Interstate 478 constitutes the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel and associated approaches between New York 9A (West Street) in lower Manhattan and Interstate 278 (Brooklyn Queens Expressway) in Brooklyn. The four-lane tunnel features twin two-lane tubes and a $4.00 car toll for all passenger vehicles. The designation of Interstate 478 remains hidden.
Interstate 478 South
New York 9A (West Street) southbound at Liberty Street and the Exit 2 split of Interstate 478 and the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel southbound approach. West Street splits ahead with a tunnel for Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) Drive northbound and New York 9A to Battery Park. The Exit numbering convention of West Street remains from when the highway was an elevated viaduct known as the West Side Highway. Photo taken 08/09/04.
Interstate 478 southbound descends into a short tunnel underneath the ramps from the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel northbound onto New York 9A and West Street northbound itself. From there the two southbound travel lanes ascend briefly before plunging below the East River in the main tunnel system itself. Photo taken 08/09/04.
Nearing the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel southbound portal on Interstate 478. Opened in 1950, the nearly two mile long twin tubes descend beneath Battery Park at the southern tip of Manhattan Island, the East River, Governors Island, and the Upper New York Bay before ascending into the Red Hook section of Brooklyn. Photo taken 08/09/04.
Entering the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel of Interstate 478 southbound. A large clock adorns the facade of the north portal. Battery Place travels over Interstate 478 just beyond the tunnel entrance. Photo taken 08/09/04.
Southbound views within the tunnel itself. Like both the Lincoln Tunnel (New York 495) and Holland Tunnel (Interstate 78) to the north, the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel (Interstate 478) includes a restriction on passing and no shoulders. A small pathway lies to the left of the travel lanes for maintenance personnel. Photo taken 08/09/04.
Immediately after ascending out of the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, Interstate 478 southbound encounters the tunnel toll plaza. Most lanes are allocated to EZPass card holders, or at least this was the case at the time of the photograph. Ahead is the junction with Interstate 278 (Brooklyn Queens Expressway and Gowanus Expressway). Interstate 478 defaults onto the Gowanus Expressway of Interstate 278 for Staten Island. Photo taken 08/09/04.
The southern terminus of Interstate 478 as ramps partition into Interstate 278 east (Brooklyn Queens Expressway), Interstate 278 west (Gowanus Expressway) and the Verrazano Narrows Bridge, and Hamilton Avenue (Alternate route to Interstate 278 west). Atlantic Avenue is signed for the BQE eastbound ramp for the Exit 27 off-ramp of Interstate 278. Photo taken 08/09/04.
A closer look at the button copy overhead for Interstate 278 eastbound (BQE). The first eastbound interchange of the BQE east of Interstate 478 exists at Atlantic Avenue. Atlantic Avenue bisects Brooklyn from west to east between Interstate 278 and Interstate 678 (Van Wyck Expressway). Photo taken 08/09/04.
