Funds would be used to ease congestion on routes 32, 6, 17, 17M, 32 and 208

WASHINGTON-U.S. Rep. Sue Kelly has obtained $10.7 million in federal funds for road repairs and major traffic improvements around Woodbury Common and throughout the Monroe/Woodbury area. As a senior member of the House Transportation Committee, Kelly co-authored the Transportation Equity Act and successfully wrote provisions into the bill that will bring federal funding directly to Orange County to help improve roads and infrastructure. The U.S. House of Representatives approved the legislation and Kelly's funding for the Monroe/Woodbury area on March 10. "On a daily basis, we all depend upon well-paved roads, safe and traffic-free intersections, and convenient transportation access around southeastern Orange County," Kelly said. "The funding that I included in this bill will help ensure that our region can make the necessary road repairs and traffic improvements to make travel easier for Monroe and Woodbury residents." Kelly has worked closely with members of the Southeastern Orange County (SEOC) Traffic Task Force to identify local transportation needs that could use federal funding and support. • Kelly inserted $8 million in the bill for improvements to the Route 32/6/17 Interchange with the New York State Thruway and to ease access to County Route 105. The existing layout on Route 32 causes regular traffic backups in the southbound left-turn lane from Route 32 to the access ramp for the southbound Thruway during commuter peak hours and on weekends. Construction of clover-leaf style ramps to and from Route 17 would help eliminate the need for Thruway-bound vehicles to make a left turn from Route 32. • The congresswoman also obtained $1.2 million for road improvements along the Route 208 Corridor that links Monroe with Blooming Grove, the Village of Washingtonville and the northern region of Orange County. These areas are experiencing significant growth and development, and drivers increasingly use Route 208 to travel to commercial centers in the southeastern portion of Orange County. • Kelly also included $750,000 for traffic alleviation and pedestrian safety improvements along the Route 17M Corridor in the Monroe/Woodbury area. The money will be used for signal timing adjustments and to help increase travel efficiency at the more heavily congested areas within the Villages of Monroe and Harriman, such as the Lake Street intersection in Monroe. • Additionally, Kelly secured $750,000 for a series of improvements to key intersections and highway segments along Route 32 in the Harriman and Highland Mills area that will increase traffic efficiency and enhance pedestrian safety. The funding will be used for new traffic signal timing, additional left-turning lanes, and other improvements. "Orange County residents send enough of their hard-earned money to Washington in taxes, so it is very important to fight for our fair share of federal funding to address local transportation-related needs," Kelly said. "This money will help relieve area traffic congestion so we can travel to and from Woodbury Common and throughout the region without aggravation." The Transportation Equity Act, which reauthorizes the federal aid surface transportation program through 2009, must next be approved by the Senate. That's expected in April.