Vets Highway Construction In Holbrook Ongoing To November

The ongoing $4.4 million project to construct a recharge basin in the Holbrook section of Route 454/Veterans Highway will continue through November, announced a Friday release from assemblyman Al Graf (R-Holbrook).

The release covers Graf speaking with the New York State Department of Transportation (DOT) on Friday, with it stating that the recharge basin will be making drainage improvements to eliminate flooding and improve the quality of storm-water roadway runoff between Lincoln Avenue and Grundy Avenue.

“Fortunately, with these repairs, we can expect the roadway to be in better shape in the future and better equipped to handle the next potential natural disaster,” Graf said in the release. “While the work creates some inconvenience now, I believe this is a positive in the long-term for our community.”

On Friday morning Patch drove through the construction area during which traffic had to be brought to a stop for about a minute.

Citing DOT officials, the release says that construction will be ongoing this week between Coates Avenue and Grundy Avenue on the south/eastbound shoulder of the highway and in the median. A single travel lane in each direction is being closed as needed for the construction, and residents are being advised to expect occasional closures of travel lanes to permit vehicles to enter and exit construction areas. The release says that work on the eastbound side should be completed this week. Work on the north/westbound side is about 50 percent complete and is scheduled to be finished by the end of November.

The release says that when completed, the old drainage system is being replaced with a new system that will direct and drain roadway runoff into the recharge basin. Also part of the construction is new paved shoulders with new curbs and sidewalks on the north/westbound side.

How is the construction area affecting your commute? How long are you usually stopped in the road for it? And what are your thoughts on the project? Talk about it in the comments section below.