Senator Flanagan Announces Environmental Scoping Public Information Meetings For The Proposed Ny Route 347 Safety And Mobility Improvement Project

On Tuesday, May 3rd and Wednesday, May 4th the New York State Department of Transportation, (DOT) Region 10, Long Island, is conducting environmental scoping public information meetings concerning the proposed 15 mile long, NY Route 347 Safety and Mobility Improvement Project in the Towns of Smithtown, Islip, and Brookhaven. The purpose of the meetings is to present the DOT’s proposed road improvement plans for NY Route 347 between Northern State Parkway and NY Route 25A in order to gather public input on environmental issues that should be considered in the development of the project. Residents, businesses, and all interested parties are encouraged to attend.

The meeting on Tuesday, May 3rd is being held at Hauppauge High School on Lincoln Blvd. in Hauppauge. The meeting on Wednesday, May 4th is being held at Ward Melville High School on Old Town Road in East Setauket. Both meetings will take place between 5:00 pm and 9:00 pm.

Preliminary design plans for the NY Route 347 improvement project and other related project information will be available for review. A scheduled, formal presentation is not planned; rather, DOT representatives will be present to answer questions and discuss project issues by offering individual attention concerning planning, engineering, environmental, traffic, and right of way aspects of the project.

The overall goal of the NY Route 347 Safety and Mobility Improvement Project is to provide a safer, more appealing roadway for motorists, businesses, pedestrians, bicyclists, and local residents. To accomplish this goal, the proposed project includes an additional travel lane throughout the length of the project and the construction of three new bridges to alleviate major "choke points" at Nicolls Road (County Route 97), NY Route 25, and the NY Route 347/454 merge. Proposed project features also include pavement repairs and new asphalt pavement, additional turning lanes and longer turn storage lanes, facilities for pedestrians, bicyclists, and the physically challenged, landscaping improvements, upgraded traffic signals, signs, pavement markings, drainage improvements, and other measures to improve overall safety and traffic flow. This roadway, which was constructed in the 1960s, was used by about 48,000 vehicles per day in 1969. Presently, there are approximately 71,000 vehicles per day using the same roadway. It is anticipated that construction will be broken down into four to six sections to minimize the economic and social impact on the communities. The Nicolls Rd./NY Route 347 intersection would be the first area with reconstruction targeted for 2008.

Comments may be submitted at the project information meeting anytime between 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. Any person who has comments about the project’s environmental issues, but is unable to attend one of the environmental public scoping meetings should mail their comments to:

Mr. Wayne Ugolik
Planning and Program Manager
NYS Department of Transportation
Region 10 Long Island
250 Veterans Memorial Highway
Hauppauge, L.I., New York 11788
PIN: 0054.05

These public meetings are part of the DOT’s continuing efforts to actively seek, encourage, and incorporate the public’s input in the development of transportation projects in order to ensure that the completed project meets the DOT’s engineering safety goals as well as the needs of the local community.