Highways & Parkways

Stylized map of Long Island showing major highways and parkways across Nassau and Suffolk Counties
In the image above, you can see a stylized map of Long Island and its surrounding region, highlighting the Island’s network of major highways and parkways. The Long Island Expressway (I-495) runs across the Island like a central spine, flanked by the Northern State Parkway and Southern State Parkway. To the west, the dense roadway grid of New York City connects into Long Island through its bridges and tunnels, while the map also shows Connecticut’s shoreline to the north and New Jersey to the west. The dark background emphasizes the landmass and road system, making Long Island’s transportation routes stand out clearly. File photo: Karim Osama, licensed.

Long Island’s highways, parkways, expressways, turnpikes, and major local roads form the backbone of travel across Long Island. From commuters heading into New York City to beachgoers traveling toward Jones Beach, Fire Island, and the Hamptons, the Island’s road network shapes daily life across Nassau County and Suffolk County. Some roads are high-speed regional corridors, while others are scenic drives, historic routes, or commercial arteries lined with downtowns, shopping centers, restaurants, and local businesses.

Commercial Traffic: Permitted Prohibited Restrictions Apply

Long Island Expressway (I-495)

Commercial Vehicles Permitted
  • Route: Runs east-west across Long Island from Queens through Nassau and Suffolk, ending in Riverhead.
  • Use: Primary commuter and commercial route across the Island.
  • Nickname: Commonly known as “The LIE.”

Van Wyck Expressway (I-678)

Commercial Vehicles Permitted
  • Route: Runs north-south through Queens between JFK Airport and Northern Boulevard, where I-678 continues as the Whitestone Expressway.
  • Use: Major airport, commuter, and commercial route linking JFK with the Grand Central Parkway, Long Island Expressway, and Whitestone Bridge approaches.
  • Notable: One of the principal western gateways between Long Island and New York City.

Seaford–Oyster Bay Expressway (NY-135)

Commercial Vehicles Permitted
  • Route: North-south expressway through central Nassau County.
  • Use: Connects the South Shore, central Nassau, the LIE, Northern State Parkway, and North Shore areas.
  • Notable: Important limited-access alternative to local north-south roads.

Nassau Expressway (NY-878)

Commercial Vehicles Permitted
  • Route: NY-878 follows separate expressway sections in Queens and Nassau County near JFK Airport, Inwood, and the Atlantic Beach Bridge.
  • Use: Important airport-area and South Shore connector for local, commercial, and bridge-bound traffic.
  • Note: The signed route has a gap between its Queens and Nassau County expressway sections.

Major Parkways

Northern State Parkway

Commercial Vehicles Prohibited
  • Route: Runs parallel to the Long Island Expressway through Nassau and western Suffolk.
  • Use: Scenic commuter alternative to I-495.
  • Note: Like most Long Island parkways, commercial trucks are prohibited.

Meadowbrook State Parkway

Commercial Vehicles Prohibited
  • Route: Runs north-south in Nassau County from the Northern State Parkway to Jones Beach.
  • Use: Popular beach route and major connector to central Nassau destinations.

Sunken Meadow State Parkway

Commercial Vehicles Prohibited
  • Route: Runs north from the Northern State Parkway to Sunken Meadow State Park in Kings Park.
  • Use: Provides North Shore access and a scenic route toward Smithtown Bay.

Bethpage State Parkway

Commercial Vehicles Prohibited
  • Route: Connects the Southern State Parkway in North Massapequa to Bethpage State Park.
  • Use: Short but important parkway serving recreation, golf, and local Nassau County travel.

Southern State Parkway

Commercial Vehicles Prohibited
  • Route: Extends from Queens through Nassau into western Suffolk.
  • Use: Major South Shore commuter route.
  • Design: Known for winding curves, landscaped sections, and low stone overpasses.

Wantagh State Parkway

Commercial Vehicles Prohibited
  • Route: Connects the Northern State Parkway to Jones Beach.
  • Use: Major beach access route running parallel to the Meadowbrook.

Sagtikos State Parkway / Robert Moses Causeway

Commercial Vehicles Prohibited

Heckscher State Parkway

Commercial Vehicles Prohibited
  • Route: Extends from the Southern State and Sagtikos state parkways through the Town of Islip to Heckscher State Park in Great River.
  • Use: Provides access to East Islip, Great River, Heckscher State Park, and the Great South Bay waterfront.

Ocean Parkway

Commercial Vehicles Prohibited
  • Route: Scenic coastal roadway between Jones Beach and Captree.
  • Use: Beach access, fishing piers, state parks, and coastal views.

Major East-West Roads

Sunrise Highway (NY-27)

Commercial Vehicles Permitted
  • Route: Extends from Queens to Montauk along the South Shore.
  • Use: Major commuter and East End travel route.
  • Notable: Main alternative to the LIE for many Hamptons trips.

Route 25 / Jericho Turnpike

Commercial Vehicles Permitted
  • Route: Runs east-west from Queens through Nassau and Suffolk toward Orient Point.
  • Use: Historic commercial corridor with downtowns, restaurants, shopping centers, and local businesses.

Hempstead Turnpike (NY-24)

Commercial Vehicles Permitted
  • Route: Major east-west artery from Queens through central Nassau into Suffolk.
  • Use: Busy commercial roadway serving shopping centers, restaurants, institutions, and neighborhoods.

Route 109 (NY-109)

Commercial Vehicles Permitted
  • Route: Busy east-west roadway serving Babylon, West Babylon, and Farmingdale.
  • Use: Commercial, industrial, and commuter route connecting South Shore communities with central Nassau and Suffolk corridors.

Montauk Highway (NY-27A)

Commercial Vehicles Permitted
  • Route: Historic South Shore roadway running parallel to Sunrise Highway in many areas.
  • Use: Scenic route through coastal communities, downtown districts, and East End destinations.

