DOT proposes new exit on Sunrise

The New York State Department of Transportation is in the development stages of a project to add a new interchange exit to Sunrise Highway in Mastic. Based on a 2011 Sunrise Highway Corridor Sustainable Transportation study, the department said this would be an ideal location for a new exit, spokesman Stephen Canzoneri told the Advance.

Currently, between the exit for William Floyd Parkway and Moriches-Middle Island Road, there is a three-mile gap. This project would bring the distance to 1.5 miles, which is more common for Long Island drivers, who experience that and shorter distances on most of the highway.

“It provides better access to and from the highway in that gapped area,” Canzoneri said.

The new exit would also allow for an additional way to get out of the Mastic peninsula in case of an emergency or even just during rush hour. The only way to access the highway from the area is through William Floyd Parkway, which is often backed up and not exactly close for Mastic residents, who are caught in between the two exits. It would also be an additional route for first responders.

The plan includes an entrance and exit on each side of the highway, connecting to Barnes Road. The ramps would be constructed in an already-established right of way, Canzoneri said, so no buildings or homes would be removed. 

The project is in an open comment phase, so residents can submit comments to the DOT for consideration in the final proposal. To send in a comment, email r10-rpic@dot.ny.gov, call (631) 952-6929, or write to the Barnes Road Interchange Project Team, NYSDOT Region 10, 250 Veterans Memorial Highway, Hauppauge, NY 11788.