Heckscher State Parkway

The Heckscher State Parkway is an approximately 8.2-mile limited-access roadway in the Town of Islip, Suffolk County. The parkway begins at the junction of the Southern State Parkway and Sagtikos State Parkway in West Islip and continues east and south to Heckscher State Park in Great River.

Although the roadway officially begins at the Sagtikos State Parkway interchange, its northern section is signed as part of the Southern State Parkway. The Heckscher State Parkway name becomes prominent south of Sunrise Highway, where the route turns toward East Islip, Great River, and the state park. Exit numbers continue from the Southern State Parkway rather than beginning again at Exit 1.

Route and Features

• Western Terminus: Junction with the Southern State Parkway and Sagtikos State Parkway in West Islip
• Eastern/Southern Terminus: Entrance to Heckscher State Park in Great River
• Length: Approximately 8.2 miles
• County: Entirely within Suffolk County
• Municipality: Entirely within the Town of Islip
• Communities Served: West Islip, North Bay Shore, Brentwood, Central Islip, Islip Terrace, East Islip, and Great River
• Primary Destination: Direct access to Heckscher State Park
• Exit Numbering: Continues from the Southern State Parkway, with exits numbered 41A through 46
• Roadway Character: Divided, controlled-access parkway with wooded buffers and grade-separated interchanges
• Vehicle Restrictions: Standard Long Island parkway restrictions apply north of Sunrise Highway. Special access rules apply south of Sunrise Highway for certain vehicles traveling to the state park; drivers should follow all posted signs.

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Notes:

• The parkway’s official western terminus is at Exit 41A, where the Sagtikos State Parkway ends and the roadway continues west as the Southern State Parkway.
• The portion west of Sunrise Highway is generally signed as the Southern State Parkway, even though it is officially part of the Heckscher State Parkway route.
• Exit numbers continue the Southern State Parkway sequence, helping the two roadways operate as one continuous corridor.
• Exit 46 at Timber Point Road provides only a southbound exit and northbound entrance.
• The roadway ends at the entrance to Heckscher State Park, although internal park roads continue beyond the parkway terminus.

History of the Parkway

The origins of the Heckscher State Parkway date to 1929, when a two-lane roadway was constructed between Montauk Highway and what was then known as Deer Range State Park. The park was renamed Heckscher State Park in honor of philanthropist August Heckscher, whose financial support helped make the park possible.

Plans eventually called for the park access road to be extended northwest and connected with Long Island’s growing parkway system. Construction of the modern route was delayed until the late 1950s, when work began on the section connecting the existing park road with the Sagtikos and Southern state parkways.

The completed parkway opened on November 3, 1962. The new roadway established a direct limited-access route from the Southern State Parkway corridor to Heckscher State Park while also improving connections among communities in the eastern portion of the Town of Islip.

Access to Heckscher State Park

The parkway’s principal purpose is to provide direct vehicular access to Heckscher State Park, a waterfront recreation area on the Great South Bay. The park contains picnic areas, athletic fields, paved trails, beaches, water-access areas, and other seasonal recreational facilities.

Drivers approaching from western Long Island can follow the Southern State Parkway east as it becomes the Heckscher corridor. Travelers arriving from the north can use the Sagtikos State Parkway, while Sunrise Highway and Montauk Highway provide additional east–west connections.

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Heckscher State Parkway Exits

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Heckscher State Parkway – Exit List

Exit	Destination / Roadway	Notes
41A	Sagtikos State Parkway North	Western terminus; continuation west via the Southern State Parkway; access toward Kings Park and Sunken Meadow State Park
42N–S	Fifth Avenue (CR-13)	Brentwood / Bay Shore
43N–S	Islip Avenue (NY-111)	Islip / Hauppauge
43A	Carleton Avenue (CR-17)	Central Islip / East Islip
44E–W	Sunrise Highway (NY-27)	West toward New York City; east toward eastern Long Island and Montauk; Heckscher State Parkway designation becomes prominent south of this interchange
45E–W	Montauk Highway (NY-27A)	East Islip / Oakdale; access near Bayard Cutting Arboretum State Park
46	Timber Point Road	East Islip / Great River; southbound exit and northbound entrance; last numbered exit before the park
—	Heckscher State Park	Southern terminus and park entrance in Great River

Notable Facts

• The Heckscher State Parkway is one of the shorter parkways on Long Island, measuring approximately 8.2 miles.
• The entire route is located within the Town of Islip in Suffolk County.
• The roadway was formerly known as the Heckscher Spur because it branched from the larger Southern State Parkway corridor and led directly to the state park.
• The parkway and the Southern State Parkway are both part of unsigned New York State reference route 908M.
• The modern parkway was completed in 1962 as one of the final major links in the Long Island parkway network associated with Robert Moses.
• The route passes near Bayard Cutting Arboretum State Park before reaching Great River and Heckscher State Park.

The Heckscher State Parkway serves as both a transportation connection and a recreational gateway. By linking the Southern State Parkway and Sagtikos State Parkway with Sunrise Highway, Montauk Highway, East Islip, Great River, and Heckscher State Park, the roadway provides an important route through the eastern portion of the Town of Islip and direct access to the Great South Bay waterfront.