DOT breaks ground on Route 347 construction
An artist's rendering of what the revamped Route 347 might look like when it's complete. Credit: NYS DOT handout
A throng of local lawmakers joined state Department of Transportation representatives for a ground breaking ceremony Wednesday morning on a long-delayed $26.8 million construction project on a stretch of Route 347 in the Town of Smithtown.
State DOT crews will retool nearly one mile of road between Route 111 and the point where Routes 454 and 347 split. The project will add a third lane in both directions and place seven new bus stops along the stretch. The speed limit will be lowered to 45 mph.
Construction is expected to begin within a month and will be completed by 2012.
Officials scheduled to attend the ground breaking included U.S. Reps. Steve Israel and Tim Bishop, state Sens. John Flanagan, Kenneth LaValle and Brian Foley, and Assemblymen Michael Fitzpatrick and Steve Englebright.
'I've never seen fire sitting on the water' Three Newsday photographers talk to NewsdayTV's Macy Egeland about covering the tragic crash of TWA Flight 800 in 1996.
'I've never seen fire sitting on the water' Three Newsday photographers talk to NewsdayTV's Macy Egeland about covering the tragic crash of TWA Flight 800 in 1996.
