Greater Patchogue coverage is funded in part by New Village at Patchogue, offering open-concept rental residences with contemporary design in the heart of downtown Patchogue.

State and county officials are calling for the widening of Sunrise Highway from East Patchogue to Center Moriches, where the roadway suddenly shrinks from three lanes to two — a bottleneck they said turns daily commutes into gridlock and puts lives at risk.

Contractors, labor unions and first responders are standing with them, warning that the congestion has become more than an inconvenience: it’s a safety hazard for motorists and emergency crews.

State Sen. Dean Murray (R-East Patchogue) and Assemblyman Joe DeStefano (R-Medford) are calling to extend the highway’s three-lane configuration in both directions between Exit 53 at Route 112 and Exit 59 at Wading River Road. It’s a stretch of more than 10 miles.

The road now shrinks from three lanes to two at Exit 53, creating what officials said is a chronic chokepoint.

The officials called on the state to prioritize the project and begin the planning and funding process needed to move it forward.