Northern State, Route 231 Junction Undergoing $15.7M Makeover

About $15.7 million in safety improvements are coming to the Northern State Parkway and Deer Park Road (Route 231) junction in the Town of Huntington, the New York State Department of Transportation announced on Monday.

Preliminary work began this winter and the site will undergo major construction later this spring.

“Modernizing the interchange of Northern State Parkway and Route 231 is a wise investment that will pay off in more convenient travel for years to come,” DOT Acting Commissioner Paul A. Karas said in a press release. “Projects like this one are helping to improve commutes and support commerce across New York State, making it easier for everyone to get to where they need to go.”

This improvement project is expected to be completed in early 2019.

Here are the four key improvements that will be made, DOT says:

—A new entrance ramp will be constructed at the southwest quadrant— from State Route 231 southbound directly to eastbound Northern State Parkway. This will eliminate the left turn entrance from Deforest Road. A new exit ramp also will be built with a longer deceleration lane from eastbound Northern State Parkway to southbound State Route 231.

—The exit ramp at the southeast corner— from Northern State Parkway eastbound to northbound State Route 231— will be relocated and built wider and longer than the existing ramp. Exiting traffic will then join westbound Deforest Road with an extra lane of traffic traveling to a new traffic signal at Deforest Road and State Route 231. A raised median on Deforest Road will also be installed.

—A longer acceleration lane will be installed for the entrance ramp on State Route 231 southbound to westbound Northern State Parkway. The Northern State Parkway deceleration lane to northbound State Route 231 will be lengthened and the westbound Northern State Parkway will be upgraded, helping to move slower vehicles off the mainline of the parkway and smooth traffic flow.

—On State Route 231, a raised center median will be installed, traffic signals will be reconfigured for easier travel, a new right turning lane for southbound traffic to eastbound Northern State Parkway will be added, and new sidewalks will be built, including enhanced pedestrian signals and ramps compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

For more information, go here.

Image via NYSDOT