Babylon-Northport Expressway

In 1957, the New York State Department of Public Works proposed a 14-mile, four-lane, north-south expressway, which would run from Babylon to Northport, and aptly be called the Babylon-Northport Expressway.  Though it stayed on the agenda for over a decade, and land was purchased for this purpose, it never came to fruition. 

On March 3, 1960 the Long-Islander announced that the NYS DPW would “begin immediately the preparation of design plans for construction and reconstruction of Deer Park Avenue as a major north-south Suffolk County boulevard extending from Montauk Highway, Babylon to N. Hempstead Tpke., Northport at a cost of $12,000,000.” 

The plan was to construct a new road from Montauk Highway to the Southern State Parkway, at which point the existing Deer Park Avenue would be widened to four lanes, passing under the LIE and the Northern State Parkway, and bridging Jericho Turnpike, at which point an extension road would be built.

“Through Dix Hills, the Babylon-Northport Expressway was to be routed parallel to and about one-half mile east of Carll’s Straight Path.  Cloverleaf interchanges were to have been constructed with the Long Island Expressway (I-495) near the existing parking areas, and with the Northern State Parkway just east of the existing Exit 42. Leaving Dix Hills, the expressway was to have an interchange with Jericho Turnpike (NY 25) near the intersections of East Deer Park Road (Suffolk CR 66) and Elwood Road (Suffolk CR 10),” according to Steve Andersen of nycroads.com.  The terminus of the Expressway was to be approximately at the intersection of Elwood Road and Route 25A.  The idea was to alleviate traffic on the more local north-south routes. 

As soon as plans were completed, the acquisition of land and right of ways was to begin and the hope was to begin construction as soon as late 1961.  A public hearing was scheduled for June 28, 1960 at the Deer Park Avenue School regarding the state’s land acquisition. In preparation for the meeting, civic groups held meetings to review the state plans and assemble all available facts and data regarding it, according to the June 16, 9160 Long Islander.  Over 500 people attended the meeting and a petition with over 1,400 signatures was submitted opposing the construction of this highway. Most of the objections pertained to the extension north of Jericho Turnpike in Dix Hills into Northport. 

Despite this, planning for the Expressway continued and remained an active project on government agendas and maps. In addition, the state went along purchasing the land and rights of way as far north as 25A in Northport. The state wanted to use the Old Northport branch of the LIRR, no longer used for passengers but for freight, as part of the Expressway route. 

In the 1960s there was a movement to extend the Expressway even further north. Rather than ending at the 25A and Elwood Road intersection, it would have continued through Asharoken and Eaton’s Neck and across the Northport- Norwalk Bridge where it would have connected with US Route 7.  Due to the presence of so many houses along this route, it was discarded rather quickly.

(Land in Northport, obtained for the Expressway, was actually given to the Town of Huntington as late as July 2009 to double the size of the Northport Rail Trail.)  The June 7, 1962 Long Islander reported a possible change in part of the route around Jericho Turnpike and also that “contracts for construction of the middle section of the broad highway from Babylon to Northport, south of Northern State Parkway were recently let.”

In the face of this forward motion, town residents continued to speak out against the highway.  On August 29, 1963 the Long Islander reported that “Lawrence Newmark, regular Republican designee for Huntington Town councilman voiced strong opposition to the construction of the Babylon-Northport Expressway… [and] suggested that the program be delayed… [and] the state revise the proposed route of the Babylon-Northport Expressway.”  But still the state pressed onward and by the May 16, 1968 Long Islander, the contract had been awarded for the demolition of buildings along the Babylon-Northport Expressway.

The expected completion date for the Expressway was continually pushed back, though it remained a priority on all agendas. Construction finally began and a 2.6-mile stretch of the Babylon-Northport Expressway was completed in 1970. 

This was the only part of the Expressway ever built, and today is known as “Route 231” instead.  When it was completed, Deer Park Avenue’s designation was also changed from County Road 35 to State Road 231.   This designation was meant to be temporary.  After the Expressway construction was completed, it would have been officially changed to the “Babylon-Northport Expressway.”  Of course this never happened.

According to Steve Andersen of nycroads.com, the Tri- State Regional Planning Commission called for a downsizing of the project in 1981.  And by 1982, the residents were triumphant when the state officially abandoned the plan for the Expressway. Over the last 28 years the state has been selling off the land and right of ways. The property that I discussed last week was part of these holdings. 

On some old maps, the route for the Expressway is clearly marked and identified.  You would think it had already been built, though I guess that after 10+ years in planning and development it’s hard to believe that it wasn’t. 

Now, when you are sitting in traffic on one of the north-south routes on a weekday evening, you may find yourself wishing for the Babylon- Northport Expressway that never was.