I’m going to be heading to Montebello soon and I’m dreading the trip because of my experience yesterday trying to get to Rockland Community College from West Nyack.

Having lived in Suffern until about a year ago, my car can find itself to the Airmont Road exit on the Thruway.

I left the parking lot at The Journal News later than intended, at exactly noon. Leaving Crossfield Avenue, I turned onto Route 59 and headed west to enter the northbound Palisades Parkway. I took the Palisades one exit to the westbound Thruway and moved well until I got just past the Garden State Parkway exit, 14A.

Then, I hit a standstill. After about 10 minutes in which I crept about two car lengths, I called the office to report that there likely was a problem. Another 10 minutes and maybe four car lengths later, I called again.

Then I saw the construction sign. “Left two lanes closed ahead.”

At least there was a reason. Or maybe not.

Beyond the westbound tolls, things started to narrow down. But when we picked up speed, there was hardly a sign of construction and we never really made it down to one lane. There were tractor-trailers stretching as far as I could see behind me.

When we finally got moving not far from the Airmont Road exit, I figured I was home free.

Wrong. Making the right turn off the exit, I found Airmont road down to one lane with alternating traffic because of excavation.

At the turn onto Spook Rock Road, I was sure the rest of the way would be clear.

Wrong again. A sewer crew had the road open right at the fork on Spook Rock.

I finally pulled into a parking space at RCC at 12:47 p.m.

Forty-seven minutes. That’s way too long in the age of Geographic Information Systems.

How much would it really take to coordinate work sites countywide so that when a major project is going on, smaller projects nearby don’t compound the delays and the frustration of trying to get around?

I know, I know. “Dig we must,” But there’s got to be a better way.

I’m setting out blind, not knowing if there’s work going on along the route today, but let’s see what it takes to get to Montebello this afternoon.