Thruway Would Get New Exit Under Proposal From County Legislator To Improve ‘Quality Of Life'

Albany County Legislator Zach Collins is asking Gov. Kathy Hochul to approve construction of a new exit on I-87 in the town of Coeymans.

In a letter sent to Hochul’s office Thursday, Dec. 14, Collins said increased industrial traffic regularly clogs State Routes 143 and 144, “causing significant quality of life issues for residents in Coeymans and Ravena.”

Because of the town’s location, large commercial vehicles must use the state routes to reach Thruway exits 22 to the north and 21B to the south.

“The large amount of trucks that take these routes have caused problematic traffic conditions on Main Street (Route 143) in Coeymans and Ravena, noise issues for residents, and congestion on what are otherwise lightly used two-lane country routes,” Collins said.

Congestion is only expected to get worse with the proposed GE Vernova wind nacelle construction project coming to the Port of Coeymans, he said.

“A new Thruway exit or limited use industrial access point in its place would ease local concerns and allow critical economic growth to continue.”

The proposed exit’s exact location was unclear, but Collins asked Hochul to approve construction of a ramp near the Port of Coeymans, the Coeymans Industrial Park, and the Holcim Ravena Plant.

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