Editing Interstate 278 (section)

==Route description==
{{lengths table|length_ref=<ref name="njdot-sld" /><ref name="nysdot-2010tvr" />}}
|-
|NJ
|{{convert|2.00|mi|km|disp=table}}
|-
|NY
|{{convert|33.62|mi|km|disp=table}}
|-
|'''Total'''
|{{convert|35.62|mi|km|disp=table}}
|}

===New Jersey===
[[File:2021-05-26 11 55 18 View west along Interstate 278 (Union Freeway) from the overpass for Union County Route 616 (Brunswick Avenue) in Elizabeth, Union County, New Jersey.jpg|thumb|left|View west along I-278 between the New Jersey Turnpike and US&nbsp;1/9 in Elizabeth. The wide median provided room for an intended expansion and extension of the road which never occurred.]]
The New Jersey segment of I-278 begins in [[Linden, New Jersey|Linden]], [[Union County, New Jersey|Union County]], at the junction with [[U.S. Route 1 in New Jersey|US&nbsp;1]] and [[U.S. Route 9 in New Jersey|US&nbsp;9]] ([[U.S. Route 1/9|US&nbsp;1/9]]), where it merges into the southbound direction of that road. The freeway heads east and carries two lanes in each direction, with the eastbound direction widening to three lanes.<ref name="njdot-sld">{{cite web |url = http://www.state.nj.us/transportation/refdata/sldiag/pdf/00000278__-.pdf |title = I-278 Straight Line Diagram |access-date = March 17, 2020 |publisher = [[New Jersey Department of Transportation]] }}</ref> I-278 runs between urban residential areas to the north and [[Phillips 66]]'s [[Bayway Refinery]] to the south as it continues into [[Elizabeth, New Jersey|Elizabeth]].<ref name="njdot-sld" /><ref name="gm">{{Google maps |url=https://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=I-278+and+u.s.+route+1+linden,+nj&daddr=40.6938909,-73.9990697+to:I-278+and+I-95+new+york,+ny&hl=en&geocode=FWYbbAId5FCT-ykZYGb22rLDiTHC9RHxCfHb8A%3BFYLwbAIdI92W-yk5O7WXRlrCiTE2NYmUsVGS3Q%3BFdf_bgIdXFWZ-ymbALgTNIvCiTHvCCK1KQ8Xvg&mra=ls&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=29.301969,86.220703&ie=UTF8&ll=40.707189,-74.018326&spn=0.218616,0.673599&t=h&z=11&via=1|title=overview of Interstate 278|access-date=February 9, 2010}}</ref> In this area, the road meets [[New Jersey Route 439|Route&nbsp;439]] and the [[New Jersey Turnpike]] ([[Interstate 95 in New Jersey|I-95]]) at the only intermediate interchange that I-278 has in New Jersey.<ref name="njdot-sld" /> This short length is sometimes called the Union Freeway. After this interchange, I-278 turns southeast and crosses the New Jersey Turnpike, [[Conrail Shared Assets Operations]]' (CSAO) [[Chemical Coast Secondary]] line, a [[Staten Island Railway]] freight line that is used by CSAO, industrial areas, CSAO's Bayway Industrial Track line, and finally [[Arthur Kill]] on the six-lane [[Goethals Bridge]] into [[Staten Island]], a [[Boroughs of New York City|borough]] of [[New York City]]. This bridge is maintained by the [[Port Authority of New York and New Jersey]] (PANYNJ).<ref name="njdot-sld" /><ref name=gm />

===Staten Island Expressway===
[[File:Interstate 278 time-lapse.webm|thumb|right|Time-lapse video of a westbound trip on I-278]]
Upon coming onto Staten Island, I-278 becomes the SIE.<ref name=gm /> After the Goethals Bridge, the highway passes under the [[Travis Branch]] railroad line that is owned by the Staten Island Railway and operated by CSAO and has a toll gantry serving the bridge. At this point, the freeway becomes eight lanes and maintained by the [[New York State Department of Transportation]] (NYSDOT), coming to an exit for Western and Forest avenues before reaching a directional interchange with the West Shore Expressway ([[New York State Route&nbsp;440]] (NY&nbsp;440). NY&nbsp;440 forms a [[Concurrency (road)|concurrency]] with I-278, and the road heads into residential neighborhoods. The road carries four lanes eastbound and three lanes westbound as it comes to the exit serving [[Richmond Avenue]]. Immediately after, NY&nbsp;440 splits from the SIE at a large interchange, heading north on the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Expressway.<ref name="nysdot-2010tvr" /><ref name=gm /> This interchange also provides access to [[Victory Boulevard (Staten Island)|Victory Boulevard]].<ref name="nysdot-2010tvr" /> East of this point, the expressway gains a [[bus lane]] in each direction. The six-lane I-278 turns to the east past this point, with Gannon Avenue South and Gannon Avenue North serving as [[frontage road]]s, and reaches the Bradley Avenue exit.<ref name="nysdot-2010tvr" /><ref name=gm />

