The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) will close down the southbound Exit 8 (Union Turnpike) on the Van Wyck Expressway in Kew Gardens next week as it undergoes replacement this summer.
Weather permitting, the closure will begin at 5 a.m. on April 1 and will continue until 5 a.m. on Sept. 30. During this time, the NYSDOT will dismantle the old ramp and construct a new replacement ramp.
Drivers who are going toward Union Turnpike can take Exit 6 to Hillside Avenue, turn left onto Hillside Avenue, turn left onto Queens Boulevard, turn right onto Main Street and then turn left onto Union Turnpike.
Those driving toward Queens Boulevard can take Exit 6 to Hillside Avenue, turn left onto Hillside Avenue, turn left onto Queens Boulevard and then continue straight past Main Street.
For real-time travel information, motorists can check New York state’s official traffic and travel information source, 511NY, before traveling. Call 5-1-1, visit www.511NY.org or download the free 511NY mobile app on iTunes or Google Play. The free service allows users to check road conditions, view traffic cameras and link to air and transit information.
It’s part of the ongoing Kew Gardens Interchange project, a years-long endeavor to improve the confluence of the Van Wyck Expressway, the Grand Central Parkway, the Jackie Robinson Parkway and Union Turnpike — one of the most critical traffic points in Queens.
