Senator Flanagan Secures $15 Million In State Funding For Route 347 Improvement Project

Senate Majority Leader John Flanagan (2nd Senate District) announced that he has secured $15 million to fund the design and engineering work associated with the next phase of the Route 347 Safety and Mobility project.  The funding will help to ensure the continuation of this vital infrastructure improvement project on Long Island, providing smoother travel for all drivers, safer conditions for bikers and pedestrians and create much-needed jobs for the construction industry.

“This infrastructure project is critical to the lives of those who reside and work in the area, and it is imperative that it continues.  This funding will allow the NYSDOT to design and develop the next part of the project, which will expedite future work on the project for the benefit of all in the region.  That will help bring better and safer roadways to our area as well as provide opportunities for hardworking Long Islanders who work on these projects,” stated Senator Flanagan.

While work has already been completed on the first three phases of the massive project, at a cost of $160 million that was included in the New York State Department of Transportation’s 2016-2020 capital plan, the NYSDOT would have to include the next phases in their upcoming five-year capital plan, which will cover the years 2021 to 2025.  This means that without additional funding from Senator Flanagan, work on the Route 347 project would not have resumed until 2023.  Through Senator Flanagan’s efforts, construction of Phase 4 is now anticipated to begin by 2020.

The Route 347 Mobility Improvement project is a 15-mile long undertaking that will vastly improve travel from the end of the Northern State Parkway in Hauppauge to Port Jefferson.  When it is completed the public will have a modern roadway that will accommodate more vehicles in a safer, more efficient way while putting in place essential changes to enhance the use for bikers and pedestrians.