New York governor Kathy Hochul has announced the third and final phase of the $1.7 billion Hunts Point Access Improvement Project is now underway in the South Bronx. Launched in 2019, the goal of the project is to provide improved access between the Hunts Point Peninsula and the Sheridan and Bruckner Expressways for automobiles and trucks traveling to and from wholesale commercial businesses located on the peninsula. The project will also address infrastructure deficiencies in the area.
A $446 million contract has been awarded for the third and final phase of the project, which includes reconstruction of the Bruckner Expressway interchange with Sheridan Boulevard and other improvements that will reduce congestion, enhance bicycle and pedestrian safety, and provide easier access to the Hunts Point Terminal Market, one of the largest wholesale food distribution centers in the world.
It is estimated that more than 78,000 vehicles travel to the Hunts Point Peninsula every day. Around 13,000 of these vehicles are currently forced to use small local roads that have suffered degradation as a result, and has adversely impacted air quality in the community.
In addition to infrastructure improvements, phase three will also create a 117-vehicle parking lot under the Bruckner Expressway that will include 24 electric vehicle charging stations.
“There is no better example of the important role modern infrastructure can play in ensuring the economic health and well-being of a community than Hunts Point,” said governor Hochul. “The changes we are making to this vital hub for commerce will not only make it easier to transport goods to and from the market, but also improve quality of life for the surrounding neighborhoods by taking thousands of trucks off local streets and providing new recreational opportunities that will further fuel the revitalization of the South Bronx.”
Phase three construction is expected to be completed by fall 2025.
Phase one was completed in October 2022 and included the reconstruction of a nine-span overpass and three bridges above Amtrak/CSX train tracks, the construction of two new ramps connecting Hunts Point Peninsula with the Bruckner Expressway and Sheridan Boulevard, as well as extensive pavement and sidewalk repairs.
Phase two is still under construction and involves 1.25 miles of the Bruckner Expressway between 141st Street and Barretto Street. The scope of work includes widening the roadway and providing new entrance and exit ramps that connect Bruckner Expressway to Leggett Avenue. The ramps will provide a direct route between the highway network and the Hunts Point Peninsula, including the Hunts Point Food Distribution Center. The outcome is expected to drastically reduce truck traffic on local streets.
“The Hunts Point Access Improvement Project is a game changer for the South Bronx and is part of the historic commitment governor Hochul has made to revitalizing our infrastructure in ways that reconnect our communities and strengthen our neighborhoods,” said New York State Department of Transportation commissioner Marie Therese Dominguez. “When this project is completed, the people of the South Bronx will see fewer trucks on local roads and less congestion, which will help improve air quality, and they will also have wonderful new recreational opportunities.”
All phases of the project are overseen by the New York State Department of Transportation.
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