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]
| Kew Gardens Interchange | |
|---|---|
| The Maze; The Pretzel | |
 The interchange in 1955 | |
 | |
| Location | |
| Kew Gardens, Queens, New York | |
| Coordinates | 40°42′59″N 73°49′34″W / 40.71639°N 73.82611°W |
| Roads at junction |  NY 25 (Queens Boulevard) I-678 (Van Wyck Expressway) Grand Central Parkway Jackie Robinson ParkwayUnion Turnpike |
| Construction | |
| Type | Interchange |
| Opened | 1930s |
| Maintained by | NYCDOT and NYSDOT |
Description
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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
edit| Missing connection | Connected by |
|---|---|
   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) |
  I-678 south to Grand Central Parkway
| |
| Jackie Robinson Parkway east to I-678 south
|
Metropolitan Avenue, Union Turnpike, and Queens Boulevard (J.R. Parkway exit 6, I-678 exit 9) |
 I-678 north to Jackie Robinson Parkway west
| |
| Grand Central Parkway west to I-678 south
|
G.C. Parkway frontage roads, Main Street (G.C. Parkway exit 17, I-678 exit 8) |
| I-678 north to Grand Central Parkway east
|
History
editA 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 I-678 and the New York City Subway's nearby Briarwood station (E, F, and <F> trains).[5] Renovations to the Queens Boulevard viaduct and Briarwood station were completed in 2016 at a cost of $159 million. The project included a reconstructed exit ramp, widened lanes on I-678, and four new bridges.[6] The second phase included constructing a new viaduct and a new flyover ramp for the northbound I-678, as well as new decks and steel girders for some of the other viaducts.[7] The third and fourth phases included the reconstruction of additional ramps and the widening of the roadways. All work was completed in 2022 at a cost of $739 million.[8][9]
References
edit- ^ "Kew Gardens Interchange Project". New York State Department of Traffic. Retrieved 2020-10-07.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Detour Snarls Traffic At Queens Interchange". The New York Times. 1952-04-17. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-12-01.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ Pozarycki, Robert (December 23, 2016). "Major phase of the Van Wyck Expressway reconstruction in Kew Gardens finally complete – QNS". QNS. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
- ^ Davenport, Emily (September 26, 2017). "Third phase of Kew Gardens Interchange rebuild will fix Van Wyck Expressway ramps – QNS". QNS. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
- ^ Parry, Bill (December 7, 2022). "Governor announces completion of $739 million Kew Gardens Interchange reconstruction project – QNS". QNS. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
- ^ "Completion of Kew Gardens Interchange Project". City Life Org. December 6, 2022. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
External links
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Media related to Kew Gardens Interchange at Wikimedia Commons
- Empire State Roads Interchange of the Week, Monday, May 7, 2001 (with images)