The next interchange the SIE is with Todt Hill Road and Slosson Avenue.<ref name="nysdot-2010tvr" /> This exchange was the original terminal of the bus lane in each direction that also serves as a [[high-occupancy vehicle lane]] (HOV lane) that was built in 2005.<ref name="sia">{{cite news |access-date = February 9, 2010 |last = Yates |first = Maura |title = Staten Island Expressway bus lane open to HOV starting Monday |newspaper = [[Staten Island Advance]] |date = January 11, 2008 |url = http://www.silive.com/news/index.ssf/2008/01/expressway_bus_lane_open_to_ho.html }}</ref> After Todt Hill Road and Slosson Avenue, I-278 runs through a wooded area where it comes to an incomplete interchange that was to be the northern terminus of the [[Korean War Veterans Parkway|Richmond Parkway]].<ref name=gm /><ref name="nyt">{{cite news |last = O'Grady |first = Jim |title = Neighborhood Report: Staten Island Up Close; Greenbelt Fans Want Routes Off the Maps |newspaper = The New York Times |date = November 22, 1998 |access-date = February 9, 2010 |url = https://www.nytimes.com/1998/11/22/nyregion/neighborhood-report-staten-island-up-close-greenbelt-fans-want-routes-off-maps.html |language = en-US |issn = 0362-4331 }}</ref> The road continues back into residential areas and comes to an interchange serving Clove Road and Richmond Road.<ref name="nysdot-2010tvr" /><ref name=gm /> Past this, I-278 passes over the Staten Island Railway rapid transit line. The next interchange the freeway has is with [[Hylan Boulevard]].<ref name="nysdot-2010tvr" /> A short distance later, the SIE comes to a large interchange that serves [[Lily Pond Avenue]] and Bay Street. Immediately after, I-278 reaches the former toll plaza for the [[Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge]],<ref name="nysdot-2010tvr" /><ref name=gm /> where [[electronic toll collection]] is in effect.<ref name="WABC 2016" /> I-278 goes onto the Verrazzano Bridge linking to [[Brooklyn]] over [[The Narrows]]. This bridge, which is maintained by the [[Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority]] (TBTA), has six lanes on the lower level and seven lanes on the upper level which includes one HOV lane.<ref name=gm /><ref name="mtabt">{{cite web |publisher = [[MTA Bridges & Tunnels]] |url = http://web.mta.info/bandt/html/veraz.html |title = MTA Bridges and Tunnels |access-date = February 10, 2010 }}</ref> In addition to local traffic on Staten Island, the expressway provides the most direct route from Brooklyn and [[Long Island]] to New Jersey. It is widely known throughout the New York City area as one of the most congested roads in the city.<ref name=trc>{{cite book |title = Staten Island Expressway Bridge Rehabilitation and TSM Measures |publisher = TRC Companies, Inc. }}</ref>
[[File:2024-05-29 10 05 46 View west along Interstate 278 (Staten Island Expressway) from the overpass for Clove Road in Staten Island, New York City, New York.jpg|right|thumb|I-278 (Staten Island Expressway) westbound at Clove Road]]

===Gowanus Expressway===
After the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, I-278 continues into Brooklyn on the Gowanus Expressway. Immediately after the bridge, the freeway comes to an eastbound exit and westbound entrance for the [[Belt Parkway]]. After this, a full interchange serves 92nd Street at which point I-278 becomes a single-level six-lane freeway. Soon after, one of the eastbound lanes becomes an HOV lane, continuing east to the [[Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel]].<ref name=nydn>{{cite news |last = Liff |first = Bob |title = Study: Keep HOV Lane at Gowanus |newspaper = [[New York Daily News]] |date = March 6, 2000 }}</ref> restricted to buses, carpools, and vehicles with three or more occupants.<ref name=NYCDOT-HOV/><ref name="Kashiwagi 2018"/> On weekdays, this HOV lane carries eastbound traffic in the morning and westbound traffic in the afternoon. The lane is closed at other times, including certain New York City government holidays.<ref name=NYCDOT-HOV>{{cite web | title=HOV Lanes  | publisher=[[New York City Department of Transportation]] | url=https://portal.311.nyc.gov/article/?kanumber=KA-02801 | access-date=November 27, 2022}}</ref><ref name="Kashiwagi 2018">{{cite web | last=Kashiwagi | first=Sydney | title=DOT agrees to keep Gowanus Expressway HOV lane open during 6 working holidays | website=silive | date=November 27, 2018 | url=https://www.silive.com/news/2018/11/dot-agrees-to-keep-gowanus-expressway-hov-lane-open-during-6-working-holidays.html | access-date=November 27, 2022}}</ref>

