Governor Hochul Announces $146 Million in Major Paving and Bridge Projects Beginning This Month on Long Island

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the start of $146 million in bridge and paving projects across Long Island, including major pavement renewal work on the Long Island Expressway, Sunrise Highway, Heckscher State Parkway and three bridge rehabilitation projects that connect Long Islanders with South Shore beaches and shorefront communities in Nassau County. Additionally, the Governor announced that an $18.5 million pavement renewal project on the Northern State Parkway has been completed ahead of schedule, just in time for the summer season.

"Investing in Long Island's bridges and highways means investing in safety, economic opportunity and improving the stability of vital roadways while building a dependable transportation system that Long Islanders need," Governor Hochul said."Through our historic capital plan, we are doing projects of all shapes and sizes across Long Island, rebuilding our transportation network today to meet the needs of tomorrow."

New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, "Under Governor Hochul's leadership, New York State continues to make transformational investments in transportation infrastructure that improve resiliency and quality of life for all New Yorkers, and these projects on Long Island will make for smoother rides for residents and visitors in every season. DOT's historic $34.5 billion capital plan is putting more money into roads, bridges, airports and railroads than ever before. We have a lot of work to do across the entire state this year and our crews will be out there in force, improving hundreds of miles of roads this year alone on Long Island - enhancing safety across every region of the Empire State."

Long Island Expressway (Interstate 495)

An estimated 175,000 tons of asphalt will be used on a $52.3 million project to renew 193 lane miles of the expressway's three main travel lanes, the High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane, shoulders and entrance/exit ramps within Nassau County. Stretching from one end of the county to the other, this project also includes cleaning and maintaining more than 1,100 storm drains to mitigate roadway drainage and prevent flooding conditions.

Major paving work on this project is expected to be completed this fall.

A separate, $3.6 million project is also starting in Suffolk County focusing on sealing pavement cracks and other minor imperfections. If left untreated, these cracks can expand due to heavy traffic and freeze-thaw cycles, leading to potholes, more extensive damage and potential travel delays. This work spans 293 lane miles between the Nassau-Suffolk County line and Exit 64 at State Route 112 as well as the North and South Service Roads between Commack Road (County Route 4) and Wicks Road, which were resurfaced in 2022, and is expected to be completed in spring 2028.

Additionally, repairs to the expressway's wooden noise barriers in Suffolk County are continuing. Since work began last fall, more than 360,000 linear feet of wood, or the equivalent of more than 540 football fields, have been replaced and rehabilitation is expected to continue through the end of 2027 in an effort to reduce highway noise in nearby residential neighborhoods.

More than 190,000 vehicles travel the Long Island Expressway each day, approximately 10% of which are commercial trucks, placing significant wear and tear on the roadway. As a vital east-west route for commuters, tourism, freight movement and bus service, maintaining the expressway is essential to Long Island's mobility and economic strength.

To minimize disruptions to motorists, major construction activities will take place during off-peak and overnight hours and will be coordinated with other paving projects across Long Island this year.

Sunrise Highway (State Route 27)

More than 140 lane miles of Sunrise Highway encompassing all of Nassau County and into western Suffolk County are set to undergo pavement renewal as part of a $59.7 million highway resurfacing project.

From the Queens-Nassau border to North Monroe Avenue, near Babylon Town Hall, in Suffolk County, crews will install an estimated 224,000 tons of new warm-mix asphalt. More than 1,600 storm drains will be cleaned, maintained, and, if needed, upgraded to improve resiliency during severe weather events. Traffic signals will be modernized with new vehicle detection software to improve their operations and mobility. More than 550 sidewalk ramps will be upgraded for accessibility to meet the latest standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Another 20 lane miles along Sunrise Highway's North and South Service Roads between State Route 109 and Udall Road in Suffolk County will also be resurfaced with 30 sidewalk ramps being upgraded for ADA compliance.

These pavement renewal projects are scheduled for completion this fall.

Sunrise Highway was originally a major water conduit serving New York City, which used water from Long Island ponds. Today it is a major trucking highway for the South Shore, connecting local communities, downtown business districts, national retailers, multi-family housing developments and key commercial destinations. It also runs adjacent to the Long Island Railroad and offers access to JFK Airport, making it an important transportation link for residents and businesses.

Saltwater Bridges

A $16 million project to rehabilitate three key parkway bridges to enhance safety, strengthen infrastructure resiliency and extend the service life of the structures for at least another 20 years is beginning. All three crossings span saltwater channels that connect Long Islanders with South Shore beaches and shorefront communities in Nassau County.

