Roadway · Nassau County

Hempstead Turnpike Traffic & Accidents

Real-time accident reports, live traffic conditions, and the most comprehensive safety guide to Hempstead Turnpike (NY Route 24) — long ranked the most dangerous road for pedestrians in the New York metro region. Updated every 4 hours.

Running clear No incidents reported this week · as of Jun 22 View live incidents →
Tracked incidents
5
Length
16 mi
Speed limit
40 mph (lower in village business districts)
Daily traffic
55k

Route Overview

From
Queens border / Elmont (Nassau County)
To
NY 110 / East Farmingdale (Suffolk County line)
Also Known As
Hempstead Tpke, NY 24, Route 24, NY Route 24, Hempstead Avenue

Why the Hempstead Turnpike Matters

Congestion & Risk

Ranked the #1 most dangerous road for pedestrians in the entire New York–New Jersey–Connecticut metro region for five consecutive years by the Tri-State Transportation Campaign's 'Most Dangerous Roads for Walking' analysis.

History

Originated as a colonial-era road linking Jamaica, Queens to the Town of Hempstead (founded 1644); operated as a toll turnpike in the 19th century. Designated NY Route 24 in the 1930s and was briefly the original designation of the Long Island Expressway before the LIE was reassigned as NY 495.

About Hempstead Turnpike

Hempstead Turnpike is the spine of southern-central Nassau County — a four-to-six-lane commercial arterial that carries the New York State Route 24 (NY 24) designation and runs roughly 16 miles across the most densely populated stretch of suburban Long Island. With an estimated 45,000 to 60,000 vehicles per day on its busiest Nassau segments, it is one of the most heavily traveled surface roads on Long Island. It is also, by a wide and well-documented margin, the most dangerous road for pedestrians in the entire New York metropolitan region — a distinction it held at the top of the Tri-State Transportation Campaign’s “Most Dangerous Roads for Walking” list for five consecutive years.

History

The road’s lineage reaches back to the 17th century, when it served as the primary overland route from Jamaica, Queens to the Town of Hempstead, one of Long Island’s founding communities, settled by the English in 1644. By the 19th century it had been formalized as a privately chartered toll turnpike, which is where its name comes from. It was designated NY Route 24 in the 1930s and was briefly the original route number assigned to the Long Island Expressway during construction in the late 1950s — before the LIE was reassigned as NY 495 and NY 24 returned to its Hempstead Turnpike alignment. Today the corridor is lined almost continuously with strip malls, fast-food outlets, auto dealerships, and big-box retail, the classic post-war American commercial arterial.

Route geometry (west to east)

NY 24’s western segment officially begins at an interchange with Interstate 295 (the Clearview Expressway) and NY 25 in Queens Village, where it follows local streets and Hempstead Avenue east toward the Nassau County line. The road takes on the Hempstead Turnpike name as it enters Nassau County at Elmont, immediately passing the Belmont Park racetrack and the adjacent UBS Arena. From there it runs east through Franklin Square, then through West Hempstead and the downtown core of the Village of Hempstead. East of the village it skirts East Garden City, passing Hofstra University and the former Nassau Coliseum site, and crosses the Meadowbrook State Parkway near Uniondale. Continuing east through East Meadow — past Nassau University Medical Center — it reaches Levittown, where it intersects the Wantagh State Parkway, Newbridge Road, and Wantagh Avenue. Farther east it crosses NY 135 (the Seaford–Oyster Bay Expressway) in the Plainedge area, becomes Bethpage Turnpike near the Bethpage State Parkway, and finally reaches Farmingdale, where it ends at NY 110 in East Farmingdale and continues onward as Conklin Street.

Jurisdiction and patrol

The Nassau County Police Department (NCPD) holds primary patrol and crash-investigation responsibility for the bulk of the corridor. The route also threads through several incorporated villages — the Village of Hempstead, Garden City, and Floral Park — each of which maintains its own police department and patrols the segment inside its borders. NYSDOT owns and maintains the NY 24 roadway, signals, and signage. West of the Nassau line, where the road is signed as Hempstead Avenue, patrol falls to the NYPD.

Speed limits and commercial character

Most of Hempstead Turnpike is posted at 40 mph, dropping lower through village business districts. That design speed sits at the heart of the road’s safety problem: a wide, high-speed arterial runs straight through walkable downtowns, transit stops, schools, and apartment blocks, where thousands of people — including children, seniors, and non-drivers — need to cross on foot every day. The dense, driveway-heavy commercial frontage generates constant turning movements and weaving, while long gaps between signalized crosswalks push pedestrians to cross mid-block. The result is a corridor optimized for vehicle throughput but hostile to everyone outside a car.

Dangerous Sections

The following segments are documented hot spots based on NYSDOT crash data, Nassau County’s High Injury Network, and Long Island Traffic’s running corpus of accident reports.

Elmont (Queens border to Belmont/UBS Arena): The western end of the turnpike in Elmont combines dense residential blocks, heavy event traffic from Belmont Park and UBS Arena, and closely spaced signals. The Dutch Broadway and Meacham Avenue crossings are recurring pedestrian-crash locations, and the volume of turning movements drives frequent rear-end collisions.

