If you think the heavy gridlock of traffic you've seen all summer magically disappears after Labor Day, you're wrong. The Sunrise Highway-to-County Road 39-to-Route 27 trip can be just as frustrating a drive in autumn as well. There is good news, however, as Southampton's Cops & Cones program– which creates a second, temporary, early-morning eastbound lane of traffic between Sunrise Highway and Southampton Village on County Road 39– will be extended until October 15.
The extension is meant to alleviate foreseen traffic woes as schools go into session and the autumn tourists keep on arriving. Although the program's lengthening is the best news for drivers since Highway Advisory Radio Network, it comes with a catch. Cops & Cones was supposed to end after Labor Day because that's when contracted construction to build a permanent second eastbound was supposed to begin.
The delay in construction could mean that the permanent second lane may not be available until the Fourth of July, instead of the originally scheduled Memorial Day. But that's next summer, so we'll worry about it then.
In the meantime, we'd like to share the following tips in dealing with tumultuous traffic:
- Be patient: The average speed can sink to 15 mph, particularly from 6-9 a.m., and it's not under your control. A watched pot never boils; a frustrated driver arrives with ravaged nerves.
- Stick to the main route: Back roads are a tempting shortcut, but don't always make a significant difference. Alternative routes are only for those drivers who must ever be in motion, even if time is added instead of subtracted.
- Let someone make a left turn: Not only may the traffic gods bless you with Karma, you will make the driver's day.
- Don't cross the median on Sunrise Highway: A ticket can only result.
- Don't cut in to your sleep time: Leave at sunrise, but the traffic on Sunrise will be there.
- Bring plenty to listen to: Or else you'll listen to the same album more than once per drive.
Everyone has a story-or tip- of the longest drive. Have any to share? Please post below.
Video
If there's one thing that's eternal here, it's the traffic. Plum asks its viewers how they confront and survive it.
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