Busy Hudson Valley Route to Close For Several Hours This Week

A major Hudson Valley roadway will be shutting down in the middle of the day this weekend and is expected to cause major backups.

Officials have been attempting to warn drivers about a planned road closure for weeks, but the situation is still expected to result in significant traffic delays that could last for several hours.

Road Closure in Wappingers Falls, New York

Drivers may want to steer clear of the Wappingers Falls area on Saturday. According to local police, a major road closure is expected to produce delays during the busiest time of the day.

Police say to expect a busy stretch of Route 9D to close between the hours of 12pm and 4pm on Saturday, March 2.

Why Will Route 9D Be Closed on Saturday?

The reason why this closure may take some drivers by surprise is because it's connected with an early St. Patrick's Day parade. Every year, Dutchess County holds its St. Patrick's Day celebration weeks early in the Village of Wappingers Falls.

Routinely, many residents forget that the parade is happening and attempt to travel through the village only to find that the road has been closed for much of the day.

The parade is expected to step off at 1pm, but police warn that closures and delays will begin starting at Noon. 9D will be closed to traffic from Delavergne Avenue near Cafe Maya all the way to Middlebush Road at the Randolph School.

Wappingers Falls Road Closure Expected to Back Up to Route 9

The closure of 9D will force drivers to use Route 9, which is usually very congested on Saturdays. Every year, the closure of 9D causes very long backups approaching the Village of Wappingers from both north and south on Route 9.

Drivers who are unable to avoid the area should plan on sitting in traffic for quite a while on Saturday between Noon and 4pm.