Heavy Black Friday traffic causes major delays around Woodbury Common
Woodbury Police say roughly 13,000 shoppers typically visit the outlet center on Black Friday, creating large surges of traffic in a short period.
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Black Friday brought heavy traffic and steady crowds to Central Valley, with delays spilling across major roadways leading to the Woodbury Common Premium Outlets.
Police say traffic was backed up from the New York State Thruway to Route 17 at times as shoppers tried to reach the outlet center for holiday deals.
State Police say, as of late afternoon, traffic in the area remains very heavy, with backups continuing on the Thruway and surrounding roadways as shopper volume stays high. The Route 17 westbound Exit 131 ramp and the Route 6 westbound ramp to Route 32 were closed at points after the outlets reached capacity.
Detours are in place, and drivers were warned to expect delays through the afternoon.
Local and state police say they have an annual plan to manage Black Friday Woodbury Common crowds, but did not provide specifics. Each year there are major delays.
While the outlet center saw the most significant backups, nearby stores in Central Valley – including Target, Walmart and TJ Maxx – reported a steady flow of shoppers throughout the day.
Many shoppers told News 12 they are being more careful with spending this year.
“We actually just picked up a TV at Walmart. Good price,” said. Lena Nelson, of Monroe.
Her husband, Ted Nelson, also from Monroe, said they focused on simple, affordable gifts.
“Hand prints, picture frames and stuff like that, just little get-together gifts,” said Ted Nelson.
He added that they will skip anything without a meaningful discount, saying, “We will pass up on something if it’s not really worth the price.”
Luciana Riccobono traveled from New York City in search of deals and said discount levels were inconsistent.
“Most stores only have 30% off, and the ones with 60% off have long lines,” Riccobono said.
Emily Richardson, who drove to Orange County with Riccobono, said many people still reluctantly want the in-person shopping experience.
“People want to see, look and feel, but it’s just easier to do it all online,” she said.
Budget concerns were a common theme.
“I have a lot of people to buy for, so I definitely worry about overspending and not getting things that you need or they really like,” said Susan Anselmi of Nanuet.
National retail data reflects what local shoppers described. Surveys show in-person Black Friday shopping remains strong and nearly matches online participation, but overall spending is down as families face higher costs for food, housing and other essentials.
Police are warning drivers of delays around the Woodbury Common area throughout the holiday season. They are urging shoppers to allow extra travel time and local drivers to take alternate routes when possible.
