Site Navigation Connecticut Maine Massachusetts New Hampshire New Jersey New York Pennsylvania Rhode Island Vermont     Verrazano Narrows Bridge / Gowanus Expressway The guide for Interstate 278 is split between six pages: Interstate 278 New Jersey Interstate 278 Goethals Bridge / Staten Island Expressway East Interstate 278 Verrazano Narrows Bridge / Gowanus Expressway East Interstate 278 Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE) East Interstate 278 Triborough Bridge / Bruckner Expressway East Interstate 278 New York Westbound Interstate 278 East Interstate 278 (Staten Island Expressway) eastbound enters the Verrazano Narrows Bridge. The suspension bridge carries two decks of traffic, each carrying six lanes. A guide sign indicates that access to the Belt Parkway is provided by both levels of Interstate 278. From its opening in 1964 to 1981 the Verrazano Narrows Bridge held the title as the largest suspension bridge in the world. It currently is now seventh in the size hierarchy of bridges. The span is named for Giovanni di Verrazano, the Italian explorer who discovered New York Harbor in 1592.2 Photos taken 10/03/04. The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge spans The Narrows between Lower and Upper New York Bay. The twelve-lane double-deck bridge joins Staten Island with Brooklyn via Interstate 278. The Verrazano Narrows Bridge opened to traffic on November 21, 1964 as the largest suspension bridge in the world. Designed by Othmar Amman, architect of the Bayonne Bridge, the Verrazano Narrows Bridge incorporates the curvature of the earth and seasonal expansions which result in a 12 foot difference in the bridge deck height from Summer to Winter.1 Photos taken 10/03/04. The first of two sign bridges posted on the upper deck of the Verrazano Narrows Bridge for the Belt Parkway interchange in Brooklyn. The Belt Parkway system encircles Brooklyn and Queens between the Gowanus Expressway at Borough Park and the Whitestone Expressway at Malba. The parkway hugs the shoreline from Interstate 278 southeast to Coneys Island. Photo taken 10/03/04. Views of the eastern tower of the Verrazano Narrows Bridge. The suspension bridge and approaches tally 13,700 feet in length with a 228 foot channel height at mid-span. The 693 foot towers support the $320.1-million bridge. The lower deck of the span opened to traffic on June 28, 1969, six years ahead of schedule.2 Photos taken 10/03/04. The upper deck of the Verrazano Narrows Bridge partitions into two through lanes for Interstate 278 east (Gowanus Expressway) and one lane for the Belt Parkway. Traffic to the 92nd Street off-ramp should remain to the right for the exit from the Gowanus Expressway north. Note that the Belt Parkway is signed as the preferred route to the John F. Kennedy International Airport. However with that stated, parkways in New York City only allow for passenger vehicles. That means no commercial trucks are allowed on the Belt Parkway to JFK Airport or points east. Commercial trucks should remain on Interstate 278 east to Interstate 495 (Long Island Expressway) eastbound. Photos taken 10/03/04. Descending into the Borough of Queens on Interstate 278 eastbound. Although signs refer to Interstate 278 as the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE) here, the Interstate first travels the Gowanus Expressway. The Gowanus Expressway entails Interstate 278 between the Verrazano Narrows Bridge and the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel (Interstate 478). Photo taken 10/03/04. Traffic partitions between Interstate 278 (Gowanus Expressway) east and the Belt Parkway. The limited amount of space available for the ramp connections between the two freeways mandates a tight loop ramp that doubles south from the Verrazano Narrows Bridge to the Belt Parkway itself. Access is only available to the Belt Parkway eastbound toward Coney Island, Sheepshead Bay, and JFK Airport. Photo taken 10/03/04. The Belt Parkway off-ramp u-turns over the westbound lanes of Interstate 278 through adjacent John J. Carty Park, John Paul Jones Park, and Fort Hamilton. Meanwhile on Interstate 278 the 92nd Street off-ramp departs ahead. Photo taken 10/03/04. Interstate 278 (Gowanus Expressway) eastbound at 92nd Street between Bay Ridge and Dyker Heights. 