Route 9 Sidewalks, Hyde Park, New York
To focus our investment on addressing the barriers identified in Moving Dutchess Forward, we recommend a series of transformative packages and specific transformative projects. For Transformative Packages, which are meant to be holistic and ongoing, we provide a description and list the barriers addressed and an annual cost estimate. For Transformative Projects, we provide a description of the project and details such as the barriers addressed, cost estimate (in current dollars), funding sources, and timeframe for implementation. You can explore these recommendations below and view them on our Transformative Investments map.
Transformative Packages
We envision these transformative packages as ongoing projects on our capital or planning program (as appropriate) to address the trends, barriers, and needs identified in Moving Dutchess Forward. They make up most of our expected investment. Funding allocated under these packages will be prioritized based on how well a specific project addresses the identified barriers, including safe access, reliable access, basic needs, and equity. The packages will be implemented in cooperation with responsible agencies.
This package includes a broad range of maintenance work needed to keep our roads and bridges functioning, such as traffic signal upgrades, road paving, road and bridge repairs, upgrades to improve flood resilience, and roadway signage and markings. Due to the importance of roads and bridges in providing safe and reliable access, this package serves as a focus of our transportation investment strategy. This package is focused on federal-aid eligible roads and bridges, particularly those on the National Highway System (NHS).
- Barriers addressed: Safe access, reliable access
- Cost estimate: $26.4 million per year
This package includes safety improvements to high crash locations, such as signage upgrades, pavement treatments and markings, guiderail upgrades, speed feedback devices, and traffic calming treatments. It also includes implementing recommendations from past and future safety assessments and corridor plans.
- Barriers addressed: Safe access, equity
- Cost estimate: $3.5 million per year
This package includes sidewalk repairs and replacements, new sidewalks, improved crossings, shoulders or sidewalks on bridges, and wider shoulders and bike lanes on State, County, and local roads. It includes accessibility improvements to County facilities, roads, and the bus system, including improvements at County bus stops such as shelters, sidewalks, and ramps. It also supports the continuation of the County’s Universal Accessibility program, which seeks to improve walking and bicycling access on County roads, and the implementation of recommendations from Walk Bike Dutchess and our local pedestrian plans.
- Barriers addressed: Safe access, reliable access, access to basic needs, equity
- Cost estimate: $3 million per year
This package includes maintaining our rail trail system, constructing new shared-use paths and rail trails, and improving existing rail trails and paths, including connections to schools, parks, and other basic need destinations.
- Barriers addressed: Safe access, reliable access, access to basic needs, equity
- Cost estimate: $1.5 million per year
This package includes operating and capital needs to maintain bus service, such as basic maintenance, repairs, and bus replacements. It also includes new or improved bus service, such as more frequent service in core areas, additional service during off-peak times (such as evenings or weekends) where needed, and alternatives to fixed-route service in lower-density areas. Other investments that improve the bus system, such as passenger counting equipment, real-time information, and updated schedules are also included (bus stop areas are included in Walking & Bicycling Improvements). This package could also fund programs coordinated with human service agencies and volunteer programs as outlined in our Coordinated Public Transit- Human Services Transportation Plan.
- Barriers addressed: Reliable access, access to basic needs, equity
- Cost estimate: $10.3 million per year
This package includes projects that improve walking, bicycling, and transit access to train stations, such as sidewalks, wayfinding signage, vehicle and bicycle parking, and bus and shuttle access improvements. It also includes projects that address safety and congestion issues at train stations. The recommendations for the Beacon train station in our City of Beacon-Beekman Street Complete Streets Analysis are examples.
- Barriers addressed: Safe access, reliable access
- Cost estimate: $500,000 per year
This package includes projects that address congested areas and improve traffic operations, such as turn pockets, signal timing changes, roundabouts, and access management. It also includes technology solutions to move vehicles (including freight) more efficiently.
- Barriers addressed: Reliable access
- Cost estimate: $2.4 million per year
This package includes installing electric vehicle (EV) charging stations across the county, including on public and private property through agreements with property owners. Expanding access to EV charging will enable more drivers to switch to EVs, reducing our reliance on fossil fuels, lessening greenhouse gas emissions, and reducing maintenance costs for drivers.
- Barriers addressed: Reliable access
- Cost estimate: $200,000 per year (assumes 25 stations per year)
This package supports planning studies to redesign key corridors, particularly in designated centers, to improve safety and access for all types of transportation, including walking, bicycling, transit, and driving. These studies will also consider parking and streetscape improvements such as street trees, lighting, and seating. We will undertake these studies in coordination with local communities, and with the intent to provide the details necessary to seek funding for implementation. Our Arlington Main Street Redesign Initiative and Village of Rhinebeck Route 9 Complete Streets Study are examples of such studies.
