Interstate 678 New York

Overview
Interstate 678 extends north along the Van Wyck Expressway from the terminal access road serving John F. Kennedy International Airport (formerly Idlewyld Airport). The urban freeway travels below grade by the South Ozone Park, Jamaica and Morris Park communities of Queens to the Kew Gardens Interchange with Grand Central Parkway and Jackie Robinson Parkway west.
Continuing north along the Van Wyck Expressway, I-678 runs along the east side Flushing Meadow Park while Grand Central Parkway lines the west side to and beyond respective interchanges with I-495 (Long Island Expressway). The Van Wyck ends at Northern Boulevard (NY 25A), where I-678 turns northeast onto the Whitestone Expressway. The Whitestone travels north to Malba, Whitestone and the tolled Bronx-Whitestone Bridge.
Passing through Ferry Point Park, Interstate 678 enters the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge toll plaza and transitions to Hutchinson River Expressway. The freeway continues a short distance north to the Bruckner Interchange, where Interstates 95, 278 and 295 meet by Schuylerville. Hutchinson River Parkway takes over northward to Westchester County, Interstate 684 and the Merritt Parkway into Connecticut.
History
Construction for the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge commenced in May 1937. Intended to provide relief to the nearby Triborough Bridge (Interstate 278), the suspension bridge opened on April 29, 1939. Interstate 678 was originally proposed as a loop south from I-95 (Cross Bronx Expressway) at the Bruckner Interchange to the Whitestone Expressway, and west along Northern Boulevard and Grand Central Parkway to Interstate 278 (Brooklyn-Queens Expresway West). The western leg of the loop was dropped from the Interstate system by AASHTO on June 23, 1969, when I-678 was redirected southward over the Van Wyck Expressway to Interstate 495 (Long Island Expressway).
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Route Information
North End – Bronx, New York, NY
South End – Queens, New York, NY
Mileage – 14.33
Cities – New York City
- Junctions –
Source: December 31, 2017 Interstate Route Log and Finders List
I-678 Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT)
Location | Vehicles per day |
---|---|
JFK Apt to Exit 1 | 54,054 |
Exits 1 to 2 | 132,201 |
Exits 2 to 3 | 133,895 |
Exits 5 to 6 | 131,958 |
Exits 6 to 9 | 147,053 |
Exits 9 to 10 | 138,588 |
Exits 10 to 11 | 88,772 |
Exits 11 to 12 | 94,087 |
Exits 12 to 13 | 134,800 |
Exits 13 to 14 | 141,629 |
Exit 14 to Whitestone Br | 143,222 |
Whitestone Br | 115,237 |
Whitestone Br to Bruckner Int | 100,303 |
Source: 2015 NYSDOT Traffic Data Viewer
Prior to completion of the Van Wyck Expressway, the route outlined for Interstate 678 extended west from the Whitestone Expressway along Northern Boulevard to the BQE.
Highway Guides
North End
– Bronx, New York City
South End – John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) – Queens, New York City
Page updated October 11, 2017.