Narrow Lane Got Its Four-Way Stop. The Turnpike Rebuild Now Waits on 2028 Money.

For years, drivers on the Bridgehampton–Sag Harbor Turnpike had the right of way at Narrow Lane. Only east–west traffic had to stop. This spring that changed. Suffolk County put up stop signs for northbound and southbound traffic on the turnpike, and the intersection became a four-way stop.

Those signs are the only part of the county's two-mile plan for County Road 79 that drivers can actually see. In 2024 the plan was to start construction in mid-2026 and finish in summer 2027. Suffolk County's newest capital budget, adopted in June 2026, now shows the construction money in 2028.

The Stop Signs Came First, and the County Asked for Them

The Southampton Town Board took up the Narrow Lane intersection at its June 23 meeting. The hearing was on changing Town Code Chapter 312-12 so the stop signs would be part of the town's traffic rules. It was one of two CR 79 items sponsored by Councilman Thomas Neely and listed on the June 9, 2026 Town Board agenda. The other proposed extending the stretches of CR 79 in Bridgehampton where stopping is prohibited.

Town staff explained at the meeting, which SeaTV Southampton posted in full, that the county had installed the signs first and then asked the town to write them into the code:

"It's currently well currently it was two-way east west. They couple of months ago installed northbound north and southbound on the turnpike. The county installed them on the turnpike and I think again they've installed them and they're asking us to um codify them."

Staff said the reason was sight distance. The intersection "has been kind of an issue with sight distance," and the four-way stop "makes it easier to turn." Staff also tied the change to more east–west traffic on Narrow Lane and said the county is "looking at putting in a traffic signal there." The board opened and closed both public hearings that night, according to Citizen Portal's account of the meeting. That account describes the no-stopping proposal as a sight-distance fix too.

The town already had sight-line rules at this spot. The Town Code has banned stopping for 90 feet south of Narrow Lane on the west side of the turnpike and 60 feet south of it on the east side since 2008.

The Signal Was Supposed to Arrive With Everything Else

The traffic signal staff mentioned is part of a bigger plan. The county Department of Public Works presented it at a June 17, 2024 public meeting at the South Fork Natural History Museum. That plan covers CR 79 from Scuttle Hole Road in Bridgehampton to Brick Kiln Road and Jermain Avenue at the edge of Sag Harbor, about 2 miles. According to the county's presentation, the project includes:

• Repairs to the concrete panels under the road before it is repaved with asphalt
• Replacement of damaged drainage and new drainage structures
• A study of whether to replace the Ligonee Brook culvert
• Continuous sidewalks and 5-foot bicycle shoulders on both sides of the road, with ADA-compliant curb ramps and driveway crossings
• Changes at the Scuttle Hole Road and Clay Pit Road intersection to improve sight distance and turns, plus crosswalks and pedestrian refuge islands
• A rebuilt signal at Brick Kiln Road and Jermain Avenue
• A new traffic signal at Narrow Lane
• All work kept within the existing right of way

The plan also accounts for wildlife next to the Long Pond Greenbelt. It calls for a curb with "a gentle slope starting at the top of the pavement" so turtles and amphibians can climb out of the road, and flat drainage grates without curb openings. 27east reported that Dai Dayton, president of the Friends of the Long Pond Greenbelt, asked about the angled curbs from an earlier project south of Scuttle Hole, which turtles have trouble getting over. County chief engineer Bill Hillman said the new design would remove that lip but that rebuilding the older curbs was not part of the plan.

So the Narrow Lane signal depends on the full rebuild. Until the rebuild begins, the four-way stop is what the county has put in its place.

Where the Money Moved

Each step of the schedule can be checked against county documents. The DPW web page for the project still says construction is "anticipated to begin in 2026 with completion expected in 2027." The budget documents give a later date.

The cost has gone up as the schedule has moved. In the 2027–2029 budget, the project's total estimated cost is about $25.5 million. Of that, about $8.9 million had been appropriated by the end of 2025. The $16.5 million in construction money still to come is $2 million more than the entire preliminary construction estimate shown at the 2024 meeting. The budget calls CR 79 an "ongoing project" and describes it the same way as before: about 2 miles of drainage reconstruction because "numerous areas of this corridor experience flooding," along with full-depth pavement, resurfacing, curbs and sidewalks.

Some work outside the main construction line has kept going. In December 2025 the county approved a $100,000 appropriation to plan and design aquatic habitat improvements at the Ligonee Brook culvert, with the goal of safer passage for native river otters. That money is for planning and design only. No construction contract for CR 79 appears on the county's highway construction bids page.

Two Ends of the Road Still Have Open Questions

The extra time affects the Sag Harbor end of the road in particular. The Sag Harbor Express reported that after the 2024 meeting, village officials objected to the county's design for the intersection of CR 79, Jermain Avenue, Brick Kiln Road and Main Street at Mashashimuet Park. Trustee Ed Haye said it would "feed all the pedestrians into the middle of the intersection." One proposed island would also block cars from entering the park except from the northbound turnpike. Landscape architect Ed Hollander drew sketches that would move the park's main entrance to the turnpike. The village hired the engineering firm LKMA to study the intersection, including whether a roundabout would work. Rachel Dee, president of the Mashashimuet Park Board, said, "Everything is open to discussion." Legislator Ann Welker organized meetings with Southampton Town Councilman Tommy John Schiavoni and county engineer Alex Prego about the project. No decision on the park entrance or a roundabout has been made public.

The speed limit is also undecided. At the 2024 meeting, as 27east reported, one speaker pointed out that the limit jumps to 45 mph south of Scuttle Hole Road and then drops immediately to 20 mph entering Sag Harbor, and others said drivers leaving Sag Harbor can go straight from 20 to 45. Hillman answered that the county cannot lower a limit without a study under state and federal guidelines, and added, "I can lower it to 20 and you would still have people doing 60 or 65." North Haven Mayor Chris Fiore said flashing speed signs had slowed traffic on Route 114. Sag Harbor Trustee Jeanne Kane said the village police chief favored a more gradual slowdown approaching the village. No study or change to the limit has been announced.

What Construction Will Look Like When It Starts

The 2024 presentation laid out ground rules for the work zone. Two-way traffic will be kept at all times. Crews will work on only one side of CR 79 at a time. Driveways and property access will stay open. Most work will be in the daytime, though milling and paving may be done at night, possibly with a detour. The county also said construction staff will coordinate with homeowners and businesses along the road. At the 2024 meeting, Hillman invited residents to email suggestions to [email protected].

For now, northbound and southbound drivers stop at Narrow Lane, and the rest of the plan is on the county's 2028 budget schedule.

If you own a home along the turnpike or are considering one near Narrow Lane, Scuttle Hole Road or the Sag Harbor end, the planned sidewalks, signals and two to three years of road work are worth weighing alongside the house itself. James Giugliano follows the CR 79 plans closely and can walk you through how they may affect a specific property. Let's Connect.