An effort to improve traffic flow along the Northern State Parkway in New York ended this week, concluding reconstruction work on the Route 231 interchange.
The Suffolk County-based project cost $15.7 million, but brings a number of improvements to a heavily traveled commuter artery for Long Island, including a new ramp from southbound Route 231 to eastbound Northern State Parkway, an extended exit ramp from eastbound Northern State Parkway to southbound Route 231, and a widened exit ramp emptying onto northbound Route 231. The project also lengthened the deceleration lane from westbound Northern State Parkway to northbound Route 231 and County Route 35 as well as the acceleration lane from southbound Route 231 to westbound Northern State Parkway, raised a center median along Route 231, set new right turning lanes for southbound and northbound routes, and enhanced the whole area with new sidewalks, pedestrian signals, and ramps.
“The Northern State Parkway is a critically important roadway for travelers headed to and from Long Island, and this investment will make it easier for motorists to get where they need to go safely and with minimum delays,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. “The improvements will help keep people and commerce on the move, facilitating economic growth and benefiting New Yorkers for decades to come.”
Local politicians lauded the effort as a means of protecting residents while modernizing the roadway system. They dubbed it a critical effort that makes for a much-needed improvement to traffic flow along a route that connects many travelers to LaGuardia Airport and New York City, state parks, and area downtowns.
The expansion work also included additions of more than 300 trees and 6,600 shrubs to the area, to buffer the view from neighboring residences.