Motorists advised to drive carefully

Snake Hill Road, a winding Putnam County lane that serves as a major thoroughfare between state highways Route 9 and Route 9D, officially re-opened at 1 p.m. Friday (Sept. 20). However, as the county warned in a news release announcing the opening, because “some construction will continue, the traveling public is advised to be alert as there may be alternate lane closures due to additional Federal Emergency Management Agency repair work along a stream bank wall adjacent to the Walter Hoving Home property. Construction signs will continue to be posted along that portion of Snake Hill Road until Oct. 31, 2013.”

The road closed on June 26, creating a nearly three-month inconvenience for Garrison residents and others who rely on it. As reported previously, although the road continued to be shut off after school started, school buses were allowed through with escorts and District 1 Legislator Barbara Scuccimarra said Sept. 12 that Putnam County intended to open the road for regular traffic Sept. 20. [See Town Board Moves Toward Moratorium on Wind Turbines, Sept. 17]

The county met its opening-day goal. In anticipation, Scuccimarra, Putnam County Executive MaryEllen Odell, Fred Pena, county highway commissioner, and others scheduled a ribbon-cutting for Thursday afternoon (Sept. 19).

Hurricane Irene, Superstorm Sandy (also sometimes considered a hurricane) and other violent weather hit Snake Hill Road hard and the work to fix it involved two FEMA-funded projects. Putnam County sustained “unbelievable damage” from the storms and the Snake Hill job “was among the biggest” of the repair efforts, Odell said. “Snake Hill has been wholly repaired.”

 

 

Behind The Story

Type: News

News: Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.

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