Site Navigation Connecticut Maine Massachusetts New Hampshire New Jersey New York Pennsylvania Rhode Island Vermont     Goethals Bridge / Staten Island Expressway The guide for Interstate 278 is split between six pages: Interstate 278 New Jersey Interstate 278 Goethals Bridge / Staten Island Expressway East Interstate 278 Verrazano Narrows Bridge / Gowanus Expressway East Interstate 278 Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE) East Interstate 278 Triborough Bridge / Bruckner Expressway East Interstate 278 New York Westbound Interstate 278 East Constructed between 1925 and 1928, the narrow Goethals Bridge spans the Arthur Kill River between Linden, New Jersey and Staten Island, New York. Measuring 8,600 feet in length, the steel-truss cantilever bridge travels 135 feet above the river below at mid-span. The bridge is named after Major General George W. Goethals, designer of the Panama Canal.1 The Goethals Bridge and Outerbridge Crossing (New Jersey 440 / New York 440) both opened on June 20, 1928. Photos taken 10/03/04. Designated a part of New Jersey 439 between 1952 and 1972, the Goethals Bridge became part of Interstate 278 in 1958. Although part of the Interstate system, the bridge is not up to current Interstate standards. The Goethals Bridge carries four ten foot lanes with no shoulders in either direction. Therefore the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey announced plans in 1998 for a $350-million twin span of the Goethals Bridge. Although construction is approved by the U.S. Coast Guard, creation of the new bridge remains uncertain. If completed, the new and old bridges will carry a total of six 12 foot wide lanes.1 Photos taken 10/03/04. Descending toward Staten Island (Richmond County) on Interstate 278 (Goethals Bridge) eastbound. The Exit 4 off-ramp at Forest Avenue lies beyond the Goethals Bridge toll plaza ahead. Forest Avenue stems east from Interstate 278 and Gulf Avenue through the Graniteville and Westerleigh neighborhoods of Staten Island. Photo taken 10/03/04. Welcome to Staten Island sign posted as Interstate 278 (Staten Island Expressway) eastbound touches down from the Goethals Bridge. A little history of Staten Island: The first permanent European settlement on Staten Island was established in 1661 by nineteen Dutch and French Huguenot colonists. By 1683 Staten Island was renamed Richmond County by King Charles II of England after James the Duke of Richmond. On January 21, 1898 Staten Island joined the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan to form a single city. And in 1975 the Borough of Richmond was renamed officially to the Borough of Staten Island.2 Photo taken 10/03/04. The Port Authority toll plaza lies just east of the Goethals Bridge levying a $6.00 toll to all passenger vehicles. Lanes are partitioned between cash paying and EZPass only lanes. Photo taken 10/03/04. A slip ramp brings traffic from adjacent Gulf Avenue onto Interstate 278 (Staten Island Expressway) eastbound after the toll plaza. Gulf Avenue and Goethals Road North join Forest Avenue with 6th Avenue and Western Avenue for Old Place, Gulfport, and Port Ivory to the west. Photo taken 10/03/04. Exit 4 departs Interstate 278 (Staten Island Expressway) for Forest Avenue east and Gulf Avenue south to Edward Curry Avenue at Bloomfield. Ahead is the directional interchange with New York 440 (West Shore Expressway) at Exit 5. Photo taken 10/03/04. Interstate 278 passes over Forest Avenue at the Exit 5 off-ramp onto New York 440 (West Shore Expressway) southbound. The West Shore Expressway straddles western Staten Island between the Outerbridge Crossing & Richmond Parkway and Interstate 278, a distance of eight miles. Photo taken 10/03/04. In addition to its name of the Staten Island Expressway, Interstate 278 is also designated the POW MIA Memorial Highway in honor of those who have served in the armed forces and never returned. Photo taken 10/03/04. Next in line for Interstate 278 (Staten Island Expressway) eastbound travelers is the Exit 7 off-ramp to Richmond Avenue. Passing overhead here is the New York 440 northbound on-ramp to Interstate 278 west. New York 440 joins the Staten Island Expressway between Exits 7 and 9. Photo taken 10/03/04. Interstate 278 east & New York 440 