Route 347 Update: Excavation of Third Westbound Lane, Utility Work Continues

Hauppauge drivers can see dirt and pipes piled high along Route 347 as utility work continues as the roadway is expanded.

Eileen Peters, spokeswoman for the New York State Department of Transportation, said utility crews are continuing to work diligently to lay new lines or expanding their existing utility lines to accommodate for the expansion of Route 347. Suffolk County Water Authority, National Grid, LIPA, Verizon, Cablevision, AT&T, and LI Fiber have all sent crews to the construction site this week, Peters said.

"We are able to continue with our work fortunately, but their utility work has to be done to a certain point before we can finish," she said.

Department of Transportation workers have focused their attention on excavating the northern side of Route 347, Peter said, so they can start laying the foundation for a third lane.

"I believe at this point the plan is to put down a rough traveling surface on the north side to shift traffic over," Peters said.

The large pile of sand and dirt in front of Capital One in Hauppauge is material that has been excavated to make way for the expansion. Peters said part of the pile will be reused as fill, while the contractor plans to truck some of the material away for use in another construction project.

The construction is to transform 15 miles of Route 347 into an environmentally conscious, motor and pedestrian-friendly highway stretching from Hauppauge to Port Jefferson. The one-mile stretch in Hauppauge from the Route 347/454 split to the intersection of Route 111 is scheduled to be completed by 2012.

How is the reconstruction of Route 347 affecting your commute? Share your comments or complaints in the comments below, or email the editor at sara-megan.walsh@patch.com.