Franklin Square commercial corridor: Franklin Square’s continuous retail frontage along the turnpike produces one of the highest driveway-cut densities anywhere on the corridor. Multiple closely spaced commercial entrances create constant weaving conflicts, and the Franklin Avenue intersection is a persistent crash cluster.

East Garden City — Hofstra / former Nassau Coliseum: This segment pairs a university campus that physically straddles the turnpike with a major events district. High pedestrian volumes from Hofstra crossing a 40 mph arterial, layered on top of event-day traffic surges, make it one of the more dangerous walking environments on the route.

East Meadow (Carman Avenue / Nassau University Medical Center): The East Meadow stretch runs through dense residential neighborhoods and past the county’s largest hospital while holding arterial speeds. In May 2026, a 70-year-old pedestrian was killed crossing Hempstead Turnpike near Franklin Avenue in East Meadow — see our coverage of the East Meadow pedestrian fatality and the Homicide Squad investigation update.

Levittown (Wantagh Avenue / Newbridge Road): Through Levittown the turnpike maintains 40 mph speeds against a backdrop of schools, parks, and residential blocks. The mismatch between design speed and surrounding land use produces ongoing pedestrian and bicyclist conflicts, concentrated at the Wantagh Avenue and Newbridge Road crossings.

Towns and Communities Along the Route

Hempstead Turnpike passes through (or borders) the following Nassau County communities, listed roughly west to east:

Each town profile carries its own crash-frequency data, hospital and emergency-services list, and the recent accident archive filtered to that municipality.

Recent Editorial Coverage

Hempstead Turnpike coverage from the Long Island Traffic data desk:

For the complete Hempstead Turnpike accident archive, see /accidents/ and filter by road.

Accident Statistics

Hempstead Turnpike consistently ranks among Nassau County’s highest-crash roads by total annual volume, with reported collision counts in the range of roughly 1,200–1,600 crashes per year across the corridor based on NYSDOT Motor Vehicle Crash data and New York Open Data crash records. What sets the road apart is not raw volume but its pedestrian toll: people on foot are killed and injured here far out of proportion to traffic levels.

The evidence is long-standing and external. The Tri-State Transportation Campaign ranked SR-24 (Hempstead Turnpike) the most dangerous road for walking in the entire NY–NJ–CT region for five consecutive years, documenting 14 pedestrian deaths between 2009 and 2011 alone. A separate Newsday review of 2005–2010 data found 32 pedestrians killed and at least 427 injured in 457 pedestrian crashes on the corridor. Regionally, roughly 60 percent of pedestrian fatalities occur on exactly this type of wide, high-speed suburban arterial. NYSDOT and Nassau County have responded with countermeasures — pedestrian countdown signals, longer crossing phases, new crosswalks, and dedicated left-turn lanes — and Nassau County has placed multiple segments of the turnpike on its High Injury Network for targeted safety investment, but the corridor’s fundamental geometry continues to drive elevated pedestrian risk.

For the most current picture of conditions on the road right now, the Live Accident & Traffic Reports section above pulls directly from 511NY and our own ingestion pipeline.

If you were injured in a Hempstead Turnpike collision, it helps to know your rights before talking to an insurer.

Accidents on Hempstead Turnpike Today — Live Reports 98 active

Monday, June 22: 3 active accidents, 93 construction zones, and 2 closures reported on Hempstead Turnpike right now — data from 511NY and police feeds, updated Jun 22, 12:18 AM.

CLOSURE eastbound

roadwork on NY 24

Gas main repairs and repaving and utility work on NY 24 eastbound between Waverly Place (Farmingdale) and Main Street (Oyster Bay), Monday June 22nd, 2026 thru Saturday June 27th, 2026, Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday/Friday/Saturday, 08:00 AM thru 04:00 PM All lanes closed

No Data

CLOSURE eastbound

accidentsAndIncidents on NY 24

Crash on NY 24 eastbound 3rd Street (Hempstead) All lanes closed

All lanes closed

ACCIDENT eastbound

Crash on NY 24

Crash on NY 24 eastbound at Gardiners Avenue (Hempstead) 2 Left lanes of 3 lanes closed

ACCIDENT eastbound

Crash on NY 24

Crash on NY 24 eastbound at Stewart Avenue (Oyster Bay) left shoulder blocked

ACCIDENT westbound

Crash on NY 24

Crash on NY 24 westbound at Division Avenue (Hempstead) 2 Right lanes of 3 lanes closed

CONSTRUCTION both directions

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 both directions between Locustwood Boulevard (Hempstead) 1 Right lane of 2 lanes closed until 5:00 A.M.

