A new $83 million project in Queens just broke ground. The project in question should improve safety and traffic flow as well as reduce congestion along the Eastbound Long Island Expressway (I-495). Between the entrance ramp from Southbound Clearview Expressway to the Exit 29 ramp to Springfield Boulevard, the project hopes to create smoother traffic patterns and even negate the need for other roadways. This is part of the new projects utilizing the city’s record-breaking annual budget. The budget should help develop roads, bridges, airports, rail facilities, and other transit systems. Over the next 5 years, $32.8 billion will filter into projects like this one.
Queens Project Details
The Fiscal Year enacted budget for 2023 is larger than it’s ever been. The infrastructure needs of New York and Long Island are long overdue. This particular project should help commuters in many unexpected ways. The project along I-495 will reconstruct two entrance ramps and one exit ramp. The ramps will extend the acceleration and deceleration lanes to allow drivers more time to adjust to speed conditions. Additionally, the roadway will get a new pavement surface, new striping, new signage, new traffic signals, and a new sidewalk and bike path. All of this combined will surely improve the traffic patterns for the better.
Not only will the road be safer, it will be much quieter as well. They will erect a noise barrier wall to help reduce noise for more than 300 private residences along the route. The noise barrier wall will stretch 6,500 feet and will cover much of the distance of the new construction. All in all, the project is touted by legislators as a positive thing. Transportation options are extremely limited for northeast Queens commuters. Addressing these options is something that they are excited to address. The aging infrastructure is well overdue for improvements.
There is no timetable for when construction will finish. However, this is surely not the only project that legislators have planned. With more than $32.8 billion in funds planned to help New York infrastructure, the next five years should be interesting.
