Nicolls Road (CR-97)
Nicolls Road (County Route 97) is a 16-mile north–south arterial in Suffolk County, New York, running from Stony Brook on the North Shore to Blue Point on the South Shore. It is one of the most important county highways on Long Island, serving as a central connector between major east–west routes such as NY-25A, NY-25, NY-347, NY-454 (Veterans Highway), I-495 (Long Island Expressway), NY-27 (Sunrise Highway), and Montauk Highway.
The road is named for William Floyd Nicolls, an early Suffolk County legislator, and is a limited-access arterial with interchanges at major highways, but at-grade intersections along other stretches. It is open to all vehicles, including commercial traffic.
Route and Features
- Northern Terminus: NY-25A, Stony Brook (near Stony Brook University)
- Southern Terminus: Montauk Highway (CR-80), Blue Point
- Length: ~16 miles
- County: Suffolk
- Character: Multi-lane divided arterial; mix of controlled-access and at-grade junctions
- Restrictions: None (commercial traffic permitted)
Major Intersections & Interchanges (north → south)
| Intersection | Destination / Notes |
|---|---|
| NY-25A | Stony Brook / Setauket — Northern terminus |
| NY-25 (Jericho Turnpike) | Smithtown / Centereach |
| NY-347 (Nesconset Highway) | Lake Grove / Port Jefferson area |
| NY-454 (Veterans Memorial Hwy) | Hauppauge / Islip airport access |
| I-495 (Long Island Expressway, Exit 62) | Major interchange — Nesconset / Holtsville |
| Portion Rd (CR-16) | Lake Ronkonkoma |
| NY-27 (Sunrise Highway, Exit 51) | Patchogue / Sayville — major east–west corridor |
| Montauk Highway (CR-80) | Blue Point — Southern terminus at South Shore |
Notable Facts
- Central Suffolk connector: Provides one of the only continuous north–south links across Suffolk.
- Stony Brook University access: A key commuter road for thousands of students, staff, and medical center workers.
- Airport connection: Links directly to Islip MacArthur Airport via NY-454.
- Traffic volumes: Handles heavy daily commuter traffic, especially at the LIE and Sunrise Highway interchanges.
- Future plans: Proposals have been made to convert Nicolls Road into a more fully limited-access roadway with enhanced bus rapid transit (BRT) lanes.
