Route 17 Expansion Feasibility Study
Likely Completed in Fall 2026: DOT
POUGHKEEPSIE, NY—The New York State Department of Transportation has reported that the “NYS Route 17 Mobility and Access Improvements Project study” also known as the Route 17 expansion study has been delayed, and the release of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement has been pushed back approximately 10 months.
NYDOT Region 8 officials confirmed to CONSTRUCTION NEWS that the preparation of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement warrants more time. Gov. Kathy Hochul has committed $1 billion for the Route 17 project.
“The proposed project to enhance safety, reduce crashes and convert a critical 30-mile stretch of State Route 17 to Interstate 86 in Orange and Sullivan Counties is vital to the connectivity and growth of the Hudson Valley,” NYSDOT Region 8 Acting Director Jim Rusak stated. “Over the past several months, the State Department of Transportation has been evaluating the project alternatives while engaging with stakeholders and the public. As a result, it’s become clear that more time is needed to re-assess the project alternatives in consideration of feedback received and ensure compliance with the new federal requirements and guidelines.”
Mr. Rusak confirmed that the release of the study is delayed. “The State Department of Transportation remains fully committed to progressing this important safety project. We very much appreciate the public’s engagement and comments to date and look forward to further engagement in the coming weeks and months as we work toward releasing the Draft Environmental Impact Statement next year, leading toward a Record of Decision in the second half of 2026.”
Previously, the Draft Environmental Impact Statement was to be available and released in August 2025 and a public hearing on the DEIS scheduled for September 2025 to be followed by a 45-day DEIS Comment Period (beginning with the Notice of Availability of the DEIS) that would have concluded in October 2025.
The Final Environmental Impact Statement and the Record of Decision were to be released in February 2026 with the issuance of all project permits and authorization decisions if a Build Alternative was selected by May 2026.
The amended project timeline, according to the project’s website—https://www.route17.dot.ny.gov/#/mobility-access—now has the release of the DEIS and a public hearing on the DEIS in the summer of 2026, followed by a 45-day comment period that begins on the date of the release of the DEIS. NYSDOT now estimates the completion of the FEIS and the release of the study’s Record of Decision in the fall of 2026.
Daniel Ortega, a founding member of the 17-Forward-86 who serves as community affairs advisor for Engineers Labor-Employer Cooperative Local 825, released the following statement in reaction to the Route 17 expansion project delay: “We understand that the release of the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) and Record of Decision for the Route 17 mobility project will take additional time. While this may extend the timeline by several months, we remain confident in the State of New York’s commitment to advancing this critical project. Infrastructure improvements of this scale are complex and require careful planning and thorough review to ensure the best possible outcome for our communities and the entire region.”
He continued, “We will continue working closely with Gov. Hochul, the New York State Department of Transportation, and our local, state and federal representatives to move this project forward. The need to enhance capacity and safety on Route 17 remains clear, and we are committed to seeing this project through for the benefit of residents, businesses, and visitors alike.”
By John Jordan
Published: October 8, 2025.