Traffic Signal, Drainage Work Unfinished on Route 347 Expansion

Construction along Route 347 will resume in the spring as officials put the finishing touches in the Smithtown-Hauppauge area and begin moving east. 

Eileen Peters, spokeswoman for the New York State Department of Transportation, said most of the substantial work along the one-mile stretch of Route 347 between Route 454/Veterans Highway east to Route 111/Wheeler Road has been substantially completed. Workers are hoping to put on the finishing touches by late spring 2013 before the project moves east. 

"The majority of construction was completed before the Christmas holidays before severe cold weather set in," Peters said. 

To complete the current stretch between Route 454 and Route 111, workers will be evaluating and finalizing traffic signals and finishing various drainage projects. There will be construction near the intersection of Route 347 and Route 111 as the drainage recharge basin is finished, which will be planted with greenery and is designed serve as rest stop for bike riders and pedestrians.

This first one-mile stretch of the Route 347 greenway project was slated to be completed by August 2012, and will finish behind schedule. With some work remaining, it's not clear whether the project has stayed on its $26.8 million budget. 

"A complete tally of the final costs is currently underway. This includes a final accounting of the quantities of materials used and the adjustments that were made to meet actual conditions in-the-field. A final cost will not be available until after project completion," Peters said in written statement. 

DOT is already looking to move construction eastwards, moving along Route 347 from Route 111/Wheeler Road east to Mount Pleasant Road. Residents have voted to have sound walls installed along this stretch of the roadway to reduce noise from the roadway this fall. 

The state has called for interested contractors to submit their bid for the project by Feb. 25. Then DOT will evaluate the proposals and choose a design-build team by mid-March, according to Peters. 

Action is also picking up at the other end of Route 347 project, as the DOT has started accepting bids on Jan. 10 for the reconstruction of the Route 347 and Route 112 intersection. Peters said the DOT is in the process of determining the lowest bid before awarding the contract.

The DOT's plans call for adding a third travel along to Route 347 within a half-mile distance of the Route 112 intersection. A jug handle will also constructed to allow drivers to make easier turns between Route 347 and Route 112.