Ronkankoma residents and commuters are being warned about a major road closure that began at 11 p.m. Friday. Ocean Avenue at the railroad crossing will be shut down for 24 hours as part of an effort to improve the crossing’s reliability and safety.

The closure will affect both directions of traffic between Johnson Avenue and Easton Street, creating potential traffic jams in the area. Local businesses, such as Lake Village Market, are concerned that the disruption may impact their customers' ability to reach their stores. Harry Patel at Lake Village Market expressed his concern, stating, "Because the road is closed, we don’t do good business. That’s the problem for us."

In addition to the road closure, the MTA has announced that buses will be replacing trains this weekend between Deer Park and Greenport due to switch work. However, it’s worth noting that the MTA's website has not yet mentioned the Ocean Avenue shutdown. To help with traffic flow, electronic signs are posted at the railroad crossing to warn drivers of the closure.

Officials are recommending that drivers use Pond Road as an alternate route to avoid the closure. MTA police will be on site to ensure safety while the crossing is shut down.