Interstate 895 New York

Interstate 895 New York
I-895 south at Westchester Avenue - Bronx, NY

Interstate 895 southbound at the Westchester and MTA #6 Subway line bridges. 12/15/17

Overview

Interstate 895 followed the Sheridan Expressway north from I-278 (Bruckner Expressway) to I-95 (Cross Bronx Expressway) in Bronx, New York. The wye interchange at the south end includes a left entrance ramp from the southbound Sheridan to the westbound Bruckner Expressway. This configuration remains from when I-278 took the Sheridan Expressway south from the Cross Bronx Expressway.

The Sheridan Expressway branched north from the Bruckner Expressway along an elevated viaduct to Westchester Avenue. I-895 lowered to grade level from there, parallel to the Bronx River to I-95. A partial interchange connects the north end of I-895 with I-95 south and E 177th Street by Tremont Avenue.

An application for the elimination of Interstate 895 was approved by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) at the Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering meeting held on September 24, 2017. The approval follows a TIGER II study that recommended converting the freeway into at-grade boulevard with three signalized intersections.1

History

The Sheridan Expressway between the Bruckner Expressway and I-95 (Cross Bronx Expressway) was completed in 19631 and designated as Interstate 278. Plans at the time extended the freeway 5.2 miles to the New England Thruway (I-95) in the north Bronx as the northernmost leg of I-278. Community opposition however halted work on the route beyond the Cross Bronx Expressway, ultimately leading to its cancellation.

AASHTO deleted I-278 along the unbuilt Sheridan Expressway on June 23, 1969 while renumbering the remaining portion of the freeway as Interstate 895. The meeting also redesignated the Bruckner Expressway east from the Sheridan as I-278 in place of Interstate 878.

Discussion in the mid-2000s involved removing the Sheridan Expressway and converting the freeway into a surface road and linear park. Community leaders previously advocated for the expressway removal in the mid 1990s, but the idea did not gain enough traction to move forward. New York State DOT (NYSDOT) rejected a similar proposal to remove the freeway in July 2010, citing traffic analysis that forced traffic onto local streets. Local advocates turned their attention to the city level, leading to a $1.5 million TIGER grant from the U.S. DOT to study the removal. The subsequent study released by the city in June 2013 recommended a surface road with wide sidewalks and planted buffers. City Council endorsed the plan in March 2014. The plan was eventually approved by NYSDOT,2 and the 2016-17 state budget agreement made in March 2016 included $97 million to decommission the Sheridan Expressway and create an urban boulevard.3

The MPO passed a resolution in April 2017 to reclassify Interstate 895 as an at-grade Urban Arterial. NYSDOT proposals retained the ramp connections at both I-278 to the south and I-95 to the north, with the arterial remaining on the National Network of Qualifying Highways, permitting truck access. Renamed Sheridan Boulevard, the route was renumbered as NY 895.1 Construction on the Arthur Sheridan Enhancement Project started in Fall 2018.

Route Information

  • North End – Bronx, NY
  • South End – Bronx, NY
  • Mileage – 1.12
  • Cities – New York City, Bronx
  • Junctions – I-278 I-95

Source: December 31, 2017 Interstate Route Log and Finders List

I-895 Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT)

Location Vehicles per day
I-278 to Westchester Av 34,921
Westchester Av to I-95 35,242

Source: 2015 AADT NYS Traffic Data Viewer

Bronx, New York - 1961
Bronx, New York – 1961

Future markers for I-278 and I-878 appear along side Bruckner Boulevard as the Bruckner Expressway had yet to be built in 1961.

Bronx, New York - 1971
Bronx, New York – 1971

Numbering changes made in 1969 for I-278 and I-878 in the Bronx coincided with several others city wide. I-495 was removed from the canceled Mid Manhattan Expressway, I-678 was redirected from the Grand Central Parkway west from Flushing onto the rest of the Van Wyck south and I-78 was renumbered as I-295 along the Clearview Expressway and Throgs Neck Bridge.

 Photo Guides

North End I-95 – Bronx, New York City, New York

NY 895 North at I-95 E 177th Street

NY 895 north at Jennings St - Bronx, NY

There is no direct connection from NY 895 north to I-95 (Cross Bronx Expressway) north. An at-grade connection utilizes E 177th Street and ramps at Bronx River Parkway. 05/30/22

NY 895 north at I-95 - Bronx, New York

NY 895 (Sheridan Boulevard) connects with I-95 (Cross Bronx Expressway) southbound to North Jersey and E 177th Street to Tremont Avenue and the West Farms neighborhood beyond the E 174th Street Bridge. 05/30/22

NY 895 north at I-95 - Bronx, New York

Part of $45 million project rehabilitating four bridges along the Cross Bronx Expressway, the loop ramp from NY 895 north to I-95 south closed on January 28, 2022 for reconstruction. Work runs through Fall 2022.<sup>5</sup> 05/30/22

NY 895 north at I-95 - Bronx, New York

Devoe Avenue and E 177th Street north connect the end of NY 895 and Sheridan Boulevard with Tremont Avenue. 05/30/22

NY 895 north at E 177th St - Bronx, New York

E 177th Street leads east to Bronx River Avenue and the Cross Bronx Expressway frontage roads by the northbound entrance ramp to Interstate 95. 05/30/22

