What Happened
New York State completed two Long Island highway-renewal projects totaling $31.5 million, resurfacing nearly 100 lane miles across Nassau and Suffolk counties, the state Department of Transportation announced September 3, 2026, according to a Fingerlakes1 report.
The larger of the two, a $17.7 million Suffolk County contract, resurfaced 61 lane miles and upgraded more than 180 curb ramps along Route 25 and the Sunrise Highway service roads. Route 25 work ran from Route 25A south to Splish Splash Drive in Riverhead. On the Sunrise Highway service roads, the South Service Road was repaved from Montauk Highway to Nicolls Road in Islip, and the North Service Road from Nicolls Road to Pond Road. Crews also resurfaced both service roads between Manor Lane and Brentwood Road last fall.
The Suffolk contract milled and replaced aging asphalt, installed brighter pavement markings, and brought curb ramps into compliance with current accessibility standards. Traffic signals were upgraded and storm drains cleaned along the same corridors.
The Nassau County contract came in at $13.8 million and covered about 36 lane miles of Route 24 and Route 102 around Hempstead. Route 24 work ran from Munson Avenue to North Franklin Street and from Hendrickson Avenue to the Meadowbrook State Parkway. Route 102 work extended east from William Street to Route 24. Crews upgraded pedestrian signals, sidewalks, and crosswalks at the intersection of Route 24 and Hempstead Avenue, installed new left-turn lanes on Route 102 toward William Street and Nassau Place, and realigned existing lanes between those two points to reduce congestion.
U.S. Sens. Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand said federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law money supported the Nassau work. State and local lawmakers credited both projects with improving safety, accessibility, and vehicle travel for residents and businesses in the two counties.
Gov. Kathy Hochul said an additional $600 million for paving in 2026 is supporting more than 180 projects covering nearly 2,150 lane miles statewide beyond the DOT’s regular program. The two Long Island contracts are part of the agency’s $34.5 billion capital plan. Motorists can check current road conditions through the state’s 511 service, website, or mobile app.
Location & Road Context
Route 25 is one of Suffolk County’s primary east-west arterials, running from the Queens border through Riverhead and the North Fork. The Sunrise Highway service roads parallel one of Long Island’s busiest commuter corridors between the South Shore and Manhattan. Route 24 and Route 102 carry heavy local traffic through Hempstead and connect Nassau’s interior to the Meadowbrook State Parkway. For current conditions on these roads, see Long Island Traffic’s construction updates.
Broader Impact
The Nassau project’s new left-turn lanes on Route 102 at William Street and Nassau Place, combined with lane realignment between the two intersections, directly address a merge point where through traffic and turning vehicles have long competed for space. The Suffolk storm-drain cleaning addresses flooding risk on the Sunrise Highway service roads, which have seen recurring surface-water backups during heavy rain on the low-lying South Shore corridor.