northbound draw near the slip-ramp onto Fahy Avenue at Exit 7. Fahy Avenue travels the eastbound frontage of the Staten Island Expressway between South Avenue and Exit 7 before turning south to the intersection of Lamberts Lane and Arlene Street. Photo taken 10/03/04. Four lanes of Interstate 278 east & New York 440 north reduce to three beyond the Exit 7 gore point at Fahy Avenue. Traffic bound for Richmond Avenue utilizes Lamberts Lane east from Fahy Avenue. Richmond Avenue constitutes a main surface arterial between the Richmond Parkway at Greenridge through New Springville and Bulls Head to junction Intestate 278 & New York 440. Photo taken 10/03/04. One half mile west of the Exit 8 off-ramp onto the Willowbrook Expressway southbound to Victory Boulevard. The Willowbrook Expressway interchanges with Victory Boulevard at a half-diamond interchange with a stub end to the south of Interstate 278 & New York 440. Photo taken 10/03/04. The Staten Island Expressway passes over Richmond Avenue ahead of the ramp departure for Victory Boulevard (Exit 8). Victory Boulevard travels east from the Travis and Bulls Head sections of Staten Island to Sunnyside and Tompkinsville northeast of Interstate 278. Use Exit 8 for Willow Brook Park, The College of Staten Island, and the William T Davis Wildlife Refuge. Photo taken 10/03/04. Traffic to Victory Boulevard departs the Staten Island Expressway eastbound via the Exit 8 ramp onto Willowbrook Parkway south. The Willowbrook Parkway was planned to continue southeast from Victory Boulevard to Richmondton where it would interchange with the never built Richmond Parkway and from there to Oakwood Beach and the never built Shore Front Drive freeway. Plans for these highways were scuttled due to community opposition. Photo taken 10/03/04. New York 440 northbound splits from Interstate 278 and the Staten Island Expressway for the Dr. Martin Luther King Junior Expressway northbound. Renamed from the Willowbrook Expressway in the early 1990s, the north-south freeway connects Interstate 278 with the Bayonne Bridge over the Kill Van Kull River. New York 440 transitions into New Jersey 169 upon entering Bayonne, New Jersey. Photo taken 10/03/04. Continuing eastbound on Interstate 278 over Victory Boulevard toward the Willowbrook section of Staten Island. Upcoming is the Exit 11 slip ramp onto South Gannon Avenue for Bradley Avenue. Photo taken 10/03/04. Button copy overhead for the South Gannon Avenue on-ramp to Interstate 278 (Staten Island Expressway) eastbound. South Gannon Avenue carries Victory Boulevard traffic onto the Staten Island Expressway for the Verrazano Narrows Bridge. Photo taken 10/03/04. 0.25-mile overhead for Exit 11 (Bradley Avenue) posted at the Woolley Avenue over crossing along Interstate 278 east. Bradley Avenue travels south from Victory Boulevard to Brielle Avenue through the Willowbrook neighborhood of the city. Photo taken 10/03/04. Interstate 278 eastbound at the ramp departure of Exit 11 for South Gannon Avenue and Bradley Avenue. Gannon Avenue comprises the frontage streets of both directions of the Staten Island Expressway between Victory Boulevard and Manor Road. Photo taken 10/03/04. Posted at the Bradley Avenue overpass is the one-half mile overhead for Exit 12 to Slosson Avenue and Todt Hill Road. Slosson Avenue stems north from Interstate 278 to Clove Lakes Park and Martling Avenue. Todt Hill Road continues Slosson Avenue southward to Four Corners and Richmond Roads. Photo taken 10/03/04. Use Exit 12 for both the Staten Island Zoo at Clarence T. Barrett Park and Historic Richmond Town. Richmond Town represents the first county seat of the original Richmond County. That area of Staten Island lies along Richmond Road southwest of Grant City and New Dorp from the south end of Todt Hill Road. Photo taken 10/03/04. The Staten Island Expressway maintains six overall lanes through the Exit 12 partial-cloverleaf interchange. Use Exit 12 onto Slosson Avenue northbound for the Castleton Corners neighborhood of the city. Photo taken 10/03/04. Interstate 278 eastbound reassurance shield posted along with a POW MIA Memorial Highway trailblazer near the Manor Road under crossing. Photo taken 10/03/04. Drivers bound for Slosson Avenue and Todt Hill Road leave Interstate 278 