Work is underway on a $6.8 million project to enhance safety and improve traffic flow at the interchange of the Wantagh State Parkway and Old Country Road (Exit W2). The project will modify two existing ramps in the interchange’s northwest quadrant to provide additional room for vehicles to exit and enter the highway and reduce instances of traffic queuing on the parkway.
Both ramps were originally constructed nearly 90 years ago and no longer meet modern design standards. Additional improvements will bolster the roadway’s resistance to severe weather events and provide increased accommodations for pedestrians.
“Thanks to Governor Hochul’s unwavering commitment to build back our infrastructure, New York State is creating a 21st century transportation network that will keep or communities connected and prosperous,” New York State Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said. “These improvements to the Old Country Road interchange of the Wantagh State Parkway will make it easier to exit and enter the highway and improve mobility for tens of thousands of Long Island drivers who travel along this busy artery every day.”
The Old Country Road interchange is strategically located near the convergence of three major towns – Hempstead, North Hempstead, and Oyster Bay – and it provides access to a host of local destinations, including nearby court facilities, industrial parks, commercial shopping and residential developments.
As part of the project, the entrance ramp from westbound Old Country Road to southbound Wantagh State Parkway will be reconstructed to soften the curve and extend the acceleration lane, providing additional space for traffic entering the highway. The exit ramp from southbound Wantagh State Parkway to westbound Old Country Road will also be realigned and extended to provide improved mobility and reduce potentially hazardous instances of exiting traffic queuing on the parkway. Both ramps are expected to remain open during major construction.
Additional improvements include new drainage structures to improve resiliency during storms, new steel guiderails, and upgraded curb ramps and pedestrian facilities at the intersections with Old Country Road. New plantings specifically designed for suburban areas and featuring trees, shrubs and pollinator plants native to Long Island will also be added to the interchange. This new mini forest will reduce carbon impacts, help filter stormwater and provide an oasis for insects, birds, and other animals. The project is scheduled to be completed by summer 2026.
“Long Island depends on safe, reliable roadways to ensure smooth travel for thousands of commuters, yet outdated infrastructure in some of our busiest areas can create congestion that slows families and workers alike,” state Senator Siela Bynoe (D-Westbury). “I am pleased to see this critical work moving forward at the Wantagh Parkway interchange. This project will expand and modernize the ramps, improve traffic flow, and make our roads safer for the families, workers, and visitors who rely on them every day.”
Assemblymember Charles D. Lavine (D-Glen Cove) added, “This project will make a critically important and highly trafficked location much safer.”