- Bethpage State Parkway
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Bethpage State Parkway
Route information Length: 2.49 mi[2] (4.01 km) Existed: 1936[1] – present Major junctions South end: 
Southern State Parkway in North MassapequaNorth end: Plainview Road in Bethpage Location Counties: Nassau Highway system Numbered highways in New York
Interstate • U.S. • N.Y. (former) • Reference • CountyThe Bethpage State Parkway is a 2.49 mile (4.01 km) long state parkway in Nassau County, New York, United States. Its southern end is an interchange with the Southern State Parkway, and its northern end is a traffic circle within Bethpage State Park. In between are three interchanges that service nearby roads, including the Hempstead Turnpike (NY Route 24). The parkway is designated as New York State Route 907E, an unsigned reference route, as well as the Philip B. Healey Memorial Parkway. Healey was a New York State Assemblyman who died in 1996.[3]
From its genesis, the parkway was constructed with the purpose of providing a direct link into Bethpage State Park.[4]
Contents
History
The parkway was opened by the Long Island State Park Commission on November 14, 1936.[1] Like other Long Island parkways, it was designed from the outset to only carry cars—no trucks are allowed. Furthermore, not being intended for heavy commuter traffic, the entire parkway is and remains designed as a two-lane freeway. Safety improvements made in the 1980s did not alter this fundamental trait. Because of its intention as a park route, a pedestrian/bicycle route was originally built alongside part of its length on the west side. The 1980s improvements moved this to the east side and extended it to reach the parkway's entire length.
There were plans to extend this parkway in both directions (as well as convert it to a divided highway). It was intended at some point to connect Route 25A in the north with Route 27 in the south. The original northern terminus was intended to be at Northern State Parkway and the northern extension, better known as the Caumsett State Parkway was to go to Caumsett State Park in Lloyd Harbor. There was an interchange planned with Route 135 (The Seaford-Oyster Bay Expressway) directly west of the golf course at Bethpage. However, lack of resident support combined with changing commuter habits and the construction of other nearby highways more or less shelved any future plans. Rights of way originally purchased to extend the parkway have since been given over for park use, creating the Trail View State Park.[5]
Exit 47 on Interstate 495 (the Long Island Expressway) was intended for the northern extension of the Bethpage Parkway. From the parkway, the interchanges would have had northbound off-ramps (exits B8 E-W) and southbound on-ramps.[6]
Exit list
The entire route is in Nassau County.
Location Mile[2] Exit Destinations Notes North Massapequa 0.00 B1 Southern State ParkwaySouthbound exit and northbound entrance South Farmingdale 0.91 B2 Boundary Avenue Northbound exit only Farmingdale 1.80 B3 
NY 24 (Hempstead Turnpike)Bethpage 2.38 B4 Central Avenue 2.49 B5 Plainview Road – Bethpage State Park Traffic circle 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi References
- ^ a b "2 New Parkways Go Into Use Today; Long Island Links to Connect City Directly with Nassau and Bethpage Park". The New York Times: p. 21. November 14, 1936. http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F70D13FD3E58107A93C6A8178AD95F428385F9. Retrieved April 24, 2010.
- ^ a b "2007 Traffic Data Report for New York State" (PDF). New York State Department of Transportation. July 25, 2008. https://www.nysdot.gov/divisions/engineering/technical-services/hds-respository/NYSDOT_Traffic_Data_Report_2007.pdf. Retrieved July 15, 2009.
- ^ Pierre-Pierre, Gary (May 28, 1996). "Philip B. Healey, 72, Is Dead; Assemblyman Fought for Elderly". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/1996/05/28/nyregion/philip-b-healey-72-is-dead-assemblyman-fought-for-elderly.html. Retrieved August 16, 2009.
- ^ Anderson, Steve. "Bethpage State Parkway". NYCRoads. http://www.nycroads.com/roads/bethpage/. Retrieved March 18, 2010.
- ^ Cerra, Frances (January 18, 1987). "Blazing a New Trail in the Wilds of Nassau". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/1987/01/18/nyregion/blazing-a-new-trail-in-wilds-of-nassau.html. Retrieved August 16, 2009.
- ^ Bethpage State Parkway Extension at the formerly proposed Interchanges with Old Country Road, the Long Island Expressway, and Northern State Parkway (WikiMapia)
External links
Parkways on Long Island, New York East-west North-south Formerly proposed Categories:- Parkways in New York
- Long Island highways
- Robert Moses projects
- Two-lane freeways in the United States
- Unfinished buildings and structures in the United States
- Transportation in Nassau County, New York
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