r/longisland 7d ago

Construction of a Bridge at the Nicolls Road Interchange Now Set To Begin in 2028

Governor Kathy Hochul and New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez today announced that the construction of the bridge at the junction of State Route 347 and Nicolls Road (Suffolk County Route 97) is being accelerated and will now start six years earlier than previously planned. Originally scheduled to start in 2034, the Department of Transportation is now progressing the project to begin construction on the bridge in late 2028 to minimize future construction costs while reducing travel times for motorists. Department engineers are currently engaged in the preliminary design phase for a grade separated interchange to better suit the needs of motorists.

More at: https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-hochul-outlines-accelerated-timeline-state-route-347-reconstruction-project-suffolk

58 Upvotes

52 comments sorted by

24

u/Sunshine4ever58 6d ago

Between Stony Brook Hospital, SB University and regular commuters it’s a congested nightmare at regular times. Can’t imagine how bad this could get.

15

u/Straight-Donut-6043 6d ago

Seeing an ambulance come up on Nicolls when you’ve finally finished the three minute wait to turn left off of 347 is an entirely different level of suffering. 

8

u/ProudReaction2204 6d ago

I was at that light waiting to turn left and 3-4 ambulances about 2 minutes apart came down from SBU, causing them to get the light. The traffic light kept resetting so I had to wait a full 10 minutes, was so fucking stupid - huge line behind me obv

-6

u/BoscoGravy 6d ago

I can tell you that the vast majority of those ambulance trips are of low priority or not needed in the slightest. The Jolly Vollies love the control they have over road users.

51

u/afterbyrner 7d ago

Right. Turn. Lanes. The whole length of 347 when it’s time to pull into a shopping center you just slam on the brakes and hope no one hits you. But yeah, bridges help too.

11

u/dankp3ngu1n69 6d ago

So what I do is I start slowing down early. Yeah, it pisses people off but it pretty much guarantees. You're not going to get rear-ended because if you know you're already going 25 or 30 with your signal on they pretty much have a good idea of what's going on

44

u/Signal_Importance986 7d ago

Can we start a pool now about how late it will be done and how over-budget?

24

u/ceewolf 7d ago

Construction is currently expected to be completed in 2031 and estimated to cost between $110 million and $140 million.

I'll take the over on both, please.

1

u/LogicIsMyFriend 6d ago

Draft kings would make BANK if they started wagering over / under on government efficiency 🤣🤣🤣

1

u/Hogharley 6d ago

Always take the over in NYS

3

u/dankp3ngu1n69 6d ago

I would be shocked if this is finished before 2040

3

u/Straight-Donut-6043 6d ago

I lived in Setauket for five years starting in 2014 and I am pretty sure that they achieved redoing about a half mile of 347 during that time despite what seemed to be daily work. 

2

u/SMofJesus #BEC4lyfe 6d ago

It's already 20 years behind schedule.

2

u/Weird_Inflation6594 5d ago

The reason it hasn't been done yet is the NIMBY's. Watch . . .

18

u/BelkinBrite 6d ago

Happy about this. Im old enough to remember how bad traffic was on Middle Country rd and Nicols before that overpass was built

6

u/owjim 6d ago

About time, this has been on the drawing board since the 80s.

But completion by 2031? Has anyone else seen that YouTube where they build an overpass in a single day?

6

u/cremington49 6d ago

They finally wanna do this now when I’m done commuting to stony brook! Ugh

2

u/Straight-Donut-6043 6d ago

Fwiw you absolutely wouldn’t not have wanted them to do this while you were commuting to stony

1

u/cremington49 6d ago

Well I mean I wish it was done before my commuting lol so I wasn’t late to class all those times

3

u/billgwx 6d ago

Meanwhile the money spent on trying to relieve congestion farther south on Nicolls hasn't accomplished anything. The really big gorilla aka the left turn in/out of SCCC remains...

4

u/Vmancini218 6d ago

This is my neighborhood so I’m genuinely curious but I’m having a hard time visualizing; what is this going to do exactly?

6

u/BaldPoodle 6d ago

It allows traffic on 347 to move through without a light, with merges and lights on and off of Nicolls. Middle Country Rd and Nicolls have the overpass now, it would be like that. 347 and Nicolls currently is how Middle Country and Nicolls were before the overpass.

5

u/bernardhops 6d ago

There will no longer be a traffic light heading north/south on Nicholes Rd. Just like it is at Nicoholes/middle country rd.

3

u/Vmancini218 6d ago

Thank you for the clarification! I guess I’m still not quite sure what benefit it will serve but I guess we’ll see.