The Gowanus Expressway continues northeast into urban residential neighborhoods and reaches an eastbound interchange at [[Fort Hamilton Parkway]] and a westbound interchange at 86th Street. Turning more to the north, I-278 comes to a partial interchange at 65th Street, with an exit eastbound and entrance eastbound. The road curves northwest at this point and comes to a directional interchange providing access to [[Third Avenue (Brooklyn)|3rd Avenue]] and the Belt Parkway.<ref name="nysdot-2010tvr" /><ref name=gm /> The Gowanus Expressway turns northeast again at the interchange with Belt Parkway, and it continues along an elevated alignment above Third Avenue, running through urban residential and commercial areas.<ref name=gm /> Along this viaduct, I-278 has interchanges with 38th Street/39th Street and the Prospect Expressway ([[New York State Route 27|NY&nbsp;27]]).<ref name="nysdot-2010tvr" /><ref name="gm" />

[[File:Gowanus5bbtjeh.JPG|thumb|left|The Gowanus Expressway during the 2008 [[Five Boro Bike Tour]] |alt=An elevated freeway in a city with bicyclists riding on it]]

After the interchange with the Prospect Expressway (NY&nbsp;27), the freeway widens to eight lanes and heads north, coming to an interchange with the [[Brooklyn–Battery Tunnel]] approach (officially the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel, I-478), with the exit ramps splitting from the median of I-278. Westbound access to the tunnel is provided by the Hamilton Avenue exit.<ref name="nysdot-2010tvr" /><ref name="gm" /> In this area, the freeway passes over the [[Gowanus Canal]], an extremely polluted canal that was once used for shipping.<ref name="Held">{{cite news |url = https://emagazine.com/currents-of-change/ |title = Currents of change: Can Brooklyn's Gowanus Canal be Cleaned Up? |last1 = Held |first1 = James E. |date = May 1, 1999|work = E&nbsp;– The Environmental Magazine |access-date = January 5, 2017 |issue = 10 |volume = 3 }}</ref> The site has been designated a [[Superfund site]] by the [[United States Environmental Protection Agency|Environmental Protection Agency]].<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.epa.gov/Region2/superfund/npl/0206222c.pdf |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110604174317/http://www.epa.gov/Region2/superfund/npl/0206222c.pdf |archive-date = June 4, 2011 |title = Gowanus Canal site description |publisher = EPA |access-date = March 10, 2010 |url-status = dead |df = mdy-all }}</ref><ref name="Navarro 2010">{{cite news |last = Navarro |first = Mireya |title = Gowanus Canal Labeled Superfund Site, Over City's Objections |website = The New York Times |date = March 2, 2010 |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/03/nyregion/03gowanus.html |access-date = January 9, 2017 }}</ref>

===Brooklyn–Queens Expressway===
{{Redirect|BQE|the Basque dialect with the deprecated ISO 639-3 code "bqe"|Navarro-Lapurdian dialect|the Sufjan Stevens album|The BQE (soundtrack)}}
After the exit for the Brooklyn–Battery Tunnel, I-278 heads north onto the six-lane BQE, passing through urban neighborhoods near [[Downtown Brooklyn]] on a depressed alignment. The next interchange the highway reaches serves [[Atlantic Avenue (New York City)|Atlantic Avenue]].<ref name="nysdot-2010tvr" /> After Atlantic Avenue, the road runs along the [[East River]] harbor in Downtown Brooklyn/[[Brooklyn Heights]] and is partially covered to create the [[Brooklyn Heights Promenade]].<ref name=gm /> {{As of|2021|10}}, the roadway has been reduced to two lanes in each direction between Atlantic Avenue and the [[Brooklyn Bridge]] as part of efforts to extend the life of the roadway<ref name=gm /> and meet modern safety standards for lane width and shoulders.<ref name=nyt-2022-12-14>{{Cite news|last=Hu|first=Winnie|date=December 14, 2022|title=Could the B.Q.E. Return to Six Lanes of Traffic?|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/13/nyregion/bqe-six-lanes.html|access-date=March 4, 2023|issn=0362-4331}}</ref>I-278, at this point maintained by the [[New York City Department of Transportation]], makes a sharp turn to the east away from the East River and comes to an interchange serving the Brooklyn Bridge and [[Cadman Plaza]].<ref name="nysdot-2010tvr" /><ref name=gm /><ref name="nysdot">{{cite web |url=https://www.dot.ny.gov/regional-offices/region11/general-info/built-and-unbuilt-arterial-system |title=NYSDOT – Region 11 (New York City) Built and Unbuilt Arterial System |publisher=[[New York State Department of Transportation]] |language=en |access-date=September 17, 2021 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190404163604/https://www.dot.ny.gov/regional-offices/region11/general-info/built-and-unbuilt-arterial-system |archive-date=April 4, 2019}}</ref> The freeway continues on an elevated alignment and makes a turn southeast as it comes to ramps accessing the [[Manhattan Bridge]].<ref name="nysdot-2010tvr" /><ref name=gm /> As of 2022, the city portion is planned to be rebuilt.<ref name=nyt-2022-12-14/>

