Cuomo Announces Work On Nassau Expressway Improvement Begins

Construction has begun on a $130 million project to reconstruct a section of State Route 878 (Nassau Expressway) between Rockaway Turnpike and Burnside Avenue. More than 400,000 people rely on Nassau Expressway as an emergency evacuation route, which was utilized during Hurricane Sandy. Infrastructure and safety improvements are needed to raise the road, which is approximately two-and-a-half feet below the 100-year floodplain, and improve an aging drainage system and soil underneath. The project is scheduled to be completed in December 2019.

"Nassau Expressway is a vital artery that connects both residents and visitors with the Five Towns, Long Beach barrier island, JFK Airport, and nearly every major roadway in the area," said Governor Andrew Cuomo. "This investment will help harden Long Island's transportation infrastructure to withstand future storms, provide safe travel in and out of Nassau County, and further strengthen the region's economy."

Originally built in the 1970s, this busy stretch of road now carries more than 56,000 vehicles each day and provides a direct link to JFK Airport, the Five Towns Shopping Mall and other businesses. The segment of road between Rockaway Turnpike and Burnside Avenue is susceptible to flooding and has been closed during severe weather events, creating a bottleneck within the area's evacuation network. There is also recurrent congestion in this area due to poor operating conditions. The soil conditions in the area are also poor and have contributed to the continuing failure of the pavement.

The enhancement project, which was developed with community input, will involve raising the road three to four feet above the floodplain, and building new drainage structures to prevent future flooding and provide a more resilient evacuation route. The new roadway will be constructed on aload transfer via timber piles and special lightweight fill. Additionally, a new shared-use path will be built to provide safe passage for bicyclists, runners and pedestrians. Each intersection along the road will be upgraded with new traffic signals and the addition of turning and auxiliary lanes to improve traffic operations and safety.

The project will also include removal of the Debris Mound, locally known as the Inwood Mound — a large mound of construction debris southwest of the Nassau Expressway and Bay Boulevard intersection. The Debris Mound is approximately 250,000 square feet of deposited material, including concrete, brick, asphalt pavement, rock and soil, and is within the State Department of Transportation right-of-way, rising 30 - 50 feet above the Nassau Expressway corridor. The removal of the Debris Mound will provide an on-site area for improved drainage, stormwater treatment and wetland mitigation.

"This project will help transform a vital part of the South Shore that for too long has been plagued by traffic and flooding," said Sen. Todd Kaminsky. "Upgrading an essential evacuation route and expediting traffic for thousands of commuting Long islanders are critical priorities, and Governor Cuomo has focused on them by overhauling 878 — something that officials have talked about for nearly fifty years but never accomplished."

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