Construction to Continue on Saw Mill Parkway Flood Project

Now I know what you're thinking, it's holiday time, there sure is a lot more traffic, and now there's going to be more road construction on the Saw Mill River Parkway.

If that's what you're thinking, then you would be 100 percent correct. If your commute takes you on the Saw Mill, then you know that there has been a ton of construction going on over the last year. Heck, the highway is tough enough to drive on, and with a lane or two closed, it makes it even that much more of a challenge.

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Starting the week of December 13, what they call daytime pile driving will start on the northbound Saw Mill with crews working to make the road more resistant to flooding.

According to the New York State Department of Transportation, the work project includes elevating the new bridges on the parkway to meet 100-year flood projections. A 1.3-mile stretch of roadway will be stabilized to divert water from the road and mitigate settling. During construction, lane closures will be required on the Parkway.

You're probably familiar with flooding on the road whenever there's a heavy rainfall which can make the road impassable for days. It just recently happened during tropical storm Ida back in September.

The project will include drainage improvements and installing an embankment that would limit the roads post construction settlement to just 2 inches over the next 50 years.

The New York DOT is also reporting that the construction is being done in stages to try and keep the traffic flowing as much as possible for both commuters and local traffic as well, and that commuters should be aware that there will always be one lane open in each direction during the construction.

Better get used to the traffic slowdowns on the road because the work, which will take place between the hours of 7 AM and 5 PM, and weather permitting, should be done by June of 2022. They also remind motorists to slow down and drive responsibly in work zones. Fines are doubled for speeding, and convictions of two or more speeding violations in a work zone could result in the suspension of an individual's drivers license.