Kew Gardens Interchange

Last updated
Kew Gardens Interchange
The Maze; The Pretzel
Kew Gardens Interchange.jpg
The interchange in 1955
Kew Gardens Interchange
Location
Kew Gardens, Queens, New York
Coordinates 40°42′59″N73°49′34″W / 40.71639°N 73.82611°W / 40.71639; -73.82611
Roads at
junction
NY-25.svg NY 25 (Queens Boulevard)
I-678.svg I-678 (Van Wyck Expressway)
Grand Central Pkwy Shield free.svg Grand Central Parkway
Jackie Robinson Pkwy Shield free.svg Jackie Robinson Parkway
Union Turnpike
Construction
Type Interchange
Opened1930s
Maintained by NYCDOT and NYSDOT

The Kew Gardens Interchange (also known as The Pretzel and The Maze) is a complex interchange in Kew Gardens, in the center of the New York City borough of Queens serving nearly 600,000 vehicles daily. [1]

Contents

Description

The interchange in 1936 Aerial view of a complex of Long Island highways that provide access to New York City, ca. 1946 - NARA - 518064.jpg
The interchange in 1936

The Kew Gardens Interchange is located roughly midway between LaGuardia Airport and John F. Kennedy International Airport. Highways feeding into the Kew Gardens Interchange include the Grand Central Parkway, Interstate 678 (the Van Wyck Expressway), the Jackie Robinson Parkway, Queens Boulevard (New York State Route 25), and Union Turnpike. [2] Its complex design has led to it gaining the nicknames of "The Pretzel" and "The Maze". [3]

The Kew Gardens Interchange is an incomplete junction. The Grand Central Parkway connects to and from the Jackie Robinson Parkway in both directions, but access to I-678 south is only served by eastbound exit and westbound entrance ramps. The Jackie Robinson Parkway, which terminates at this interchange, connects to both directions of the Grand Central Parkway, but only serves I-678 north. The northbound lanes of the Van Wyck Expressway (I-678) only serve the westbound Grand Central Parkway, while the southbound lanes only serve the Jackie Robinson Parkway.

All directions of the limited access highways provide access to Union Turnpike, which also intersects to Queens Boulevard (NY 25) to the west and Main Street to the east. Missing movements in the highway interchange can be made via these local roads, as well as the Long Island Expressway (I-495), located approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) north of the interchange.

Missing connections

Missing connectionConnected by
East plate.svg
Grand Central Pkwy Shield free.svg
To plate blue.svg
North plate blue.svg
I-678.svg
Grand Central Parkway east to I-678 north
NY 25A / Northern Boulevard, located 4 miles (6.4 km) north (G.C. Parkway exit 9E, I-678 exit 13)
South plate blue.svg
I-678.svg
To plate.svg
Grand Central Pkwy Shield free.svg
I-678 south to Grand Central Parkway
East plate.svg
Jackie Robinson Pkwy Shield free.svg
To plate blue.svg
South plate blue.svg
I-678.svg
Jackie Robinson Parkway east to I-678 south
Metropolitan Avenue, Union Turnpike, and Queens Boulevard (J.R. Parkway exit 6, I-678 exit 9)
North plate blue.svg
I-678.svg
To plate.svg
West plate.svg
Jackie Robinson Pkwy Shield free.svg
I-678 north to Jackie Robinson Parkway west
West plate.svg
Grand Central Pkwy Shield free.svg
To plate blue.svg
South plate blue.svg
I-678.svg
Grand Central Parkway west to I-678 south
G.C. Parkway frontage roads, Main Street (G.C. Parkway exit 17, I-678 exit 8)
North plate blue.svg
I-678.svg
To plate.svg
East plate.svg
Grand Central Pkwy Shield free.svg
I-678 north to Grand Central Parkway east

History

A distorted trumpet between Grand Central Parkway and Jackie Robinson Parkway (Interboro Parkway), with Union Turnpike appearing somewhat as a service road, was constructed in the 1930s. [4] Connections to the Van Wyck Expressway were added later.

On August 18, 2010, the New York State Department of Transportation broke ground on the first phase of reconstruction of the Kew Gardens interchange. The renovation project includes the renovations of the nearby Queens Boulevard viaduct over the Van Wyck Expressway and the nearby Briarwood subway station ( E , F , and <F> trains). [5]

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References

  1. "Kew Gardens Interchange Project". New York State Department of Traffic. Retrieved 2020-10-07.
  2. Bertrand, Donald (July 19, 2005). "Kew Gardens Interchange Project Slated to get $171 Million". Daily News . New York. Archived from the original on September 30, 2007. Retrieved June 13, 2007.
  3. "Detour Snarls Traffic At Queens Interchange". The New York Times. 1952-04-17. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2023-12-01.
  4. Shaman, Diana (January 13, 2002). "If You're Thinking of Living In/Kew Gardens Hills; Tranquil Enclave, Especially on Saturday". The New York Times . Retrieved June 13, 2007. Major growth first came to Kew Gardens Hills in the mid-1930s when the Grand Central Parkway first linked the Kew Gardens interchange to the Triborough Bridge and Queens Boulevard was paved.
  5. "NYSDOT Breaks Ground on Kew Gardens Interchange Project" (Press release). New York State Department of Transportation. August 18, 2010. Archived from the original on December 14, 2012. Retrieved October 7, 2011.

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