Kew Gardens Interchange Completed After Seven Years Under Construction

QUEENS — The Kew Gardens Interchange, a project to make the corridor leading to the John F. Kennedy Airport less congested, was completed after seven years under construction, according to Governor Kathy Hochul.

The $739 million project is a complex intersection connecting the Grand Central Parkway, the Van Wyck Expressway, the Jackie Robinson Parkway, and Union Turnpike, which serves nearly 600,000 vehicles daily.

The interchange added 22 bridges, three rehabilitated bridges, wider travel lanes, new lane configurations, updated signage, upgraded stormwater drainage, and a new shared-use path for pedestrians and bicyclists.

“By making these roads easier and safer to travel — for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians alike — it will benefit commuters who use these roads every day as well as those traveling through our city,” said State Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr.

Major deficiencies throughout the interchange contributed to congestion and higher-than-average accident rates, according to Hochul.