Route 208 bridge over Heritage Trail to be replaced this summer

BY ERIKA NORTON
MONROE — The existing State Route 208 bridge over the Heritage Trail in the Village of Monroe will be replaced with a box culvert this summer, according to the state Department of Transportation which is conducting the project.
According to Monroe Village Clerk Ann Margaret Baxter, the DOT has verified with the contractor that the bridge and the section of the Heritage Trail will be closed July 5, and the detour will be in effect.
Signs to direct drivers should be going up shortly around the area, approximately two weeks prior to closing.
The project is expected to be completed in November.
Detour routes As far as what the detour route will look like, the DOT has sent the Village of Monroe two vague maps outlining what the detour will look like for both northbound and southbound traffic on Route 208. The Photo News deciphered the two DOT detour maps.
Drivers travelling northbound on Route 17M who need to get to Route 208 will:
Travel north on Route 17M
Take ramp onto Route 17 southbound
Take Route 17 to Exit 130 (exit past Museum Village Exit)
Take left off of exit onto Route 208 going westbound
Drivers travelling westbound on Route 208 who need to get to Route 17M will:
Travel west on Route 208
Take ramp onto Route 17 going northbound to Exit 128
Take Exit 128 and turn right onto Craigville Road
Take a left onto Route 17M
According to Baxter, the DOT has failed to address the village's concerns about likely traffic buildup on North Main Street. Route 208 is a primary road for access to the Village of Monroe from Route 17, and links Monroe to the Villages of South Blooming Grove, Washingtonville and Maybrook.
The contract award cost listed for the project on the DOT's website is $2,331,331.
Heritage Trail maintenanceOrange County also released an advisory Thursday announcing that the section of the Heritage Trail between the Chester train station and Monroe Park and Ride will be closed on weekdays from Monday, June 19 until on or about Friday, June 30 for maintenance.
The trail runs nearly 11 miles from Goshen to Monroe and is the second-most used county park, with about 150,000 people using it each year for running, biking, hiking and studying.
Editor's note: This story has been updated.