Site Navigation Connecticut Maine Massachusetts New Hampshire New Jersey New York Pennsylvania Rhode Island Vermont     I-678 Southbound - Interstate 95 to Van Wyck Expressway Interstate 678 South Interstate 678 begins at the Bruckner Interchange with Interstate 95, 278, 295, and the Hutchinson River Parkway. The freeway continues the Hutch southward to Ferry Point Park and the Bronx Whitestone Bridge. Pictured here is the Lafayette Avenue over crossing and 0.25-mile guide sign for Exit 18 (Schley Avenue). Photo taken 06/26/05. Interstate 678 entails the northern most portion of the Hutchinson River Parkway between the Cross Bronx Expressway and Bronx Whitestone Bridge. The parkway was upgraded to expressway standards to accommodate Interstate 678. A frontage road system accompanies the freeway from the Bruckner Interchange southward to Ferry Point State Park. Slip ramps join the two roadways at the Exit 18 interchange near the Throgs Neck community of the east Bronx. Photo taken 06/26/05. Exit 18 represents the last departure point for Interstate 678 southbound travelers ahead of the Bronx Whitestone Bridge toll plaza. The slip ramp joins the southbound frontage street ahead of Ferry Point Park and Schley Avenue west to Brush Avenue. Photo taken 06/26/05. The Bronx Whitestone Bridge toll barrier resides within Ferry Point State Park ahead of the East River suspension bridge. All passenger vehicles are levied a $4.50 fee for crossing the span in either direction. Photo taken 06/26/05. Ascending over the East River via the Bronx Whitestone suspension Bridge. The Bronx Whitestone Bridge was first conceptualized by New York City transportation planner Robert Moses in the 1930s. The span would alleviate the Triborough Bridge to the west and provide a new route between the Bronx and Queens near a planned airport (La Guardia Airport) and the 1939-40 World's Fair site at Flushing. The New York State Legislature authorized construction of the span in 1937. The span opened after only 23 months of construction on April 29, 1939 at a cost of $19.7 million.1 Photos taken 06/26/05. The one-mile guide sign for Exit 17 resides at the north tower of the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge. Exit 17 serves the Whitestone and College Point neighborhoods of north Queens. As for the bridge tower above, the structure rises to a height of 377 feet above the East River below.1 Photo taken 06/26/05. The Bronx-Whitestone Bridge carried four travel lanes with two pedestrian walkways after it first opened to traffic in 1939. Construction of the span was funded by tolls collected by the Triborough Bridge Authority. A 25 cent fee was levied onto all passenger vehicles initially. Interstate 678 was applied to the span by February of 1959 after initial proposals for Interstate 595 and 695 were rejected. Upgrading of the Hutchinson River Parkway between the bridge and Bruckner Interchange coincided with the allowing of trucks and busses on the newly signed Interstate highway.1 Photos taken 06/26/05. Interstate 678 southbound draws to within one half mile of the Exit 17 off-ramp for 14th Avenue at the south tower of the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge. 14th Avenue travels east-west between College Point and Whitestone in north Queens. Photo taken 06/26/05. Descending toward Francis Lewis Park and the Whitestone community of north Queens on the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge. The bridge represents the 23rd longest main suspension span in the world with a total bridge length of 7,140 feet.1 Photo taken 06/26/05. A diagrammatical overhead prepares motorists for the split of the Whitestone Expressway south from the Cross Island Parkway east at Exit 16. The Cross Island Parkway constitutes a major route between both the Bronx-Whitestone and Throgs Neck Bridges and Long Island. The parkway is part of the New York City Belt Parkway system. Photo taken 06/26/05. Interstate 678 touches down and enters a directional interchange with the Cross Island Parkway (Exit 16). The Cross Island Parkway ventures east to Beechhurst, Bayside, and eastern Queens to provide connections to Interstate 495 (Long Island