6/6/2024

Bridge work is progressing on the bridge located at the Peekskill Hollow Rd and Oscawana Lake Rd intersection.  Oscawana Lake Rd will be closed on Friday June 6th  to allow for bridge construction. The closure will start early in the morning and will re-open in the afternoon.  A detour will be in place so please be cognizant of the signage and traffic control personnel within the area. VMS boards have been placed in the area to alert drivers.

3/28/2024

Bridge work is progressing on the bridge located at the Peekskill Hollow Rd and Oscawana Lake Rd intersection.  Oscawana Lake Rd will be closed on Monday April 1st  to allow for bridge demolition. The closure will start early in the morning and will re-open in the afternoon.  A detour will be in place so please be cognizant of the signage and traffic control personnel within the area. VMS boards have been placed in the area to alert drivers.

12/12/23

Please be advised that Phase 1 of the Oscawana Lake Rd. Bridge reconstruction located within the Oregon Corners intersection will be completed on December 15th. This means that traffic will now be shifting to the newly constructed section of the bridge and the section which consisted of the steel plated surface will be closed off to begin the second phase of the bridge’s reconstruction. The overall Peekskill Hollow Rd. project is still ongoing, so please be cognizant and mindful of work personnel and traffic control measures still in place within the project limits. 

8/25/23

The contractor is ongoing with corrective work on the two bridges, culvert, and drainage in the project area. Currently the entire project site is also being re-surveyed.

The problematic “dip” at the Lovers Lane culvert was corrected by the contractor and the area will be further improved when the entire project area is re-paved.

The large soil stockpile near the Oscawana Lake Rd Bridge was removed and leveled.

Concrete repairs on the Peekskill Hollow Rd Bridge abutments near Putnam Valley High School were completed.

Previously installed Drainage components are being corrected and moved based on the recent survey work.

6/23/23

Carmel, NY – Earlier today, County Executive Kevin Byrne announced that a new contractor has been selected to resume major construction required for the completion of the Peekskill Hollow Road bridges project. County Executive Byrne, alongside Putnam Valley Town Supervisor Jackie Annabi and Legislator Bill Gouldman, celebrated the milestone and assured residents that progress is happening with the long-delayed construction.

Following extensive efforts by the County Executive's office and other departments, a new contractor has been selected and was recently provided an “intent to award” letter. This followed the termination of the original contract due to the failure of the previous contractor to meet obligations. The County posted a Request for Bids (RFB) and received proposals from multiple interested parties. After a thorough vetting process that included in-person meetings, the County is pleased to announce that ELQ Industries, Inc. has been selected as the intended contractor for the project.

Putnam County's Purchasing Department recently delivered an “intent to award” letter to ELQ Industries and is currently working with the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) to finalize the contract and ensure that work can commence as soon as possible.

“I’m excited that we’ve managed to now secure a new, reliable partner to complete this years-long delayed project,” said County Executive Byrne. “This project had clearly gone off the rails well before I took office, and we’re excited that forward progress is now being made. Our administration looks forward to working with ELQ to ensure the successful completion of this important project that is crucial for Putnam County and the people of Putnam Valley."

“This project has been a priority for both Putnam County and Putnam Valley,” said Town Supervisor Jackie Annabi. “We appreciate the open dialogue and continued coordination to address the concerns of our residents and commuters. With the selection of a new contractor, we are closer to ensuring the safety and functionality of Peekskill Hollow Road for our community.”

“I am pleased to see progress in securing a new contractor for the Peekskill Hollow Road bridges. This has been a matter of great importance, one that the County Executive and I have been discussing for months, even prior to him taking office,” said Legislator Bill Gouldman. “I’m committed to ensuring the project is completed, and I thank all those involved in getting us this far, especially County Executive Kevin Byrne.”

ELQ Industries has a record of completing complex multi-million dollar capital projects in the Hudson Valley and was also recently awarded a prominent NYSDOT project to improve a portion of Rte. 52 in the towns of Carmel and Kent.

Legislator Bill Gouldman, who has been actively engaged in overseeing the project, adds, "ELQ Industries' solid reputation and history of completing major projects make them an excellent choice for this critical infrastructure undertaking. We are pleased to have them on board and look forward to working closely with them to ensure the successful completion of the Peekskill Hollow Road bridges."

Putnam County Executive Kevin Byrne extended his appreciation to Legislator Gouldman for his dedicated efforts and emphasized the County's commitment to providing additional updates to residents and officials on the project.

County Executive Byrne added “On Legislator Gouldman’s recommendation, this Administration has also already confirmed ELQ’s willingness to schedule an in-person public meeting over the summer to update local officials and concerned residents- similar to what was done with NYSDOT, state and local representatives prior to the commencement of the Pudding Street Overpass project a few years ago.”

