Governor Kathy Hochul today announced the substantial completion of main line work on the transformational $1.4 billion Van Wyck Expressway Project with the opening of new managed-use lanes for taxis and high-occupancy vehicles in both directions between the Kew Gardens Interchange and Atlantic Avenue and John F. Kennedy International Airport. A centerpiece of the project, the managed-use lanes will provide speedier trips to and from the airport for taxis and other multi-person vehicles, thereby encouraging their use and reducing congestion along the main line highway. The new lanes, which opened Friday morning, are one of several new features and safety enhancements added to the Van Wyck Expressway as part of the project, which will be considered fully complete once work to rehabilitate nearby service roads is finished later this year.
“Navigating the Van Wyck Expressway to get to and from JFK has all too often been a test of endurance for motorists regardless of the time of day, but that all changes now,” Governor Hochul said. “For years, commuters have navigated seemingly endless construction and delays along this critical artery, but today, with the conclusion of major work, New York enters a new era of faster, safer travel on the Van Wyck. These new lanes for high-occupancy vehicles are among several enhancements that will remove the headaches that have long been associated with travel on this busy highway and help ensure that travelers headed to and from JFK get where they need to go hassle-free.”
New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said, “The Van Wyck Expressway is a vital link that connects New York City to JFK Airport — and by extension the rest of the world — and it has long been in need of a substantial investment to alleviate traffic and provide better access to the airport and surrounding communities. Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, we have been working full speed ahead to transform this highway and the results are tangible, which means safer travel, more resiliency against flooding and extreme weather, less congestion and fewer trucks on local streets.”…