1 Right lane closed

CONSTRUCTION westbound

Utility work, Gas main repairs on NY 24

Gas main repairs and utility work on NY 24 westbound between East Gate (Oyster Bay) and Dolphin Drive (Oyster Bay), Monday June 22nd, 2026 thru Saturday June 27th, 2026, Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday/Friday/Saturday, 09:00 AM thru 04:00 PM 1 Right lane of 2 lanes closed

No Data

CONSTRUCTION westbound

Utility work on NY 24

Utility work on NY 24 westbound between Secatogue Avenue (Farmingdale) and Main Street (Oyster Bay), Monday June 15th, 2026 thru Friday June 19th, 2026, Monday thru Friday, 08:00 AM thru 04:00 PM 1 Right lane of 2 lanes closed

No Data

CONSTRUCTION westbound

Utility work on NY 24

Utility work on NY 24 westbound between East Gate (Oyster Bay) and Dolphin Drive (Oyster Bay), Monday June 15th, 2026 thru Friday June 19th, 2026, Monday thru Friday, 09:00 AM thru 04:00 PM 1 Right lane of 2 lanes closed

No Data

CONSTRUCTION eastbound

Traffic signal repairs on NY 24

Traffic signal repairs on NY 24 eastbound at Broad Street (Hempstead), Monday June 15th, 2026 thru Wednesday June 17th, 2026, Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday, 10:00 AM thru 03:00 PM 1 Right lane of 2 lanes closed

No Data

CONSTRUCTION westbound

Traffic signal repairs on NY 24

Traffic signal repairs on NY 24 westbound at Meacham Avenue; Covert Avenue (Hempstead), Monday June 15th, 2026 thru Wednesday June 17th, 2026, Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday, 10:00 AM thru 03:00 PM 1 Right lane of 2 lanes closed

No Data

CONSTRUCTION eastbound

Traffic signal repairs on NY 24

Traffic signal repairs on NY 24 eastbound at Fulton Avenue; Front Street; NY 102 (Hempstead), Monday June 15th, 2026 thru Wednesday June 17th, 2026, Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday, 10:00 AM thru 03:00 PM 1 Right lane of 2 lanes closed

No Data

CONSTRUCTION westbound

Roadwork, Traffic signal repairs on NY 24

Roadwork and traffic signal repairs on NY 24 westbound at Meacham Avenue; Covert Avenue (Hempstead) Not currently Scheduled

No Data

CONSTRUCTION eastbound

Roadwork, Traffic signal repairs on NY 24

Roadwork and traffic signal repairs on NY 24 eastbound at Front Street (Hempstead) Not currently Scheduled

No Data

CONSTRUCTION both directions

Overnight roadwork on NY 24

Overnight roadwork on NY 24 both directions between Elmont Road (Hempstead) and Broadhollow Road; NY 110 (Babylon), Monday June 8th, 2026 thru Tuesday June 9th, 2026, 10:00 PM thru 05:30 AM 1 Left lane of 2 lanes closed

No Data

CONSTRUCTION both directions

Line striping, Road rehabilitation on NY 24

Line striping and road rehabilitation on NY 24 both directions between North Franklin Street (Hempstead) and Munson Ave (Hempstead) Not currently Scheduled

No Data

CONSTRUCTION both directions

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 both directions between North Franklin Street (Hempstead) and Munson Avenue (Hempstead) 1 Center lane of 3 lanes closed until 6:00 A.M.

1 Center lane closed

CONSTRUCTION westbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 westbound between Fulton Avenue; Front Street; NY 102 (Hempstead) and Nassau Boulevard (Hempstead) 1 Left lane of 2 lanes closed until 6:00 A.M.

1 Left lane closed

CONSTRUCTION both directions

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 both directions between Fulton Avenue; Front Street; NY 102 (Hempstead) and North Franklin Street (Hempstead) 1 Left lane of 2 lanes closed until 6:00 A.M.

1 Left lane closed

CONSTRUCTION eastbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 eastbound between Broadway (Hempstead) and North Franklin Street (Hempstead) 1 Right lane of 2 lanes closed until 6:00 A.M.

1 Right lane closed

CONSTRUCTION eastbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 eastbound between MUNSON AVE (Hempstead) and Fulton Avenue; Front Street; NY 102 (Hempstead) 1 Right lane of 3 lanes closed until 6:00 A.M.

1 Right lane closed

CONSTRUCTION westbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 westbound between New York Avenue (Hempstead) and Munson Avenue (Hempstead) 2 Right lanes of 4 lanes closed until 6:00 A.M.

2 Right lanes closed

CONSTRUCTION westbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 westbound at Carman Avenue (Hempstead) 1 Right lane of 4 lanes closed until 2:00 P.M.

1 Right lane closed

CONSTRUCTION westbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 westbound between North Franklin Street (Hempstead) and Westminster Road (Hempstead) 2 Right lanes of 3 lanes closed until 6:00 A.M.

2 Right lanes closed

CONSTRUCTION westbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 westbound at Carman Avenue (Hempstead) 1 Right lane of 3 lanes closed until 2:00 P.M.

1 Right lane closed

CONSTRUCTION eastbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 eastbound between Fulton Avenue; Front Street; NY 102 (Hempstead) and Cathedral Avenue South (Hempstead) 1 Right lane of 2 lanes closed until 3:00 P.M.

