Northern State Parkway - History

History

Between exits 38 and 39, the northern terminus of Bethpage State Parkway and southern terminus of Caumsett State Parkway were proposed to have an unconventional interchange at exits 38A and 38B, respectively.

Three service areas used to exist in widened areas of the median along the Parkway. The first was east of Meadowbrook State Parkway; the second was west of County Route 4 (CR 4, named Commack Road) in Suffolk County; the third was at the former terminus of the Northern State Parkway and existing terminus of the Sagtikos State Parkway.

The final 2.5-mile (4.0 km) long extension of the parkway, constructed between Sagtikos State Parkway and Veterans Memorial Highway, opened in June 1965. The only evidence of the formerly shared termini of the Northern and Sagtikos State Parkways can be found in what is now the east-to-south ramp of exit 44, which is wider than the other ramps, as well as those for exit 45 to the Sunken Meadow State Parkway.

Beyond NY 454, there were plans to extend the Northern State Parkway further east through Caleb Smith State Park Preserve, then along the Nissequogue River. After crossing NY 111, it would have turned south across Long Island until entering Connetquot River State Park Preserve, where it would include additional park entrances, then turn west finally terminating at Heckscher State Parkway between CR 17 (Carleton Avenue) and NY 27.