New York State CLOSING Roads Down Effective Immediately

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation announced that they are shutting down roads immediately in New York State.

During a certain part of the year, cars that go on access roads after snowmobiling season a lot of times will result in messing up roads for regular traffic and that is why during 'mud season', the New York State DEC will shut down some roads. Here is the information that is posted on their website:

New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Regions 5 and 6 are closing snowmobile trails and mud gates to seasonal access roads on Forest Preserve, State Forest, and Conservation Easement lands due to spring thaw and muddy conditions. Gate closures are expected to be completed by Monday, March 24.

Once the roads are dried out and in better conditions, New York State will reopen the roads that they shut down for traffic. Motor vehicle use during the spring mud season damages roads, resulting in road opening delays.

Closures are Effective Immediately due to Spring Thaw in DEC Region 5 and Region 6 Counties

You can take a look at the road closures in each region on the New York State website. The closures started late last week and will conclude the rest of the closures today.

AT THE SAME TIME: The DEC is having another big initiative right now that they are focusing on. Right now they are starting to conduct prescribed burns on DEC-managed land. They are going to be doing the prescribed burns all the way through May. The purpose is actually 2-fold for the burns. The controlled burns will get rid of brush and dry sticks that would actually help a real forest fire start and accelerate. In addition, the burn will allow new growth and life to start growing.