Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced $19.3 million for four projects to enhance safety on 10 state roads in Nassau and Suffolk counties.
The projects include repairing pavement, installing guiderail and replacing signs, making Long Island safer and easier to navigate for the tens of thousands of residents, commuters and visitors who use these roads each day.
The projects include: $6.8 million in concrete repairs on Route 106 (Newbridge Road) in the towns of Hempstead and Oyster Bay, Nassau County; $7.3 million for two projects to install new guiderail along the Southern State Parkway in the towns of Hempstead and Oyster Bay, as well as in the towns of Babylon and Islip in Suffolk County; and along the Northern State Parkway in the town of Smithtown, Suffolk County; and $5.2 million for new overhead sign structures along seven South Shore roads in the towns of Babylon, Brookhaven and Islip, Suffolk County.
A project is underway to repair concrete along nearly 10 miles of Newbridge Rd. (Route 106) between Hempstead Turnpike (Route 24) and Old Country Rd.
Crews will use high early strength concrete, which sets more quickly than standard concrete, allowing the road to reopen to traffic sooner. In some locations, workers will employ diamond grinding, an innovative process using special blades of diamonds to cut thin linear grooves into the surface. This eliminates irregularities and bumps and results in a smoother ride.
Using these two techniques will help the concrete last longer, saving taxpayer money. Lane shifts will be primarily utilized during construction to avoid road closures and keep traffic continually flowing in both directions to accommodate the nearly 27,000 vehicles that travel the road each day. Project completion is scheduled for the summer of 2020.
Guiderail is an important safety tool, acting as a type of metal fencing designed to keep vehicles from leaving the roadway.
Two projects on two of Long Island’s major parkways involve replacing guiderail located in the center median, on shoulders, at entrance and exit ramps and near the parkways’ iconic stone overpasses. The work includes installation of energy absorbing end terminals that absorb impacts and help keep vehicles from striking nearby objects, such as trees.
A $4.6 million project along approximately seven miles of the Southern State Parkway in Hempstead, Oyster Bay, and Babylon wrapped up this winter. Work took place between the Wantagh State Parkway and Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway (Route 135), and between Route 109 and Route 231.
A new $2.7 million project continues guiderail replacement on the Southern State Parkway in Babylon and Islip from Belmont Avenue to the Sagtikos State Parkway. It also includes replacing guiderail on the Northern State Parkway in Smithtown between Commack Road (Suffolk County Route 4) and the end of the parkway at Veterans Memorial Highway (Route 454). The project will address a combined five miles of parkway.
A total of 20 new overhead signs are being installed on seven South Shore roads in Suffolk County. The new sign panels are highly reflective, making them more visible to motorists to better guide them to their destinations, especially at night and during storms.
Signs will be replaced along Sunrise Highway (Route 27) and its service roads to better guide motorists on and off the highway. The project includes signs at Great Neck Road (Suffolk County Route 47) and Jerome Avenue and at Nicolls Road (Suffolk County Route 97).
Overhead sign structures guiding motorists on Route 110 northbound and from Route 231 to the Southern State Parkway will be replaced. Most work will be done either behind concrete barriers or at night to avoid disruption to drivers. All new signs are scheduled to be installed by the spring of 2021.
