PALISADES, NY - State Senator Bill Weber is urging the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) to pause plans for a proposed roundabout at the intersection of Route 9W and Oak Tree Road in Palisades, following a unanimous resolution passed last night by the Orangetown Town Board opposing the project.

In a June 10 letter to NYSDOT Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez, Senator Weber voiced strong support for residents and local officials who have raised concerns about the proposed traffic circle, emphasizing that his request is not opposition to roundabouts in general, but rather a call to reconsider whether this particular location is appropriate.

"We are asking for a pause," Senator Weber said. "We want to make sure all options are fully considered before moving forward with a project that many residents believe is not the right fit for their intersection."

The proposal has its roots in discussions dating back to 2020. Originally, community conversations centered on safety improvements, including a left-turn signal at the intersection. 

As NYSDOT moved closer to construction and began notifying nearby property owners of temporary land acquisitions needed during construction, many residents said they became aware only then of the project's true scope and voiced concerns about its potential impacts on residents.

According to the Senator, community opposition has intensified as more residents have learned details of the project.

Among the primary concerns are the intersection's unique traffic patterns. Residents point to the large number of cyclists who use the Route 9W corridor, particularly on weekends when cycling groups often number in the hundreds. In his letter, Senator Weber specifically highlighted the roadway's popularity among cyclists traveling from New York City to regional biking destinations and urged DOT officials to further analyze how a roundabout could affect cyclist safety.

Residents have also cited an increase in truck traffic along Route 9W, with some believing commercial vehicles are increasingly using the corridor to avoid congestion and toll costs elsewhere. The Senator noted that these changing traffic conditions, along with anticipated future residential development in the area, warrant additional study before construction proceeds.

Last week, NYSDOT held what many residents expected would be a public town hall on the project at Orangetown Town Hall. Instead, attendees described the June 3 event as more of an open house, where agency representatives displayed project plans and answered individual questions but did not conduct a formal public discussion or address concerns in a group setting.

John Mulgrew, Senator Weber’s chief of staff, attended the public discussion after he and the senator personally walked the site with residents and said he continued to hear strong and growing opposition to the proposal.

In his letter, the Senator urged NYSDOT to suspend further engineering and project advancement while additional traffic analysis is conducted and community concerns are addressed. He also called for a true public town hall after any additional studies are completed, so residents can review the findings and provide input before final decisions are made.

The senator's position aligns with the Orangetown Town Board's unanimous resolution opposing the project. Both the Town Board and Senator Weber are advocating for consideration of alternative traffic-calming measures, enhanced signalization, and other intersection safety improvements before moving forward with what they view as an irreversible change to the character and traffic patterns of the Palisades hamlet.

"We don't want this rushed through simply because funding is available," the Senator said. "If there is a problem that needs to be addressed, let's make sure we are solving the right problem with the right solution."

For now, the Senator remains committed to working with residents, local officials, and transportation authorities to identify a safety solution that reflects community concerns while protecting motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians alike."Our request is simple," Senator Weber said. "Pause the project, conduct additional review and analysis, and allow residents to be fully heard before moving forward."