New York State Department of Transportation Announces Major Milestone in the $1.7 Billion Hunts Point Access improvement Project

Contact: Glenn Blain, (518) 457-6400
Release Date: December 20, 2024

New York State Department of Transportation Announces Major Milestone in the $1.7 Billion Hunts Point Access improvement Project

Bruckner Expressway Between the Sheridan Interchange and Barretto Street Fully Reopened Six Months Ahead of Schedule

Project Part of Unprecedented State Investment to Reduce Congestion, Streamline Access to Hunts Point Market and Reconnect Communities in the South Bronx

New York State Department of Transportation Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez today announced the latest milestone in the State’s ongoing, $1.7 billion project to reduce congestion and improve connectivity in and around the Hunts Point area of the Bronx. Three lanes on the eastbound and westbound Bruckner Expressway between the Sheridan Interchange and Barretto Street have fully opened to traffic six months ahead of schedule. In addition, the newly constructed ramps from southbound Sheridan Boulevard to westbound Bruckner Expressway and eastbound Bruckner Expressway to northbound Sheridan Boulevard are also open, further improving access to the area. This milestone is part of the third and final phase of the Hunts Point Access Improvement Project, part of an unprecedented State investment to streamline access to the Hunts Point Market – negating the need for trucks to travel on local streets – and to improve quality of life throughout the South Bronx by reducing traffic congestion and providing new access to greenspace, including the Bronx River, Garrison Park and Concrete Plant Park.

“Governor Hochul remains laser focused on creating world-class infrastructure that meets the needs of the communities we serve, both for today and in the future, and the historic Hunts Point Access Improvement Project is proof positive of that,” Commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez said.  “The opening of the Bruckner Expressway is a major step forward in this transformative project, which will reconnect the communities of the South Bronx and enhance the economic health and well-being of the entire area. This investment will not only make it easier to transport goods to and from the market, but also improve quality of life for surrounding neighborhoods by taking trucks off the road and making the local streets safer as well as helping to further fuel the revitalization of the South Bronx.”

The Hunts Point project, which began in December of 2019, is overseen by the New York State Department of Transportation, and provides direct access to the Hunts Point Terminal Market from both the Bruckner Expressway and the new Sheridan Boulevard. The market is one of the largest wholesale food distribution centers in the world. More than 78,000 vehicles travel to the Hunts Point Peninsula daily, including 13,000 trucks that have previously used local roads, contributing to poor air quality in the community.

The redesign of the Bruckner Expressway will eliminate the notorious bottleneck at the interchange with Sheridan Boulevard, improving traffic to the Hunts Point Market. Phase 3 also included the completion of the new Bryant Avenue pedestrian bridge over the Bruckner Expressway, with access to PS 75, in time for the 2024 school year.

The third and final phase of this project began in December of 2022 and builds on the success of the previous two phases of the project. Phase 1 provided new and improved access to Edgewater Road in the form of three new ramps: a two-way ramp to Edgewater Road from Sheridan Boulevard and a ramp from eastbound Bruckner Expressway to Edgewater Road. Edgewater Road was also resurfaced, and new traffic signals were installed at Seneca Avenue and Garrison Avenue.

Garrison Park was transformed with a new shared-use path, landscaping, viewing platforms overlooking the river, and a formal entrance area with a signalized rail crossing and traffic signal, giving residents safer and more seamless access to the Bronx River. Additionally, a new shared-use path was constructed under the Bruckner Expressway to link the new Garrison Park with the existing Concrete Plant Park, with five security cameras installed along the new path to enhance safety for pedestrians and bicyclists while connecting to the Bronx River Greenway.

The Bronx River Avenue viaduct was also rehabilitated, and more than 15,000 square feet of community “Bronx River Open Space” was created under the viaduct. The project also replaced the eastern span of the Bryant Avenue pedestrian bridge over Amtrak/CSX rail lines. In addition, four bridges that carry the Bruckner Expressway and Bruckner Boulevard over Amtrak/CSX rail lines were replaced.

Construction along the eastbound and westbound Bruckner Expressway will continue, providing new pavement, sidewalks, bikeways, and signalization. Additionally, when completed, the Hunts Point parking lot will provide 111 parking spaces as well as EV charging stations. Work also continues on improved local street design improving pedestrian safety through the design of shorter crosswalks and improved signalization and lighting, as well as a shared use path that will connect previously placed paths from 141^st Street to the Bronx River bikeways. The final work is scheduled to completed in 2025.

Senator Luis R. Sepulveda said, "This milestone in the Hunts Point Access Improvement Project is a transformative achievement for the South Bronx and the communities I proudly serve, which sit at the very heart of this critical initiative. My district has long borne the brunt of traffic congestion and environmental inequities, contributing to some of the highest asthma rates in the state. By reopening the Bruckner Expressway ahead of schedule and constructing new ramps to reduce truck traffic on local streets, this project directly addresses these longstanding challenges. It represents a significant step in improving air quality, enhancing public health, and reconnecting infrastructure-divided neighborhoods."

Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson said, “The opening of three new lanes on the Bruckner Expressway ahead of schedule is a major step forward in enhancing the quality of life for Bronx residents and businesses. This $1.7 billion project is not just about reducing congestion; it's about improving connectivity, creating safer roadways, and ensuring a brighter future for our borough. The Hunts Point area, a vital hub for commerce, will now have smoother, faster access to key routes, spurring economic growth and making the Bronx a better place to live, work, and thrive."