Oakdale Merge, Meadowbrook-Southern State Parkway interchange on transportation plan improvement list

Officials from across the metropolitan area Friday approved a new five-year transportation plan that includes projects for improving the Oakdale Merge — the congested interchange where the Sunrise and Montauk highways converge — and the Meadowbrook-Southern State Parkway interchange in Hempstead Town.

The approval of the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council’s plan for 2026-2030 had earlier been uncertain because Suffolk County Executive Edward P. Romaine had threatened to veto it last month unless more funding was included for Long Island.

The council decides on hundreds of projects related to highways and mass transit to prioritize for federal funding in New York City, the Lower Hudson Valley and the Island. Projects included on the list aren't guaranteed to get federal money, but if they're left off the list, they almost certainly won't move forward.

Romaine, along with other Long Island bipartisan lawmakers, have long claimed the Island is neglected, even proposing to secede from the council last year. 

Romaine, who did not attend the vote in person at the council’s offices in downtown Manhattan, said in a statement the new plan was a "win" for the region.

"Today’s vote reflects the strong partnership between [Gov. Kathy Hochul], county government, and labor to ensure Suffolk County — and all Long Island — receives its fair share of infrastructure funding. This is important progress, and we look forward to building on it with additional investments in roads, sewers, and mass transit in the years ahead," Romaine said.

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman said in a statement, "Working together with Ed Romaine, organized labor, and local contractors, we have a program now that is not optimal but is certainly better than the original proposal."

The council is made up of nine voting members — two from New York City, one from each suburban county (Suffolk, Nassau, Westchester, Rockland and Putnam), one from the state Transportation Department and one from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Passing the five-year plan requires consensus, so Romaine’s potential abstention or veto could have delayed or blocked federal funding for the whole region.

NYMTC president Adam Levine acknowledged the contentious process behind the scenes that led to the plan, saying "collaboration isn't a synonym for Kumbaya. Each of you has perspective on the needs of your community, and you fight for them, just as we fight for you."

Marc Herbst, president of the Long Island Contractors’ Association, praised Romaine’s advocacy for the plan.

"It's essential that projects are listed and eligible for federal money before the state would even consider them. If it's not listed, it's not real," Herbst said.

 "Both of these projects have huge potential to create jobs, enhance safety and alleviate traffic in both Nassau and Suffolk Counties, further positioning Long Island for future growth," Hochul said in a statement Friday.

The Oakdale Merge, where 12 lanes of traffic converge into six, can "no longer accommodate the 126,000 vehicles that traverse the area daily," the governor's office said.

Herbst said changes would likely include adding lanes and safety improvements for better traffic flow.

The Southern State-Meadowbrook State Parkway interchange handles about 200,000 vehicles each day. Environmental review for Oakdale will begin at the end of this year, while the review for the latter project will begin in 2027 or 2028, the governor's office said.

The current five-year plan also includes funding for the ongoing replacement of platforms at the LIRR Babylon station and a project for a new bridge and interchange at the intersection of State Route 347 and Nicolls Road in South Setauket. 

 According to the council, the roughly $39.1 billion plan includes $4.473 billion for Long Island — including $395 million for the Oakdale merge and $250 million for the Meadowbrook-Southern State Parkway project. About 12% of federal funding and about 26% of state funds in the plan are for Long Island.

"These totals do not include projects that may originate outside of Long Island but benefit Long Islanders, [such as] improvements to the Long Island Rail Road made in New York City," the council said. 

Rachel Weinberger, a transportation planner at nonprofit Regional Plan Association, said it’s important to consider how much different subregions, like Long Island, received over the long-term.

But some projects of regional significance can benefit Long Islanders even if they are not located on the Island.

"A good transportation system in your neighboring counties actually benefits you," she said. "The Hudson tunnels matter, because people up and down the Northeast Corridor have to do business. ... If they go away, you will feel that."