1 Right lane closed

CONSTRUCTION eastbound

Traffic signal repairs on NY 24

Traffic signal repairs on NY 24 eastbound at Benson Avenue (Hempstead), Monday June 1st, 2026 thru Friday June 5th, 2026, Monday thru Friday, 10:00 AM thru 03:00 PM 1 Right lane of 2 lanes closed

No Data

CONSTRUCTION westbound

Traffic signal repairs on NY 24

Traffic signal repairs on NY 24 westbound at Fulton Avenue; Front Street; NY 102 (Hempstead), Monday June 1st, 2026 thru Friday June 5th, 2026, Monday thru Friday, 10:00 AM thru 03:00 PM 1 Right lane of 2 lanes closed

No Data

CONSTRUCTION both directions

Line striping on NY 24

Line striping on NY 24 both directions between Elmont Road (Hempstead) and Broadhollow Road; NY 110 (Babylon), Monday June 1st, 2026 thru Wednesday June 3rd, 2026, Monday/Tuesday, 10:00 PM thru 05:30 AM 1 Right lane of 2 lanes closed

No Data

CONSTRUCTION westbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 westbound at Carman Avenue (Hempstead) 1 Right lane of 4 lanes closed Until 3 PM

1 Right lane closed

CONSTRUCTION both directions

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 both directions between Broad Street (Hempstead) and High Street (Hempstead) 1 Right lane of 2 lanes closed until 6:00 A.M.

1 Right lane closed

CONSTRUCTION eastbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 eastbound between Merrick Avenue (Hempstead) and Front Street (Hempstead) 1 Right lane of 5 lanes closed until 3:00 P.M.

1 Right lane closed

CONSTRUCTION both directions

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork on NY 24 both directions between MUNSON AVE (Hempstead) and Fulton Avenue; Front Street; NY 102 (Hempstead) 2 Right lanes of 3 lanes closed until 6:00 A.M.

2 Right lanes closed

CONSTRUCTION westbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 westbound at Carman Avenue (Hempstead) 1 Right lane of 4 lanes closed Until 2 PM

1 Right lane closed

CONSTRUCTION both directions

Line striping, Overnight roadwork, Repaving on NY 24

Line striping and overnight roadwork and repaving on NY 24 both directions between Elmont Road (Hempstead) and Broadhollow Road; NY 110 (Babylon), Tuesday May 26th, 2026 thru Thursday May 28th, 2026, Tuesday/Wednesday, 10:00 PM thru 05:30 AM 1 Right lane of 2 lanes closed

No Data

CONSTRUCTION both directions

Line striping, Repaving, Roadwork on NY 24

Line striping and repaving and roadwork on NY 24 both directions between Nassau Boulevard (Hempstead) and New Hyde Park Road; Franklin Avenue (Hempstead), Tuesday May 26th, 2026 thru Friday May 29th, 2026, Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday/Friday, 10:00 AM thru 03:00 PM 1 Right lane of 2 lanes closed

No Data

CONSTRUCTION westbound

Traffic signal repairs, Roadwork, Utility work on NY 24

Roadwork and traffic signal repairs and utility work on NY 24 westbound at Front Street (Hempstead), Tuesday May 26th, 2026 thru Friday May 29th, 2026, Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday/Friday, 10:00 AM thru 03:00 PM 1 Left lane of 3 lanes closed

No Data

CONSTRUCTION both directions

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 both directions between Munson Ave (Hempstead) and Garden City Boulevard (Hempstead) 1 Right lane of 2 lanes closed until 6:00 A.M.

1 Right lane closed

CONSTRUCTION eastbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 eastbound between Morton Avenue (Hempstead) and Fulton Avenue; Front Street; NY 102 (Hempstead) 1 Right lane of 2 lanes closed until 6:00 A.M.

1 Right lane closed

CONSTRUCTION westbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 westbound between Stratford Road (Hempstead) and Cherry Valley Avenue (Hempstead) 1 Right lane of 2 lanes closed until 6:00 A.M.

1 Right lane closed

CONSTRUCTION both directions

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 both directions between Main Street (Hempstead) and Cathedral Avenue South (Hempstead) 1 Right lane of 2 lanes closed until 5:00 A.M.

1 Right lane closed

CONSTRUCTION eastbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 eastbound between Merrick Avenue (Hempstead) and Front Street (Hempstead) 1 Right lane of 3 lanes closed until 3:00 P.M.

1 Right lane closed

CONSTRUCTION eastbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 eastbound between Merrick Avenue (Hempstead) and Front Street (Hempstead) 1 Right lane of 3 lanes closed until 3:00 P.M.

1 Right lane closed

CONSTRUCTION westbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork on NY 24 westbound between Cunningham Avenue (Hempstead) and Tennessee Avenue (Hempstead) 2 Left lanes of 3 lanes closed until 6:00 A.M.

2 Left lanes closed

CONSTRUCTION eastbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 eastbound between Hendrickson Avenue (Hempstead) and Oak Street (Hempstead) 1 Left lane of 2 lanes closed until 6:00 A.M.

