New Round Of Paving Work Begins On Route 52

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PUTNAM COUNTY, NY — Much needed resurfacing work has started on another section of Route 52 in Kent, through $100 million in funding meant to renew state roads affected by extreme weather.

The funding, announced in February by Gov. Kathy Hochul, included $3.6 million to resurface Route 52 from Fowler Avenue to Route 311.

"New York is home to extreme weather year-round, and this $100 million in funding will be vital to helping ensure that our road conditions are safe for our hardest-hit communities," she said at the time.

The project was celebrated Monday by officials pleased to have the work begin, including Assemblyman Matt Slater, state Sen. Pete Harckham, Putnam County Executive Kevin Byrne and U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler.

Work on Route 52, which runs from Carmel to Fishkill, has been happening for about five years.

In 2019, a section was repaved from Route 6 to Vink Drive. At the time, then-County Executive MaryEllen Odell thanked then-Assemblyman Byrne and Putnam Legislator Carl Albano for their lobbying efforts with the DOT. "This is the main thoroughfare through the Hamlet of Carmel and we’re very happy that the state recognizes the need to fix it," Albano said. "We hope that they will later continue the work on Route 52 all the way to Route 311 in Kent."

In 2020 the state had another section of Route 52 paved, from Dykeman Road to Route 6. Then a project in 2021 paved a section in Dutchess County, from the Putnam County line to Old State Road.

In a news release, Slater said, "When I first introduced myself to the community of Kent it was clear that paving Route 52 needed to be a priority after years of neglect by New York State."

"I remember being here almost a year ago in the same exact location highlighting the urgent need to repair this state roadway," Byrne said. "In Putnam County, we are extremely reliant on state infrastructure and we need to make sure that our representatives speak up and Assemblyman Slater and Sen. Harckham certainly have and their voices have been heard."

This year's state funding supported repaving projects at 64 locations, totaling almost 520 lane miles of pavement. The current Department of Transportation five-year capital plan provides historic funding for road and bridge repair and modernization, officials said in February. In the Hudson Valley, the projects are:

• $5.2 million to resurface Route 35/202 from the Taconic State Parkway interchange to Route 118 in the Town of Yorktown, Westchester County.
• $3.6 million to resurface Route 52 from Route 311 to Fowler Avenue in the Towns of Carmel and Kent, Putnam County.
• $3.6 million to resurface Route 28 from Hurley Mountain Road to Waughkonk Road in the Towns of Ulster and Kingston, Ulster County.
• $1.2 million to resurface Route 97 from 0.5 miles north of Kirks Road intersection to Cochecton town Line in the Town of Tusten, Sullivan County.