eastbound at Exit 12. Slosson Avenue becomes Todt Hill Road for blocks to the south near Westwood Avenue. Use Todt Hill Rill south for Four Corners Road east to the Dongan Hills neighborhood. Photo taken 10/03/04. Interstate 278 (Staten Island Expressway) eastbound curves toward the abandoned Richmond Parkway X stack interchange. The unused ramps lie just east of Slosson Avenue and Exit 12. Closed and overgrown with weeds, the high speed ramps were to carry traffic to/from the unbuilt Richmond Parkway. The Richmond Parkway constitutes a freeway between New York 440 and the Outerbridge Crossing northward to Arthur Kill Road. The Parkway from Arthur Kill Road to Interstate 278 is unconstructed. Photo taken 10/03/04. Situated within the ghost interchange of the Richmond Parkway is the 0.50-mile overhead for Exit 13. A split-diamond interchange exists ahead for Clove Road, Richmond Road, and Targee Street. Ramps utilize a frontage street system in the form of Clove & Narrows Roads. Photo taken 10/03/04. Exit 13 serves the following attractions: Snug Harbor Cultural Center, Staten Island Botanical Garden, Staten Island Institute of Arts and Sciences, and the Staten Island Children's Museum. Photo taken 10/03/04. Interstate 278 eastbound at the ramp stub for the never built Richmond Parkway on-ramp. Ahead is the Renwick Avenue under crossing and ramp departure of Exit 13 onto adjacent Milford Drive / Clove Road. Clove Road enters the scene from the northwest and then parallels Interstate 278 east between Milford Drive and Richmond Road & Felt Avenue. Photo taken 10/03/04. Traffic to Clove Road leaves Interstate 278 eastbound at the Exit 13 gore point. Motorists destined for Hylan Boulevard should remain on the frontage road system of the Staten Island Expressway (Cove Road, Felt Avenue, Narrows Road). Narrows Road intersects Hylan Boulevard at a traffic circle near Grasmere Lake beyond the Exit 13 on-ramp. Use Richmond Road or Hylan Boulevard north for Fox Hills, Clifton, Stapleton, and Rosebank. Photo taken 10/03/04. The Verrazano Narrows Bridge comes into view as Interstate 278 leaves the Exit 13 split-diamond interchange at Mosel Avenue. The Narrows Road frontage street system diverges ahead of the Hylan Boulevard over crossing. Photo taken 10/03/04. The final Staten Island interchange is that of Exit 15 with Lily Pond Avenue at Fort Wadsworth. Interstate 278 otherwise prepares to ascend across the Verrazano Narrows Bridge across The Narrows into Brooklyn. Like the George Washington Bridge, the Verrazano Narrows Bridges is partition into an upper and lower deck. Photo taken 10/03/04. Exit 15 constitutes a partial-cloverleaf interchange with Lily Pond Avenue between Father Capodanno Boulevard and Bay Street in northeastern Staten Island. Bay Street stems north from Lily Pond Road and Fort Wadsworth to Rosebank, Stapleton, and Tompkinsville. Photo taken 10/03/04. Exit 15 leaves Interstate 278 at the Fingerboard Road overpass for Lily Pond Avenue. Lily Pond Avenue and Father Capodanno Boulevard southbound serve the South Beach section of Staten Island and the Gateway National Recreation Area. Use Bay Street or McClean Avenue for Fort Wadsworth Park and Fort Wadsworth Light. Photo taken 10/03/04. Interstate 278 (Staten Island Expressway) eastbound enters the Verrazano Narrows Bridge toll plaza imediately after the departure of Exit 15. Tolls for eastbound traffic along the bridge were dropped in 1986 to alleviate growing air pollution in Staten Island from idling cars at the toll plaza.3 Westbound motorists are charged $6.00 per passenger vehicle. Photo taken 10/03/04. Despite the fact that the toll booths along Interstate 278 have been unused since 1986, they remain in place ahead of the Verrazano Narrows Bridge. Large yellow and black chevron signs are posted in front of each abandoned booth as traffic must slow to 25 mph to pass through the barrier. Talk arose about the reimplentation of tolling eastbound Interstate 278 in 2001 and in 2003 studies were undertaken in the feasability in removing the booths.3 Photos taken 10/03/04. Sources: 1 - Goethals Bridge (I-278), NYCRoads.com. 2 - Staten Island on the Web: History, New York Public Library. 3 - Verrazano-Narrows Bridge (I-278), NYCRoads.com. Page Updated January 13, 2005.