1 Left lane closed

CONSTRUCTION eastbound

Drainage improvements, Line striping, Overnight roadwork, Repaving on NY 24

Drainage improvements and line striping and overnight roadwork and repaving on NY 24 eastbound between Hendrickson Avenue (Hempstead) and Meadowbrook State Parkway (Hempstead), Monday May 11th, 2026 thru Saturday May 16th, 2026, Monday thru Friday, 10:00 PM thru 06:00 AM 1 Right lane of 2 lanes clos

No Data

CONSTRUCTION both directions

Drainage improvements, Line striping, Repaving, Roadwork on NY 24

Drainage improvements and line striping and repaving and roadwork on NY 24 both directions between Madison Avenue (Hempstead) and North Franklin Street (Hempstead), Monday May 11th, 2026 thru Friday May 15th, 2026, Monday thru Friday, 10:00 AM thru 03:00 PM 1 Right lane of 2 lanes closed

No Data

CONSTRUCTION westbound

Installation of traffic monitoring systems, Roadwork, Traffic signal repairs on NY 24

Installation of traffic monitoring systems and roadwork and traffic signal repairs on NY 24 westbound at Benson Avenue (Hempstead), Monday May 11th, 2026 thru Friday May 15th, 2026, Monday thru Friday, 10:00 AM thru 03:00 PM 1 Right lane of 2 lanes closed

No Data

CONSTRUCTION westbound

Installation of traffic management systems, Roadwork, Traffic signal repairs on NY 24

Installation of traffic management systems and roadwork and traffic signal repairs on NY 24 westbound at Front Street (Hempstead), Monday May 11th, 2026 thru Friday May 15th, 2026, Monday thru Friday, 10:00 AM thru 03:00 PM 1 Right lane of 3 lanes closed

No Data

CONSTRUCTION eastbound

Repaving, Roadwork on NY 24

Repaving and roadwork on NY 24 eastbound between Merrick Avenue (Hempstead) and Front Street (Hempstead), Monday May 11th, 2026 thru Friday May 15th, 2026, Monday thru Friday, 10:00 AM thru 03:00 PM 1 Right lane of 3 lanes closed

No Data

CONSTRUCTION eastbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 eastbound between Hendrickson Avenue (Hempstead) and Uniondale Avenue (Hempstead) 1 Right lane of 2 lanes closed until 6:00 A.M.

1 Right lane closed

CONSTRUCTION westbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 westbound between Meadowbrook State Parkway (Hempstead) and Oak Street (Hempstead) 1 Right lane of 3 lanes closed until 6:00 A.M.

1 Right lane closed

CONSTRUCTION westbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 westbound between Oak Street (Hempstead) and Clinton Street (Hempstead) 1 Right lane of 2 lanes closed until 6:00 A.M.

1 Right lane closed

CONSTRUCTION both directions

Overnight roadwork on NY 24

Overnight roadwork on NY 24 both directions between Elmont Road (Hempstead) and Broadhollow Road; NY 110 (Babylon), Monday April 27th, 2026 thru Tuesday April 28th, 2026, 10:00 PM thru 05:30 AM 1 Left lane of 2 lanes closed

No Data

CONSTRUCTION both directions

Roadwork, Traffic signal repairs on NY 24

Roadwork and traffic signal repairs on NY 24 both directions between Munson Ave (Hempstead) and North Franklin Street (Hempstead), Monday April 27th, 2026 thru Tuesday April 28th, 2026, Monday/Tuesday, 10:00 AM thru 03:00 PM 1 Left lane of 2 lanes closed

No Data

CONSTRUCTION eastbound

Roadwork, Traffic signal repairs on NY 24

Roadwork and traffic signal repairs on NY 24 eastbound at Front Street (Hempstead), Monday April 27th, 2026 thru Friday May 1st, 2026, Monday thru Friday, 10:00 AM thru 03:00 PM 1 Left lane of 3 lanes closed

No Data

CONSTRUCTION eastbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork on NY 24 eastbound between Merrick Avenue (Hempstead) and Front Street (Hempstead), Monday April 27th, 2026 thru Friday May 1st, 2026, Monday thru Friday, 10:00 AM thru 03:00 PM 1 Right lane of 4 lanes closed

No Data

CONSTRUCTION eastbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 eastbound between California Avenue (Hempstead) and Meadowbrook State Parkway (Hempstead) 2 Left lanes of 3 lanes closed until 6:00 A.M.

2 Left lanes closed

CONSTRUCTION both directions

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 both directions at Fulton Avenue; Front Street; NY 102 (Hempstead) right shoulder blocked until 2:00 P.M.

right shoulder blocked

CONSTRUCTION eastbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 both directions between Duncan Road (Hempstead) and Meadowbrook State Parkway (Hempstead) 1 Left lane of 2 lanes closed eastbound; All lanes westbound until 5am

1 Left lane closed

CONSTRUCTION eastbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 eastbound area of Cherry Valley Avenue (Hempstead) 1 Right lane of 2 lanes closed Until 3 PM

1 Right lane closed

CONSTRUCTION westbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 westbound between Meadowbrook State Parkway (Hempstead) and Gilroy Avenue (Hempstead) 1 Right lane of 3 lanes closed until further notice

1 Right lane closed

CONSTRUCTION eastbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 eastbound at Oak Street (Hempstead) 2 Right lanes of 3 lanes closed until further notice

2 Right lanes closed

CONSTRUCTION eastbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 eastbound between Duncan Road (Hempstead) and Meadowbrook State Parkway (Hempstead) 1 Right lane of 2 lanes closed until 6:00 A.M.

