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The Sagtikos State Parkway is purely functional, as it is the only north-south parkway on Long Island that does not lead to a recreational facility. However, part of its beauty is its functionality in linking the LIE, Northern State and Southern State parkways.
As it is part of the only north-south fully controlled-access link in Suffolk County, the Sagtikos Parkway suffers from chronic congestion, and could use an additional travel lane in each direction for the full length of the parkway. Safety is compromised by hairpin exit ramps at EXIT S2 (Pilgrim State Hospital) and EXIT S3 (Pine Aire Drive), as well as by the limited sight distance at the bridge over the LIRR and Pine Aire Drive.
The parkway runs through one of the remaining tracts of pine barrens in western Suffolk County, such that suburbia seems far away. The old brick buildings of Pilgrim State Hospital, which are visible from the parkway, always seemed menacing when I was growing up.
Signing and lighting were improved during the late 1980's, but the pavement is not in great condition. As the NYSDOT currently is studying the parkway, perhaps it could consider improvements to both capacity and pavement condition.
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