View source for Merrick Road

{{Use American English|date=April 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox street
| name                    = Merrick Road
| marker_image            = 
| native_name             =
| native_name_lang        =
| alternate_name          = 
| image                   = Merrick Boulevard.jpg
| image_size              = 
| image_alt               = 
| caption                 = At [[Linden Boulevard]] in Queens
| image_map               = {{maplink-road}}
| map_type                =
| map_size                =
| map_caption             =
| map_alt                 =
| other_name              = Merrick Boulevard; Floyd H. Flake Boulevard
| former_names            = 
| part_of                 =
| namesake                = [[Algonquin language|Algonquin]] word for oyster bed; community leader [[Floyd Flake|Floyd H. Flake]]
| type                    = Major surface street
| maint                   = [[NYCDOT]], [[Nassau County, New York|Nassau County DPW]], [[NYSDOT]]
| length_mi               = 21.8
| length_ref              = <ref name="google">{{google maps |url=https://goo.gl/maps/a9onZ |title=Merrick Boulevard&nbsp;/ Road |accessdate=May 30, 2015}}{{dead link|date=July 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>
| length_notes            =
| width                   =
| area                    =
| addresses               =
| location                = [[Queens County, New York|Queens]], [[Nassau County, New York|Nassau]], and [[Suffolk County, New York|Suffolk]] Counties
| postal_code             =
| metro                   = [[Jamaica Center-Parsons/Archer station]]
| coordinates             = 
| allocation              = CR 27 (unsigned) from [[Rosedale, Queens|Rosedale]]&ndash;[[Valley Stream, New York|Valley Stream]] line to [[East Massapequa, New York|East Massapequa]]<br/>{{jct|state=NY|NY|27A}} from East Massapequa to [[Copiague, New York|Copiague]]
| direction_a             = West
| terminus_a              = {{jct|state=NY|NY|25}} in [[Jamaica, Queens|Jamaica]]
| direction_b             = East
| terminus_b              = {{jct|state=NY|NY|27A}} in [[Copiague, New York|Copiague]]
| junction                = {{nowrap|{{jct|state=NY|Parkway|Belt}} in [[Laurelton, Queens|Laurelton]]}}<br />{{jct|state=NY|NY|27}} in [[Rockville Centre, New York|Rockville Centre]]<br />{{jct|state=NY|Parkway|Meadowbrook}} in [[Freeport, New York|Freeport]]<br />{{jct|state=NY|Parkway|Wantagh}} in [[Wantagh, New York|Wantagh]]<br />{{jct|state=NY|NY|135}} in [[Seaford, New York|Seaford]]
| east                    =
| west                    =
| main_contractor         =
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| commissioning_date      =
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| completion_date         =
| inauguration_date       = <!-- {{Start date|YYYY|MM|DD}} -->
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}}
'''Merrick Road''' is an east–west urban arterial in [[Queens]], [[Nassau County, New York|Nassau]], and [[Suffolk County, New York|Suffolk]] counties in [[New York (state)|New York]], [[United States]]. It is known as '''Merrick Boulevard''' or '''Floyd H. Flake Boulevard''' in Queens, within [[New York City]].

Merrick Road runs east from the Queens neighborhood of [[Jamaica, Queens|Jamaica]] through [[Merrick, New York|Merrick]] past the county line between Nassau and [[Suffolk County, New York|Suffolk]] into [[Amityville, New York|Amityville]], where it becomes [[Montauk Highway]] at the [[Amityville, New York|Amityville]]–[[Copiague, New York|Copiague]] village/hamlet line. The easternmost portion of Merrick Road, from Carman Mill Road to its eastern terminus, is signed as part of [[New York State Route&nbsp;27A]] (NY&nbsp;27A). At one time, the entire length of Merrick Road east of Baisley Boulevard was signed as NY&nbsp;27A; currently, the entire portion within Nassau County is currently designated as the [[unsigned highway|unsigned]] '''County Route&nbsp;27''' ('''CR&nbsp;27''').<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.greaternyroads.info/roads/nassau/cr27 |title=Merrick Road - Nassau CR 27 |work=Greater New York Roads |accessdate=April 1, 2010}}{{self-published inline|certain=yes|date=April 2018}}</ref> Merrick Road travels along an old right-of-way that was one of the original paths across southern [[Long Island]], stretching from Queens to [[Montauk, New York|Montauk Point]].

Merrick Road's name comes from the [[Algonquin language|Algonquin]] word ''"Meroke"'', meaning "oyster bed".<ref>{{Cite web|last1=Cusanelli|first1=Michael|last2=Weiss|first2=Rachel|last3=Doyle|first3=Heather|last4=Stark|first4=Ian J.|date=January 26, 2019|title=How 60 LI communities got their names|url=https://www.newsday.com/long-island/origin-of-long-island-community-names-1.13316061|access-date=2020-12-04|website=Newsday|language=en|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210724121514/https://www.newsday.com/long-island/origin-of-long-island-community-names-1.13316061|archive-date=July 24, 2021}}</ref> The section of Merrick Boulevard in Queens was renamed Floyd H. Flake Boulevard in October 2020, in honor of [[Floyd Flake]], senior pastor of the [[Greater Allen A. M. E. Cathedral of New York]] in Jamaica.

