Interstate 678 - Route Description

Route Description

I-678 begins at John F. Kennedy International Airport in the borough of Queens. The Interstate Highway, designated the Van Wyck Expressway, progresses westward through the airport, crossing under airport runways as a six-lane freeway. Just after the runways, the expressway connects with North Service Road, which services the airport's western services. From there, the expressway begins to turn northward and crosses the United Airlines hangar. I-678 continues its northwestern progression, curving to the northeast at the interchange with Federal Circle. From there, the highway continues northward, becoming a divided highway and meeting NY 878 (the Nassau Expressway) at exit 1E. I-678 continues northward, crossing under the Nassau Expressway and over NY 27 east (South Conduit Avenue) and the Belt Parkway. A short distance later, the highway intersects NY 27 west (North Conduit Avenue) at exit 1B. After the interchange, the expressway continues northward through Queens, interchanging with Rockaway Boulevard and soon after Linden Boulevard. I-678 crosses and connects to Liberty Avenue and Atlantic Avenue. After entering Jamaica, the Van Wyck crosses under a major stretch of the Long Island Rail Road.

Continuing northward, the expressway passes the Jamaica Hospital and intersects Jamaica Avenue at exit 6. I-678 expands to eight lanes as it crosses under Hillside Avenue (NY 25B), which is serviced by exit 6 in the opposite direction. A short distance later, the highway comes to a large interchange for NY 25 (Queens Boulevard) east at exit 8 and exit 9. After crossing under Hoover Avenue, I-678 enters the interchange with the Grand Central Parkway. In the complex interchange, the interstate crosses on overpasses over Union Turnpike, the Grand Central and different interchange ramps before returning at-grade in Flushing. There, the highway turns northwestward once again, interchanging at exit 11 with Harry Van Arsdale Junior Avenue via Park Drive East. Crossing through Flushing Meadows Corona Park, I-678 continues northward into an interchange with College Point Boulevard at exit 12A and the Long Island Expressway (I-495) at exit 12B. After the interchange with the Long Island Expressway, the Van Wyck continues northeastward. A short distance later, the expressway crosses under Roosevelt Avenue and the IRT Flushing Line of the New York City Subway. After passing Citi Field, I-678 crosses into exit 13 for NY 25A (Northern Boulevard), where the name of the freeway changes to the Whitestone Expressway.

Afterwards, the Whitestone Expressway continues northward into College Point, where it intersects with Linden Place and continues northeastward past the New York Times center. A short distance later, I-678 meets 20th Road via its frontage road and crosses under 14th Avenue in Whitestone. Just after 14th Avenue, the highway enters exit 16, which serves the Cross Island Parkway via a left exit. After the Cross Island Parkway, the Whitestone Expressway continues now to the northwest, crossing through the Whitestone neighborhood of Queens as a six-lane freeway. After Third Avenue is serviced by exit 17, the expressway crosses Francis Lewis Park and begins its approach onto the Bronx–Whitestone Bridge over the East River. As the suspension cables on the bridge come back to the street-level, the interstate crosses from Queens into the Bronx. A short distance later, I-678 re-enters the local community, soon entering a toll booth for the bridge, widening from six to ten lanes. Afterwards, the expressway intersects Lafayette Avenue via exit 18, and soon entering the Bruckner Interchange, where I-678's designation ends and the highway continues northward as the Hutchinson River Parkway.