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County Route 21 (Suffolk County, New York)
Encyclopedia
Suffolk County Route 21 is a north–south county road in Suffolk County, New York
. Its southern end is at County Route 16
at its interchange with New York State Route 27
in Brookhaven, and the highway ends at New York State Route 25A
in Rocky Point.
, a formerly agrarian area that has been built up by Suffolk County
into a government office center, which includes the Suffolk County Police Department headquarters, and one of the main county jails. In conjunction with the development of this zone, County Route 21 was widened in the mid-1970s. This project included a bridge over the Long Island Railroad Main Line
as well as some local streets, one of which leads directly to Yaphank Station
. North of the tracks, the Suffolk County Almshouse Barn
can be found west of the road, as well as the former Suffolk County Sanitorium, and other county government buildings. In this area, County Route 21 also crosses Interstate 495 (New York)
, which was built through the existing road in the late 1960s. The interchange here was not finished until the year 2000, when a westbound on-ramp and eastbound off-ramp were added.
can be found on the southeast corner, while the former Yaphank Garage can be found on the southwest corner. Suffolk County Road 21 makes a left turn at the intersection and proceeds through historic Yaphank. East Main Street leads to another historic Long Island road named Moriches-Middle Island Road, which took residents between Rocky Point and The Moricheses long before the automobile was invented, let alone the Suffolk County Highway System.
Near Upper Yaphank Lake, Suffolk CR 21 intersects with West Main Street, at one of two former Yaphank triangles (the other being at Mill Road & Patchogue-Yaphank Road). At this point, Suffolk County Route 21 resumes its northward heading. Also at this point, a former section of the road is visible on land now owned by the Suffolk County Parks Department. It is visible diagonally across the street from and north of a building formerly owned by New York Telephone
.
, including farmland and forest. It passes close to the Carman's River
at this point, particularly in the area of Cathedral Pines County Park. This area was notorious as one of the most deadly stretches of the road until safety improvements realigned and modernized the roadway near East Bartlett Road and again north of Longwood Road.
Another former section of road called "Old Middle Island-Yaphank Road" breaks off to the left near County Route 21's intersection with New York State Route 25
. North of State Route 25, the name of the road is changed from Yaphank-Middle Island Road, to Rocky Point-Yaphank Road. The former alignment of the road continues roughly parallel to the newer road, rejoining it near the intersection of Bayliss Road (also known as Bailey Road). Additionally, a former meander in the road is visible on either side of County Route 21 just south of Whiskey Road.
. North of NY 25A, the road turns into Hallock Landing Avenue as it heads towards the bluffs of the Long Island Sound
.
With the construction of exits 57 N-S along Sunrise Highway, which interrupted original sections of both Horse Block Road and Yaphank Avenue, the new section of Horse Block Road was originally designated Suffolk County Road 21A. This designation was eventually deleted, when it was integrated into part of Suffolk CR 16.
Suffolk County, New York
Suffolk County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York on the eastern portion of Long Island. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,493,350. It was named for the county of Suffolk in England, from which its earliest settlers came...
. Its southern end is at County Route 16
County Route 16 (Suffolk County, New York)
Suffolk County Route 16 is a main thoroughfare through central Suffolk County, New York. Its western terminus is at Middle Country Road in Smithtown, on the eastern border of the Village of the Branch, and its eastern terminus is at Montauk Highway in Brookhaven near Southhaven...
at its interchange with New York State Route 27
New York State Route 27
New York State Route 27 is an east–west long state highway extending from Interstate 278 in the New York City borough of Brooklyn to Montauk Point State Park on Long Island, New York, United States...
in Brookhaven, and the highway ends at New York State Route 25A
New York State Route 25A
New York State Route 25A is a state highway on Long Island in New York in the United States. It serves as the main east–west route for most of the North Shore of Long Island, running from the Queens Midtown Tunnel in the New York City borough of Queens at its western terminus to...
in Rocky Point.
Brookhaven
Suffolk County Route 21 ends at Montauk Highway, although this portion of the road was severed by Sunrise Highway. For all intents and purposes as an uninterrupted route, CR 21 ends at Horseblock Road.Yaphank
As the road leaves Brookhaven, it enters YaphankYaphank, New York
Yaphank is a census-designated place in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 5,025 at the 2000 census.Yaphank is a community in the south part of the Town of Brookhaven...
