New York Roads - Under Gowanus Expwy./I-278

Under the I-278 Gowanus Expressway



Hamilton Ave. EB under the Gowanus Expressway SB and I-278 WB - this is what it takes to snake a freeway through established neighborhoods in America's largest city. What you learn from being under here is that the highway was originally just four lanes wide, later extended outward to the current seven lanes (center one is reversible). What you have to infer based on the style of the supports (difficult) and stonework at the piers (marginally easier) is that the original elevated highway was the Gowanus Parkway, not Expressway, limited to cars only. The Gowanus started life as the western piece of the Belt Parkway, but was absorbed into I-278 rather than creating a parallel expressway. That's surprising, given Robert Moses' penchant for preserving parkways and establishing right-of-way wherever he wanted.


Hamilton Ave. ends at 3rd Ave. by the Prospect Expwy. (NY 27) interchange, and 3rd Ave. continues alongside and under the Gowanus as it heads south toward Staten Island. Photos end where 3rd Ave. emerges at the Belt Parkway split.


6th Ave. SB at 65th St. The signal on the right is the reverse of the one on the left and all other proper horizontal signals, wreaking havoc with the color-blind.


Headed back north on 3rd Ave., Gowanus construction apparently led to trucks being detoured on the local streets, which is a far sight worse than keeping them on the intended through route. Fortunately 3rd Ave. to Hamilton Ave. is fairly easy to follow without the RIDOT trailblazers. The last photo is nearing 18th St. at the Prospect Expwy. (NY 27) interchange.


From there, the surface road transitions onto Hamilton Ave., which I follow to the Gowanus Canal drawbridge. The freeway is tall enough that it flies over everything an you don't even notice the canal.


Back on dry land, the detour finally leaves Hamilton Ave. at the ramp onto the Brooklyn-Queens Expwy. The next right, Hicks St., offers the inverse opportunity to be above (instead of below) the BQE.

Onto I-278

To Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel (I-478)
Into Brooklyn
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