Exit 35 on Southern State Parkway in Lindenhurst — Online Traffic Webcam

Southern State Parkway: History of Long Island's Parkway

Southern State Parkway is one of the island's oldest expressways, laid out in the 1920s under the direction of Robert Moses, an influential urban planner and chairman of the Long Island State Park Commission. Moses's vision was to create a network of parkways that would connect New York City with state parks on Long Island, giving city residents access to natural recreation areas.

The highway stretches 25.53 miles (41.09 km) — from Cross Island Parkway in Queens to Heckscher State Park in Suffolk. It is a controlled-access highway where traffic is managed through a system of interchanges with no traffic lights on the main roadway. Today, Southern State Parkway remains a key east-west artery of Long Island's south shore, serving tens of thousands of vehicles daily.

Exit 35: Lindenhurst Transportation Hub

Exit 35 is an interchange with Suffolk County Route 3 (Wellwood Avenue) — one of the most important transportation hubs for Lindenhurst and surrounding communities. It sits on the border between North Lindenhurst and South Lindenhurst, providing access to residential neighborhoods, commercial zones, and social facilities.

Wellwood Avenue serves as the area's main north-south artery, connecting residential areas with shopping centers, schools, and administrative offices. Every day, thousands of local residents use this exit for commutes to work, schools, and stores. The interchange also provides access to Pinelawn Cemetery and Pinelawn Memorial Park, as well as Wellwood Beth Moses Cemetery — the region's largest memorial complexes.

Infrastructure and Development Around the Interchange

The area around Exit 35 combines residential, commercial, and memorial development. In 2017, construction was approved for the The Wel residential complex — 260 apartments at 75 Hoffman Avenue, just two blocks from Wellwood Avenue. Developer Tritec estimated that residents of the new complex would contribute between $5 million and $7 million annually to the local economy.

Wellwood Avenue is Lindenhurst's main shopping street, with retail stores, restaurants, and service businesses. Nearby are Usdan Summer Camp for the Arts, Lindenhurst Memorial Library, and educational institutions. The Lindenhurst station on the Long Island Rail Road is a few blocks from the interchange, providing an alternative to driving for commuters.

Bridge Modernization at Exit 35

In 2008, a $5 million bridge widening project at Exit 35 was completed as part of a joint NYSDOT and Suffolk County effort to modernize Wellwood Avenue. The bridge expansion increased the interchange's capacity and improved safety during peak hours.

The project was part of broader efforts to improve transportation infrastructure on Long Island's south shore, where population growth and increasing traffic demand continuous modernization of existing road facilities. The full interchange with a signalized intersection ensures efficient distribution of traffic between the parkway and the local street network.

Road Traffic and Traffic Patterns

Southern State Parkway operates as a limited-access expressway — entry and exit are possible only through a system of numbered interchanges. Exit 35 serves both eastbound and westbound directions, providing connections between Nassau and Suffolk counties.

Traffic intensity at this location varies by time of day: morning and evening rush hours see increased load from commuters heading to and from railroad stations. Daytime traffic is more evenly distributed, with a noticeable increase on weekends due to trips to memorial parks and shopping centers.

Video Surveillance on the Highway

Exit 35 is equipped with real-time surveillance cameras that allow monitoring of road conditions on the approaches to the interchange and at the exit itself. The cameras capture traffic in both directions — eastbound and westbound — and are used by transportation agencies for traffic monitoring and rapid incident response.

The Southern State Parkway surveillance system is integrated into New York State's overall traffic management network. Camera data flows to the transportation center and is available for analyzing traffic flow intensity, identifying congestion, and coordinating road services.

What the Camera Shows

The camera at Exit 35 (Wellwood Avenue) provides a view of the multi-lane Southern State Parkway with active road traffic. The roadway has several lanes in both directions, separated by a grass median. Green plantings and trees line both sides of the highway — a characteristic feature of Long Island's parkways, originally designed as scenic routes.

Road signs, including warning indicators, are visible along the roadside. The interchange provides access to Wellwood Avenue — Lindenhurst's main north-south artery, connecting residential areas with commercial zones, cemeteries, and educational institutions. The camera allows assessment of current road conditions, presence of congestion, and traffic conditions on the approaches to the interchange.