The stretch of the Palisades Interstate Parkway from Perkins Memorial Drive to the Bear Mountain Bridge remains closed July 7 in both directions indefinitely. All traffic is being re-routed through Bear Mountain State Park to Route 9W to reconnect to the traffic circle and the bridge.
PIP police and New York State Parks officials confirmed that the PIP roadway in that stretch between Exit 19 and the Bear Mountain Traffic Circle suffered serious damage from rainstorms that bombarded the region Sunday, July 5, into Monday.
The roadway is washed out, one officer said.
There is no timetable for repairs to be completed.
Bear Mountain bounces back, this time
Meanwhile, Bear Mountain State Park, which had been closed Sunday, July 5, and into Monday, July 6, has reopened, according to a New York State Parks employee.
But facilities were limited.
While power had been restored, the water system, which was damaged in the storms, remained under repair.
In July 2023, a storm swept through the park and wrecked the water system, roads and trails. It took months to get all facilities back up and running.
While park facilities were reopened in just a couple days after this round of storms, on Tuesday, July 7, not everything is back.
The Bear Mountain Trailside Museum & Zoo, pool and paddle boat rental remain closed.
The pool is expected to reopen Wednesday, July 8, according to state parks officials.
The Bear Mountain Inn was slated to open Tuesday, July 7, at noon, with cafe service.
While most trails are open for hiking, the road up to Perkins Memorial Tower is closed. That pathway is weather permitting and closes during and after heavy rains and through the winter season.
Nancy Cutler covers People & Policy. Reach her at ncutler@lohud.com; follow her on X, Bluesky and Instagram at @nancyrockland.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Palisades Parkway washed out through Bear Mountain area, see detours
Reporting by Nancy Cutler, Rockland/Westchester Journal News / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
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By Nancy Cutler, Rockland/Westchester Journal News | USA TODAY Network