Expressway), the Grand Central Parkway, and the Southern State Parkway for eastern Long Island. Photo taken 06/26/05. Almost forgotten is the Exit 17 slip ramp onto the adjacent frontage street ahead of its intersection with 14th Avenue. Exit 17 also provides access to Parsons Boulevard north for the Malba neighborhood along Powell Cove. Photo taken 06/26/05. The Cross Island Parkway departs Interstate 678 (Whitestone Expressway) southbound at Exit 16. The Cross Island Parkway meets Interstate 295 (Throgs Neck Expressway) in 1.6 miles, Interstate 495 (Long Island Expressway) in 5.6 miles, and the Grand Central Parkway in 6.3 miles. Interstate 678 meanwhile turns southwest toward Flushing, La Guardia Airport, and Corona Park. Photo taken 06/26/05. Interstate 678 (Whitestone Expressway) leaves the Cross Island Parkway interchange and passes underneath 14th Avenue ahead of the Exit 15 ramp departure to 20th Avenue. 20th Avenue travels east-west between College Point, the abandoned Flushing Airport, and Auburndale in north Queens. Photo taken 06/26/05. The Exit 15 diamond interchange utilizes the parallel Whitestone Expressway frontage streets within the vicinity of its intersection with 20th Avenue. 20th Avenue travels between Flushing Bay and Utopia Parkway near Clearview Park. Photo taken 06/26/05. The next southbound off-ramp joins Interstate 678 with Linden Place near the Flushing community of Queens. Linden Place continues 28th Avenue southeast to New York 25A (Northern Boulevard). Photo taken 06/26/05. Tourists destined for the USTA National Tennis Center, Queens Museum of Art, and Marina should use Exit 13 (New York 25A west - Northern Boulevard). Northern Boulevard skims the south shore of Flushing Bay between Interstate 678 (Van Wyck Expressway) and Grand Central Parkway at Shea Stadium. Photo taken 06/26/05. Exit 13 represents a major split of traffic between Interstate 678 (Van Wyck Expressway) southbound and the Grand Central Parkway via New York 25A (Northern Boulevard) west. Large diagrammatical overheads partition traffic into two lanes for each freeway. Photo taken 06/26/05. Exit 14 departs Interstate 678 (Whitestone Expressway) onto the adjacent frontage street for Linden Place. Linden Place travels south to New York 25A and Flushing; 28th Avenue heads west to Ulmer Street and College Point. Other signs pictured here indicate connections to the Triborough Bridge and Flushing Marina (Exit 13D). Trucks bound for the Triborough Bridge must use Astoria Boulevard through East Elmhurst in lieu of the Grand Central Parkway. Photo taken 06/26/05. Northern Boulevard enters the Exit 13 interchange as a surface boulevard from Flushing to the east. A freeway links Interstate 678 (Whitestone Expressway / Van Wyck Expressway) with the Grand Central Parkway at its interchange with Astoria and Northern Boulevards. The Grand Central Parkway travels through East Elmhurst to La Guardia Airport and the merge with Interstate 278 (Brooklyn-Queens Expressway). The parkway heads south from Astoria Avenue parallel to Flushing Meadows - Corona Park to Kew Gardens. Photo taken 06/26/05. Interstate 678 transitions from the Whitestone Expressway to the Van Wyck Expressway at the Northern Boulevard interchange (Exit 13). The right-hand lanes segregate into ramps for Astoria Boulevard west from those to the Grand Central Parkway. Traffic interests to Shea Stadium, home of MLB's New York Mets, should remain on Interstate 678 south. Photo taken 06/26/05. Exit 13 includes a direct ramp onto New York 25A (Northern Boulevard) westbound for Jackson Heights. New York 25A constitutes a touring route through Queens and Brooklyn, ending at the Queensboro Bridge approach of New York 25 (Queens Boulevard). Photo taken 06/26/05. Southbound at the ramp split of Exit 13 from Interstate 678 at the Van Wyck Expressway southbound beginning. There is no access onto Northern Boulevard eastbound for Flushing; travelers should use Exit 14 onto Linden Place south for New York 25A east. Grand Central Parkway and Interstate 678 cross paths in 3.5 miles. Photo taken 06/26/05. Sources: Bronx-Whitestone Bridge (I-678), NYCRoads.com. Page Updated January 5, 2006.