Meadowbrook Parkway Northern Connector

The Problem

If you need to get from Long Island’s South Shore to the North Shore — or from the Southern State Parkway to the Northern State Parkway — the obvious route is to take the LIE or Hempstead Turnpike across the middle. Both options are terrible during rush hour.

The LIE through central Nassau (exits 38-44) is perpetually congested, and its interchanges with the north-south parkways are cloverleaf designs from the 1950s that create merge nightmares. Hempstead Turnpike is a surface road with a traffic light every quarter-mile through some of the most congested commercial zones on the island.

What many drivers — especially newer Long Islanders — don’t realize is that the Meadowbrook State Parkway runs the full north-south length of Nassau County, from Jones Beach in the south to the Northern State Parkway in the north, and it does so as a limited-access parkway with no traffic lights. It’s essentially a free expressway connecting the two major east-west corridors while bypassing the LIE entirely.

The Shortcut

South to North (Southern State → Northern State)

1. From the Southern State Parkway, take Exit 22A/22B for Meadowbrook State Parkway North.
2. Head north on Meadowbrook. The parkway crosses over Hempstead Turnpike, Stewart Avenue, and Old Country Road — all without stopping. No lights, no intersections.
3. Meadowbrook terminates directly at the Northern State Parkway at Exit 31A/31B. You’ll merge onto the Northern State eastbound or westbound.
4. Total distance: approximately 7 miles. Total time: 8-12 minutes depending on traffic. Compare that to 20-35 minutes on surface roads or the LIE interchange.

North to South (Northern State → Southern State)

1. From the Northern State Parkway, take Exit 31A for Meadowbrook State Parkway South.
2. Head south. Same limited-access parkway, same smooth ride.
3. Merge onto the Southern State Parkway at Exit 22. Continue east or west.

Extended Route: All the Way to Jones Beach

The Meadowbrook continues south past the Southern State, crossing over Merrick Road, Sunrise Highway, and continuing to Jones Beach. If your origin or destination is the South Shore barrier beaches, Meadowbrook is the direct line.

When to Use It

• Cross-island trips during rush hour. If you’re going from, say, Garden City (North Shore area) to Freeport or Merrick (South Shore), the Meadowbrook connection is faster than any east-west route through central Hempstead.
• Connecting Northern State to Southern State or vice versa without dealing with the LIE. This is the core use case. The Meadowbrook flies while the LIE interchange crawls.
• Getting to/from Jones Beach on summer weekends. Meadowbrook is one of two primary Jones Beach access roads (the other being Wantagh State Parkway). On beach days, it’s packed going south in the morning and north in the afternoon — but it’s still faster than surface roads.
• Medical trips to Nassau University Medical Center or Winthrop Hospital. Both are near the Meadowbrook corridor, and the parkway avoids the Hempstead Turnpike mess that surrounds them.

When NOT to Use It

• Summer weekend afternoons (northbound from Jones Beach). The Meadowbrook backs up from the Southern State all the way to the Ocean Parkway toll plaza as beach traffic heads home between 3-6 PM. On these days, Wantagh Parkway one exit east is often a better choice, or wait it out until after 6:30 PM.
• When there’s an accident on the Meadowbrook itself. The parkway is only two lanes in each direction. One accident and the whole thing shuts down. No shoulders, no alternate lanes, no exits for a couple miles at a stretch. Check conditions before committing.
• If your trip is primarily east-west. Meadowbrook solves north-south movement. If you’re going from, say, Hicksville to Babylon, taking Meadowbrook would add a significant detour. Stay on the east-west roads.
• During Belmont Park / UBS Arena events. The Meadowbrook’s northern end is adjacent to the Belmont/UBS Arena complex. Pre- and post-event traffic spills onto the parkway. On event nights, avoid the northern section (between Northern State and Hempstead Turnpike) from 5:30-8:00 PM and after 10 PM.

Time Savings

Normal rush hour cross-island trip: 10-15 minutes saved vs. using the LIE or Hempstead Turnpike for the north-south connection.

During LIE congestion: 15-20 minutes saved. When the LIE is jammed between exits 38-44, the Meadowbrook’s value spikes. It’s the fastest way across the island’s midsection.

Summer beach day: Variable. Southbound to Jones Beach in the morning, the Meadowbrook moves steadily — 10-12 minutes from Northern State to the beach. Northbound return in the afternoon, you might lose that advantage if you leave between 3-5 PM. Time your departure to before 2:30 PM or after 6:30 PM.

Pro Tips

• Meadowbrook is a parkway, which means no commercial vehicles. Trucks, buses, and trailers are prohibited. This keeps traffic lighter and faster than comparable roads. If you see a box truck on the Meadowbrook, they’re lost and about to get a ticket.
• The Meadowbrook/Northern State interchange has a tricky merge. Northbound Meadowbrook traffic merging onto the Northern State westbound must yield. Don’t assume you have the right of way — accelerate and merge smoothly or you’ll get honked at by Northern State traffic that has no patience.
• The parkway is named after the Meadowbrook Club, a golf club in Westbury that the road passes near. Useless trivia that makes you sound like a local.
• Speed enforcement is real on the Meadowbrook, especially in the stretch between Hempstead Turnpike and Old Country Road. Nassau County highway patrol cars sit in the median crossovers. The limit is 55 — keep it under 65.
• The Meadowbrook connects to Loop Parkway at its southern end, which takes you to Long Beach. If Long Beach is your destination, Meadowbrook → Loop is the fastest route from anywhere on the Northern State.
• For northbound trips at night, the Meadowbrook is one of the darkest parkways on the island. Limited lighting between the Southern State and Hempstead Turnpike. Keep your headlights on high beam when traffic allows and watch for deer — they cross this stretch regularly from Eisenhower Park.