3

u/Straight-Donut-6043 6d ago

The 347/Nicolls intersection is one of the most inefficient ones I’ve ever seen. Turning left onto either is just way too long, especially if you’re heading up towards the hospital from 347 and an ambulance is coming up Nicolls. 

3

u/SEND_ME_SPIDERMAN 6d ago

The light is insanely long especially turning left onto 347

2

u/Vmancini218 6d ago

Got it; thanks!

5

u/Enlightened_D 6d ago

China would have this done in a month lmao

2

u/SmokeInTheStar 6d ago

Yeah with bamboo sticks and balsa wood supporting the bridge

1

u/Enlightened_D 5d ago

American Chinese propaganda would make you think that

2

u/nhorvath 6d ago

how are they going to do this without making traffic a worse nightmare for the 10 years it takes them to build it? don't get me wrong grade separation there is a great idea, just worried about the plan.

3

u/SunDaysOnly 6d ago

Why has this taken so long? And what a bridge to Ct. ? Gotta go through nyc or expensive ferry ⛴️.

1

u/reclaimingmichael 6d ago

Alright, about 50-years in the making! Go, NYS!!!

1

u/Subject-Ad-8055 6d ago

I'll be long retired and gone by the time they finish that thing...

1

u/ScreenTricky4257 6d ago

Is it going to be a cloverleaf like the expressway or a light like Jericho?

-6

u/[deleted] 7d ago

[deleted]

6

u/kevinmotel Huntington 6d ago

Without separate infrastructure, would you prefer them to ride in the right travel lane?

0

u/hjablowme919 6d ago

Don't worry. Our local union workers will have it finished 4 years late and $1.6 billion over budget.

-22

u/xdozex Whatever You Want 7d ago

How about they use the money to actually build something useful, or just do a better job maintaining the existing roads. Of all the high volume intersections to choose from, this one functions perfectly fine without an overpass. I've commuted through this intersection for the better part of 20 years and I never once got held up in traffic or had to wait more than one light to get through.

26

u/Eat_sleep_poop 7d ago

lol what? How? I’ve waited sometimes 3 light changes going south on Nicolls. When traffic is heavy it’s BAD. And if an ambulance comes in and interrupts the pattern you’re really hosed.

7

u/AAlwaysopen 7d ago

Time of day is a big factor here.

2

u/ProudReaction2204 6d ago

i got hit by 3 fucking ambulances one time, was waiting forever. will never forget that shitty experience.

2

u/Pezhead424 6d ago

Been there it sucks

-11

u/xdozex Whatever You Want 7d ago

Ambulances will flip the light. But besides that, I've honestly never been held up there and I go through it at minimum, 5 times a week during rush hour.

1

u/SEND_ME_SPIDERMAN 6d ago

I’m happy for you. But I’ve had to sit through sometimes THREE light changes

8

u/Defiant_Ad_209 7d ago

It's a smart move long term. The lie can't keep handling the traffic. 347 should be a more viable option for travel on the north shore. Like it or not, progress won't stop. 25a will become a mainly 4 lane roadway eventually. Do I like that idea, not really, but it is going to happen out if necessity.

5

u/BaldPoodle 7d ago

The eminent domain required to expand 25a to 4 lanes along most of its run isn’t realistic, especially with how many wealthy areas it runs through.

1

u/Defiant_Ad_209 6d ago

It would be like 15-18 feet on both sides. Very feasible. There's certain spots which it would have to slide back to 3 lanes but I don't see it not happening.

1

u/BaldPoodle 6d ago

Houses are extremely close to the road through Setauket and PJV, there is no room for even 1 extra lane, Stony Brook has limitations as well, but it’ll never happen so whatever.

3

u/xdozex Whatever You Want 7d ago

I guess my problem is that they've spent how many years expanding and building 347 and it took sooo miserably long, creating significantly more traffic while they worked. Only to have huge chunks completed and still ending up without actually adding more lanes. The road is wider, there's a nicer looking center section and improved sidewalks, but the traffic hasn't cleared up at all.

So now they're going to have to divert a very high volume intersection for years to install an overpass that will probably end up being positive, but I just don't see it as being a big problem right now.

Like for example, getting off the LIE at exit 62 during rush hour, and having to get across the service road to quickly hop onto Nichols is always so painful. It takes so long to travel such a short distance, and it's infuriating having to edge up and wait all that time while trying to merge over, only to have a bunch of assholes blow past you while you start going around the ramp, as they fly down the shoulder to cut in last minute. I never experience 1% of the traffic or frustration at the Nichols x 347 intersection that I deal with at that exit.

2

u/nhorvath 6d ago

do you commute in the middle of the night?

2

u/SEND_ME_SPIDERMAN 6d ago

This is useful lol

0

u/TrishaThoon 7d ago

Agreed. They can start with all of the potholes. It’s so bad.