Woodbury Common exit in Orange County: This big change is now finished

Chad Arnold | New York State Team

Show Caption Hide Caption Watch: Learn the details of the new Woodbury exit exchange Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Thursday, Nov. 14, 2019, announced the completion of a new Exit 131 off the state Thruway in Woodbury, Orange County near Route 17.

ALBANY - Fans of the Woodbury Common Premium Outlets are getting an early gift this holiday season.

The $150 million Woodbury Transit Hub aimed at alleviating traffic near Exit 131 off the state Thruway where Routes 17 and 32 converge in Orange County is now open to traffic.

The upgrades are expected to reduce traffic by 50%, according to the state, and will give shoppers direct access to the popular Woodbury Common shopping center from the Thruway.

The project was originally slated to be completed in 2025, but Gov. Andrew Cuomo fast-tracked the multi-faceted infrastructure improvements in 2017.

That allowed the project to be completed five years ahead of schedule, much to the relief of local residents who have been ensnared in the area's growing gridlock for years.

"Woodbury Common is one of the greatest international tourist destinations, and it has been a horrendous situation to get there," Cuomo said Thursday at an event announcing the project's completion.

Construction wrapped just weeks before a surge of shoppers are expected to flood the popular outlet center in the lead up to the December holidays and a year before a new Legoland amusement park opens in the county.

What to expect

At the heart of the project is a new diverging diamond exchange that will allow vehicles to turn directly onto Route 32 without having to wait in traffic.

Two new overpasses were also erected along Route 32 to let vehicles freely travel on Route 17, bringing the roadway up to interstate standards.

The project should also help reduce traffic on local roadways as well.

A new south entrance created along the Thruway will allow shoppers to access Woodbury Common directly without ever having to turn onto local roads.

And a new 200 space commuter parking lot was also created near the Thruway in the hopes of reducing the number of cars on the road and a new "bus only" roadway will help school buses circumvent Route 32, allowing for a faster commute.

The project will help spur economic activity in a part of the state that has long held potential, Cuomo said.

"This world-class transportation hub will provide much needed relief to Hudson Valley residents who have long endured traffic headaches caused by the interchange at Woodbury Common, and it will promote the continued growth of the region's economy," he said.

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Other developments

Tourism in Orange County is expected to grow in the coming years.

Legoland will open a new $350 million amusement park on Route 17 in Goshen next year that is already drawing buzz for being the largest Legoland in the world.

And plans to further expand Woodbury Common are also being discussed.

A proposal earlier this year would add an additional 165,000 square feet of retail space and another 37,000 square feet for restaurants, along with two hotels and 2,140 spots for parking.

A helipad has also been discussed for the shopping center that already draws 13 million visitors annually.

The project, if completed, is estimated to create 1,000 new jobs and generate $22.5 million in retail tax revenue annually.

Meanwhile, Resorts World Catskills received state legislative approval in June to add video-lottery terminals to the area after it shuttered its gambling parlor at Monticello Raceway in April.

Local officials praised the new traffic improvements, saying it will help expand the region's economy.

"The completion of the Woodbury Transit Hub allows us to continue to market this economically vital corridor for growth as we prepare for the much-anticipated opening of Legoland next year," said Orange County Executive Steve Neuhaus.

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