{{Infobox road |state=NY |type=NY |route=302 |alternate_name= |length_mi=10.46 |length_round=2 |length_ref=[http://www.gribblenation.net/nyroutes/ind/300_309.htm#302 New York Routes - New York State Route 302] |established= |direction_a=South |starting_terminus=[[Image:NY-17M.svg|25px]] [[New York State Route 17M|NY 17M]] near [[Middletown, Orange County, New York|Middletown]] |junction=[[Image:NY-17.svg|20px]] [[New York State Route 17|NY 17]] near [[Middletown, Orange County, New York|Middletown]] |direction_b=North |ending_terminus=[[Image:NY-52.svg|20px]] [[New York State Route 52|NY 52]] in [[Pine Bush, New York|Pine Bush]] |counties=[[Orange County, New York|Orange]] |previous_type=State |previous_route=301 |next_type=State |next_route=303 }} '''New York State Route 302''' is a state highway in southern New York, entirely within [[Orange County, New York|Orange County]]. The southern terminus is located at [[Rockville, New York]]. The northern terminus is located at [[Pine Bush, New York]]. ==Route description== NY-302 begins at the intersection with NY-17M just north of the hamlet of Rockville, the intersection being controlled by a traffic signal. It proceeds northward towards the hamlet of Circleville, first crossing over the defunct [[New York, Ontario and Western Railway|O&W RR]]. Although there are no longer any tracks, the railbed is visible in each direction, one direction going towards [[Middletown, Orange County, New York|Middletown, New York]] and the other direction going towards [[Fair Oaks, New York]]. After that, the road intersects with NY-17 at its interchange 119, with access to both direction of NY-17 being available. NY-302 crosses over NY-17 and proceeds towards Circleville. In Circleville, the intersection with [[Goshen Turnpike]] is also controlled by a traffic signal. NY-302 then continues to [[Bullville, New York]], intersecting there with [[New York State Route 17K|NY 17K]]. This intersection is also controlled by a traffic signal. NY-302 continues through the hamlet of [[Thompson Ridge, New York|Thompson Ridge]], with panoramic views of the nearby [[Shawangunk Ridge]] along the way due to the many open meadows of surrounding horse farms. At Pine Bush, it terminates at the intersection with NY-52, which is also controlled by a traffic signal, just east of the bridge coming in from [[Ulster County, New York|Ulster County]] over the [[Shawangunk Kill]]. ==Communities along the route== *[[Rockville, New York|Rockville]] *[[Circleville, New York|Circleville]] *[[Bullville, New York|Bullville]] *[[Thompson Ridge, New York|Thompson Ridge]] *[[Pine Bush, New York|Pine Bush]] ==Major intersections== {{NYinttop}} {{NYint |county=Orange |cspan=4 |location=Middletown |ctdab=Orange |lspan=2 |mile=0.0 |road=[[Image:NY-17M.svg|25px]] '''[[New York State Route 17M|NY 17M]]''' }} {{NYint |mile=0.7 |road=[[Image:NY-17.svg|20px]] '''[[New York State Route 17|NY 17]]''' |notes=Exit 119 (NY 17). }} {{NYint |location=Bullville |mile=4.7 |road=[[Image:NY-17K.svg|25px]] '''[[New York State Route 17K|NY 17K]]''' }} {{NYint |location=Pine Bush |mile=10.5 |road=[[Image:NY-52.svg|20px]] '''[[New York State Route 52|NY 52]]''' }} {{NYintbtm}} ==History== In April 2006 the deaths of four teenagers at [[Pine Bush Central High School]] in two separate [[motor vehicle accident|accidents]] along the stretch of 302 between Roberson Avenue and Crans Mill Road just north of Bullville led the [[Pine Bush Central School District|school district]] to ask [[New York State Department of Transportation|the state Department of Transportation]] to do something about what residents considered a deadly stretch of highway. Since all seven of the district's schools are either on or close to the highway, its officials fear that a [[school bus]] could be involved in the next fatal accident.Israel, Steve; April 11, 2006; [http://www.recordonline.com/archive/2006/04/11/news-sideaths-04-11.html Pine Bush Pushes DOT to fix road], ''[[Times Herald Record]]''. It has claimed other lives in recent years as well, as development has increased in the area. Residents have joined the district in pleading for safety improvements, such as a lower speed limit on the whole road, the removal of large trees close to the roadway, a double-yellow line banning [[overtaking|passing]] in the opposite lane (the driver in the April crash had just passed five cars when he was hit), a widening of the stretch (currently only two lanes with passing permitted in either direction) and [[traffic light]]s at the intersections with Black Hawk Road and Orange County Route 48.Sullivan, John; April 10, 2006; [http://www.recordonline.com/archive/2006/04/10/news_community-js302folo-04-10.html A Deadly Stretch of Road]; [[Times Herald Record]]. Within a week of the deaths, [[New York State Police|state troopers]] had put up flashing warning signs at both ends of the segmentAl-Rikabi, Ramsey; April 13, 2006; [http://www.recordonline.com/archive/2006/04/13/news-1railbrf413-04-13.html On Route 302, signs warn of dangers]; ''[[Times Herald Record]]''. The district made available form letters on its website to DOT commissioner Thomas Madison and other elected officials in the region to request the more permanent improvements[http://www.pinebushschools.org/district/letters/madison.pdf Pine Bush form letter to Madison (.PDF)]. However, many in the area said the road was not as much to blame for the accident as the teenaged drivers of the cars that crashedApril 17, 2006; [http://www.recordonline.com/archive/2006/04/17/opinion-17opedletsmon-04-17.html Letters to the editor], Times Herald Record. [[Crawford, New York|Town]] police began to make their presence felt along the road, stopping traffic on a recent weekend at the spot of one of the crashes to check [[register|registration]] and [[inspection]] stickers for validity. While that has little to do directly with whatever caused the accidents, they expressed the hope that it would remind drivers the police were on the road and that they should thus be more careful.Al-Rikabi, Ramsey; April 24, 2006 [http://www.recordonline.com/archive/2006/04/24/news-ral302-04-24.html Keeping Route 302 drivers in check]; ''Times Herald Record'' ==References== [[Category:New York state highways|302]] [[Category:Orange County, New York]]