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County Route 46 (Suffolk County, New York)
Encyclopedia
Suffolk County Road 46 is a major county road in eastern Suffolk County
, New York
. It runs north and south from County Route 75 in Smith Point County Park
(part of the Fire Island National Seashore
) to New York State Route 25A
near the border of Shoreham
and Wading River
. The road is known as the William Floyd Parkway along its entire length, and is named after William Floyd
, a Long Island native and a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence
.
of the Long Island Rail Road
, a series of intersections known as "The Circles" were built on the south side of the tracks. Some sections of these roads were turned over to developers. Today, the only segment that's two lanes wide is the Smith Point Bridge
.
Camp Upton Road was originally part of Suffolk CR 46, until New York State Route 27
(Sunrise Highway) was extended through the area in 1957, and an interchange was built for a realigned section. North of Sunrise Highway, the road runs alongside Brookhaven Airport
.
Suffolk County Road 46A was the original designation for the alignment along the west side of Brookhaven National Laboratory
between Yaphank-Moriches Road and south of the unnumbered interchange with New York State Route 25
. It was eventually integrated as part of Suffolk County Road 46 while the old Suffolk CR 46 (Upton Road) was abandoned to both the lab and private developers. The interchange with the Long Island Expressway was built at the geographic center of Long Island. Few people know for certain which part of it is the center, but some believe it's located on the northeast quadrant of the interchange. The cloverleaf intersection features collector-distributor roads on the Long Island Expressway, an upgrade from the typical cloverleaf interchange that was originally designed for the site. Far off the northwest corner of this interchange is the site of the former Suffolk Meadows
horse racing track, which today stands as the site of some housing developments.
The median widens at the intersection of Longwood Road (former Suffolk CR 24) and the entrance to Brookhaven Labs. This occurs to allow space for what was planned to be a diamond interchange. Other formerly proposed interchanges in the area include an extension of Suffolk County Road 101, and the unbuilt Suffolk County Road 102.
North of the unnumbered interchange with NY 25 in Ridge, there was to be another interchange with Suffolk County Road 111
. From there, the median widened once again, as William Floyd Parkway intersects with the eastern terminus of Whiskey Road and the west side of Brookhaven State Park
, which was formerly part of Brookhaven Labs until the mid-1970s. North of the Whiskey Road intersection, there are no other roads or interchanges until the terminus at New York State Route 25A
. This northernmost section of highway is quite wide, with U-turn ramps available for turnarounds. The intersection at State Route 25A, which was originally proposed to be an interchange, now features channelized turns and two separate traffic light controls due to the extremely wide median of Suffolk CR 46.
to either New Haven
or East Haven, Connecticut
between the 1950s and 1970s. Upon completion of the bridge, CR 46 would be transferred to the New York State Department of Transportation
in exchange for New York State Route 25A
. The NYSDOT would then upgrade the roadway to Interstate Highway standards
, allowing Interstate 91
to continue southward from New Haven, its current southern terminus, to usurp CR 46.
After plans for this bridge failed in the 1970s, the option of a connection to a proposed ferry port between Wading River and the New Haven area was suggested, but this proposal also collapsed.
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...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. It runs north and south from County Route 75 in Smith Point County Park
Smith Point County Park
Smith Point County Park is a park located fronting on the Atlantic Ocean on the east end of Fire Island, New York, United States, in central Long Island by Shirley. It is the largest park owned by Suffolk County, New York....
(part of the Fire Island National Seashore
Fire Island National Seashore
Fire Island National Seashore is a United States National Seashore that protects a section of Fire Island, an approximately long barrier island separated from Long Island by the Great South Bay....
) to 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...
near the border of Shoreham
Shoreham, New York
Shoreham is an incorporated village in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 417 at the 2000 census.The Incorporated Village of Shoreham is inside the Town of Brookhaven.-Geography:Shoreham is located at ....
and Wading River
Wading River, New York
Wading River is a hamlet in Suffolk County, New York, USA, on the North Shore of Long Island. As of the 2010 census, the CDP population was 7,719....
. The road is known as the William Floyd Parkway along its entire length, and is named after William Floyd
William Floyd
William Floyd was a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence as a U.S. Representative from New York.-Biography:...
, a Long Island native and a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence
United States Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence was a statement adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, which announced that the thirteen American colonies then at war with Great Britain regarded themselves as independent states, and no longer a part of the British Empire. John Adams put forth a...
.
Original ambitions
William Floyd Parkway originally was going to include segments of two different formerly proposed state parkways: the Smith Point Spur and the Wildwood Spur.- The Smith Point Spur was to begin at the traffic circle in Smith Point County ParkSmith Point County ParkSmith Point County Park is a park located fronting on the Atlantic Ocean on the east end of Fire Island, New York, United States, in central Long Island by Shirley. It is the largest park owned by Suffolk County, New York....
, and run as far north as what was then the never-built Southern State ParkwaySouthern State ParkwayThe Southern State Parkway is a long limited-access highway on Long Island, in the U.S. state of New York...
extension, but instead became Sunrise Highway. The traffic circle was originally intended for an extension of Ocean Parkway, but instead remains for County Road 75 to this day. - The Wildwood Spur was intended to begin at the never-built North Fork extension of the Northern State ParkwayNorthern State ParkwayThe Northern State Parkway is a long limited-access state parkway on Long Island in the U.S. state of New York. The western terminus is at the Queens-Nassau County line, where the parkway continues westward into New York City as the Grand Central Parkway...
