Paving project puts the brakes on Long Island potholes

Pothole-marked stretches on some heavily traveled Long Island roadways are no more — thanks to a nearly $27 million recently completed repaving project, state officials announced Wednesday.

It took about five months to resurface roughly 40 lane miles along the Suffolk section of the Northern State Parkway, according to state officials. The $13.9 million repaving job, between Route 110 in Huntington and Routes 347/454 in Smithtown, started in June and includes new lane markings.

According to officials, workers also finished resurfacing three areas of Northern Boulevard that include: the New York City line to Old Northern Boulevard in Russell Gardens, Lake Success, Flower Hill, East Hills, Munsey Park, Roslyn Estates and areas of North Hempstead; from Forest Drive to Glen Cove Road in East Hills and North Hempstead; and Annandale Drive to Route 108 in Oyster Bay Cove and Laurel Hollow.

The $13 million resurfacing project on Northern Boulevard also included repairing or replacing drainage structures and adding 80 new sidewalk ramps that comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Dessie Montagna of Long Beach said she's glad the roads are being strengthened before the winter and the season's freeze-thaw cycle begins. During the cycle, water can seep into cracks in the pavement, freezing and expanding under rising temperatures, then melting when the weather warms, weakening the pavement. 

"It's always good to repave," Montagna said.

Ray Charlton of Deer Park said he is skeptical the new road surface will hold up. Charlton said a section on the Long Island Expressway that was repaved in October of last year is already riddled with potholes.

"We travel all up and down the coast, from Vermont to Florida, and New York has the worst repaved roads ever," Charlton said. 

In a statement, Gov. Kathy Hochul said the state is making critical investments "to ensure that our vital travel arteries on Long Island stay in good condition and help keep people and goods on the move for decades to come."