Route 347 Project Earns Regional Transportation Award

A major reconstruction project on State Route 347 in Suffolk County has earned regional recognition for improvements designed to increase safety, ease congestion and make the heavily traveled corridor more accessible.

The New York State Department of Transportation project was named a regional winner in the Operations Excellence, Large Project category of the 2026 America’s Transportation Awards, a competition sponsored by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.

The project addressed a section of Route 347 that has evolved from a roadway once used by farmers into a major commuter route. Growing traffic volumes contributed to congestion and crashes, leading the state to undertake a series of safety and mobility improvements.

Work included adding travel lanes, increasing turning-lane capacity and upgrading intersections, including improvements to traffic signal coordination. The reconstructed boulevard also includes a shared-use path, pedestrian facilities, bus pull-off areas and shelters.

The project also added ADA-compliant road crossings, traffic signals, bus stations and other infrastructure intended to improve accessibility along the corridor. Brookhaven Town Supervisor Daniel J. Panico said the recognition reflects the challenges of improving one of Suffolk County’s busiest roads.

“New York State Route 347 is one of the most heavily traveled roadways in Suffolk County, and that growing volume of traffic has demanded significant and careful attention from the traffic professionals at the New York State Department of Transportation,” Panico said.

Panico also praised the project’s design and its emphasis on accessibility for people with disabilities.

The Route 347 work was one of 11 transportation projects from across the Northeast to receive regional recognition in this year’s competition. Top-scoring regional projects will be considered for the competition’s national honors, with finalists expected to be announced in September.