While the pandemic has caused issues worldwide and at home, it has actually helped Long Island's roads.

Officials say the pandemic has helped accomplish resurfacing more roads this year than in some previous years.

On West Merrick Road in Freeport, crews are resurfacing one mile of road, but that's just one of its 172 total road miles that the county has resurfaced this year.

Crews say there was less traffic because of the pandemic to slow them down. County leaders say other than preventing damage to residents' cars, resurfacing roads can help with an area's economy and its recovery.

"When roads and bridges are crumbling, it's harder to get around, harder for people to get to work, shipments are slower, vacant storefronts are harder to fill," says Nassau Executive Laura Curran. "Employees, customers, residents have a hard time getting to work and getting to go shopping and going about their business. So investments in infrastructure are really investments in our economic recovery."

But 2021 is a different situation due to the fiscal crises in governments nationwide. As for Nassau officials, they say $35 million has been budgeted for a goal for 150 lane miles in 2021. They say they're hoping for federal help on other major infrastructure projects.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo also announced Thursday the completion of over $33 million in road projects on Long Island. The project focused on the Northern State Parkway between New York City and the Meadowbrook State Parkway and dozens of entrance and exit ramps on it.

Other resurfacings included:

- Hillside Avenue from the Northern State Parkway to Jericho Turnpike in North Hempstead.
- State Route 110 from Depot Road to Henry Street and Lowndes Avenue to High Street in Huntington.
- Sunrise Highway from Horseblock Road to William Floyd Parkway in Brookhaven.
- State Route 25A from Main Street to Nicolls Road and North Country Road Merge to the 25A Bypass in Brookhaven.
- State Route 111 from Veterans Memorial Highway to Nesconset Highway in Islip and Smithtown.
- Veterans Memorial Highway from Express Drive North to Sycamore Lane in Islip.