Officials want your input on four proposed designs that could completely change parts of a congested area of Route 9 in Dutchess County.

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On Tuesday, the Dutchess County Transportation Council, in consultation with state, county and local agencies, unveiled four planning concepts for the Route 9/44/55 interchange in Poughkeepsie.

The proposed designs, which are said to be the product of extensive work done by the consultant-supported project team, show a range of possibilities for reimaging this critical interchange and tackling transportation safety and reliability issues in the area.

“We’re eager to show the public some of the concepts being considered to make the 9/44/55 interchange work better for the county and local community. I often drive through this location and can say first-hand that it’s a challenge to negotiate the weaves on and off Route 9 – and that’s coming from a resident, so how much more challenging is for visitors to our area? It will be a challenge to secure the federal and state funds necessary to ultimately construct any one of these concepts, but we need to start somewhere, and the first step is to create an informed, bold vision of what might work. I encourage the public to give these ideas a look," Dutchess County Executive Molinaro said.

The concepts should be viewed as long-range ideas and not actual engineering level designs, officials say. The four concepts include a roundabout on Route 9, a realignment of Route 9 and a half clover. Videos of the four concepts are below.

“We look forward to the Transportation Council sharing with the public these visions for the 9/44/55 interchange. This is arguably the most important gateway into the City of Poughkeepsie, and we are eager to make it a welcoming and safe experience for all. The Transportation Council should be applauded for looking at ways to improve safety and traffic flow in this area," City of Poughkeepsie Mayor Rob Rolison said.

A virtual presentation introduced the four concepts, reviewing their strengths and weaknesses in addressing safety, traffic operations, and community character. You can view the virtual presentation here. Throughout the presentation, participants will be asked to answer some simple survey questions to share their thoughts about the designs.

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