92nd Street travels east-west between 4th and 7th Avenues north of Fort Hamilton. Photo taken 10/03/04. The Gowanus Expressway passes over 92nd Street as it widens to six lanes. Additionally a northbound HOV-3 lane was added for Interstate 278 eastbound during the 1990s. The High Occupancy Facility is open between Monday and Friday between 6 and 10 AM and closed at all other times. Traffic using the HOV lane defaults onto the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel approach for Lower Manhattan. All users of the facility must be EZ-Pass account holders as tolls collected for Interstate 478 from the roadway utilize an EZ-Pass lane.3 Photo taken 10/03/04. The lower deck of Verrazano Narrows Bridge merges onto Interstate 278 eastbound at the 92nd Street overpass. The HOV-3 lane to the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel segregates from traffic at the same location. Therefore traffic eminating from Staten Island choosing to use the HOV facility must utilize the upper deck of the suspension bridge. Photo taken 10/03/04. Next in line for Interstate 278 eastbound traffic is the Fort Hamilton Parkway off-ramp at Dyker Heights. Fort Hamilton Parkway eminates from 7th Avenue next to the Gowanus Expressway and travels northward through Borough Park to Kensington and Prospect Park. Photo taken 10/03/04. Seven lanes of the Gowanus Expressway pass underneath the 86th Street over crossing midway between the 92nd Street and Fort Hamilton Parkway interchanges. Traffic departing Exit 18 ahead briefly joins the on-ramp to Interstate 278 from Dahlgren Place and 86th Street. Photo taken 10/03/04. A look at the Fort Hamilton Parkway over crossing and the Exit 18 ramp split from the 86th Street on-ramp. Ahead is Exit 20 for 7th Avenue and 65th Street at Leif Ericson Park and Square. Interstate 278 curves westward alongside 65th Street from 7th Avenue to 3rd Avenue and the Belt Parkway. Photo taken 10/03/04. Interstate 278 eastbound mileage sign for Manhattan (via Interstate 478), Queens (via the BQE), and Bronx (via the Triborough Bridge) posted at the 86th Street on-ramp at the 79th Street overpass. Photo taken 10/03/04. Interstate 278 eastbound traffic nears a second entry point onto the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel HOV-3 facility near the Bay Ridge Parkway over crossing. Exit 20 meanwhile departs the freeway within one quarter mile onto adjacent 7th Avenue northbound ahead of its intersection with 66th Street. Use 7th Avenue north or 65th Street for the Borough Park neighborhood of Brooklyn. Photo taken 10/03/04. Exit 20 leaves Interstate 278 eastbound for 7th Avenue and 65th Street. 65th Street continues east from the Gowanus Expressway through the New Utrecht section of Brooklyn to Avenue P. The surface street is discontinuous due to the Gowanus Expressway between 6th and 4th Avenues to the west. Photo taken 10/03/04. The HOV-3 facility returns to the Interstate 278 eastbound mainline affording drivers a second opportunity to access it for access to Lower Manhattan via Interstate 478 northbound. The Interstate 278 eastbound mainline is relegated to just two lanes as it turns northwest toward the Belt Parkway merge over 3rd Avenue. Photo taken 10/03/04. Interstate 278 elevates onto a six-lane viaduct between 6th Avenue and the Belt Parkway interchange at 3rd Avenue. Traffic to Exit 21 (3rd Avenue) is advised to remain in the right-hand lane for the upcoming off-ramp. Photo taken 10/03/04. A small substandard sign directs motorists bound for Sunset Park Industrial Park and the Brooklyn Army Terminal onto the 3rd Avenue (Exit 21). The eastbound off-ramp descends onto the surface at the intersection of 3rd Avenue and 63rd Street. Photo taken 10/03/04. The Gowanus Expressway curves northwestward to merge with the north end of the Belt Parkway beyond the Exit 21 ramp to 3rd Avenue. 3rd Avenue parallels the elevated Gowanus Expressway between 61st Street and the Prospect Expressway (New York 27). Use 3rd Avenue for the Sunset Park district of Brooklyn. Photo taken 10/03/04. Interstate 278 resumes a northward course as the Belt Parkway merges in from the southwest at Sunset Park. An overhead exit sign directs Exit 20 traffic onto 3rd Avenue below. Photo taken 10/03/04. The westbound lanes of the Gowanus Expressway viaduct soar high above the city streets of Brooklyn below. The elevated roadway passes over the Belt Parkway ramps that join Interstate 278 from the inside lanes. Photo taken 10/03/04. The advent of additional traffic from the Belt Parkway slows Interstate 278 eastbound as the viaduct draws to within