[[File:Interstate278enteringbrooklyn.jpg|thumb|right|I-278 southbound approaching [[Downtown Brooklyn]]]]
North of the bridges, the highway becomes state-maintained again and reaches at an exit serving Tillary Street and [[Flushing Avenue]].<ref name="nysdot-2010tvr" /><ref name="nysdot" /> At this point, the BQE continues east through residential areas and turns northeast upon coming to the Wythe Avenue/Kent Avenue exit. The road passes through the [[Williamsburg, Brooklyn|Williamsburg]] neighborhood on a depressed alignment, reaching an interchange that serves the [[Williamsburg Bridge]], with an exit at [[Metropolitan Avenue]] a short distance later. I-278 becomes elevated again as it passes through more neighborhoods and comes to the interchange with Humboldt Street/[[McGuinness Boulevard]]. The BQE enters more industrial areas as it comes to the Meeker Avenue/Morgan Avenue exit.<ref name="nysdot-2010tvr" /><ref name="gm" />

I-278 crosses the [[Newtown Creek]] into [[Queens]] on the [[Kosciuszko Bridge]]. Upon entering Queens, the BQE runs north between residential neighborhoods to the east and [[Calvary Cemetery (Queens)|Calvary Cemetery]] to the west before coming to an interchange with the LIE ([[Interstate 495 (New York)|I-495]]).<ref name="nysdot-2010tvr" /><ref name=gm /> After I-495, the freeway makes a turn to the east, passing over a residential street before crossing over New Calvary Cemetery.<ref name=gm /> The road turns northeast through more urban neighborhoods and reaches an interchange at [[Queens Boulevard]] ([[New York State Route 25|NY&nbsp;25]]).<ref name="nysdot-2010tvr" /><ref name=gm /> At this point, I-278 becomes city-maintained again and passes under the [[Long Island Rail Road]]'s [[Main Line (Long Island Rail Road)|Main Line]] as it continues into a depressed alignment.<ref name=gm /><ref name=nysdot /> The BQE turns north as it approaches the exit for [[Grand Street and Grand Avenue|Broadway]] and [[Greenpoint and Roosevelt Avenues|Roosevelt Avenue]]. I-278 heads back onto a viaduct and comes to a [[single-point urban interchange]] at Northern Boulevard ([[New York State Route 25A|NY&nbsp;25A]]). A short distance past Northern Boulevard (NY&nbsp;25A), the freeway splits into east and west segments with four lanes each that respectively merge into the [[Grand Central Parkway]] east- and westbound. [[Astoria Boulevard]] is accessible from either leg.<ref name="nysdot-2010tvr" /><ref name=gm /> Both legs receive Interstate funding, though only the western leg is signed as part of I-278.<ref>{{cite book |title = NYCDOT Bridges &Tunnels Annual Condition Report 2010 |publisher = New York City Department of Transportation |page = 199 |url = http://www.nyc.gov/html/dot/downloads/pdf/bridgereport10.pdf }}</ref>

[[File:BQE6047.JPG|thumb|left|The expressway rising to its elevated section in Brooklyn|alt=A congested elevated freeway passing through an area of urban high rise buildings]]

===Grand Central Parkway and Robert F. Kennedy Bridge===
{{See also|Grand Central Parkway|Robert F. Kennedy Bridge}}

I-278 turns west to run along the eight-lane state-maintained [[Grand Central Parkway]], with [[Astoria Boulevard]] (and Hoyt Avenue later on) serving as a frontage road.<ref name="gm" /><ref name="nysdot" /> The road runs along a depressed alignment, passing under [[Amtrak]]'s [[Northeast Corridor]], then the [[New York City Subway]]'s [[BMT Astoria Line]] at 31st Street.<ref name="gm" /> The Grand Central Parkway overlap ends at the interchange with 31st Street, and I-278 continues northwest along the tolled, eight-lane [[Robert F. Kennedy Bridge]], which passes over Astoria.<ref name="nysdot-2010tvr" /><ref name="gm" /> Eastbound tolls are collected electronically at this point.<ref name="Siff 2016" /><ref name="WABC 2016" />

