LOCAL OFFICIALS CELEBRATE CONSTRUCTION OF PUDDING STREET OVERPASS DECADES IN THE MAKING

PUTNAM VALLEY, NY – Senator Sue Serino this week brought local community and school leaders together to mark the completion of construction with a celebratory school bus ride over the long-awaited Pudding Street Overpass. The event was a nod to how her fight to fund the Overpass first began, after concerned community members highlighted the dangerousness of the roadway for local schoolchildren who traveled the stretch of the Taconic State Parkway by school bus each day.

“I govern by listening, and when Putnam neighbors told me about the harrowing bus ride across Pudding Street that young students were taking each day, I knew I had to experience it firsthand,” said Senator Serino, who originally took the ride during her first term in office. “That ride reaffirmed my commitment, to do all that I could to make the decades-long dream of an overpass a reality for our community. I am incredibly proud to be able to return this week, having delivered on a promise that drastically improves traffic safety and efficiency for all who travel that stretch of the Taconic. This project’s completion is a testament to all that can be accomplished when dedicated partners at every level come together to achieve a shared goal. I want to extend a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to our local NYS Department of Transportation Region 8 representatives who truly went above and beyond throughout the process to engage with our community and bring this project to a close and to all the local residents who helped push this project over the finish line.”

Sam Oliverio, Town of Putnam Valley Supervisor, said, “On Tuesday, December 13th I had the honor of traveling with Senator Sue Serino, Supervisor Elect Jackie Annabi, School Superintendent Dr. Jeremy Luft and other school personnel over the newly built Pudding St. Overpass.  Each and every one of us marveled at the safety and ease of entry into and out of the Roaring Brook Lake Community now that the Overpass is complete.  Mountains of Thanks go to Senator Serino who powered the construction of the Overpass through the NY Department of Transportation.  After over 25 years and tries by many other State Senators, Senator Serino "got 'er done!"  Our Town cannot thank her enough.”

Dr. Jeremy Luft, Superintendent of Schools, said, “PVCSD is grateful to the community members and local and state representatives, including Senator Serino, who advocated for and supported the construction of the Pudding Street overpass. This overpass affects the daily lives of more than 100 students and their bus drivers who now have safe passage to and from school each day.”

Dave Spittal, Director of Operations and Transportation for the Putnam Valley Central School District, said, "As a resident of the Roaring Brook community myself, I've been involved with the conversations regarding the necessity of this overpass for more than 20 years. I am grateful to everyone who stayed committed to making this happen.  You can't underestimate the impact of this construction project on the safety of our bus drivers and students who cross the parkway multiple times a day."  

The Pudding Street Intersection had long been considered one of the state’s most dangerous, with accidents happening almost monthly, according to local officials. In April of 2016, Senator Serino announced that she had successfully secured funding in the state budget to ensure that the Pudding Street Overpass Project would be on the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) priority list.

 The state officially announced the project’s completion in August of 2021. The project, which included the construction of the overpass as well as new on-ramps to better enable motorists to navigate the area, was completed on time and on budget.

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