Assemblyman Patrick Carroll and State Senator Bill Weber announced that all remaining Champlain Hudson Power Express (CHPE) construction in northern Rockland will now be shifted to nighttime hours—a long-awaited change following months of mounting traffic congestion and significant disruptions to local businesses along Route 9W in Haverstraw and Congers.
Carroll noted that he has been monitoring the CHPE project closely as it runs directly through his district, causing congestion and financial strain for small businesses. After a major traffic spike on Wednesday, he again pressed CHPE for immediate action. Company representatives have now confirmed that roadway work along 9W will move to overnight hours, a change Carroll had been urging since the fall. He also renewed his call for the creation of a fund to help offset losses suffered by impacted businesses, emphasizing that “they didn’t ask for this nuisance and they deserve better.”
Senator Weber echoed those concerns, saying the disruption caused by the CHPE project has placed a substantial burden on businesses and residents throughout northern Rockland. Since September, Weber’s office, local leaders, and business owners have been pushing CHPE to reduce its daytime impact and compensate those harmed by the ongoing construction.
Weber detailed months of advocacy: gathering affected business owners to document their hardships, sending a formal letter to CHPE, and escalating the issue in October during a meeting with Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt. That meeting resulted in a joint letter to Governor Kathy Hochul requesting assistance in securing relief funding. He stressed that shifting construction to nighttime hours “whenever possible” has been one of the most consistent demands from community members and local officials.
On Wednesday, after Supervisor Howard Phillips alerted state officials to severe traffic backups, Weber immediately contacted the New York State Department of Transportation, Orange & Rockland, and CHPE. Following multiple conference calls with Supervisor Phillips, Weber’s office, CHPE’s Jen White, Orange & Rockland, and NYS DOT, CHPE confirmed that all remaining work will transition to nighttime hours.
Both Carroll and Weber said they will continue working with partners at all levels of government to ensure the project is monitored closely and that local businesses receive the support they need. They emphasized that the disruptions along 9W were imposed on these business owners through no fault of their own, and restoring normalcy remains a top priority.
Unfortunately the switch to overnight maybe to little to late Most of the work looks like it’s done