- Barriers addressed: Safe access, reliable access, access to basic needs, equity
- Cost estimate: $200,000 per year (assumes one study per year)
This package provides funding to communities that have updated their zoning to allow higher density housing in core areas, such as downtowns and train stations. The funding can be used for local street improvements, sidewalks, bike lanes, and other infrastructure in those core areas, as well as for planning work to identify needs in those areas. This is a new program concept; details will be determined by our staff and members.
- Barriers addressed: Access to basic needs, equity
- Cost estimate: $500,000 per year
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MEASURING OUR PROGRESS
We have established a series of performance measures that we will track on a regular basis to gauge our progress in improving safety, reliability, access to basic needs, and equity. They were selected based on our analyses in this plan and available data that can be consistently analyzed over time.
Transformative Projects
We selected these transformative projects based on their ability to address identified needs and barriers. All but two have been planned or are actively being planned. Those that are most ready for implementation are shown as short term, while those that require additional design work are shown as medium term. The most complex projects are shown as long term.
This project redesigns Market Street, located in the heart of the City of Poughkeepsie, from a one-way to a two-way street to improve local circulation, safety, walkability, and bicycle access. Market Street serves as the primary civic street in the county, home to County offices, City Hall, and key attractions such as the Bardavon Theater and Civic Center. Based on our Barriers to Safe Access analysis, a portion of Market Street is a high-crash segment and the intersection of Main Street and Market Street is a high-crash intersection. The redesign will improve circulation in the downtown and reduce congestion, including on the adjacent priority High Congestion Segment on the northern (westbound) arterial. Market Street lies in an area of severe housing cost burden and is within two transportation equity focus areas.
The redesign includes new traffic signals and lane markings, curb extensions, bicycle lanes, improved crossings, and streetscape improvements. This project builds on years of planning as part of Poughkeepsie’s City Center Connectivity Project.
- Location: City of Poughkeepsie
- Barriers addressed: Safe access, reliable access, access to basic needs, equity
- Cost estimate: $3-5 million
- Funding source: Federal Highway (STBG, HSIP)
- Sponsor: City of Poughkeepsie
- Timeframe: Short term (2022-2025)
This project redesigns Main Street (County Road 114) as a more Complete Street, as outlined in the 2021 Arlington Main Street Redesign Initiative. The design includes wider sidewalks and landscaped buffers, narrower travel lanes, marked parking spaces, and intersection improvements at Grand Avenue. Streetscape improvements such as lighting, benches, and street trees are also included.
Based on our Barriers to Safe Access analysis, Main Street in Arlington is the highest-crash County corridor in the county for vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists. The Grand Avenue intersection is the third highest-crash County intersection for vehicles and highest-crash County intersection for pedestrians in the county, and the Taft Avenue intersection is the highest-crash State intersection in the county. Main Street lies in an area of severe housing cost burden and is adjacent to a transportation equity focus area.
The redesign will improve safety for people driving and walking on the street, improve the aesthetics of the street, and enhance local economic development.
- Location: Town of Poughkeepsie
- Barriers addressed: Safe access, access to basic needs, equity
- Cost estimate: $6-10 million
- Funding source: Federal Highway (STBG, HSIP)
- Sponsor: Dutchess County
- Timeframe: Short term (2022-2025)
This project includes on-demand transit service in the Harlem Valley and Northern Dutchess, two under-served areas in the county. This builds on planning work done as part of our Connect Mid-Hudson regional transit plan and County Public Transit’s 2021 Transit Study.
The Harlem Valley currently has no bus service except for infrequent service in Pawling, southern Dover, and southern Amenia. In northern Dutchess, Red Hook and Rhinebeck have somewhat frequent service along Route 9 and a portion of Route 9G between the villages of Red Hook and Tivoli. The Village of Rhinebeck also faces a severe housing cost burden.
While neither of these areas are top equity focus areas, our equity analysis found relatively high proportions of certain focus populations: Hispanics in the Harlem Valley, older adults in Rhinebeck and Pawling, youth in Red Hook, disabled residents in Dover, foreign-born residents in North East and Dover, and low-income residents in Amenia and Dover. In addition, access to jobs in the Harlem Valley is a challenge.
- Location: Dutchess County
- Barriers addressed: Reliable access, access to basic needs, equity
- Cost estimate: $1 million per year
- Funding source: Federal Transit (Section 5307)
- Sponsor: Dutchess County Public Transit
- Timeframe: Short term (2022-2025)
This project redesigns the two Route 44/55 arterials in the City and Town of Poughkeepsie from three-lane, one-way streets to two-lane streets with curb extensions, street trees, and bicycle and/or transit improvements. The two corridors are the two highest-crash State corridors in the county for vehicles, pedestrians, and bicyclists, based on our Barriers to Safe Access analysis. A segment of the corridors is also a State-designated Priority Improvement Location for safety, and the City and Town are one of 20 focus communities in the State’s Pedestrian Safety Action Plan, based on the prevalence of pedestrian crashes. A portion of the northern (westbound) arterial is also a priority High Congestion Segment. Residents in this area face a severe housing cost burden, and these corridors travel through two of our transportation equity focus areas.