1 Right lane closed

CONSTRUCTION westbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 westbound at Jerusalem ave (Hempstead) 1 Right lane of 3 lanes closed Until 3 PM

1 Right lane closed

CONSTRUCTION eastbound

Traffic signal repairs, Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork and traffic signal repairs on NY 24 eastbound at Front Street (Hempstead), Monday April 20th, 2026 thru Friday April 24th, 2026, Monday thru Friday, 10:00 AM thru 03:00 PM 1 Right lane of 3 lanes closed

No Data

CONSTRUCTION eastbound

Milling, Repaving, Traffic signal repairs, Overnight roadwork on NY 24

Milling and overnight roadwork and repaving and traffic signal repairs on NY 24 eastbound between Hendrickson Avenue (Hempstead) and Meadowbrook State Parkway (Hempstead), Monday April 20th, 2026 thru Friday April 24th, 2026, Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday, 10:00 PM thru 06:00 AM 1 Right lane of

No Data

CONSTRUCTION both directions

Repaving, Milling, Traffic signal repairs, Roadwork on NY 24

Milling and repaving and roadwork and traffic signal repairs on NY 24 both directions between Munson Ave (Hempstead) and North Franklin Street (Hempstead), Monday April 20th, 2026 thru Friday April 24th, 2026, Monday thru Friday, 10:00 AM thru 03:00 PM 1 Right lane of 2 lanes closed

No Data

CONSTRUCTION westbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork on NY 24 westbound between Meadowbrook State Parkway (Hempstead) and Gilroy Avenue (Hempstead) 1 Left lane of 3 lanes closed until 6am

1 Left lane closed

CONSTRUCTION eastbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 eastbound between Gilroy Avenue (Hempstead) and Meadowbrook State Parkway (Hempstead) 2 Left lanes of 3 lanes closed until further notice

2 Left lanes closed

CONSTRUCTION eastbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 eastbound between Meadowbrook State Parkway (Hempstead) 1 Left lane of 3 lanes closed until 6am work is from Duncan Road to Meadowbrook State Parkway

1 Left lane closed

CONSTRUCTION westbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 westbound at Gardiners Avenue (Hempstead) 1 Right lane of 3 lanes closed until 3:00 P.M.

1 Right lane closed

CONSTRUCTION eastbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork on NY 24 eastbound between Duncan Road (Hempstead) and Meadowbrook State Parkway (Hempstead) 1 Right lane of 2 lanes closed until 6:00 A.M.

1 Right lane closed

CONSTRUCTION westbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 westbound at Gardiners Avenue (Hempstead) 1 Right lane of 3 lanes closed until 3:00 P.M.

1 Right lane closed

CONSTRUCTION westbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 westbound at Marlborough Road (Hempstead) 1 Right lane of 2 lanes closed until 3:00 P.M.

1 Right lane closed

CONSTRUCTION westbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 westbound at Gardiners Avenue (Hempstead) 1 Right lane of 3 lanes closed until 3:00 P.M.

1 Right lane closed

CONSTRUCTION westbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 westbound between Cherry Valley Avenue (Hempstead) and South Greenway Street (Hempstead) 1 Right lane of 2 lanes closed until 3:00 P.M.

1 Right lane closed

CONSTRUCTION eastbound

Overnight roadwork, Milling on NY 24

Milling and overnight roadwork on NY 24 eastbound between Hendrickson Avenue (Hempstead) and Meadowbrook State Parkway (Hempstead), Monday April 13th, 2026 thru Friday April 17th, 2026, Monday/Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday, 10:00 PM thru 06:00 AM 1 Left lane of 2 lanes closed

No Data

CONSTRUCTION both directions

Roadwork, Milling on NY 24

Milling and roadwork on NY 24 both directions between Munson Ave (Hempstead) and N FRANKLIN ST (Hempstead), Monday April 13th, 2026 thru Friday April 17th, 2026, Monday thru Friday, 10:00 AM thru 03:00 PM 1 Left lane of 2 lanes closed

No Data

CONSTRUCTION eastbound

Roadwork, Traffic signal repairs on NY 24

Roadwork and traffic signal repairs on NY 24 eastbound at Front Street (Hempstead), Monday April 13th, 2026 thru Friday April 17th, 2026, Monday thru Friday, 10:00 AM thru 03:00 PM 1 Left lane of 3 lanes closed

No Data

CONSTRUCTION westbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 westbound between Fulton Avenue; Front Street; NY 102 (Hempstead) and Cherry Valley Avenue (Hempstead) 1 Left lane of 2 lanes closed Until 3PM

1 Left lane closed

CONSTRUCTION westbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 westbound between High Street (Hempstead) and Fulton Avenue; Front Street; NY 102 (Hempstead) 1 Right lane of 2 lanes closed Until 3 PM

1 Right lane closed

CONSTRUCTION westbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 westbound at Locustwood Boulevard (Hempstead) 2 Right lanes of 3 lanes closed until 4:00 A.M.

2 Right lanes closed

CONSTRUCTION westbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 westbound between High Street (Hempstead) and Cherry Valley Avenue (Hempstead) 1 Right lane of 2 lanes closed until 3:00 P.M.

