New York City has five boroughs; the five include not only the borough of Manhattan, but also the borough of Queens, which is where Kennedy and LaGuardia airports are. In going from the Kennedy or LaGuardia airports to BNL, you start out in Queens, drive through Nassau County, and end up in Suffolk County.
The speed limit is 55 mph on all roads in New York City and Nassau and Suffolk counties. Everywhere in the state of New York, whenever it is raining, you must turn on your headlights. Outside of New York City, a right turn at a red light is permitted after coming to a full stop. A right on red is not allowed anywhere in New York City, including Queens. You should always obey all traffic regulations strictly.
Special care should be taken on the highways in Nassau and Suffolk counties. The Nassau and Suffolk county police are very efficient at ticketing anyone going ten or more miles per hour over the speed limit (even though the flow of traffic is often 15 mph over the speed limit). The Nassau and Suffolk county police use marked cars which are lighted up like Xmas trees, but: they have both radar and laser detectors for speed, and are most clever at hiding in turns, overpasses, etc. Please do obey all traffic regulations.
Driving in the City
Doable, with some care. There are three AM stations which have traffic reports every ten minutes: AM 1010, on the ones, AM 1130, on the fives, and AM 880, on the eights.
There can be traffic accidents at any time of day or night which tie up traffic. Of course avoid rush hour. Also, going into New York City in the evening, especially Friday night, can be crowded.
The following are detailed suggestions which have been found to avoid standard traffic tieups. The point is that while I-495, the Long Island Expressway, is the most direct path, it is also the most crowded, and is best to avoid wherever possible.
From LaGuardia Airport
Upon leaving LaGuardia, get on the Grand Central Parkway going east. You stay on the Grand Central Parkway for about 30-45 minutes. Note that you stay on the GCP all the way through Queens; about 5 miles from the LaGuardia Airport, you pass I-495, but do NOT get on I-495 there. Stay on the Grand Central Parkway until it turns into the Northern State Parkway in Nassau County; get off the NSP at Exit 37A, for I-495 east. After another 40 minutes you reach Exit 68 on I-495; then see below.
To LaGuardia Airport
From Exit 68 at I-495, go west for about 40 minutes to Exit 53, for the Sunken Meadow and Sagtikos Parkways. Go north on the Sunken Meadow Parkway for about 2 miles to exit SM1, for the Northern State Parkway. Take the NSP west until to get to LaGuardia, about another 45 minutes.
From Kennedy Airport
Leaving JFK, take the Southern Belt Parkway east. After a few miles this becomes the Laurelton, and then the Southern State Parkway. Stay on the Southern State Parkway for about 30 minutes; at Exit 41A, take the Sagtikos Parkway north. Take the Sagtikos for about five miles until Exit S1, for I-495 east. After about 45 minutes you reach Exit 68 on I-495, then see below.
To Kennedy Airport
From Exit 68 on I-495, go west for about 40 minutes to Exit 53, for the Sagtikos and Sunken Meadow Parkways. Take the Sagtikos Parkway south about five miles to Exit S4, for the Southern State Parkway heading west. It is about 40 minutes on the Southern State Parkway to JFK. You stay on the Southern State Parkway until it becomes the Laurelton Parkway, and then the Southern Belt Parkway. The exit for JFK on the Southern Belt Parkway is Exit 20. Note that there is an exit 20 on the Southern State Parkway, about 10 minutes before you hit JFK. Don't get off there, wait for the signs to JFK.
To/from Newark airport
The traffic is insane except late at night. But, if your flight gets bumped, you may end up here. The easiest way from Newark airport is to take I-95 north to I-495 east; you enter Manhattan on 39th street. Go east to 3rd or 2cd Avenues by 36th Street, and look for the signs to the Queens Midtown Tunnel. The Midtown Tunnel lets you out on I-495, which you take east to Exit 68.
From Exit 68 on I-495
Go North on the William Floyd Parkway, Route 46. About 1 1/2 miles up, just before the second light is a turn off on your right into the Lab.
For a map of the site, see here.
Upon arriving at the Lab entrance, there is a guard at the gate. Give him your name, and he'll direct you to the housing office, where you can pick up your key. You can arrive at any time of day or night. If you are arriving by limo, have the driver take you to the housing office, wait for you while you run in to get your key, and then take you to your dorm. This will save you quite a walk.
For those arriving late: eat before coming to the Lab. During the week (only) there is food available at the Brookhaven Center, near the dorm. The cafeteria is open during regular meal hours. For further info, see Once you're here.
To get to the Physics Building:
It is 20 Pennsylvania Avenue. The main entrance has a small driveway. Go through the main doors and up the stairs. With your back to the stairs, the office of our secretary, Fern Simes, in down on the right, room 2-29. Marciano is right by her, Creutz and Trueman are around the corner; going to the left from the stairs, Dawson and Pisarski are down the hall, Soni and Paige around that corner. If you arrive at a time of day or night in which no one is around, feel free to use any office marked "HET".
Going into the City
Get maps! Listen to the traffic on the radio! The Midtown tunnel is generally a pain. Into midtown Manhattan, try the Queensboro bridge. To upper Manhattan, such as Columbia University, take the Grand Central Parkway to the TriBorough Bridge and take 125th street through Harlem to Columbia (its safe, really). To Greenwich Village or lower Manhattan, take the Brooklyn-Queens expressway to the Williamburg Bridge; if that is crowded, continue on the BQE to the Manhattan or Brooklyn Bridges.
