Major Roadwork at Main Gate to Start Thursday, May 6

Getting Around Safely: Project Details and Directions

Major roadwork at BNL’s Main Gate will start on Thursday, May 6. The inbound lanes along West Princeton Avenue from just beyond the security booths through the intersection at Upton Road will be repaved, causing significant disruption to normal traffic patterns until the road is reopened, which is expected to be on Wednesday, May 12.

Main gate detail

During roadwork, the main gate will accept only incoming traffic.

Beginning on Wednesday, May 5, at 6 p.m., the Lab’s Main Gate will be open for entrance only and the South Gate will be open for exit only — no one will be able to exit the Laboratory via the Main Gate.

The road is currently in disrepair and deteriorating because of the large volume of traffic — from both cars and large trucks carrying heavy equipment. Using a special process, the old road will be broken up and reused in the new road’s foundation. This should significantly strengthen the new road as the Lab prepares for other construction and modernization projects in the future.

detour map enlarge

A map highlighting all of the traffic detours.

While the project continues, please obey all safety personnel as well as posted barricades, warnings, and signs. Also, give yourself extra time to enter and exit the Laboratory.

Those with children at the Child Development Center are asked to plan accordingly, ensuring that they still pick up their children before 5:30 p.m. In addition, those who drive gasoline-powered Laboratory vehicles should fill their gas tanks at the Motor Pool by Wednesday to avoid congestion at the station during the project.

If there are significant changes in the weather forecasts and heavy rain is predicted for this Thursday or Friday, the project will be rescheduled to start next Thursday, May 13, and continue until Wednesday, May 19.

Use the map to plan your route. Specific directions to areas that the roadwork will directly impact are listed below. Signs will also be placed along roads to help direct traffic.

Entering the Laboratory

The Lab’s Main Gate will be open for entrance only throughout the project. Those entering the Lab at the Main Gate will be directed into one eastbound lane on the northern side of Princeton Avenue, just after the security booths. The North Gate will also be open for employees only to enter the Lab from 7:30 until 9 a.m. on weekdays.

Exiting the Laboratory

No one will be able to exit the Laboratory via the Main Gate. The South Gate will remain open 24 hours a day throughout the project. The intersection of Princeton Avenue and Upton Road will be closed. Drivers can access the South Gate from the main Lab area by taking Rochester Street south, turn right on Princeton Avenue and left onto the entrance ramp for Upton Road.

The North Gate will also be open for exiting the Laboratory on weekdays from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m. The North Gate will be closed on weekends.

The Child Development Center and Apartment Area

PLEASE NOTE: Some drivers have been trying to access the main Lab site from the Child Development Center and apartment area by going around the traffic barricades at Yale and Upton roads. This is potentially dangerous because that portion of Upton Road is for southbound traffic only. To return to the main Lab site from the Child Development Center and the apartment area, take East Street and the access road to West Princeton Avenue. See the new diagrams illustrating these traffic patterns below.

detour map

The portion of Upton Road south of the intersection at Princeton Avenue is for southbound traffic only — do not try to access to main Lab site from there. Take Upton Road to get to the Child Development Center and apartment area from the main Lab site, or to exit the Laboratory at the South Gate.

detour map

Return to the main Lab site from the Child Development Center and the apartment area by taking East Street and the access road to West Princeton Avenue.

To get to the Child Development Center and apartment area from the Main Gate, drivers must go through security in the right lane. Turn right onto the access road just before the lane shift beyond the security booths, then proceed to the apartment area.

Return to the main site from the apartment area by taking East Street back to the access road and then proceeding toward West Princeton Avenue.

Get to the Child Development Center and apartment area from the rest of the Lab site by traveling toward the South Gate. Take Rochester Street south, turn right onto Princeton Avenue, and left onto Upton Road. Turn right onto a new road that has been cleared and marked with a sign to the apartment area.

People with children at the Child Development Center are asked to ensure that their children are picked up before 5:30 p.m.

Exit the Laboratory from the Child Development Center and apartment area by traveling northeast on Yale Road. Then turn right onto Upton Road and proceed to the South Gate.

A walkway connecting the apartment and main Lab areas has been marked with temporary orange fencing so pedestrians and bicyclists can safely walk around the intersection of Princeton Avenue and Upton Road. Bicyclists are requested to walk their bicycles through this walkway.

NSLS-II Construction Site

To access the NSLS-II construction site, enter the BNL site at the Main Gate and proceed to Upton Road. From Upton Road, regular traffic should turn right onto Bell Avenue, right onto Rochester Street, left onto East Princeton Avenue and then proceed to the south entrance of the construction site.

Large trucks with long loads, including steel deliveries, should take Upton Road north, turn right on Brookhaven Avenue and continue straight to the site’s north entrance.

Exit the Laboratory from the NSLS-II construction site via the South Gate.

2010-1748  |  INT/EXT  |  Newsroom