Part Of Union Turnpike Will Lose A Lane For The Next Year

KEW GARDENS, QUEENS — A portion of the westbound Union Turnpike will lose a lane for the next year as part of the state's multimillion-dollar project to revamp the complex intersection known as the Kew Gardens Interchange.

The westbound Union Turnpike will go from three lanes to two between 138th Street and Queens Boulevard starting the night of Tuesday, Sept. 3, the state transportation department announced.

The lane closure is expected to last until Sept. 3, 2020, to allow workers to build a new Union Turnpike bridge over Grand Central Parkway, the agency said.

The bridge construction is part of the fourth phase of the agency's $365 million project to improve traffic at the Kew Gardens Interchange, which refers to the intersection of Grand Central Parkway, the Van Wyck Expressway, the Jackie Robinson Parkway and Union Turnpike in central Queens.

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The Kew Gardens Interchange serves nearly 600,000 vehicles daily, according to the state transportation department.

For real-time travel information, drivers can call 511, visit www.511NY.org or download the free 511NY mobile app.