one half mile of the Exit 23 off-ramp to 38th Street. The left-hand lane remains a dedicated HOV-3 facility northward to Interstate 478. Photos taken 10/03/04. Use Exit 23 for the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal and the Moore McCormack 23rd Street Terminal. Photos taken 10/03/04. Exit 23 leaves Interstate 278 (Gowanus Expressway) eastbound for 38th Street at 4th Avenue. The off-ramp turns perpendicularly from the viaduct directly onto 38th Street eastbound below at Sunset Park. Photo taken 10/03/04. Eastbound Interstate 278 reassurance shield posted after the 38th Street exit. Photo taken 10/03/04. Exit 24 carries drivers from Interstate 278 onto New York 27 (Prospect Expressway) eastbound to the Kensington, Parkville, and Flatbush sections of Brooklyn. The Prospect Expressway represents the western extant of the east-west New York 27 from the Gowanus Expressway eastward to Ocean Parkway. The freeway spur from Interstate 278 stems southeast to Church Avenue where it transitions into the at-grade Ocean Parkway. New York 27 leaves the freeway for Church Avenue east. Photo taken 10/03/04. Interstate 278 curves back to the northwest at the Exit 24 gore point for New York 27 east. The Prospect Expressway was planned in 1963 to continue south of its abrupt end at Church Avenue along the corridor of Ocean Parkway 4.2 miles to the Shore Parkway (Belt Parkway) at Coney Island. A 1966 plan involved extending the freeway southeast along Flatbush Avenue to the Gil Hodges Memorial Bridge and Roxbury. Each respective plan involved completion by 1975. However opposition to new expressway constructed resulted from other ongoing projects and therefore both plans never came to fruition.4 Photo taken 10/03/04. Interstate 278 ascends across an arm of Upper New York Bay between New York 27 (Prospect Expressway) and the Exit 25 interchange with the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel. The addition of traffic from the Prospect Expressway westbound expands Interstate 278 west to four lanes. Photo taken 10/03/04. A view to the east of the Interstate 278 Gowanus Expressway bridge reveals the 9th Street truss bridge and various high rises dotting the Brooklyn skyline. Photo taken 10/03/04. Triboro Bridge joins the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway distinction on Interstate 278 eastbound pull-through panels ahead of the split with Interstate 478 (Brooklyn Battery Tunnel) northbound. The Brooklyn Battery Tunnel provides four lanes of traffic between the Gowanus Expressway & BQE and Lower Manhattan at West Street (New York 9A). Photo taken 10/03/04. The Lower Manhattan skyline of New York sprawls across the northern horizon for Interstate 278 eastbound travelers. The 9th Street truss bridge continues across the arm of Upper New York Harbor to Smith Street two blocks east of the Gowanus Expressway viaduct. Photos taken 10/03/04. A small guide sign advises motorists destined for Exit 26 and Hamilton Avenue to remain in the right-hand lane for the upcoming off-ramp. Hamilton Avenue parallels the Gowanus Expressway between 9th Street and the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel approach. Photo taken 10/03/04. The left-hand lanes of Interstate 278 eastbound default onto the unsigned Interstate 478 northbound for the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel. The four-lane crossing of the East River entails a $4.00 toll for all passenger vehicles in both directions of travel. Interstate 278 transitions onto the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE) from the Gowanus Expressway at Exit 25 and 26 (Hamilton Avenue). Photos taken 10/03/04. The northbound beginning of unsigned Interstate 478 splits northwest from Interstate 278 (Gowanus Expressway) eastbound at Exit 25. Interstate 478 is a numbering convention remaining from the days when Interstate 78 was planned to travel across the unconstructed Lower Manhattan Expressway. Some maps even displayed Interstate 478 continuing north along the former West Side Elevated Highway from the Battery Tunnel to the Henry Hudson Parkway. New York 9A travels that route along the West Street surface arterial nowadays. Photos taken 10/03/04. Sources: 1 - Staten Island on the Web: History, New York Public Library. 2 - Verrazano-Narrows Bridge (I-278), NYCRoads.com. 3 - Gowanus Expressway (I-278), NYCRoads.com. 4 - Prospect Expressway (NY 27), NYCRoads.com. Page Updated January 14, 2005.