Governor Kathy Hochul announced today that work has been completed on a series of projects that enhance safety, improve traffic flow and strengthen the resiliency of several key bridges on Long Island. The projects, which represent a $48.2 million investment in the Region’s transportation infrastructure, include the construction of a new bridge carrying Hospital Road over Sunrise Highway (State Route 27) in the Town of Brookhaven, bridge deck refurbishments on five Long Island Expressway bridges and rehabilitation of the Sunrise Highway bridge over Hubbards Path in the Town of Babylon. Work on the projects was led by the New York State Department of Transportation.
"From paving potholes to building bridges, I'm committed to repairing Long Island's transportation infrastructure,” Governor Hochul said. “These bridge projects will improve critically important roadways on Long Island and will help ensure our infrastructure is built to last."
The new Hospital Road Bridge over Sunrise Highway replaced a structure that was built in 1959 and served approximately 12,000 vehicles a day with a modern span that features an additional travel lane to ease congestion; and new sidewalks and 12-foot-wide shoulders to accommodate bicycle and pedestrian traffic. Hospital Road provides important access to nearby Long Island Community Hospital as well as many other health care providers, businesses and residential developments. Work on the project began in the spring of 2022 and included the use of more than 28,000 linear feet of steel piles, more than 368,000 pounds of steel reinforcement beams and over 1,400 tons of concrete. The new bridge also features a stone façade consistent with other Long Island highway bridges.
Additionally, Hospital Road’s intersections with both the North and South Service Roads were reconstructed to add turning lanes, crosswalks, and custom-built traffic signals with pedestrian countdown timers to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The project was a joint venture between the Town of Brookhaven, which designed the overpass, and the State Department of Transportation, which oversaw and managed construction.
Six bridges underwent concrete renewal and structural enhancements to protect them against harsh weather and improve driving conditions for the thousands of passenger vehicles and heavy trucks traveling these bridges daily.
Concrete decks on five bridges that carry the Long Island Expressway (Interstate 495) over local roads were refurbished. At each bridge, the top layer of concrete was stripped away and replaced with ultra-high performance concrete to reduce regular maintenance and extend their service life by two decades The project used 210,000 pounds of new steel rebar and more than 2000 tons of concrete. It included the following bridges:
- Eastbound and westbound spans over Blue Point Road, Town of Brookhaven;
- Westbound span over Holbrook Road, Town of Brookhaven;
- Eastbound and westbound spans over Round Swamp Road, Town of Huntington.
Also, the Sunrise Highway bridge over Hubbards Path in the Town of Babylon underwent a complete rehabilitation with many structural components being removed and replaced with 210,000 pounds of new steel rebar and over 2000 tons of concrete, benefiting area homes, schools, parks, and local businesses.
Construction at these six locations took place in stages behind concrete barriers to allow work to proceed safely for the highway workers and will minimal disruption to traffic.
The work at all seven bridges helped create more than 600 jobs to bolster the local economy.
Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer said, “I worked hard to pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure & Jobs law to upgrade our aging roads and bridges on Long Island and beyond. The new Hospital Road Bridge and LIE bridge deck repairs mean safer, smoother commutes for countless Long Island motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians, and I will keep fighting to increase transportation funding to the region.”
Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, “Thanks to Governor Hochul's historic commitment to investing in our transportation infrastructure, New York State DOT continues to deliver on transformative projects for New Yorkers. Strategic investments like these bridge projects on Long Island will help connect communities and make our transportation network more resilient as we confront the ever-present impacts of climate change and severe weather.”
Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine said, “We thank Governor Hochul and our state representatives for following through on their commitments to improving our local infrastructure. These projects addressed long-term issues that caused public safety and quality of life concerns for years. We also appreciate the hard work of all of the men and women who spent thousands of hours on these tremendous projects. The completion of these initiatives marks a great step forward for our communities.”
State Senator Dean Murray said, “I want to thank Governor Hochul and the NYSDOT for their commitment to seeing through to the finish, the much needed and long-awaited project to repair and improve the Hospital Road bridge, as well as the multiple other bridge repair projects. We must continue to make the necessary investments to ensure our infrastructure is structurally safe and sound for all motorists.”
State Senator Mario Mattera said, “These projects will help improve our transportation network and ensure the safety and resiliency of these vital bridges for our community for years to come. They will provide a smooth ride to both residents and visitors and I thank Governor Hochul for making this critical investment in our infrastructure. I also want to express my appreciation to the hardworking and skilled men and women of the affiliates of the Building & Construction Trades Council of Nassau & Suffolk Counties for their dedicated efforts on these and so many other projects that improve our region for all.”
Assemblymember Joseph DeStefano said, “Thanks a million miles to Gov. Hochul, the DOT, and all of the workers involved in completing these critical projects on time and on budget. I am particularly impressed by the new Hospital Road Bridge, which went up rather quickly and with little disruption to traffic for a project of this size.”
Assemblymember Michael Durso said, “I’m thrilled to see this important infrastructure upgrade in the Town of Babylon. Keeping residents safe should always be our top priority and I thank my partners in government for working together to make this happen.”
Assemblymember Doug Smith said, “I am thrilled to announce the successful completion of $48.2 million worth of infrastructure projects on Long Island, enhancing safety and resiliency. These initiatives signify our commitment to a robust and efficient transportation network, ensuring the well-being of our community for years to come.”
Babylon Town Supervisor Rich Schaffer said, “I want to express my sincere appreciation to Governor Kathy Hochul for her significant investments in the Town of Babylon's transportation infrastructure. The completion of these projects, which included the rehabilitation of the Sunrise Highway bridge over Hubbards Path, has greatly enhanced safety, improved traffic flow, and strengthened the resiliency of our key bridges. The utilization of new steel rebar and concrete in these projects will ensure their durability and longevity, benefiting our community for decades to come.”
Huntington Town Supervisor Ed Smyth said, “The safety and effectiveness of Long Island’s roads and bridges is a key quality of life issue for all who travel our roads. The multi-million-dollar investment that Governor Hochul and the State Department of Transportation made for these improvements are critical in repairing the overworked infrastructure on Long Island. We thank them for their continued support. It’s good to see Long Islanders tax dollars being spent on Long Island. It is my hope that the Round Swamp Road project is just the beginning of the fiscal commitment to infrastructure in our area from the State.”
Motorists are urged to slow down and drive responsibly throughout the work zone. Fines are doubled for speeding in a work zone. Convictions of two or more speeding violations in a work zone could result in the suspension of an individual’s driver license.
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