County Executive Byrne publicly addressed the Peekskill Hollow Road project delays in his State of the County Address on March 9, 2023. He has stated that seeing the Peekskill Hollow Road and Bridge Reconstruction Project completed is a high priority for this administration. The previous administration entered into an agreement with a contractor in May of 2021 and problems with the now-terminated contractor quickly arose before work even began. Since January 1st, 2023, the County has held numerous meetings discussing the most effective ways to have construction work continue.

5/31/23 

Carmel, NY – The Putnam County Legislature voted to authorize the County the option to bond up to $4 million to cover additional costs incurred as a result of the failure of the original contractor to progress restarting the Peekskill Hollow Road construction project. Putnam County has sent formal notice to the original contractor working on the project that the contract has been terminated for failure of the contractor to meet its obligations. At the direction of County Executive Kevin Byrne, the remainder of the project has been published by the County as a new bid to ensure a new responsible contractor will recommence work and complete the project as soon as possible. 

“This administration is doing everything it can to make sure this project moves forward as responsibly and as quickly as possible, while ensuring the safety of residents traveling along Peekskill Hollow Road,” said County Executive Byrne. “We recognize residents are frustrated, and I share that frustration. We’ve been tracking issues with this project and working toward a resolution since before I even took office. This project has been going on for far too long, and we need to move forward.” 

“County Executive Byrne and I have been discussing this project well before he took office,” said Legislator Bill Gouldman. “It’s clear that the previous contractor failed to do the work, and we are now moving as quickly as possible to remedy the situation.” 

Bids for a new contract are currently being accepted and will continue to be accepted through June 7th. This compressed timeline for the bid period contrasts with the advertisement of other projects which could normally take 6 to 8 weeks but is permitted by the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) and speaks to the importance of this project’s timely success. In order to facilitate a larger pool of bids in a shorter amount of time, advertisements have been placed in more publications than legally required, including online publications (Bidnet and the New York State Contract Reporter). 

This construction project is primarily funded through NYSDOT, and as such, the County has kept NYSDOT apprised of all updates on the termination and bidding process. The State will continue to work with Putnam County and the new contractor once one is chosen. 

The County Attorney’s Office, in conjunction with outside counsel, is also actively exploring all potential legal options to recover any possible increased costs over the initially budgeted amount. 

County Executive Byrne publicly addressed the Peekskill Hollow Road project delays in his State of the County Address on March 9, 2023. He has stated that seeing the Peekskill Hollow Road and Bridge Reconstruction Project completed is a high priority for this administration. The previous administration entered into an agreement with a contractor in May of 2021 and problems with the now-terminated contractor quickly arose before work even began. 

In 2021, under the previous administration, rather than terminating the contract, the County, in good faith, chose to move forward with the previous contractor. However, now after 9 months past the initial project completion date of August 4, 2022, the project is less than 25% completed. In addition, during one of the mildest winters in a decade, the original contractor completely walked off the job and has not recommenced work since mid-December 2022. 

Since January 1st, 2023, the County has held numerous meetings exploring the possibility of salvaging the project. The County Executive personally met with senior representatives of the since-terminated contractor and their counsel on January 31st and they discussed potential paths forward and ways to recommence work. Unfortunately, their proposal was entirely unworkable as it would have fundamentally changed the scope of work and would have risked the county’s ability to receive State and Federal monies that were committed to fund up to 90% of the project. It was at this time that the County under the Byrne Administration made the move to retain a new outside counsel that specializes in construction law and actively explore all legal remedies to have work safely recommence. 

Update: 11/16/22

Peekskill Hollow Rd. and Lovers Ln Culvert Replacement Status:

As of today (11/16), the Contractor has indicated that Peekskill Hollow Rd. should be reopened later this week (Friday 11/18). This past weekend, they encountered some difficulties with the high stream flows and their water diversion system, which essentially flooded the entire excavation area and set them back a few days. These issues are being resolved and work is continuing to move forward. All travelers who normally use this route should follow the appropriately signed detour. Thank you for your patience.

 Update: 11/1/22

The Contractor is continuing work on the east side of the Oscawana Lake Rd. bridge within the Oregon Corners intersection. On Tuesday (11/8) the bridge will be completely closed to traffic in order to safely install sections of the new bridge. All travelers who normally use the bridge carrying Oscawana Lake Rd. and Old Oregon Rd. should follow the appropriately signed detour route used for the previous closures.

