§ 14-I — Long Island expressway; design and construction

§ 14-i. Long Island expressway; design and construction. 1. The\ncommissioner shall prepare an environmental impact statement on the\nproject to add travel lanes to the Long Island expressway between exits\nforty-nine and fifty-seven in accordance with the provisions of article\neight of the environmental conservation law.\n 2. The commissioner shall prepare an environmental impact statement on\nprojects to add travel lanes to the Long Island expressway from exits\nthirty to sixty-four in accordance with the provisions of article eight\nof the environmental conservation law.\n 3. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, a\nproject to add travel lanes to the Long Island expressway between exits\nforty-nine and fifty-seven shall, for the purposes of this section, be\ndeemed to have independent utility and not be deemed part of any\nlong-range plan and other potential highway improvement projects on Long\nIsland are not to be deemed likely to be undertaken as a result thereof\nor to be dependent thereon.\n 4. a. The design for the project to add travel lanes to the Long\nIsland expressway between exits forty-nine and fifty-seven, shall\ncommence forthwith. Such design shall proceed concurrent with the\nenvironmental review process required by subdivision one of this\nsection, and may, to the extent necessary, focus on a design alternative\nor alternatives. Preparation of a design shall not be a commitment to an\naction by the department prior to the completion of the environmental\nreview process.\n b. The department shall not commence construction until the department\nhas considered the final environmental impact statement and made\nfindings pursuant to subdivision one of this section.\n c. The preparation of a design or designs shall not be deemed to have\nprejudiced any decision-making pursuant to article eight of the\nenvironmental conservation law.\n