This project builds on the planning work done in our Poughkeepsie 9.44.55 study. The redesign will slow speeds, reduce crashes, improve safety for walking and bicycling, and enhance livability along the corridors, while also promoting more reliable traffic operations.
- Location: City & Town of Poughkeepsie
- Barriers addressed: Safe access, reliable access, access to basic needs, equity
- Cost: $8-12 million
- Funding source: Federal Highway (NHPP, STBG, HSIP)
- Sponsor: NYSDOT
- Timeframe: Medium term (2025-2035)
This project redesigns Route 82 in Hopewell Junction to improve safety, traffic operations, and support the revitalization of the corridor, which serves as the main street through the hamlet.
Based on our Barriers to Safe Access analysis, Route 82 between Route 376 east and west is the fifth highest-crash State segment in the county, and Route 82 east of Beekman Road is a high-crash segment for pedestrians. The sidewalk system is incomplete, especially on the eastern end near the Dutchess Rail Trail/Empire State Trail.
The redesign includes roundabouts, new sidewalks and crosswalks, consolidated driveways, and streetscape improvements. It builds on NYSDOT’s Route 82 bridge replacement project, which will create a safe crossing for the Empire State Trail at Route 82, and our Hopewell Hamlet Pedestrian Plan.
- Location: Town of East Fishkill
- Barriers addressed: Safe access, reliable access
- Cost estimate: $10-15 million
- Funding source: Federal Highway (STBG, HSIP)
- Sponsor: NYSDOT
- Timeframe: Medium term (2025-2035)
This project constructs a 13-mile rail trail along the former Beacon railroad line from the City of Beacon’s waterfront to Hopewell Junction in the Town of East Fishkill, where it will connect to the Dutchess Rail Trail and the statewide Empire State Trail.
This rail trail will provide a safe walking and bicycling alternative to Route 52, which is a high-crash corridor for pedestrians and bicyclists and has limited sidewalks. It will also fill an important gap in our rail trail network by connecting Beacon and Fishkill to the regional and statewide network. Part of the City of Beacon served by the trail faces a severe housing cost burden and another is a transportation equity focus area. The project will be refined based on our feasibility study, which began in 2023.
- Location: City of Beacon; Village of Fishkill; Towns of Fishkill & East Fishkill
- Barriers addressed: Safe access, reliable access, access to basic needs, equity
- Cost estimate: $20-30 million
- Funding source: Federal grant (e.g. TAP/CMAQ)
- Sponsor: Dutchess County
- Timeframe: Medium term (2025-2035)
This project redesigns the Route 9/44/55 interchange in the City of Poughkeepsie to improve traffic safety and operations. While the interchange was not included in our crash analysis due to its complexity, it is a high-crash and high-conflict area. In addition, the portion of northbound Route 9 adjacent to the interchange is a high-crash segment. The approach to the interchange is a priority High Congestion Segment and a portion of the interchange is also a High Congestion Segment. Many residents in this area face a severe housing cost burden, and the interchange straddles two of our transportation equity focus areas.
The proposed design includes two roundabouts, removes several left-side ramps, and eliminates weaving conflicts. This project builds on the planning work done in our Poughkeepsie 9.44.55 study.
- Location: City of Poughkeepsie
- Barriers addressed: Safe access, reliable access, access to basic needs, equity
- Cost estimate: $25-50 million
- Funding source: Federal Highway (NHPP, STBG, HSIP)
- Sponsor: NYSDOT
- Timeframe: Long term (2035-2045)
This project addresses congestion and safety issues at the Interstate 84/Route 9D interchange by replacing the bridge over I-84, adding turn lanes on Route 9D, redesigning the on- and off-ramps, updating traffic signals, and improving pedestrian and bicycle access in the area. This interchange is one of the four most congested areas in the county as described in our traffic congestion analysis, and includes several priority High Congestion Segments. In addition, Route 9D is a high-crash corridor and I-84 eastbound is a high-crash segment, based on our Barriers to Safe Access analysis. The interchange lies just north of a severely cost-burdened area and is within a transportation equity focus area.
This project builds on our Congestion Management Process and City of Beacon – Beekman Street Complete Streets Analysis.
- Location: Town of Fishkill
- Barriers addressed: Safe access, reliable access, access to basic needs, equity
- Cost estimate: $20-50 million
- Funding source: Federal Highway (NHPP, STBG)
- Sponsor: NYSDOT
- Timeframe: Long term (2035-2045)