Please also be advised that beginning on Thursday (11/10), Peekskill Hollow Rd. will be closed to through traffic at the Lovers Ln. intersection for the culvert demolition and replacement. This work is scheduled to take 4-5 days with the road scheduled to be reopened on Monday morning (11/14). We will provide a more detailed reopening timeframe once more information becomes available. All travelers who normally use this route should follow the appropriately signed detour. Thank you for your patience in this matter.

Update: 10/26/22

Temporary Bridge Closure at the Peekskill Hollow Rd. and Peekskill Hollow Turnpike Intersection:

The Contractor is continuing its work on the Alt 1 (Doad Tompkins) bridge located 0.4 miles southwest of Putnam Valley High School. On Monday (10/31) the bridge will be completely closed to thru traffic from 8:30am-2:30pm in order to safely install sections of the new bridge. All local residents who normally use this bridge carrying Peekskill Hollow Rd. should follow the appropriately signed detour route. Thank you for your continued patience on this matter.

Update: 10/4/22

The Contractor has resumed their work as of Monday, 9/26.  Progress is proceeding in accordance with the revised schedule provided. The Putnam County project team will continue to monitor progress and assist with any issues which may arise.

Update: 9/26/22

The Peekskill Hollow Rd. reconstruction project is scheduled to resume this week. This Department has come to an agreement with the Contractor and has implemented additional support measures to expedite the remaining work, especially the bridge safety concerns as we approach the winter months. Maintaining the safety of the travelling public is and always will be of the utmost importance in developing this important infrastructure improvement project.

Update: 6/7/22

In order to mitigate the ongoing pothole issues on the Oscawana Lake Rd. bridge, the Contractor will be installing steel plates on Wednesday (6/8). This work will require a full bridge closure from 8AM until 2:30PM and during this time, the bridge will be completely closed to traffic. All local residents who normally use the bridge carrying Oscawana Lake Rd and Old Oregon Rd. should follow the appropriately signed detour route used for the previous closure. Thank you for your patience on this matter.

Update: 5/6/22

Temporary Bridge Closure at the Peekskill Hollow Rd. and Peekskill Hollow Turnpike Intersection :

The Contractor is continuing the demolition work on the Alt 1 (Doad Tompkins) bridge located 0.4 miles southwest of Putnam Valley High School. On Thursday (5/12) and potentially Friday (5/13), the bridge will be completely closed to thru traffic from 8:30am-2:30pm in order to safely remove sections of the old bridge. All local residents who normally use this bridge carrying Peekskill Hollow Rd. should follow the appropriately signed detour route. Thank you for your continued patience on this matter.

Update: 4/6/22

Oregon Corners Bridge at Peekskill Hollow Rd. and Oscawana Lake Rd. Intersection:

Utility work is expected to resume on Friday (4/8) at the Oscawana Lake Rd. and Peekskill Hollow Rd. intersection. The proposed work will include the placement of a temporary pole adjacent to the intersection. This pole is meant to accommodate traffic lights, electrical power, and cable wiring while the bridge and intersection rehabilitation work continues. The Contractor may be required to temporarily stop traffic if any safety issues arise, but these will be short and infrequent.

On Monday (4/11) and Tuesday (4/12) of next week, a lane closure will be implemented within the same intersection to safely move the traffic lights, electrical power, TV/internet and to install stabilizing guy wires. Travelers should abide by the work zone traffic control measures and the personnel responsible for enforcing them.

Alt 1 Bridge at the Peekskill Hollow Rd. and Peekskill Hollow Turnpike Intersection:

The demolition work on the Alt 1 bridge located 0.4 miles southwest of the high school is proceeding on schedule with the temporary traffic signals functioning as intended for the single lane bypass. These will be active for the duration of the bridge rehabilitation. The Contractor has notified us of future short-term full bridge closures, for which we will give advanced notice when presented with exact dates and timeframes. Locals shall follow the appropriately signed detour route during these events.

The Putnam County Highway Department thanks the residents of Putnam Valley for their continued patience and understanding while we progress this important infrastructure improvement project.

Update: 2/1/22

The Contractor is continuing the deck demolition work on the east side of the Oscawana Lake Rd. bridge. On Tuesday (2/8) and Wednesday (2/9), the bridge will be completely closed to traffic. All local residents who normally use the bridge carrying Oscawana Lake Rd and Old Oregon Rd. should follow the appropriately signed detour route used for the previous closure. Thank you for your patience on this matter.

The Contractor has also installed temporary traffic signals on either side of the bridge located between Marsh Hill Rd. and Peekskill Hollow Turnpike. These traffic signals will be in used when bridge work commences at this location. Until then the lights will remain covered and there will be no changes to the traffic pattern there. The bridge is located approximately 0.4 miles southwest of the Putnam Valley High School/Middle School entrance and 0.6 miles northeast of the Oscawana Lake Rd. bridge.