Jericho Turnpike Sidewalk Project: Nassau County Construction Update

What’s Happening

Jericho Turnpike (Route 25) through Nassau County is getting meaningful pedestrian infrastructure upgrades. The project adds continuous sidewalk where gaps exist today, replaces damaged or non-ADA-compliant sections where sidewalks already run, builds new curb ramps to current standards, and upgrades pedestrian signals at several intersections. In some segments, the work also includes minor curb realignments and new drainage structures where existing infrastructure interferes with the sidewalk layout.

Jericho Turnpike is one of the densest commercial corridors on Long Island and a spine for schools, shopping, and transit. For years, pedestrian access has been uneven — smooth in some segments, missing or degraded in others — and this project is intended to close those gaps and bring the corridor into broader compliance with federal accessibility standards.

From a driver’s perspective, most of the physical work happens off the travel lanes — on the sidewalk and at intersection corners — but it still reaches the roadway through curb ramp tie-ins, drainage connections, and staged material laydown.

Timeline

Sidewalk work is underway and expected to continue through the 2026 construction season. Because sidewalk and curb work is less weather-sensitive than open-highway paving, crews can remain productive into the late fall and resume early in the spring. Final paving and striping that depend on warmer weather will bracket the schedule at the seasonal edges.

Project phasing typically moves corridor-by-corridor in a rolling sequence, with each mile taking several weeks to complete depending on drainage complexity and the number of intersections involved.

Impact on Drivers

The most common driver-facing impact is temporary right-lane closures near active sidewalk and curb zones. When crews need to cut into or pour new curb, the adjacent travel lane is usually closed to give workers a safe buffer and to allow material staging. These closures are typically one-block in length and marked with cones, arrow boards, and flaggers at driveway crossings.

Right-turn movements into businesses adjacent to active work zones may be temporarily restricted, with detour signage directing drivers to the next open approach. Drivers should expect brief waits at flagger-controlled choke points, particularly near intersections where signal work is happening at the same time as curb work.

Rush-hour impact on Jericho is concentrated at the major intersections with cross-arterials. When work is staged near these intersections, backups can extend several blocks. Midday and late evening flows generally move well through the work zones.

Alternative Routes

For through traffic that does not need to stop along Jericho, Northern Boulevard (Route 25A) runs parallel to the north and is the most natural alternate — it handles similar origin-destination pairs with a different mix of signal timing and commercial density. Hempstead Turnpike (Route 24) runs parallel to the south and is a reasonable alternate for the more southerly destinations.

For regional east-west travel, the Northern State Parkway and the Long Island Expressway both bypass the corridor entirely. Drivers only using Jericho as a connector should shift to these parkways when active sidewalk construction is creating delays.

Local drivers accessing specific businesses should check for driveway access signage; when a particular approach is temporarily closed, a nearby cross street usually provides a viable alternate entry.

Safety Notes

Pedestrian-infrastructure work zones are pedestrian-heavy by definition. Scan the curb and the sidewalk as well as the travel lanes — walkers sometimes detour into the roadway around closed sidewalk segments, and cyclists may be riding in the curb lane because the sidewalk is fenced off.

Temporary steel plates are common at sidewalk work zones where underlying utility work is underway. Plates can be slippery when wet, and their edges can be sharp. Reduce speed and minimize lane changes when crossing plates.

Turning into businesses through active work zones requires extra care. Slow down on approach, signal early, and watch for construction workers walking across the driveway. If a flagger is present, obey the flagger’s signals even if they contradict the traffic signal — the flagger has higher authority at work-zone approaches.

As always, New York work-zone speed reductions and doubled fines apply. Enforcement is routine along Jericho corridor construction zones.

Why This Matters

Sidewalk and curb ramp work rarely gets the attention that parkway resurfacing does, but it matters enormously for the people who use the corridor on foot. Jericho Turnpike connects schools, transit stops, shopping, and housing, and gaps in the pedestrian network force people — often kids, seniors, and people with disabilities — to walk in parking lots, on shoulders, or along uneven grass. The new sidewalks will close those gaps and make the corridor materially safer for everyone.

Drivers benefit too. Pedestrians with proper sidewalks cross at predictable locations, usually at signalized intersections with proper crosswalks. That is much safer for drivers than guessing when someone might step off a curbless shoulder between signals. The short-term construction inconvenience pays off in fewer unexpected pedestrian movements long after the work is done.

What to Watch For

Drivers should keep an eye out for newly striped crosswalks and newly installed pedestrian signals after each intersection is completed. Temporary detour signage for pedestrians — routing them around active work zones on foot — sometimes appears in the roadway itself. Slow down if you see pedestrians stepping off the usual sidewalk path; they may be following a temporary detour that brings them closer to the travel lane than normal.

Sources

• Nassau County Department of Public Works sidewalk program
• NYSDOT Region 10 coordination documents
• NY 511 roadwork alerts (511ny.org)