The state Department of Transportation announced plans Friday to ease congestion and improve safety on the Oakdale merge.

The Oakdale merge is a strip of Sunrise Highway that squeezes next to Montauk Highway and between portions of Connetquot River State Park and the Bayard Cutting Arboretum. It's known for its heavy traffic and as the site of numerous collisions.

Suffolk Legislator Tom Cilmi says it's about time the issue gets addressed, saying state Sen. Phil Boyle allocated $20 million for a fix two years ago.

The plan could include diverting traffic through the nearby parkland. If the state plans on taking down trees or using park land to fix the merge, fly fishermen from Long Island Trout Unlimited say they'll step up their efforts to keep the park intact.

The state DOT will hold a meeting on the project Nov. 28 at Oakdale-Bohemia Middle School.