Smoothing rough stretch of Montauk Highway

The rough section of Montauk Highway in Lindenhurst and Copiague has been smoothed out, according to the state Department of Transportation.

The repair work was required because a resurfacing job last year left a remarkably rough road surface, one that several readers brought to Watchdog's attention. The state, in response to queries, announced that the work was unacceptable. Repairs began in the fall but stopped when the road construction season ended Nov. 30. At that point, the state said it would resume in the spring.

Since May, readers have been asking: When?

On Thursday, the state said the work is complete. A "treatment called 'diamond grinding' was used to address the rough section of Montauk Highway/NY Route 27A in Lindenhurst," department spokeswoman Eileen Peters said in an email.

Diamond grinding was also the type of work used in the repair work in the fall, she said. "The rough surface area of Montauk Highway was further diamond ground this week and it now meets NYSDOT specifications. No further work is planned," she said.

"This is an efficient pavement improvement method that provides acceptable smoothness and improves the grip of the roadway to help prevent accidental skidding especially during inclement weather," her statement said.

The Federal Highway Administration web site says the technique leads to a "significant improvement in the riding smoothness of a pavement" and a safer road surface that reduces the potential for hydroplaning.

A diamond grinder consists of "multiple blades positioned next to each other to form about a 4 ft. wide drum," Peters said, and it grinds the roadway surface to a depth of quarter inch, Peters said.

The process was used instead of resurfacing because it "has less of an impact on motorists and prevents lengthy traffic tie-ups," she said.

-- JUDY CARTWRIGHT