department of Transportation plans to replace the deteriorated culvert under state Route 199 at Schultz Hill Road. According to a report by the NYSDOT, this culvert, which channels an unnamed tributary of Shekomeko Creek, is part of an effort to maintain the area’s historical integrity, including the preservation of the nearby 1784 Federal-style Pulver farm and mill, a site eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.
Funded by the Culvert Resiliency on State System program, the project is slated to begin on June 9, with an anticipated completion by the end of October. Motorists will be directed to a 3.3-mile detour via Chase Road north to state Route 82 and south to state Route 199.
Credit: Dutchess County Department of Public Works
Sarah Chase, who runs Chaseholm Farm, reminded drivers to be cautious. “They’ll have to watch out for the cows,” she said, as her farm’s routine includes moving cattle across Chase Road.
In Stanford, the protracted Hunns Lake Road project, which experienced significant delays due to concrete containment issues during abutment construction, is nearing completion under the oversight of the Dutchess County Department of Transportation. The delays were a source of frustration for residents. Stanford Town Supervisor Wendy Burton announced that the Hunns Lake bridge will reopen on Friday.
Additionally, bridge replacements over Willow Brook and Wappinger Creek are underway along county Route 17 (Salt Point Turnpike) in Stanford. These Dutchess County Department of Transportation projects aim to replace the aging steel deck bridges with new, wider reinforced concrete structures, complete with 4-foot shoulders for improved safety. The bridges, crucial for approximately 918 daily motorists, are part of the county’s resilience strategy to mitigate flood risks and adapt to changing climate conditions. The road near Meadowview Way will be closed, with a detour via state Route 82 and Clinton Corners Road (county Route 13). It is expected to reopen in early 2025.
Local frustrations have flared over inadequate signage for the ongoing detours, especially on Salt Point Turnpike. Residents have reported confusion and increased traffic on alternative routes.
“I think people will eventually get to know that the road is closed, and they will stick to alternative routes,” Burton told the Herald. “Until that happens, it is a major concern for people who live along the routes. I’m hopeful that the county will put up more signage and clearer signage.”