Governor Kathy Hochul has announced progress on the $71.4 million State Route 347 corridor project between Gibbs Pond Road and Hallock Road in the towns of Smithtown and Brookhaven. The project, which began a year ahead of schedule at the Governor's direction, is nearly a third of the way complete, with the New York State Department of Transportation actively exploring ways to accelerate future construction phases along the corridor. The State has invested more than $200 million along the State Route 347 corridor to create new travel lanes, traffic signals, crosswalks and other enhancements to the roadway. Construction is expected to continue through the winter as weather permits.
"We are taking bold steps toward transforming our infrastructure by reimagining what a modern transportation system means for Long Island," Governor Hochul said.
New York State has already invested more than $200 million towards the transformation of the State Route 347 corridor, with the latest phase starting a year ahead of schedule at Governor Hochul's direction. Since major construction began in April 2022 on the latest phase, more than 36,000 cubic yards of soil have been excavated for installing new underground utilities and over 11,600 cubic yards of soil have been placed for expanding the roadway and extending the Parks to Ports Greenway shared-use path. Additionally, more than 5,000 linear feet of new water mains and over 4,400 linear feet of storm drainage pipes has been installed, while construction on retaining walls continues to move forward with over 1,200 cubic yards of new concrete and 127,000 pounds of steel rebar already installed. The current phase is expected to be completed by the end of 2024.
While motorists will experience the new, wider roadway with raised planted medians as part of the current phase of construction, other highway users will benefit from the final product with enhanced bus stops with pull off areas and shaded pedestrian shelters, solar powered lighting, and highly visible crosswalks with pedestrian countdown timers. Timing of traffic signals will also be coordinated to reduce congestion. The Parks to Ports Greenway adjacent to the eastbound lanes is also being extended in this two mile portion as part of this phase of construction.
The State Route 347 corridor is a 12-mile stretch of highway between State Routes 454 & 25A. With every phase of construction that has been completed, the corridor is being transformed into a multi-modal, environmentally sustainable boulevard for motorists, pedestrians, bicyclists and transit users.
Five phases of construction along State Route 347 have already transformed large sections of the corridor, stretching from State Route 454 (Veterans Memorial Highway) to Gibbs Pond Road and the intersection with State Route 112, with the current project expected to be completed by the end of 2024.
The next phase of Route 347 slated to be rebuilt is between Hallock Road and Nicholls Road (Suffolk County Route 97). DOT is currently in the design phase of this project and is actively looking for ways to accelerate it from its current planned construction date of late 2025/early 2026.
State Route 347 has grown over the decades from a 1950s farm delivery route into a major east-west corridor for Long Island motorists, connecting North Shore communities like Port Jefferson and Stony Brook with more direct access to the state parkway system.
New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, "Governor Hochul's unprecedented leadership in rebuilding Long Island's infrastructure has already been directly felt by drivers going over fresh asphalt on the Long Island Expressway and Southern State Parkway, and at her direction we continue to advance the transformation of State Route 347. While we actively look at ways to accelerate future phases of the 347 project, we are also making significant progress on the current phase. Infrastructure is a springboard for economic opportunity and we are seeing that firsthand as Governor Hochul and the Department of Transportation work every day to transform New York's infrastructure to meet the needs of all users of the road."
Assemblymember Steve Englebright said, "That the Department of Transportation's reconstruction of NYS Route 347 is ahead of the original project schedule is an accomplishment worthy of celebration. This vital arterial has been transformed from snarling traffic and a smear of haphazard development into a green swath that is both a pleasure to drive and an uplifting aesthetic experience. This redesigned highway sets a new standard of excellence and is predictive of the important improvements that will be accomplished next. These include better access to the Smith Haven Mall and SUNY at Stony Brook—Long Island's largest employer. I thank Governor Hochul for making this project a top priority."
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's license.
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