State Lawmakers Celebrate Win in Fight to Repair Long Island Expressway
Assemblymembers Doug Smith (R,C,I-Holbrook), Jodi Giglio (R,C,I- Riverhead), Keith P. Brown (R,C,I- Northport), Joe Destefano (R,C,I- Medford) and State Senator Alexis Weik (R- Sayville) stand beside section of LI Expressway soon to be repaved.
State lawmakers gathered at the Long Island Welcome Center on the Long Island Expressway to commemorate the success of their hard work to address safety and efficiency concerns on the Long Island Expressway. The team of legislators, including members of both the state Senate and Assembly, were able to successfully direct attention to and ensure state infrastructure resources were dedicated to fixing the LI Expressway.
The governor’s office announced last week that the project would replace more than 280 miles of pavement on key stretches of the LI Expressway in Suffolk County, significantly improving the mobility of the hundreds of thousands of motorists travelling between Long Island and New York City every day.
In addition to hundreds of miles of new road in Suffolk County, the project will also address issues with entrance and exit ramps in Queens at Kissena Boulevard, Utopia Parkway and Lewis Boulevard.
“I want to thank the Hochul administration and the DOT commissioner for hearing our pleas and for advancing the schedule of paving the LIE from Exits 47-65 to fix the unsafe conditions for motorists and motorcyclists,” Assemblyman Keith P. Brown. “We are happy to see it being done. It's overdue!"
“I am grateful to Gov. Hochul and the New York State Department of Transportation for expediting the much-needed repaving of the LIE,” Assembly Member Doug Smith said, “I am happy that the concerns of our residents and local officials have been heard and look forward to seeing the project completed.”
“The repaving will make travel on the LIE safe and will keep women and men in labor busy for years to come,” said Assembly Member Jodi Giglio. “Thank you Gov. Hochul and NYS DOT for making this long awaited project happen.”
"I have spoken to the DOT on the critical need to repave the LIE and today's announcement is an important first step to ensure it gets done,” said Senator Alexis Weik. “The safety of our motorists is paramount and I am pleased that the DOT is making repaving the LIE—a majority of which will take place in the 3rd Senate District—a priority."
“The state DOT moving forward with bids to resurface the LIE could not come soon enough,” Assembly Member Joe DeStefano said. “This is a vital roadway for all of Long Island and must be properly maintained. The state must stay on schedule with the bidding process and get the job done. The safety and economic wellbeing of millions of people depends on it.”