== Route description==
[[File:Merrick Road Historic Marker 20240919 135437.jpg|left|thumb|Merrick Road Historic Marker 20240919 135437]]
Merrick Boulevard, also known as Floyd H. Flake Boulevard, begins at [[New York State Route 25|NY&nbsp;25]] (Hillside Avenue) as a two-lane, one-way street heading eastbound (compass south at this point), which continues north of Hillside Avenue as 166th Street. Two blocks to the south of Hillside Avenue, Merrick Boulevard passes by the [[Queens Library#Central Library|Central Branch]] of the [[Queens Library]] and the [[165th Street Bus Terminal]]. A block to its east, 168th Street provides for westbound traffic. Just south of Liberty Avenue, the two directions join together to form a four-lane, [[divided highway|divided]] Merrick Boulevard. Among the parks that the road passes are [[Proctor-Hopson Circle]], [[St. Albans Park (Queens)|St. Albans Park]], and [[Roy Wilkins Park]]. Merrick Boulevard gradually turns southeast and east, passing through [[Springfield Gardens, Queens|Springfield Gardens]], [[Laurelton, Queens|Laurelton]] and crossing the [[Belt Parkway]] before leaving [[Queens]] into [[Nassau County, New York|Nassau County]], where it becomes Merrick Road.<ref name="google"/> The section of Merrick Boulevard in Queens was renamed Floyd H. Flake Boulevard in October 2020, in honor of [[Floyd Flake]], senior pastor of the [[Greater Allen A. M. E. Cathedral of New York]] in Jamaica.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Gannon|first=Michael|date=October 5, 2020 |title=Merrick Boulevard renamed for Floyd Flake|url=https://www.qchron.com/editions/central/merrick-boulevard-renamed-for-floyd-flake/article_024a294c-0740-11eb-b17b-374421822103.html|access-date=2020-12-03|website=Queens Chronicle|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Maisel|first=Todd|date=October 5, 2020|title=Hundreds jam Queens street for roadway renaming honoring longtime leader Floyd Flake|url=https://www.amny.com/news/hundreds-jam-queens-street-for-roadway-renaming-honoring-longtime-leader-floyd-flake/|access-date=2020-12-04|website=amNewYork|language=en-US}}</ref>

[[File:Trolley exploring - an electric railroad guide to historic and picturesque places about New York, New Jersey, and New England (1904) (14760862545).jpg|thumb|Near Jamaica, 1890s]]

Merrick Road is one of the old roads along the southern side of [[Long Island]]; it has since been replaced by [[Sunrise Highway]] ([[New York State Route 27|NY&nbsp;27]]) for most through traffic.<ref name="google"/> At [[Rockville Centre, New York|Rockville Centre]], bridges take it over NY&nbsp;27, with four directional ramps forming a partial [[interchange (road)|interchange]]. Farther east, it serves as the southern end for state roads such as [[New York State Route 107|NY&nbsp;107]], [[New York State Route 110|NY&nbsp;110]], and the Seaford–Oyster Bay Expressway ([[New York State Route 135|NY&nbsp;135]]).<ref name="google"/>

[[New York State Route 27A|NY&nbsp;27A]] begins as a split from NY&nbsp;27 in [[East Massapequa, New York|East Massapequa]], where NY&nbsp;27 leaves the original [[Sunrise Gold Circle]], which is now Old Sunrise Highway (unsigned [[New York State Route 900D|NY&nbsp;900D]]) east of the split. NY&nbsp;27A quickly turns south off Old Sunrise Highway onto Carman Mill Road, which ends at Merrick Road. Merrick Road from that point east continues through Massapequa over the Nassau/Suffolk border into Amityville, [[Suffolk County, New York|Suffolk County]], where it becomes [[Montauk Highway]] at the Amityville/Copiague village/hamlet line.<ref name="google"/> [[Amityville, New York|Amityville]] is the only town in [[Suffolk County, New York|Suffolk County]] where southernmost major road is known as Merrick Road (it is known as [[Montauk Highway]] in every other settlement along the [[South Shore (Long Island)|South Shore]] of [[Suffolk County, New York|Suffolk County]].

