Road resurfacing projects planned in towns of Smithtown, Hempstead, Huntington and Brookhaven

Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Friday that work was beginning on $16.6 million worth of projects to resurface 55 "lane miles" of state roads on Long Island, as well as pedestrian safety enhancements.

"With the onset of warmer weather, we are delivering on our promise to modernize Long Island's infrastructure and invest in safer, smoother travel for all New Yorkers," Hochul said in a statement. She added that the road improvement projects "will help reduce congestion [and] enhance safety."

Robert Sinclair, spokesman for AAA Northeast in Garden City, praised the announcement.

Sinclair said in an interview, "We can’t do enough" to improve the roads. He added, "It’s very good news. It will go a long way to help lessen the amount that drivers spend to repair their vehicles as a result of damage from potholed roads." 

Marc Herbst executive director of the Long Island Contractors' Association, said in an interview that the projects were "positive news. It’s part of the routine maintenance program the state has....The pavement conditions on Long Island were declining and this is helping reverse that trend. This will be a benefit for the Long Island community."

Herbst added that his association's members would benefit as well. "The projects she’s announcing will be going out to public bid," he said. "The contractors I represent will be bidding for these jobs."

The road repaving, which the announcement said would last through the summer and occur during off-peak hours, will involve the following locations in Nassau and Suffolk counties: 

• State Route 454 (Veterans Memorial Highway) between State Route 25 (Jericho Turnpike) and Old Willets Path in the Town of Smithtown;
• Meadowbrook State Parkway between State Route 27 (Sunrise Highway) and Merrick Road in the Town of Hempstead;
• State Route 110 between High Street and Prime Avenue in the Town of Huntington;
• State Route 27 (Sunrise Highway) at the interchange of William Floyd Parkway (Suffolk County Route 46) in the Town of Brookhaven;  
• State Route 106 (Newbridge Road) between State Route 105 (Jerusalem Avenue) and State Route 24 (Hempstead Turnpike) in the Town of Hempstead.

The projects also involve adding new pedestrian crosswalks and "highly reflective lane markings," and upgrading more than 120 sidewalk curb ramps to comply with Americans with Disabilities Act standards on State Route 106, State Route 110 and Meadowbrook State Parkway.

By Olivia Winslow

olivia.winslow@newsday.com@newsollie