Route 895 - Sheridan Boulevard
New York Route 895 follows Sheridan Boulevard north from I-278 (Bruckner Expressway) to I-95 (Cross Bronx Expressway) and E 177th Street in Bronx, New York. Opened in 1963, the Sheridan Expressway was previously a part of I-278, with a planned 5.2 mile extension northward to the New England Thruway (I-95). With community opposition cancelling the route, the short connector between the Cross-Bronx Expressway (I-95) and I-278 by Hunts Point Market was renumbered as Interstate 895 in 1970.1
The Sheridan Expressway was converted into an urban arterial between Westchester Avenue and the Cross-Bronx Expressway, as part the Arthur Sheridan Enhancement Project. Costing $97 million, construction got underway in Fall 2018. Three signalized intersections with pedestrian crosswalks were added in addition to a wide planted median and a pedestrian overpass at Starlight Park. Interstate 895 was renumbered as New York State Route 895 and renamed Sheridan Boulevard.
Efforts to remove the Sheridan Expressway gained traction in 2011, when New York City received a federal TIGER II grant for a neighborhood study and improved access to Hunts Point. The study recommended converting I-895 to an at-grade boulevard with three signalized intersections. The MPO concurred in April 2017, advocating that I-895 be reclassified as an Urban Arterial. Subsequent actions by AASHTO approved the elimination of Interstate 895 on September 24, 2017.1
The wye interchange joining the Bruckner Expressway (I-278) with the Sheridan Expressway was reconfigured with the ramp to NY 895 reduced to a single lane. Speed limits on Sheridan Boulevard were posted at 30 miles per hour. Travel lanes are 11 feet wide, and a two-way dedicated bike path accompanies the east side of the roadway north to E 172nd Street. At-grade intersections connect with Jennings Street, E 172nd Street and E 173rd Streets.2
North
The first northbound Interstate 895 reassurance shield was posted within the wye interchange separating the Sheridan Expressway from the Bruckner Expressway (I-278 east). It was removed by 2005 and never replaced.
12/17/17
NY 895 curves northeast along an elevated viaduct from the split with I-278 toward Westchester Avenue and the East Tremont neighborhood of the Bronx.
12/17/17
The Westchester Avenue off-ramp departs NY 895 northbound. Westchester Avenue spans the Bronx River between East Tremont and Soundview, comprising a longer route between Mott Haven and Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx.
12/17/17
Westchester Avenue spans the Sheridan Expressway across a 1964-built bridge. The girder bridge above carries the #6 Subway MTA line over both roadways and the adjacent AMTRAK Northeast Corridor and the Bronx River.
12/17/17
NY 895 sinks below the Westchester Avenue and MTA overpasses on the half mile approach to Interstate 95 (Cross-Bronx Expressway). The Arthur Sheridan Enhancement Project converted the ensuing stretch to a 30-mph boulevard.
12/17/17
The Sheridan Expressway lowered to grade level ahead of Jennings Street, where the first of three signalized intersections was built along NY 895 northbound. The forthcoming exchange with I-95 is incomplete, requiring motorists to make a Breezewood style connection to reach the Cross Bronx Expressway east via E 177th Street to Bronx River Parkway.
12/17/17
Passing by Starlight Spark, a slip ramp connected Westchester Avenue with I-895 north a quarter mile from the loop ramp to the Cross-Bronx Expressway west to the George Washington Bridge and Trenton, New Jersey. A turn-off for Starlight Park was constructed in place of this on-ramp.
12/17/17
Traffic along NY 895 north partitions into single lane ramps for I-95 south and E 177th Street below the 174th Street Bridge. I-95 travels west by Crotona Park to Morris Heights, Highbridge and the Alexander Hamilton Bridge across the Harlem River.
12/17/17
Continuing below the Cross Bronx Expressway, traffic separates for I-95 south and the NY 895 spur across the Bronx River to E 177th Street at West Farms.
12/17/17
The single-lane ramp to 177th Street intersects Devoe Avenue at the freeway end. Devoe Avenue leads north to Tremont Avenue, a through street between East Tremont, West Farms and Westchester.
08/29/05
Sheridan Boulevard northbound ties into the signalized intersection with Devoe Avenue and 177th Street. 177th Street extends two blocks east to the Cross-Bronx Expressway frontage street interchange with Bronx River Parkway.
08/29/05
E 177th Street turns south with ramps to the Cross Bronx Expressway frontage road system, which spans the adjacent Bronx River Parkway.
