Poughkeepsie ...The Dutchess County Transportation Council (DCTC) has announced the completion of Poughkeepsie 9.44.55, its detailed study of how to redesign the Route 9 interchange and Route 44/55 arterials in Poughkeepsie to make them safer, more reliable, and better integrated with nearby neighborhoods. A cooperative effort of the DCTC, New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), Dutchess County, and the City and Town of Poughkeepsie, Poughkeepsie 9.44.55 was funded by the Federal Highway and Transit Administration through the DCTC’s planning program.
The 9.44.55 study, one of the DCTC’s most ambitious planning efforts, was split into two phases: the first looking at redesign options for the Route 9 interchange near the Mid-Hudson Bridge, the second looking at redesign options for the Route 44/55 Arterials in the City and Town of Poughkeepsie. For the interchange, the study recommends replacing the existing “bow-tie” configuration with roundabouts, increasing the length of on- and off-ramps, and removing some of the awkward left-side merging movements. For the Arterials, the study recommends a pilot project to test a redesign that reduces each Arterial from three to two lanes of one-way traffic. At this point, no funding or schedule for actual construction has been identified by NYSDOT, who would be the project sponsor.
The study team developed the recommendations based on a detailed traffic simulation analysis and comprehensive public outreach process, knowing that people experience these facilities in different ways. The traffic simulation also provided insight into where bottlenecks might occur under several scenarios, including two-way traffic on the Arterials and various levels of traffic.
The DCTC considers the conclusion of Poughkeepsie 9.44.55 as the beginning of an ongoing conversation with the city, town, county, and state, and more importantly, with the many residents and visitors who use the Interchange and Arterials every day. The results of the study will inform ongoing coordination efforts and be used to leverage future funding opportunities.
The study documents, including an Executive Summary, are available on the project website at https://www.poughkeepsie94455.com/library. For more information, please visit the DCTC website at www.dutchessny.gov/dctc or contact us by email at dctc@dutchessny.gov or phone at (845) 486-3600.
