New Traffic Pattern for Main Street Detours

If your traveling in downtown New City today on your way to the new farmers market of maybe for some early back-to-school shopping at local stores, look out for the new traffic pattern created by the latest detour for the ongoing Main Street renovation project.

Work along Main Street over the last two months has shut down a lane of traffic northbound as construction crews rip up old sidewalks and portions of the roadway to make way for new drainage, utilities, sidewalks and parking spots. However, as the work that started at Third Street approaches Congers Road, the work zone detour has closed one lane of Main Street heading southbound.

The detour now diverts traffic at the intersection of Main Street and Congers Road in front of the Rockland County Courthouse. To travel from the area of Main Street and New Hempstead Road to South Main Street motorists must detour over one block to Maple Avenue and then turn back on two Main Street a few blocks down.

Elements such as new sidewalks can be seen in the area near St. Augustine's Church at Third Street, where decorative stands for new street lighting have also been installed.

The rehabilitation project is slated to continue until late November and is designed to make Main Street pedestrian friendly and nicer looking. As the detours have moved up Main Street, it's now easier to get to businesses in the area of St. Augustine's - like Wally's Ice Cream Parlor at 145 S. Main St.

As the work on Main Street progresses, so has work on the reconstruction of Landau Memorial Park at Congers Road and Main Street. The park - named in honor of a New City volunteer firefighters - is planned as a centerpiece for the downtown, with a gazebo and fountain.

In addition to new landscaping, lighting and sidewalks, the Main Street project is creating additional on-street parking. The next phase of the project is designed to tackle Main Street south of Third Street.

If you are heading out to visit the farmers market today in New City, it's open from 9:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. on New Hempstead Road just accross the street from the Allison-Parris County Office Building near Main Street.