08/29/05
The E 177th Street ramp intersects the Cross Bronx Expressway westbound frontage road. Beyond the I-95 viaduct, the ramp proceeds to the eastbound frontage road ahead of entrance ramps for both directions of I-95.
08/29/05
There is no direct connection from I-95 (Cross Bronx Expressway) southbound to Sheridan Boulevard. Instead, motorists are directed onto the north side frontage street to Bronx River Parkway and E 177th Street through the West Farms neighborhood to reach NY 895.
12/17/17
These trailblazers appeared at the ramp to E 177th Street, above Bronx River Parkway and by Noble Playground park.
12/17/17
E 177th Street travels two blocks west to Sheridan Boulevard south. An entrance ramp to the Cross Bronx Expressway west to the George Washington Bridge follows.
12/17/17
Bronx Park Avenue links Tremont Avenue with E 177th Street one block ahead of Sheridan Boulevard.
12/17/17
Devoe Street stems north from the end of NY 895 to Tremont Avenue and E 180th Street at Bronx Park.
12/17/17
NY 895 begins and crosses the Bronx River to the immediate south of E 177th Street and Devoe Avenue.
12/17/17
South
Only three ramps connect NY 895 and the Cross Bronx Expressway by the Crotona Park East community. The incomplete interchange was the result of the unbuilt Sheridan Expressway north. I-95 leads west from here to Crotona Park, Highbridge and Washington Heights ahead of the George Washington Bridge.
12/17/17
A single lane ramp passes over West Farms Road, linking I-95 northbound with Sheridan Boulevard southbound.
08/09/04
The ramps from Interstate 95 and E 177th Street merge ahead of the E 174th Street Bridge over the adjacent Bronx River and the AMTRAK Northeast Corridor. 174th Street connects with Boston Road and the MTA Station for the 2 and 5 subway lines.
08/09/04
The 174th Street Bridge across NY 895 dates back to 1909. The 765 foot long through truss bridge was reconstructed in 1988.3
12/17/17
An auxiliary lane opened south from the 174th Street Bridge to the Whitlock Avenue off-ramp to Westchester Avenue. Westchester Avenue originates at the confluence of E 150th Street and 3rd Avenue in the Mott Haven section of the Bronx. Whitlock Avenue parallels NY 895 southward to Bruckner Boulevard and Hunts Point.
12/17/17
West Farms Road runs directly alongside NY 895 between E 173rd and Jennings Street. The Arthur Sheridan Enhancement Project added a signalized intersection with the five lane boulevard at E 172nd Street and the three to 15-story Compass Residences complex where this marker for I-895 was located.
12/17/17
Traffic onto Whitlock Avenue for Westchester Avenue departed from I-895 south. Westchester Avenue crosses the Bronx River east of Sheridan Boulevard into the Bronx River neighborhood.
The Arthur Sheridan Enhancement Project expanded the southbound off-ramp for Westchester Avenue to two lanes.
12/17/17
A 1915-built girder bridge carrying the Metro #6 subway crosses over both Westchester Avenue and Sheridan Boulevard.4 Two lanes continue south to the merge with Interstate 278 (Bruckner Expressway) west to the RFK (Triborough) Bridge.
12/17/17
The final reassurance marker for Interstate 895 appeared along the viaduct leading to I-278 west by E 165th Street. Sign plans replaced this assembly with a NY 895 marker.
12/17/17
NY 895 defaults onto the Bruckner Expressway west ahead of Port Morris, the Major Deegan Expressway (I-87) and the RFK Bridge south to Manhattan and Queens. An end shield for I-895 preceded the left entrance ramp onto I-278.
12/17/17
A previous set of shields at the wye interchange joining I-895 south with Interstate 278 west.
08/09/04
References:
- AASHTO Annual Meeting 2017 Route Numbering Applications - Meeting Minutes. AASHTO Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering, September 24, 2017.
- Arthur Sheridan Enhancement Project S.H. 60-1 (NY-895). New York Department of Transportation, project plans.
- 174th Street over Rte I895, Bronx River, A, Bronx County, New York. BridgeReports.com.
- NYCRapid Transit- Westchester Avenue Bridge. Bridgehunter.com.
Photo Credits:
- ABRoads: 12/17/17
- AARoads: 08/29/05
- Alex Nitzman, Carter Buchanan: 08/09/04
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Page Updated Thursday March 05, 2020.