Thursday, September 20, 2001
Parkway crossing stays open
DOT busy with NYC recovery
By Michael Valkys
Poughkeepsie Journal
Closing the Hosner Mountain Road median crossing at the Taconic State
Parkway has been delayed again, this time by last week's terrorist attack
on the World Trade Center.
State Department of Transportation spokeswoman Colleen McKenna said
officials have been busy performing work related to the attack and have
not had time to concentrate on the Hosner closure. The DOT had offices
in the World Trade Center and three of its employees are missing, McKenna
said.
Thousands are feared dead in the Sept. 11 attacks.
''In light of recent events in New York and throughout the country,
we've been focusing our energies on sending people to the city and bringing
needed equipment to the city,'' McKenna said.
Decision in 'near future'
She said a decision on Hosner would be made in the ''near future,''
but could not pinpoint a specific date.
Hosner is the last of six median crossings on the highway slated for
temporary closure in the wake of safety concerns. Five others in Dutchess
County are already closed as the DOT works on a long-term plan to improve
safety on the parkway. That plan is expected to be released later this
year.
Town of East Fishkill Supervisor Peter Idema wants Hosner and some other
crossings to remain open, citing inconvenience and safety concerns for
residents. He said the town is glad Hosner remains open, but will not push
state officials at this time to reopen others.
''There are more important things to be done,'' Idema said.
It is the second delay in closing the Hosner median. It was to have
been closed before Sept. 1, but was delayed as officials tried to develop
a plan that would not cut off residents on the eastern side of Hosner Mountain
from local stores and services.
The temporary median closures prevent drivers from crossing the parkway
and from making left turns onto or from the Taconic.
Already closed are crossings from Bogardus Lane and Carpenter, Stormville,
Todd Hill and Arthursburg roads.
The 104-mile Taconic runs from Westchester County to the Berkshire Spur
of the Thruway southeast of Albany. Ten people have died since 1994 at
''at-grade'' crossings along the Dutchess County stretch of the parkway. |