Split Long Island Expressway part of broader bridge work ending this winter

Bridge deck work that has split sections of the Long Island Expressway is part of a broader effort to strengthen and replace the top concrete layer of five overpasses.

Currently, the highway is split at Round Swamp Road, near Exit 48, close to the Nassau-Suffolk border, where orange construction barrels and concrete barriers isolate the work zones in the middle of the roadway in both directions.

Until Wednesday, temporary lane shifts closed out a middle lane while still managing to keep all traffic lanes open around Exit 62, near Blue Point Road, in both the eastbound and westbound lanes and at the westbound span of Holbrook Road, near Exit 61.

Concrete dividers that isolated the work zone in the middle lane separated four lanes of traffic at those locations. That phase of the project ended at those locations as crews kicked off the next phase, which is completing the deck in the left lanes.

The work on the overpasses is expected to be completed this winter.

The layout is intended to protect crews while minimizing traffic disruptions, according to Stephen Canzoneri, state Department of Transportation spokesman.

The ongoing project replaces the top layer of the bridge deck “with high performance concrete to improve resiliency against severe weather, provide a smoother riding surface and extend the service life of these structures by at least 20 years,” Canzoneri said in a statement.

Concrete work in general is more labor-intensive than asphalt.

While this type of highway work setup follows state and federal guidelines, it can sometimes be tricky to navigate, according to Michael Shenoda, a traffic engineering expert who used to work for the state DOT.

This particular arrangement keeps all lanes of traffic open, but drivers crossing into unfamiliar territory must be mindful of new traffic patterns and exits, as was the case near Holbrook Road, according to Shenoda.

He said any traffic disruptions near Exit 48 would be minimal because the exit is before the division.

“Existing or borderline congestion can always be exacerbated by even a ‘disturbance’ like this,” he added.

The separation at Holbrook Road was more confusing because drivers stuck in the left two lanes would not have access to Exit 61, Shenoda said.

“There is a very good chance for getting some congestion upstream, because people are trying to figure out which direction to go … they’re not sure they’re going to be stuck in a certain situation if they use the left side versus the right side,” Shenoda said.

He said the bifurcated highway work zone is generally avoided, but it was clear that keeping all lanes open to traffic was a priority.

“It is much more fraught with safety concerns than if you do work on either side of the roadway,” Shenoda added.