ECCO III Completes Major Rebuilding Project Of Storm King Highway Ravaged by Flooding
HIGHLAND, NY—State Route 218 in the Town of Highlands in Orange County has reopened to traffic for the first time since devastating floods in July 2023 washed away a nearly 300-foot-wide swath of the roadway.
Thanks to an extensive reconstruction undertaken by the State DOT and contracting firm, ECCO III Enterprises Inc. of Yonkers, NY, the 102-year-old scenic roadway—also known as Storm King Highway—is once again serving travelers headed to and from the United States Military Academy at West Point and such other Hudson Valley destinations as Storm King State Park and the Town of Cornwall. The newly reconstructed road also features upgraded drainage and stormwater runoff, making it more resilient and better able to withstand the challenges of extreme weather.
“The catastrophic rains that struck the Hudson Valley and other parts of the State in July of 2023 were a stark reminder that climate change is already resulting in more extreme weather, and we need to be ready,” said Gov. Kathy Hochul on Sept. 13. She credited the “talented teams at the New York State Department of Transportation,” which worked with the region’s contracting community to “not only built back but to built back better.”
State Route 218 was one of many roads across New York that suffered significant damage from the severe weather that impacted the state in July of 2023. From July 9 to July 10 of that year, more than eight inches of rain were reported in parts of the Mid-Hudson Region, causing a portion of State Route 218 to collapse down the mountainside and necessitating the closure of a 5.5-mile stretch of the roadway.
The extreme damage required a full rebuild of the downhill slope with more than 35,000 tons of recycled, light, medium and heavy stone fill used in the reconstruction. Once the sub-base material was trucked in, new asphalt, guide rail and pavement markings were added. The area’s steep terrain presented constant challenges, necessitating careful coordination of all heavy equipment movements.
An oversized box culvert manufactured in New York State and an armored embankment capable of conveying runoff from a 500-year weather event were also installed to improve resiliency. The new hydraulic system allows water to flow freely under the roadway. NYSDOT also worked closely with the New York Office of Parks and Historic Preservation to install an aesthetic stone treatment on visible parts of the culvert that better matches the area’s existing characteristics, state officials said.
Additionally, extensive work was undertaken along State Route 218 near the project site, including drainage and culvert repairs and cleaning, ditch work, slope and shoulder repairs, and minor pavement patches.
New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, “The reopening of scenic State Route 218 in just over a year is a stark demonstration of the awesome talent and determination of the employees and contractors of the New York State Department of Transportation. Where torrential rains and flooding had carved away a large section of the road and surrounding mountainside, there is once again a highway open and ready to help keep Hudson Valley travelers connected and, on the go, regardless of the challenges thrown at us by Mother Nature.”
Orange County Executive Steven Neuhaus said, “I am thankful that Governor Hochul has opened Route 218. This will now allow full access to the damaged roads, which will improve access to residents and first responders.”
