Citizens interviewed by the Smithtown News and the Smithtown Messenger were skeptical about land takings, construction impact on businesses, community impacts and environmental impacts from a wider road, school safety in Hauppauge and the fact that a bigger road will bring more traffic.

George Verderver said the DOT should "pave over all of Suffolk and get it done with already."

Several citizens pointed to the seven minute or fewer time savings DOT projects for the wider road, and said it was not worth the construction trouble and the $150-200 million cost. A Campaign statement referred to the Surface Transportation Policy Project 1999 study that found motorists can lose more time in road construction delays than they will save in years of driving on the "improved" road (MTR #238). Thus, projects may meet the goal of accommodating more cars while doing little to improve commutes of those driving now.

The infomercial hearing format asks citizens to circulate among display boards and DOT planners to quietly provide comment on aspects of the plan. It dispenses with the usual practice of allowing public statements before agency officials and those attending the hearing, and seems designed to limit public debate and input.

Citizens interviewed by the Smithtown papers at Tuesday's session were also disgruntled by the format. At Wednesday's meeting in Port Jefferson Station, Suffolk Legislator Vivian Fisher convened an impromptu meeting with civic leaders to set up a community organizing process regarding the project.

The Tri-State Transportation Campaign called on DOT to develop a non-widening scenario that would combine intersection improvements with non-paving strategies. The Affiliated Brookhaven Civic Organization pointed to the futility of widening highways to reduce congestion, and recommended transit, bike and pedestrian improvements.

A DOT plan to make the whole length of Route 347 a limited-access expressway was rejected by public and elected officials in 1996.