, a formerly agrarian area that has been built up by Suffolk County
Suffolk County, New York
Suffolk County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York on the eastern portion of Long Island. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,493,350. It was named for the county of Suffolk in England, from which its earliest settlers came...
into a government office center, which includes the Suffolk County Police Department headquarters, and one of the main county jails. In conjunction with the development of this zone, County Route 21 was widened in the mid-1970s. This project included a bridge over the Long Island Railroad Main Line
Main Line (Long Island Rail Road)
The Main Line is a rail line owned and operated by the Long Island Rail Road in the U.S. state of New York. It begins in Long Island City and runs along the middle of Long Island about 95 miles to Greenport...
as well as some local streets, one of which leads directly to Yaphank Station
Yaphank (LIRR station)
Yaphank is a station in the hamlet of Yaphank, New York on the Main Line of the Long Island Rail Road. It is located on Park Street near Suffolk County Road 21 . It is also accessible from streets in and around Suffolk County. The distance between Yaphank and the next station, Riverhead, is the...
. North of the tracks, the Suffolk County Almshouse Barn
Suffolk County Almshouse Barn
Suffolk County Almshouse Barn is a historic hay and livestock barn located at Yaphank in Suffolk County, New York. It was built in 1871 and the large multi-story barn has a broad gable roof and wood shingle sheathing. It is the only extant structure from the Suffolk County Almshouse.It was added...
can be found west of the road, as well as the former Suffolk County Sanitorium, and other county government buildings. In this area, County Route 21 also crosses Interstate 495 (New York)
Interstate 495 (New York)
Interstate 495 is an auxiliary Interstate Highway on Long Island in New York in the United States. The route extends for from the western portal of the Queens-Midtown Tunnel in the New York City borough of Manhattan to County Route 58 in Riverhead, Suffolk County...
, which was built through the existing road in the late 1960s. The interchange here was not finished until the year 2000, when a westbound on-ramp and eastbound off-ramp were added.
Historic Yaphank
North of the Long Island Expressway, Yaphank Avenue runs on top of the dam for Lower Yaphank Lake before its terminus at East Main Street. Here the historic Homan-Gerard House and MillsHoman-Gerard House and Mills
Homan-Gerard House and Mills is a historic home and mill complex located at Yaphank in Suffolk County, New York. It is composed of a large Federal-style residence , four contributing related support buildings, and six contributing related archaeological sites. The house is a -story frame...
can be found on the southeast corner, while the former Yaphank Garage can be found on the southwest corner. Suffolk County Road 21 makes a left turn at the intersection and proceeds through historic Yaphank. East Main Street leads to another historic Long Island road named Moriches-Middle Island Road, which took residents between Rocky Point and The Moricheses long before the automobile was invented, let alone the Suffolk County Highway System.
Near Upper Yaphank Lake, Suffolk CR 21 intersects with West Main Street, at one of two former Yaphank triangles (the other being at Mill Road & Patchogue-Yaphank Road). At this point, Suffolk County Route 21 resumes its northward heading. Also at this point, a former section of the road is visible on land now owned by the Suffolk County Parks Department. It is visible diagonally across the street from and north of a building formerly owned by New York Telephone
New York Telephone
The New York Telephone Company was organized in 1896, taking over the New York City operations of the American Bell Telephone Company.-Predecessor companies:...
.
Towards Middle Island
Suffolk County Route 21 meanders through a variety of landscapes as it heads north to Middle IslandMiddle Island, New York
Middle Island is a hamlet in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 9,702 at the 2000 census. It is situated between the towns of Coram and Ridge, to the west and east, respectively, and Rocky Point and Yaphank to the north and south...
, including farmland and forest. It passes close to the Carman's River
Carmans River
The Carmans River is a long river in Brookhaven in Suffolk County on Long Island.It is one of the four largest rivers on Long Island and is similar to other Long Island rivers in that is totally groundwater generated , although a lake did exist long ago. Almost all of the river is specifically...
at this point, particularly in the area of Cathedral Pines County Park. This area was notorious as one of the most deadly stretches of the road until safety improvements realigned and modernized the roadway near East Bartlett Road and again north of Longwood Road.
