Authorities on Wednesday announced the completion of an emergency access gate designed to improve response times on Interstate 84 in Orange County, where a charter bus carrying high school students crashed last September, killing two passengers and injuring dozens.

First responders in Orange County have called for the installation of an emergency access point between the Goshen and Mountain Road exits for more than 20 years, saying the more than a 10-mile stretch of the interstate prevents timely emergency responses.

A charter bus carrying 40 Nassau County high school students and four adults rolled into a ravine on the highway in Wawayanda on Sept. 21, 2023, killing a 43-year-old high school band director and a 77-year-old retired teacher, both from Long Island. 

The new access gate is located on I-84 at County Route 49 in Wawayanda, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Wednesday. The Federal Highway Administration and the state Department of Transportation worked with the town to expedite construction on the new access gate, which provides emergency service vehicles and first responders direct access to that part of the roadway, and thus, faster response times to emergencies.

“Since the horrific bus crash last September, my administration has been focused on working with our federal and local partners to expedite the construction of this access gate and protect New Yorkers,” Hochul said.

A faulty front tire likely contributed to the bus crash last year, officials said.