A new concrete riding surface will be installed on the Loop Parkway bridge over Reynolds Channel and the Meadowbrook State Parkway bridges over Fundy Channel and False Channel, all within the Town of Hempstead, to improve rideability.

Crews will also be performing maintenance to the bridge decks, replacing bridge joints to strengthen the overall structural integrity, replacing the bridge railings to enhance motorist safety and installing new navigation lighting to improve visibility for maritime traffic.

Major work is beginning this month and is expected to be fully complete by the end of 2028. Motorists should anticipate periodic daytime and nighttime closures during construction. Significant closures will be coordinated with local officials to minimize community impacts. No daytime lane closures will occur between Memorial Day and Labor Day to help accommodate peak summer travel to Jones Beach State Park and surrounding coastal destinations.

The Meadowbrook State Parkway serves as a critical transportation link for motorists and buses to Jones Beach State Park and the Loop Parkway provides an essential connection between Long Beach barrier island communities and Long Island's historic parkway system.

Heckscher State Parkway

A $15 million concrete pavement restoration project in the Town of Islip, Suffolk County, is beginning, which will enhance safety, improve travel conditions, and extend the lifespan of this important roadway for the more than 45,000 motorists who use it each day. The project is now beginning along a six-mile corridor between the Sagtikos State Parkway and Sunrise Highway (State Route 27) and is expected to be completed by the end of 2027.

Workers will replace worn sections of concrete pavement with new, high-strength concrete designed to better withstand heavy daily traffic and seasonal temperature fluctuations. Crews will also clean and seal cracks and pavement joints to prevent water and debris which can cause further deterioration. Reflective pavement markings will be refreshed to improve visibility and enhance safety for motorists.

As part of the work, the pavement will also be restored using diamond grinding, which consists of equipment fitted with closely spaced diamond-tipped blades, that removes a thin layer from the concrete surface. This process smooths uneven pavement, restores ride quality, improves skid resistance and reduces roadway noise.

The project also includes cleaning and repairing drainage structures, as warranted, to ensure proper drainage during storms. This will help to extend the life of the pavement and reduce the need for future repairs.

The Heckscher State Parkway is a continuation of the Southern State Parkway from the Sagtikos State Parkway to Heckscher State Park, a popular Long Island destination offering beaches and water recreation along the Great South Bay, as well as campgrounds, a golf course and year-round outdoor amenities. It also provides connections to local and federal courthouses as well as Fairfield Properties Ballpark, home of the Long Island Ducks.

To minimize impacts to travelers and parkgoers, the majority of the construction will be staged during off-peak and overnight hours, consistent with New York State's Drivers First Initiative, to reduce commuter disruptions and avoid conflicts with events at the state park.

Northern State Parkway

Major pavement resurfacing work has been completed ahead of schedule along a busy section of the Northern State Parkway in Nassau and Suffolk counties. With completion coming earlier than expected on this $18.5 million project, motorists will now enjoy construction-free driving to their summertime destinations. The project renewed approximately 50 lane miles of pavement in both directions, enhancing safety and travel for the nearly 100,000 motorists who rely on the roadway each day while generating approximately 240 jobs.

When eastbound pavement renewal started earlier this spring, it was originally expected to be completed this summer. But work progressed faster than expected as the workers diligently moved from the Wantagh State Parkway interchange at Exit 33 in the Village of Westbury east towards the New York Avenue overpass near Exit 40 in the Town of Huntington.

New reflective pavement markings were also installed to improve visibility for drivers and more than 50 sidewalk ramps located at parkway entrance and exit ramps were upgraded to meet the latest standards established by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), enhancing accessibility for pedestrians.

With the completion of the westbound lanes this past fall and now the eastbound lanes, the parkway's entire riding surface has been resurfaced with previous sections being completed in 2020, 2023, and 2024.

The Northern State Parkway is a busy and scenic roadway on the North Shore of Long Island, stretching from central Suffolk County west to the New York City borough of Queens. The parkway provides access to numerous popular destinations along the way, including state parks, beaches, museums, sports venues and LaGuardia Airport.

New York Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commissioner Kathy Moser said, "Heckscher State Park is one of Long Island's most treasured outdoor destinations, welcoming more than 1.3 million visitors each year for beaches, boating, recreation, and year-round activities. We are grateful to the State Department of Transportation for investing in improvements to the Heckscher State Parkway that will enhance safety, improve travel conditions, and provide better access for the many visitors who enjoy this iconic state park."

About the Department of Transportation

It is the mission of the New York State Department of Transportation to provide a safe, reliable, equitable, and resilient transportation system that connects communities, enhances quality of life, protects the environment, and supports the economic well-being of New York State.

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