MELVILLE
A $27.9-Million Bridge Of Opportunity
Route 110 bridge over LIE to be expanded to three lanes over next two years
By Sara-Megan Walsh/swalsh@longislandernews.com

The New York State Department of Transportation broke ground on a $27.9 million project to reconstruct and expand of the “jewel of Long Island’s economy” – the Route 110 bridge over the LIE in Melville – on Monday.

“Ask people to cite the major issue along the Route 110 corridor, and most will say it’s traffic congestion,” said Supervisor Frank Petrone, also chairman of the Route 110 Partnership. “This project will help speed traffic at the busiest portion of Long Island’s Main Street and, combined with planned public transportation improvements, accelerate development along this vital artery in the Long Island economy.

The Route 110 corridor will receive a much needed face lift in an effort to improve or eliminate reported concerns including a propensity for “fender benders,” safety issues with the entrance and exit ramps of the LIE, and the uneven asphalt that plagues the overpass, according to US Senator Charles Schumer (D – Brooklyn). The two-year project will expand the overpass to accommodate three full travel lanes and shoulders in both directions, intersection improvements where Route 110 connects with the LIE, and improvement of storm water runoff to enhance motorist safety.

“With 30 million coming to Huntington, Long Islanders can breath easier knowing they are safer traveling on Route 110,” Schumer said, estimating that 88,000 motorists cross the overpass daily.

Although the project ultimately aims to improve traffic congestion along Route 110, it remains to be seen what impact it will have on local travel while construction, set to begin immediately, is underway.

“To minimize the impact on traffic, work will be done at night, phased such as to allow continued use of the bridge during the day,” said DOT’s Acting Commissioner Stan Gee.

He said that lane closures at night will be limited to only the lane in which work is ongoing, though residents may have to cope with construction vehicles moving in and out of the zone during daylight hours.

Local officials expect the reconstruction project to provide a much needed boost to the local economy, supplying more jobs to the hard-hit construction industry, with an unemployment rate over 35 percent, according to the Long Island Contractors Assocation’s Executive Director Marc Herbst, as well as provide additional incentive to commercial companies looking to move their business to the corridor.

“We are trying to create a new economy and new jobs on Long Island and within New York State,” said Congressman Steve Israel (D-Huntington). “You can’t create new jobs if people can’t get to them.”

Petrone and Schumer both alluded to forthcoming projects in which local officials will focus on further improving transportation options along the Route 110 corridor by attempting to re-open Republic Station on the Long Island Expressway and adding more buses.

“This is not the first or the last DOT construction project you’ll see this summer,” Gee promised. “We’re putting people back to work to improve, maintain and enhance the transportation of Long Island.”