POUGHKEEPSIE – The overnight construction to rehabilitate the east-side approach of the Mid-Hudson Bridge is delaying ambulances trying to reach Poughkeepsie hospitals.  The work takes place between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. Monday through Friday has created significant traffic delays on both the Dutchess and Ulster County sides of the Hudson River.

On Friday night, several motorists reported sitting idle for nearly an hour on the Poughkeepsie side of the bridge, with traffic backing up on the westbound arterial (Mill Street) through the city all the way to the border with the Town of Poughkeepsie.  Vehicles traveling south on Route 9, trying to reach the bridge, reported sitting idle all the way up to the Marist University gate as they tried to reach the bridge ramp.

Similar traffic delays were experienced by Ulster County drivers trying to cross the bridge into Poughkeepsie.

In several instances, ambulances, with lights flashing and sirens blaring, were stuck in traffic on both sides of the river as they tried to bring their patients to MidHudson Regional Hospital or Vassar Brothers Medical Center.

An ambulance service in Ulster County has told that its crews traveling from the New Paltz area have been averaging 1.25 hours to reach one of the Poughkeepsie hospitals. Complaints from crews indicate that the construction contractors have not made contingency plans to get ambulances across the bridge and to the hospitals, with patients on board.  Ambulances rushing patients from eastern Dutchess County to Poughkeepsie hospitals have been caught in traffic as they approach the City of Poughkeepsie and have been forced to navigate unmarked alternative routes while trying to save a patient’s life.

Ambulances from Ulster County have reported taking patients from central Ulster County north to the Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge or South to the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge, to reach Dutchess County before rushing to Poughkeepsie.

Ambulance delays with patients on board have been reported to range from 30 to 90 minutes.

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