1 Right lane closed

CONSTRUCTION eastbound

Drainage improvements on NY 24

Drainage improvements on NY 24 eastbound between Hendrickson Avenue (Hempstead) and Meadowbrook State Parkway (Hempstead), Monday April 6th, 2026 thru Saturday April 11th, 2026, Monday thru Friday, 10:00 PM thru 06:00 AM 1 Right lane of 2 lanes closed

No Data

CONSTRUCTION both directions

Drainage improvements on NY 24

Drainage improvements on NY 24 both directions between Munson Ave (Hempstead) and North Franklin Street (Hempstead), Monday April 6th, 2026 thru Friday April 10th, 2026, Monday thru Friday, 10:00 AM thru 03:00 PM 1 Right lane of 2 lanes closed

No Data

CONSTRUCTION eastbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 eastbound between Morton Avenue (Hempstead) and High Street (Hempstead) 1 Right lane of 2 lanes closed until 3 PM

1 Right lane closed

CONSTRUCTION westbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 westbound at Wellington Road South (Hempstead) 1 Right lane of 2 lanes closed Until 3 PM

1 Right lane closed

CONSTRUCTION westbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 westbound at Wellington Road South (Hempstead) 1 Left lane of 2 lanes closed Until 3 PM

1 Left lane closed

CONSTRUCTION both directions

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 both directions between Spruce Street (Hempstead) and High Street (Hempstead) 1 Right lane of 2 lanes closed until 3:00 P.M.

1 Right lane closed

CONSTRUCTION westbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork on NY 24 westbound between Wantagh State Parkway (Hempstead) 1 Right lane of 3 lanes closed Until 3 PM

1 Right lane closed

CONSTRUCTION eastbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork on NY 24 eastbound between Garden City Boulevard (Hempstead) and Front Street (Hempstead) 1 Right lane of 2 lanes closed Until 3 PM

1 Right lane closed

CONSTRUCTION eastbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 eastbound between Garden City Boulevard (Hempstead) 1 Right lane of 2 lanes closed Until 3:00 P.M.

1 Right lane closed

CONSTRUCTION eastbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 eastbound between Garden City Boulevard (Hempstead) and Front Street (Hempstead) 1 Right lane of 2 lanes closed until 3:00 P.M.

1 Right lane closed

CONSTRUCTION both directions

Roadwork, Drainage improvements on NY 24

Drainage improvements and roadwork on NY 24 both directions between Munson Ave (Hempstead) and North Franklin Street (Hempstead), Monday March 30th, 2026 thru Friday April 3rd, 2026, Monday thru Friday, 10:00 AM thru 03:00 PM 1 Right lane of 2 lanes closed

No Data

CONSTRUCTION eastbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 eastbound between Nassau Boulevard (Hempstead) and Garden City Boulevard (Hempstead) 1 Right lane of 2 lanes closed until 3:00 P.M.

1 Right lane closed

CONSTRUCTION westbound

Roadwork on NY 24

Roadwork, roadwork on NY 24 westbound between Meadowbrook State Parkway (Hempstead) and Earle Ovingoton Drive (Hempstead) 1 Right lane of 3 lanes closed Until 3 PM

1 Right lane closed

CONSTRUCTION both directions

Roadwork, Drainage improvements on NY 24

Drainage improvements and roadwork on NY 24 both directions between Hendrickson Avenue (Hempstead) and Meadowbrook State Parkway (Hempstead), Monday March 23rd, 2026 thru Friday March 27th, 2026, Monday thru Friday, 10:00 AM thru 03:00 PM 1 Left lane of 2 lanes closed

No Data

Data from 511NY, updated Jun 22, 12:18 AM

Latest on Hempstead Turnpike 5 total

minor

Left Shoulder Blocked After Eastbound Crash on NY 24 in Nassau County

Oyster Bay · Jun 11, 2026

Jun 11, 3:52 PM
moderate

Car Crash Shuts All Westbound Lanes on Hempstead Turnpike Between Division Ave and Wolcott Rd in Levittown

Hempstead · Jun 10, 2026

Jun 10, 4:42 PM
major

VIDEO: Bushwick, Brooklyn Flash Flood — Wilson & Stockholm Streets Submerged After Severe Thunderstorm

· May 20, 2026

May 20, 8:35 PM
critical

Hempstead Man, 58, Arrested After Fatal Drug Overdose Investigation

Hempstead · May 17, 2026

May 17, 8:02 AM
moderate

Multiple Fatal Crashes and Pedestrian Accidents Reported Across Long Island

Levittown · May 16, 2026

May 16, 6:51 PM

Accidents by Town

Town-specific breakouts for Hempstead Turnpike — every town where we've tracked three or more incidents.

View all 2 accidents on Hempstead Turnpike in Hempstead Open page →

Accident Statistics

5 Total Reports
1 Critical
0 Fatal

Dangerous Sections

  • Dutch Broadway (Elmont)
  • Meacham Avenue (Elmont)
  • Franklin Avenue (Franklin Square)
  • Hofstra University / former Nassau Coliseum (East Garden City)
  • Carman Avenue (East Meadow)
  • Wantagh Avenue (Levittown)
  • Newbridge Road (Levittown)

Towns Along This Route

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there traffic on the Hempstead Turnpike right now?

