Wantagh State Parkway (WSP)
The Wantagh State Parkway (WSP) is a 13-mile parkway in Nassau County that runs from Northern State Parkway in Westbury south to Jones Beach State Park, where it connects with the Ocean and Bay Parkways. Built in the 1920s–30s under Robert Moses, it was designed to provide a scenic, automobile-only approach from central Nassau to the beaches of Jones Beach.
The Wantagh Parkway is a passenger-car-only road (no trucks or commercial vehicles) and features a series of stone bridges and landscaped medians characteristic of Moses’ parkway system. It intersects with several major east–west arteries, making it a key link between Long Island’s North Shore, central communities, and the South Shore beaches.
Route and Features
- Northern Terminus: Northern State Parkway / Old Country Road, Westbury
- Southern Terminus: Jones Beach State Park — Ocean Parkway / Bay Parkway interchange
- Length: ~13 miles
- County: Nassau
- Restrictions: Passenger cars only
Numbered Exits (north → south)
| Exit | Destination / Roadway | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| W1 | Northern State Parkway / Old Country Rd | Northern terminus at Westbury |
| W2E / W2W | Old Country Rd (CR 25) East / West | Westbury |
| W3 | NY-24 Hempstead Tpke | Westbury / Hempstead |
| W4E / W4W | Southern State Parkway East / West | Major east–west junction |
| W5 | Jerusalem Ave (CR 105) | Wantagh / East Meadow |
| W6 | NY-105 Newbridge Rd | Bellmore / North Wantagh |
| W7 | NY-107 Hicksville Rd | Seaford / Massapequa |
| W8 | Merrick Rd (CR 27) | Wantagh / Bellmore |
| W9 | Sunrise Hwy (NY-27) | Freeport / Bellmore / Massapequa |
| W10 | Loop Parkway | To Point Lookout / Long Beach barrier island |
| — | Ocean Parkway / Bay Parkway | Southern terminus at Jones Beach State Park |
Notable Facts
- Constructed in 1927–1930 as a primary feeder to Jones Beach, alongside the Meadowbrook Parkway.
- Originally planned to be called the Jones Beach Causeway before adopting the Wantagh Parkway name.
- Serves as one of the most direct north–south routes to Jones Beach, especially for Nassau’s central/eastern communities.
- Maintains historic stone-faced bridges and landscaping, though widened in sections to handle modern traffic volumes.
