Traffic Alert: Roadwork To Severely Limit Travel on Route 112

The New York State Department of Transportation issued an alert yesterday notifying drivers that construction on Route 112 will limit traffic to one lane in each direction between Route 347 and Hallock Avenue in Port Jefferson Station starting Monday causing delays, especially during rush hour. The construction project is expected to take one year while the state performs major drainage and road reconstruction work.

Installing a new bike lane, a center turning lane, raised medians, storm water drainage and better road traction are all part of the project. They also plan on making the area safer for pedestrians by putting in updated traffic and pedestrian signals and continuous sidewalks along the stretch. Last week as he stepped into the driving lane on a part of Route 112 that is in the proposed work area.

The work is being done as part of the NY Route 112 Safety and Mobility Improvement Project. The project was first proposed in 2007 by the New York State DOT to improve traffic conditions on the aging roadway.

"Most of this roadway was constructed in 1937 and in the past twenty years, traffic has grown from 17,000 vehicles per day using this section of NY Route 112 to approximately 26,000 per day using the same roadway," the DOT said in a statement announcing the project.

Traffic will be limited to one lane in each direction with a dedicated center turning lane. Travelers will still be able to access businesses and homes along the route though throughout the construction period that will change depending on the work being performed.

The total cost for the entire NY Route 112 Safety and Mobility Improvement Project is $33.1 million.

The New York State DOT reminds motorists to obey posted work zone speed limits and drive carefully for the safety of the highway work crew.

For additional information, residents and motorists may contact the project field office at (631) 320-0940. For 24/7 up-to-date traffic and travel information, motorists should call 511 or visit www.511NY.org. Motorists may also obtain travel information from the INFORM Transportation Management Center cameras at www.INFORMNY.com and on their hand held communication devices at www.INFORMNY.mobi.