, cross over New York State Route 25ANew York State Route 25ANew 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...
, then curve eastbound, winding through the hills of Shoreham and Wading River, until finally reaching Wildwood State ParkWildwood State ParkWildwood State Park is a state park located in Suffolk County, New York in the USA. The park is in the Town of Riverhead on the north shore of Long Island...
.
The road as built
The section that was originally supposed to be a Smith Point Parkway Spur was a two lane highway with flanking frontage roads until the mid-1970s when this section was widened. Near the vicinity of the Montauk LineMontauk Branch
The Montauk Branch is a rail line owned and operated by the Long Island Rail Road in the U.S. state of New York. The branch runs the length of Long Island, 115 miles from Long Island City on the west to Montauk on the east...
of the Long Island Rail Road
Long Island Rail Road
The Long Island Rail Road or LIRR is a commuter rail system serving the length of Long Island, New York. It is the busiest commuter railroad in North America, serving about 81.5 million passengers each year. Established in 1834 and having operated continuously since then, it is the oldest US...
, a series of intersections known as "The Circles" were built on the south side of the tracks. Some sections of these roads were turned over to developers. Today, the only segment that's two lanes wide is the Smith Point Bridge
Smith Point Bridge
Smith Point Bridge is located on the south shore of central Long Island New York.The bridge crosses the narrows between the Great South Bay to its west and Moriches Bay to the east side of the bridge....
.
Camp Upton Road was originally part of Suffolk CR 46, until 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...
(Sunrise Highway) was extended through the area in 1957, and an interchange was built for a realigned section. North of Sunrise Highway, the road runs alongside Brookhaven Airport
Brookhaven Airport
Brookhaven Calabro Airport is a public airport located one mile north of the central business district of Shirley, in Suffolk County, New York, United States. This airport is publicly owned by the Town of Brookhaven.Although most U.S...
.
Brookhaven National Laboratory
Brookhaven National Laboratory , is a United States national laboratory located in Upton, New York on Long Island, and was formally established in 1947 at the site of Camp Upton, a former U.S. Army base...
between Yaphank-Moriches Road and south of the unnumbered interchange 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...
. It was eventually integrated as part of Suffolk County Road 46 while the old Suffolk CR 46 (Upton Road) was abandoned to both the lab and private developers. The interchange with the Long Island Expressway was built at the geographic center of Long Island. Few people know for certain which part of it is the center, but some believe it's located on the northeast quadrant of the interchange. The cloverleaf intersection features collector-distributor roads on the Long Island Expressway, an upgrade from the typical cloverleaf interchange that was originally designed for the site. Far off the northwest corner of this interchange is the site of the former Suffolk Meadows
Suffolk Meadows
Suffolk Meadows was a quarter horse racing facility on Long Island that operated during 1977 and 1986. The racetrack was situated on a parcel located in Yaphank northwest of the William Floyd Parkway interchange on the Long Island Expressway....
horse racing track, which today stands as the site of some housing developments.
The median widens at the intersection of Longwood Road (former Suffolk CR 24) and the entrance to Brookhaven Labs. This occurs to allow space for what was planned to be a diamond interchange. Other formerly proposed interchanges in the area include an extension of Suffolk County Road 101, and the unbuilt Suffolk County Road 102.
North of the unnumbered interchange with NY 25 in Ridge, there was to be another interchange with Suffolk County Road 111
County 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...
. From there, the median widened once again, as William Floyd Parkway intersects with the eastern terminus of Whiskey Road and the west side of Brookhaven State Park
Brookhaven State Park
Brookhaven State Park is a state park in Ridge and Wading River, New York. The park was established in 1971, and was a former segment of Brookhaven National Laboratory....
, which was formerly part of Brookhaven Labs until the mid-1970s. North of the Whiskey Road intersection, there are no other roads or interchanges until the terminus 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...
. This northernmost section of highway is quite wide, with U-turn ramps available for turnarounds. The intersection at State Route 25A, which was originally proposed to be an interchange, now features channelized turns and two separate traffic light controls due to the extremely wide median of Suffolk CR 46.
Bridge to Connecticut
Besides the proposed spur to Wildwood State Park, there was intended to be an extension to a new bridge across Long Island SoundLong 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...
to either New Haven
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
or East Haven, Connecticut
East Haven, Connecticut
East Haven is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 28,189. The town is just 3 minutes from downtown New Haven...
between the 1950s and 1970s. Upon completion of the bridge, CR 46 would be transferred to the New York State Department of Transportation
New York State Department of Transportation
The New York State Department of Transportation is responsible for the development and operation of highways, railroads, mass transit systems, ports, waterways and aviation facilities in the U.S...
in exchange for 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...
. The NYSDOT would then upgrade the roadway to Interstate Highway standards
Interstate Highway standards
Standards for Interstate Highways in the United States are defined by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials in the publication A Policy on Design Standards - Interstate System...
, allowing Interstate 91
Interstate 91
Interstate 91 is an Interstate Highway in the New England region of the United States. It provides the primary north–south thoroughfare in the western part of New England...
to continue southward from New Haven, its current southern terminus, to usurp CR 46.
After plans for this bridge failed in the 1970s, the option of a connection to a proposed ferry port between Wading River and the New Haven area was suggested, but this proposal also collapsed.
Major intersections
External links
- Smith Point Bridge @ NYCROADS.com
- Smith Point Bridge History (Ken Spooner)