Another former section of road called "Old Middle Island-Yaphank Road" breaks off to the left near County Route 21's intersection with New York State Route 25
New York State Route 25
New York State Route 25 is an east–west state highway in downstate New York in the United States. The route extends for just over from east midtown Manhattan in New York City to the Cross Sound Ferry terminal at Orient Point on the end of Long Island's North Fork...
. North of State Route 25, the name of the road is changed from Yaphank-Middle Island Road, to Rocky Point-Yaphank Road. The former alignment of the road continues roughly parallel to the newer road, rejoining it near the intersection of Bayliss Road (also known as Bailey Road). Additionally, a former meander in the road is visible on either side of County Route 21 just south of Whiskey Road.
Through the RCA Grounds
Between Middle Island and Rocky Point, much of Suffolk CR 21 runs through the Rocky Point Natural Resources Management Area, a major conservation area on land once owned by the Radio Corporation of America. This land was once considered the world's largest radio transmitting field. Here, the road is given a second name of Marconi Boulevard. North of the former RCA Labs, Suffolk CR 21 runs between a high school and a housing project, before terminating at New York State Route 25ANew York State Route 25A
New York State Route 25A is a state highway on Long Island in New York in the United States. It serves as the main east–west route for most of the North Shore of Long Island, running from the Queens Midtown Tunnel in the New York City borough of Queens at its western terminus to...
. North of NY 25A, the road turns into Hallock Landing Avenue as it heads towards the bluffs of the Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound is an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean, located in the United States between Connecticut to the north and Long Island, New York to the south. The mouth of the Connecticut River at Old Saybrook, Connecticut, empties into the sound. On its western end the sound is bounded by the Bronx...
.
Formerly proposed crossings
Though Suffolk County Route 21 runs almost the entire breadth of Central Long Island, it does not intersect many major highways. Due to steep public opposition to highway improvements, there are multiple proposed and never-built highways that would have intersected this road:- County Route 99County Route 99 (Suffolk County, New York)Suffolk County Road 99 is a county road in southern Suffolk County, New York. It runs east and west from Suffolk CR 19 in Holtsville to Suffolk CR 16 near Yaphank and Brookhaven.-Route description:...
was supposed to be extended east of Suffolk CR 16County Route 16 (Suffolk County, New York)Suffolk County Route 16 is a main thoroughfare through central Suffolk County, New York. Its western terminus is at Middle Country Road in Smithtown, on the eastern border of the Village of the Branch, and its eastern terminus is at Montauk Highway in Brookhaven near Southhaven...
terminating at an interchange with County Route 21.
- County Route 90 was supposed to have an interchange with Yaphank Avenue near the Suffolk County Police Department Headquarters. This was to be part of the proposed Central Suffolk Highway designed to reconnect the two broken ends of New York State Route 24New York State Route 24New York State Route 24 is an east–west state highway on Long Island in New York in the United States. The route is split into two segments, with the longest and westernmost of the two extending from Interstate 295 and NY 25 in the Queens Village section of the New York City...
.
- County Route 102 was a proposed upgrade of East Main Street east of County Route 21. The new highway would have extended to exit 68 on the Long Island Expressway and William Floyd Parkway.
- County Route 101 was either supposed to cross over Lower Yaphank Lake and East Main Street or at the east triangle with West Main Street and Middle Island-Yaphank Road. Both proposed extensions were to lead to William Floyd Parkway between Parr Meadows and Longwood Road.
- County Road 24 was supposed to intersect between East Bartlett Road and Longwood Road.
- County Road 8 the formerly proposed Yaphank Bypass was supposed to terminate between Bayliss Road (also known as Bailey Road) and Miller Place-Yaphank Road.
- County Road 111County Route 111 (Suffolk County, New York)Suffolk County Road 111 is a county road in Suffolk County, New York. It runs northwest and southeast from Interstate 495 at exit 70 in Manorville to NY 27 at exit 62 near Eastport...
was supposed to have an interchange at the intersection of Whiskey Road.
- County Road 26 was supposed to have an interchange at the north end of the Rocky Point Natural Resources Management Area. It was intended to be upgraded as part of New York State Route 347New York State Route 347New York State Route 347 is an east–west state highway located in Suffolk County, New York, in the United States. It connects the Northern State Parkway in Hauppauge to NY 25A in Mount Sinai. The route serves as a southern bypass of Smithtown and as a direct link between Nesconset and...
.
Suffolk CR 21A