Take a drive on the Long Island Expressway and you will quickly see the problem. No, it’s not the traffic. It’s the actual lack of roadway. Potholes pockmark the pavement causing stress and financial strain for drivers. New York State has come up with a plan called Operation Pave Our Potholes Program or POPP for short.
In her 2022 budget, Governor Kathy Hochul dedicated $32.8 billion in a five-year capital plan to improving the state’s roads and bridges. Part of that plan includes Operation POPP, a $1 billion war chest to smooth travel.
"Long Island has some of the busiest highways in the United States and the investments we are making today will help ensure smoother travel and fewer hassles for the tens of thousands of commuters who use these vital traffic arteries," Governor Hochul said.
In addition to defeating potholes, Hochul announced a $157 million investment for pavement renewal projects on Long Island this spring and summer.
"With the adoption of this historic capital plan, we will give communities the infrastructure they need to unleash their full potential, enhancing connectivity, restoring essential roads and bridges, and correcting injustices of the past,” she added.
The budget includes resurfacing projects for about 480 lane miles of state highways in Nassau and Suffolk, including key sections of the Long Island Expressway, the Southern State Parkway, and the Meadowbrook State Parkway.
On the LIE the state will renew 287 lane miles between the Nassau/Suffolk border and State Route 112 (Exit 64). This $80.1 million endeavor includes the three main travel lanes, the High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane, shoulders, and 62 on/off ramps.
Meadowbrook State Parkway will also get the treatment with roadwork from Merrick Road southward to Ocean Parkway in the Town of Hempstead. Overnight resurfacing of the 23 lane miles is in progress and expected to be completed by Memorial Day, weather permitting.
A $23.9 million pavement renewal project is also starting on a 63-lane-mile stretch of the Southern State Parkway between Exit 20 (Grand Avenue/Baldwin Road) and State Route 110 at the Nassau/Suffolk border. Also planned for the Southern State Parkway this year are the restoration of 11 lane miles between State Route 231 and the Sagtikos State Parkway in the Towns of Babylon and Islip; and concrete repairs on 55 entrance and exit ramps in Nassau and Suffolk Counties.
Additional pavement restoration projects totaling nearly 30 lane miles on several roads will begin this year. Timing at these sites will vary, but will be completed by the end of 2023. They include:
- State Route 114 between Stephen Hands Path and the Shelter Island South Ferry terminal in Village of Sag Harbor, Village of North Haven, and Town of East Hampton;
- State Route 109 between the Nassau/Suffolk border and State Route 27A in the Town of Babylon;
- State Route 25A between Lawrence Road and State Route 25 in the Town of Smithtown;
- State Route 111 between Suffolk Avenue and the LIE in the Town of Islip;
- Sunrise Highway North Service Road between Udall Road and Manor Road in the Town of Islip;
- Sunrise Highway South Service Road between Udall Road and Malts Avenue in the Town of Islip.
New York State also announced $30 million to begin the federally required environmental review process for reconfiguring the Oakdale Merge in Suffolk County.