New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) officials recently announced the completion of the $6.8 million Sunrise Highway (NY Route 27) Massapequa Safety and Mobility Improvement Project in the Town of Oyster Bay, between Cartwright Boulevard and Louden Avenue.

"The 50,000 motorists who travel on this busy roadway each day will benefit from the smoother road surface, access modifications, upgraded traffic signals, drainage improvements, new signs, sidewalks and pavement markings," said Subi Chakraborti, NYSDOT regional director. "These new road improvements will help accommodate the area's continued development and provides another example of the NYSDOT's commitment to work with residents, local governments and business owners to provide safe and efficient transportation assets for Long Island."

"As a resident of the Massapequa community who travels in this area every day, I saw first-hand the need for measures to improve traffic flow and safety on Sunrise Highway," Oyster Bay Town Supervisor John Venditto said. "I appreciate the efforts of the state to improve the conditions of this road. I also commend State Senator Charles Fuschillo, State Assemblyman Joe Saladino, and our town clerk and former State Assemblyman Steve Labriola for their extraordinary dedication, determination and hard work in helping make this project a reality."

This project was implemented to address the high traffic volumes, numerous driveways, heavy left-turn movements and stop and go delays. To address these conditions, the roadway pavement including sidewalks, storm water drainage and traffic signals were upgraded and accesses to numerous businesses were modified. In addition, extra vehicle storage was provided for turning movements; new signs and pavement markings were installed.

Specific renovations included: a realignment of the Sunrise Highway/Old Sunrise Highway intersection; the addition of an auxiliary travel lane on westbound Sunrise Highway near Unqua Road/Park Lane; installation of a raised separator on westbound NY Route 27 between Unqua Road and the Sunrise Mall western entrance; and reconfiguration of access to "Philips Plaza" by creating a new right turn lane on Sunrise Highway westbound at Broadway Avenue near the Massapequa Long Island Rail Road station.

Throughout construction, NYSDOT minimized the impact on motorists and the local community by performing paving operations at night and keeping travel lanes open during the day between Unqua Road and Old Sunrise Highway as well as during the holiday shopping season between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day.

Construction was performed by InterCounty Paving Associations, LLC, of Hackettstown, NJ.