Both the [[Meadowbrook State Parkway]] and the [[Wantagh State Parkway]] have interchanges with Merrick Road. A truck needing to make a delivery to the barrier beaches along [[Ocean Parkway (Long Island)|Ocean Parkway]] may enter the Meadowbrook southbound at this road and at no point farther north.<ref name="google"/>

==Transportation==
{{main|Merrick Boulevard buses}}
In Queens, the [[Q5 (New York City bus)|Q5]] and [[Q87 (New York City bus)|Q87]] run on Merrick Boulevard between Archer Avenue and Hook Creek Boulevard, while the [[Q86 (New York City bus)|Q86]] runs on Merrick Boulevard between Archer Avenue and Brookville Boulevard. The [[Q84 (New York City bus)|Q84]], [[Q85 (New York City bus)|Q85]], and [[Q89 (New York City bus)|Q89]] serve Merrick Boulevard between Archer Avenue and Baisley Boulevard, and the [[Q4 (New York City bus)|Q4]] serves it between Archer Avenue and [[Linden Boulevard]]. Other routes serving the boulevard include the {{NYC bus link|Q1|Q2|Q3|Q6|Q8|Q9|Q17|Q20|Q36|Q41|Q44|Q76|Q77|QM63|QM65}}, [[List of bus routes in Nassau County|n1, n6/n6x, n22/n22x, n24, and n26]].

The [[List of bus routes in Nassau County#n4|n4/n4x]] is the main mode of public transportation on Merrick Road in Nassau County, serving it between [[Jamaica Center Bus Terminal]] and [[Freeport (LIRR station)|Freeport LIRR]], running closed door service in Queens, with the [[List of bus routes in Nassau County#n19|n19]] serving Merrick Road between Freeport LIRR and Unqua Road. A portion of the road is also served by the n1.

==Major intersections==
{{jcttop|length_ref=<ref name="google"/>}}
{{NYCint
|county=Queens
|cspan=6
|location=Jamaica
|borough=Queens
|lspan=2
|mile=0.00
|road={{jct|state=NY|NY|25|name1=Hillside Avenue}}
|notes=Western terminus}}
{{NYCint
|mile=0.30
|road=[[Jamaica Avenue]]
|notes=}}
{{NYCint
|location=St. Albans
|borough=Queens
|lspan=2
|mile=1.60
|road=[[Linden Boulevard]]
|notes=}}
{{NYCint
|mile=3.30
|road=[[Springfield Boulevard]]
|notes=}}
{{NYCint
|location=Laurelton
|borough=Queens
|lspan=2
|mile=4.10
|road=[[Francis Lewis Boulevard]]
|notes=}}
{{NYint
|mile=4.40
|road={{jct|state=NY|Parkway|Belt|dir1=east|city1=Whitestone Bridge}}
|notes=Access via Brookville Boulevard; exit 24B on Belt Parkway}}
{{NYint
|county=Nassau
|cspan=6
|location=Rockville Centre
|mile=8.90
|type=incomplete
|road={{jct|state=NY|NY|27|name1=Sunrise Highway}}
|notes=Interchange; same-directional access only}}
{{NYint
|location=Freeport
|mile=13.60
|road={{jct|state=NY|Parkway|Meadowbrook|city1=Mineola}}
|notes=Exits M9E-W on Meadowbrook State Parkway}}
{{NYint
|location=Wantagh
|mile=16.70
|road={{jct|state=NY|Parkway|Wantagh|city1=Westbury|city2=Jones Beach}}
|notes=Exits W6E-W on Wantagh State Parkway}}
{{NYint
|location=Seaford
|mile=17.70
|road={{jct|state=NY|NY|135|dir1=north|city1=Syosset}}
|notes=Southern terminus and exits 1E-W on NY&nbsp;135}}
{{NYint
|location=Massapequa
|mile=18.60
|road={{jct|state=NY|NY|107|dir1=north}}
|notes=Southern terminus of NY&nbsp;107}}
{{NYint
|location=East Massapequa
|mile=21.00
|type=concur
|road={{jct|state=NY|NY|27A|dir1=west}}
|notes=Western end of NY 27A concurrency}}
{{NYint
|county=Suffolk
|cspan=2
|location=Amityville
|lspan=2
|mile=
|road={{jct|state=NY|NY|110|dir1=north|name1=Broadway}}
|notes=Southern terminus of NY&nbsp;110}}
{{NYint
|mile=21.80
|type=concur
|road={{jct|state=NY|NY|27A|dir1=east|name1=[[Montauk Highway]]}}
|notes=Continuation east; eastern end of NY 27A concurrency; former [[New York State Route 27|NY 27]]}}
{{jctbtm|keys=incomplete,concur}}

==See also==

*[[List of county routes in Nassau County, New York]]
*[[Proctor-Hopson Circle]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}
* [https://www.qchron.com/editions/queenswide/merrick-renamed-for-rev-floyd-flake/article_37f1d0f0-bc32-5489-9074-355547a0854c.html]

==External links==
{{Attached KML|display=inline,title}}
{{NYSR external links|alps=merrick_rd}}
{{County routes in Nassau County, New York}}
{{Queens Streets}}

[[Category:Streets in Queens, New York]]
[[Category:Transportation in Nassau County, New York]]
[[Category:County routes in Nassau County, New York]]