Right now there are 3 active accidents, 93 construction zones, and 2 closures reported on the Hempstead Turnpike. This page shows live Hempstead Turnpike conditions and refreshes through the day — see the live incidents above for exact locations.

What happened on the Hempstead Turnpike today?

No new Hempstead Turnpike accidents have been reported in the past 24 hours. This page logs every tracked Hempstead Turnpike incident and updates through the day — see recent incidents above for the latest.

What happened on Hempstead Turnpike today?

Check the Live Accident & Traffic Reports section above for the latest Hempstead Turnpike incidents. Long Island Traffic ingests data from 511NY, the Nassau County Police Department (NCPD), the New York State Police, the National Weather Service, and verified social media every 15 minutes; static-page coverage rebuilds every 4 hours. For the most recent 30-minute window, 511ny.org is the upstream source.

Is Hempstead Turnpike the same as Route 24?

Yes. Hempstead Turnpike carries the New York State Route 24 (NY 24) designation across Nassau County. NY 24 is a 30.84-mile state highway split into two segments; the western segment runs 18.68 miles from an interchange with Interstate 295 and NY 25 in Queens Village, Queens, east to NY 110 in East Farmingdale. Through Nassau County, that western segment is the road locally known as Hempstead Turnpike (and, at its eastern end, Bethpage Turnpike, Fulton Street, and Conklin Street).

Why is Hempstead Turnpike so dangerous for pedestrians?

Hempstead Turnpike has long been considered the most dangerous road for pedestrians in the New York metro region. The Tri-State Transportation Campaign's 'Most Dangerous Roads for Walking' analysis ranked SR-24 (Hempstead Turnpike) the deadliest road for walking in the entire NY–NJ–CT region for five consecutive years, with 14 pedestrian deaths recorded between 2009 and 2011 alone. A Newsday review of 2005–2010 data found 32 pedestrians killed and at least 427 injured in 457 pedestrian crashes on the corridor. The causes are structural: a four-to-six-lane arterial posted at 40 mph runs directly through dense residential downtowns, with long distances between marked crosswalks, short pedestrian signal phases, and poor sight lines at overpasses and curves.

How long is Hempstead Turnpike?

The stretch known as Hempstead Turnpike runs roughly 16 miles across Nassau County, from the Queens border near Elmont east to the Suffolk County line at Farmingdale. It forms the bulk of the 18.68-mile western segment of NY Route 24, which technically begins in Queens Village and ends at NY 110 in East Farmingdale, where the road continues as Conklin Street.

What are the most dangerous intersections on Hempstead Turnpike?

Documented high-crash points include Dutch Broadway and Meacham Avenue in Elmont near the Queens border, Franklin Avenue in Franklin Square, the Hofstra University and former Nassau Coliseum area in East Garden City, Carman Avenue near Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow, and the Wantagh Avenue and Newbridge Road crossings in Levittown. Pedestrian crashes are elevated at nearly every major signalized intersection because of the corridor's wide cross-section and high operating speeds.

What is the speed limit on Hempstead Turnpike?

The posted speed limit on most of Hempstead Turnpike is 40 mph, with lower limits through incorporated village business districts. Traffic-safety researchers have repeatedly identified the 40 mph design speed as a core problem: at that speed, a four-to-six-lane arterial cutting through dense, walkable downtowns gives drivers little time to react to people crossing on foot.

Who patrols Hempstead Turnpike?

The Nassau County Police Department (NCPD) has primary patrol and crash-investigation responsibility for most of the Hempstead Turnpike corridor. Incorporated villages along the route — including the Village of Hempstead, Garden City, and Floral Park — maintain their own police departments and patrol the segments within their borders. NYSDOT maintains the state-route roadway itself. West of the Nassau County line, the road (as Hempstead Avenue) falls under the NYPD.

Why is it called Hempstead Turnpike?

Hempstead Turnpike was historically the main overland road connecting Jamaica, Queens to the Town of Hempstead — one of Long Island's oldest colonial communities, established by English settlers in 1644. Like Jericho Turnpike, it operated as a privately chartered toll road (a 'turnpike') in the 19th century before becoming a public highway. The Town of Hempstead remains the most populous township in New York State.

Does Hempstead Turnpike connect to UBS Arena or Belmont Park?

Yes. The western end of Hempstead Turnpike in Elmont passes near both Belmont Park — home of the Belmont Stakes, one of the three Triple Crown horse races — and UBS Arena, the 2021-built home of the New York Islanders. Major events at either venue, including Belmont Stakes weekend in June and Islanders games and concerts, generate heavy event traffic on the turnpike and the surrounding Elmont street grid.

How many accidents happen on Hempstead Turnpike each year?

Hempstead Turnpike consistently ranks among Nassau County's highest-crash roads by total annual volume, with crash counts in the range of roughly 1,200–1,600 reported collisions per year across the corridor based on NYSDOT and New York Open Data crash records. Pedestrian and bicyclist crashes are overrepresented relative to the road's traffic volume, which is what drives its long-standing reputation as the region's deadliest road for walking.

Injured in a Hempstead Turnpike Accident?

Sources