Walt Whitman Road Bridge crossing the Long Island Expressway/ Image by Google Maps
NEW YORK CITY—Although the Gateway Project and MTA subway overhaul get a lot of attention, the suburban bridges and roads are also an essential part of the state's transportation budget.
New York State is investing $70.4 million in bridge infrastructure on Long Island. Construction will begin soon on a $28.2 million project to replace the Walt Whitman Road Bridge over Interstate 495, in Huntington, Suffolk County. The work is anticipated to be completed in the fall of 2020. In addition, $42.2 million has been spent on repairing 31 bridges in Nassau and Suffolk Counties.
The Walt Whitman Road overpass across the Long Island Expressway (Interstate 495) was originally constructed in 1962. It's being widened, adding another southbound lane, turn lanes, and widened at the intersections at each end of the bridge. Sidewalks and shoulders for bicycling will be added to both sides of the bridge. This is to better accommodate the county's growing population and to allow for more efficient traffic flow. The roadway is two miles from the Nassau-Suffolk border and provides access to the headquarters of major companies such as Canon USA, Nikon and OSI Pharmaceuticals.
To minimize traffic disruption, most of the work will be performed behind concrete barriers. Lanes will not be closed during peak commuting hours.
“Safe, modern bridges are integral to supporting an efficient transportation system and laying a foundation for local, regional and statewide economic success,” says Governor Andrew M. Cuomo. ”These transformative projects will strengthen vital connections between and within communities, making travel for Long Islanders safer and more efficient for years to come.”
In addition to the large-scale bridge replacement, steel and concrete repairs will extend the lives of multiple bridges reducing the need for more costly repairs—down the road.
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Betsy Kim
Betsy Kim was the bureau chief, East Coast, and New York City reporter for Real Estate Forum and GlobeSt.com. As a lawyer and journalist, Betsy has worked as the director of editorial and content for LexisNexis Lawyers.com, a TV/multi-media journalist for NBC and CBS affiliated TV stations in the Midwest, and an associate producer at Court TV.
