Interstate 295 constitutes a 9.10 mile route between the Bruckner Interchange in the Bronx and Hillside Avenue at Queens Village. I-295 follows the Cross Bronx Expressway Extension and a portion of the Throgs Neck Expressway southeast to the Throgs Neck Bridge across the East River. The remainder of the route runs along the Clearview Expressway south through Queens.
Interstate 295 New York Guides
The Cross Bronx Expressway Extension east from the Bruckner Interchange with I-95, I-278, I-678 and Hutchinson River Parkway through Schuylerville opened to traffic on January 11, 1961, the same day as the Throgs Neck Expressway and Throgs Neck suspension Bridge over the East River.1 I-295 between the Bruckner Interchange and the Long Island Expressway (L.I.E.) was initially planned as Interstate 495 in 1958. Interstate 78 was designated along the proposed Clearview Expressway northward from the L.I.E. to the Throgs Neck Bridge by December 1958. North from Throgs Neck, I-78 split into spurs along both the Cross Bronx Expressway Extension and Throgs Neck Expressway.2
With I-78 cancelled through Brooklyn, the Clearview Expressway and I-78 spur along the Cross Bronx Expressway Extension was renumbered as Interstate 295 in 1971. AASHO previously approved the renumbering of the Clearview Expressway as I-295 on June 23, 1969. The I-78 spur along the Throgs Neck Expressway north to I-95 at Country Club, Bronx became I-295 spur. I-295 spur was eventually redesignated as Interstate 695 in 1986.2
The Clearview Expressway, Throgs Neck Bridge and Cross Bronx Expressway Extension were all under construction in 1958.
Representing the most direct route from I-95 to Long Island via connections with Cross Island Parkway, Interstate 495 (L.I.E.) and Grand Central Parkway, I-295 along the Clearview Expressway varies between four and six lanes overall. The Clearview Expressway travels south from the Throgs Neck Bridge at Beechhurst and Bay Terrace to Auburndale, Bayside and Oakland Gardens in Queens. The freeway spurs south of a four level interchange with Grand Central Parkway to a signalized intersection with NY 25 (Hillside Avenue) at Queens Village. Planning for the expressway commenced in 1955 as a route between the proposed Throgs Neck Bridge and the Long Island Expressway. Construction began in 1957 and the freeway was built in two stages. Including the Throgs Neck Bridge approach, the Clearview Expressway opened south to the L.I.E. and 73rd Avenue (Exit 3) by late 1960. The remainder of the freeway between 73rd Avenue and NY 25 (Hillside Avenue) was completed in 1963. The 5.3 mile long freeway cost $50 million to build.3
As originally proposed, Interstate 78 was to extend east from the Holland Tunnel to the Williamsburg Bridge across the Lower Manhattan Expressway. Through Queens, I-78 would have followed the unconstructed Bushwick Expressway to the partially built Nassau Expressway by South Ozone Park. An extension of the Nassau Expressway would connect with the Clearview Expressway leading I-78 north to Queens Village. Planning for the Clearview Expressway extension between the Nassau Expressway and Hillside Avenue occurred in 1957. Two alignments were considered. First was a southeastern course along Francis Lewis Boulevard to a southwest alignment between Farmers and Springfield Boulevards. The second alternative took the freeway southeast to Cross Island Parkway within the vicinity of NY 24 (Exit 26B) and Southern State Parkway (Exits 25A/B), and from there paralleling Belt Parkway to the Nassau Expressway. The 6.3 mile long extension faced funding issues and later community opposition. The $194 million proposal officially was withdrawn from consideration on March 24, 1971 by then-Governor Nelson Rockefeller.3
 scenes |
  | 212th Street leads north directly from Queens Village onto Interstate 295 (Clearview Expressway) north at NY 25 (Hillside Avenue). 06/13/05, 10/03/04 |
 | 212th Street north at Hillside Avenue and I-295. NY 25 (Hillside Avenue) parallels Grand Central Parkway west to Holliswood and east into Nassau County. 06/13/05 |
 | NY 25 (Hillside Avenue) east at the intersection with 212th Street and the northbound beginning of Interstate 295 (Clearview Expressway). 08/29/05 |
 | I-295 northbound entrance ramp from Blair Avenue and the Throgs Neck Expressway service road south at Edgewater Park in Bronx, New York. 08/09/04 |
 | Lawton Avenue connects with I-295 (Throgs Neck Expressway) east from the Throgs Neck community. An entrance ramp joins I-295 south at the Throgs Neck Bridge toll gate from the service road and Harding Avenue nearby. 08/09/04 |
 | Crossing over I-295, Lawton Avenue intersects the Throgs Neck Expressway north side service road two blocks west of the northbound entrance ramp at Blair Avenue. 08/09/04 |
  | Vintage trailblazer for Interstate 95 formerly posted along Randall Avenue west at the Cross Bronx Expressway service road in Throgs Neck. 08/09/04 |
Photo Credits:
- 08/09/04 by AARoads and Carter Buchanan.
- 10/03/04 by AARoads and Carter Buchanan.
- 06/13/05 by AARoads and Justin Cozart.
- 08/29/05 by AARoads.
Connect with:
Interstate 95
Interstate 278
Interstate 495 - Long Island Expressway
Interstate 678
Interstate 695
Page Updated 03-12-2020.