[[File:2024-05-24 14 29 58 View west along the Grand Central Parkway and east along Interstate 278 from the Astoria Boulevard BMT station in Queens, New York City, New York.jpg|thumb|right|Approach to the Robert F. Kennedy (Triborough) Bridge in Astoria, with Hoyt Avenue on either side]]
I-278 crosses the [[East River]] on the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge, which maintained by the [[Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority|TBTA]]. It then enters [[Randalls and Wards Islands|Wards Island]], which is a part of the borough of [[Manhattan]].<ref name="gm" /><ref name="mtabt" /> On Wards Island, the highway heads north through Wards Island Park and passes to the east of [[Manhattan Psychiatric Center]] as it passes over the border onto [[Randalls and Wards Island|Randalls Island]], which is connected to Wards Island by land.<ref name="gm" /> I-278 passes through the bridge's former toll plaza before an interchange that provides access to [[FDR Drive]] by way of another segment of the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge over the [[Harlem River]]. After this interchange, the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge carries the route over the [[Bronx Kill]] into [[the Bronx]],<ref name="nysdot-2010tvr" /><ref name="gm" /> where westbound tolls are collected electronically.<ref name="Siff 2016">{{cite web |url = http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/Automatic-Tolls-Coming-to-New-York-City-Bridges-Tunnels-NYC-396050241.html |title = Automatic Tolls to Replace Gates at 9 NYC Spans: Cuomo |last = Siff |first = Andrew |date = October 5, 2016 |website = NBC New York |access-date = December 25, 2016 }}</ref><ref name="WABC 2016">{{cite web |url = http://abc7ny.com/1666924/ |title = MTA rolls out cashless toll schedule for bridges, tunnels |author = WABC |date = December 21, 2016 |website = ABC7 New York |access-date = December 25, 2016 }}</ref>

===Bruckner Expressway===
{{Main|Bruckner Expressway}}
[[File:2024-06-18 10 55 38 View west along Interstate 278 (Bruckner Expressway) from the pedestrian overpass at Stratford Avenue in the Bronx, New York City, New York.jpg|thumb|right|Westbound I-278 (Bruckner Expressway) at Stratford Avenue in the Bronx]]
In the Bronx, I-278 becomes the [[Bruckner Expressway]] and reaches an interchange with the Major Deegan Expressway ([[Interstate 87 (New York)|I-87]]).<ref name="nysdot-2010tvr" /> At this point, the Bruckner Expressway heads northeast on a six-lane elevated alignment through industrial areas with some residences, paralleling the Northeast Corridor.<ref name=gm /> Along this section, there is a westbound exit and eastbound entrance for East 138th Street.<ref name="nysdot-2010tvr" /> Sheridan Boulevard ([[New York State Route 895|NY&nbsp;895]]) splits from the eastbound direction of I-278 as the Bruckner Expressway makes a turn to the east into residential and commercial neighborhoods on a surface alignment, crossing the [[Bronx River]] on a [[Moveable bridge|drawbridge]].<ref name="nysdot-2010tvr" /><ref name=gm /> The road has an interchange at Hunts Point Avenue before coming to the [[Bronx River Parkway]]. Continuing east, the road has an exit serving [[White Plains Road]] and Castle Hill Avenue.<ref name="nysdot-2010tvr" />

I-278's eastern terminus is at the [[Bruckner Interchange]] further to the east. Here, the Bruckner Expressway becomes [[Interstate 95 in New York|I-95]] and continues towards the New England Thruway. At this interchange, I-278 also has access to the Clearview Expressway ([[Interstate 295 (New York)|I-295]]), the [[Hutchinson River Expressway]] ([[Interstate 678|I-678]]), and the [[Hutchinson River Parkway]] itself.<ref name="nysdot-2010tvr" /><ref name="gm" /> Legally, the New York section of I-278 is defined as part of Interstate Route Connector&nbsp;512 and all of Interstate Route Connector&nbsp;518 in New York Highway Law §&nbsp;340-a.<ref>{{citation |title = New York Designation Of State Interstate Routes |url = http://law.justia.com/newyork/codes/highway/hay0340-a_340-a.html |publisher = [[New York Assembly]] |access-date = December 19, 2009 }}</ref>