Route 25A / Northern Boulevard

Commercial Vehicles Permitted
  • Route: North Shore route running parallel to Route 25 through Nassau and western Suffolk.
  • Use: Scenic and historic corridor through waterfront villages and North Shore downtowns.

Old Country Road

Commercial Vehicles Permitted
  • Route: Historic east-west arterial through central Nassau County, serving areas such as Mineola, Carle Place, Westbury, Hicksville, and Plainview.
  • Use: Major commercial corridor with shopping centers, office buildings, restaurants, local businesses, and access to nearby neighborhoods.
  • Notable: One of Nassau County’s most recognizable surface roads and an important alternative to nearby parkways and expressways.

Route 347 / Nesconset Highway

Commercial Vehicles Permitted
  • Route: East-west Suffolk County corridor from Smithtown toward Port Jefferson Station.
  • Use: Important commuter and retail corridor serving offices, shopping centers, and residential communities.

Major North-South Roads

Route 106 (NY-106)

Commercial Vehicles Permitted
  • Route: North-south Nassau County route connecting Hicksville and Oyster Bay.
  • Use: Serves central Nassau neighborhoods, business districts, and North Shore waterfront areas.

Route 110 (NY-110 / Broadhollow Road)

Commercial Vehicles Permitted
  • Route: Major north-south road running from Amityville to Huntington.
  • Use: One of Long Island’s busiest commercial corridors, serving Farmingdale, Melville, Huntington, offices, retail centers, and industrial parks.

Nicolls Road (CR-97)

Commercial Vehicles Permitted
  • Route: North-south Suffolk County corridor linking Stony Brook, Holtsville, and Patchogue.
  • Use: Major connector between Stony Brook University, the LIE, Sunrise Highway, and South Shore communities.

Route 112 (NY-112)

Commercial Vehicles Permitted
  • Route: Runs from Patchogue to Port Jefferson Station.
  • Use: Major Suffolk County commercial and commuter corridor with access to Sunrise Highway and the LIE.

Route 107 (NY-107)

Commercial Vehicles Permitted
  • Route: North-south Nassau County corridor running through Hicksville, Jericho, Brookville, and Glen Cove.
  • Use: Important commuter road with access to business districts, residential areas, and North Shore communities.

Deer Park Avenue / Route 231 (NY-231)

Commercial Vehicles Permitted
  • Route: North-south Suffolk County road connecting Babylon Village, Deer Park, North Babylon, and Dix Hills.
  • Use: Important commuter and commercial route linking the South Shore to central Suffolk.

William Floyd Parkway (CR-46)

Commercial Vehicles Permitted
  • Route: Long north-south roadway in eastern Suffolk County.
  • Use: Connects the South Shore to North Shore areas, with wooded stretches and access to parks, neighborhoods, and research facilities.

Route 111 (NY-111)

Commercial Vehicles Permitted
  • Route: North-south Suffolk County route serving Islip, Brentwood, Hauppauge, and Smithtown.
  • Use: Connects residential areas, industrial parks, and major parkways in central Suffolk.

Coastal, Connector & Gateway Roads

Bay Parkway

Commercial Vehicles Permitted
  • Route: Short roadway within Jones Beach State Park extending west from the Wantagh State Parkway / Ocean Parkway interchange area.
  • Use: Provides access to western Jones Beach areas, shoreline access points, and quieter West End sections of the barrier island.
  • Notable: Part of the historic Jones Beach roadway network associated with Robert Moses and the Long Island parkway era.

Veterans Memorial Highway (NY-454)

Commercial Vehicles Permitted
  • Route: Central Suffolk roadway serving Hauppauge, Bohemia, Ronkonkoma, and nearby communities.
  • Use: Important connector to Long Island MacArthur Airport, office parks, and commercial districts.

Belt Parkway / Grand Central Parkway

Commercial-Vehicle Restrictions Apply
  • Use: Key New York City connector routes for drivers traveling between Long Island, Brooklyn, Queens, airports, bridges, and Manhattan-bound crossings.
  • Notable: These routes are technically outside Nassau and Suffolk, but they are essential to how many drivers enter and leave Long Island.

Loop Parkway (NY-909C)

Commercial Vehicles Prohibited
  • Route: Short coastal connector linking the Meadowbrook State Parkway to Lido Boulevard near Point Lookout.
  • Use: Access to Point Lookout, Lido Beach, Reynolds Channel, and nearby South Shore waterfront areas.

Cross Island Parkway

Commercial Vehicles Prohibited
  • Route: Western gateway parkway in Queens near the Nassau County line.
  • Use: Connects Long Island traffic with the Whitestone Bridge, Throgs Neck Bridge, Belt Parkway, and Grand Central Parkway.

Brooklyn–Queens Expressway (BQE / I-278)

Commercial Vehicles Permitted
  • Route: Carries I-278 through Brooklyn and Queens between the Gowanus Expressway and the RFK Bridge approach.
  • Use: Major truck and passenger-vehicle corridor connecting Long Island traffic with Brooklyn, Manhattan, Staten Island, the Bronx, and regional bridge crossings.
  • Notable: Although located in New York City, the BQE is an important western gateway for motorists and commercial traffic entering or leaving Long Island.

Long Island’s roadways are more than simple transportation routes – they are part of the region’s identity. The Long Island Expressway moves commuters and commerce across the Island, Ocean Parkway and Montauk Highway provide scenic coastal drives, and local corridors such as Route 110, Route 112, Nicolls Road, Hempstead Turnpike, and Jericho Turnpike connect downtowns, neighborhoods, business districts, schools, parks, beaches, and everyday destinations. Understanding these roads helps residents and visitors travel more confidently across one of the most active suburban regions in the country.

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