NY 895 north at E 177th St - Bronx, New York

Bronx River Parkway travels north from Bruckner Boulevard to Mount Vernon and White Plains. The parkway is only accessible in the northbound direction from the Cross Bronx Expressway service roads beyond E 177th Street. 05/30/22

I-895 North at I-95 E 177th Street

I-895 north at I-95 - Bronx, New York

Interstate 895 advanced one half mile from the Westchester Avenue and MTA #6 Subway line over crossing to meet I-95 (Cross Bronx Expressway) south. 08/29/05

I-895 north at I-95 - Bronx, New York

This sign was carbon copied on a new assembly preceding the signalized intersection joining NY 895 with Jennings Street. 08/29/05

I-895 north at I-95 - Bronx, New York

I-895 (Sheridan Expressway) north separated into single lane ramps for I-95 (Cross Bronx Expressway) south to the George Washington Bridge and E 177th Street to Tremont Avenue. 12/17/17

I-895 north at I-95 - Bronx, New York

A loop ramp joined the north end of I-895 (Sheridan Expressway) with the Cross Bronx Expressway west to New Jersey. 12/17/17

I-895 north at I-95 - Bronx, New York

The left lane of I-895 curved east across the Bronx River to intersect E 177th Street and Devoe Avenue at the West Farms neighborhood. 12/17/17

I-895 north at I-95 - Bronx, New York

Devoe Avenue stems north from Sheridan Boulevard to Tremont Avenue. E 177th Street leads southeast to Cross Bronx Expressway. 12/17/17

E 177th Street at I-895

E 177th St at NY 895 - Bronx, New York

A Breezewood type connection links I-95 (Cross Bronx Expressway) southbound with NY 895 (Sheridan Boulevard) via the north side service road and E 177th Street. These trailblazers appeared at the gore point separating 177th Street from the ramp to Bronx River Avenue south. 12/17/17

E 177th St at NY 895 - Bronx, New York

E 177th Street intersects Bronx Park Avenue at the West Farms community just prior to meeting the entrance ramp for NY 895 (Sheridan Boulevard) south. 12/17/17

E 177th St at NY 895 - Bronx, New York

I-895 commenced southbound across a 1951-built bridge4 spanning the Bronx River from E 177th Street and Devoe Avenue to Interstate 95. 12/17/17

E 177th St at NY 895 - Bronx, New York

Interstate 895 south provided part of the connection between Bronx River Parkway south and I-95 south at one of the three ramps between between Sheridan Boulevard and the Cross Bronx Expressway. 12/17/17

I-95 North at I-895

I-95 north at I-895 - Bronx, New York

Northbound I-95 (Cross Bronx Expressway) at Exit 2B for Webster Avenue and the separation with U.S. 1 north. The advance sign for I-895 (Sheridan Expressway) was removed by 2011 and replaced with a pull through panel referencing New Haven. 06/26/05

I-95 north at I-895 - Bronx, New York

0.3 miles ahead of Interstate 895 south on the Cross-Bronx Expressway eastbound. Button copy signs for I-895 displayed Triboro Bridge for the link with I-278 west. Replacement signs reference RFK Bridge and Hunts Point Market. 06/26/05

I-95 north at I-895 - Bronx, New York

The Bronx River Housing Project rises to the east beyond Exit 4A for the southbound beginning of Interstate 895. 06/26/05

South End I-278 – Bronx, New York City, New York

I-895 South at I-278

I-895 south at I-278 - Bronx, New York

Interstate 895 (Sheridan Expressway) converged with I-278 west at a wye interchange. This was the last southbound shield. 12/17/17

I-895 south at I-278 - Bronx, New York

The Bruckner Expressway (Interstate 278) angles southwest to meet I-87 (Major Deegan Expressway) at the the Robert F. Kennedy (Triborough) Bridge system at Randalls Island. 12/17/17

I-278 East at NY 895

I-278 east at NY 895 - Bronx, New York

A viaduct leads I-278 (Bruckner Expressway) east toward Exit 49 for NY 895 (Sheridan Boulevard) north by Hunts Point. 05/30/22

I-278 east at NY 895 - Bronx, New York

Interstate 278 makes a sharp curve at the separation with the Sheridan Boulevard north. The freeway crosses the Bronx River to the immediate east as NY 895 quickly reaches the Westchester Avenue off-ramp to Hunts Point Market and Industrial Park. 05/30/22

I-278 East at I-895

I-278 east at I-895 - Bronx, New York

Interstate 895 provided the connection from I-278 (Bruckner Expressway) east to I-95 (Cross-Bronx Expressway) west. Initial control points for the Sheridan Expressway were the George Washington Bridge and E Tremont Avenue. 12/17/17

I-278 east at I-895 - Bronx, New York

Other control points formerly used Exit 49 referenced New England for I-278 east to I-95 north and the Throgs Neck Bridge for the connection to I-295 (Cross Bronx Expressway) south. 12/17/17

I-278 east at I-895 - Bronx, New York

Mid 2000s sign replacements changed Exit 46 to Exit 49 and E Tremont Avenue to E 177th Street for I-895 (Sheridan Expressway) north. 08/09/04

I-278 east at I-895 - Bronx, New York

Subsequent sign changes at the split with I-895 also replaced New England with New Haven for the continuation of I-278 east to I-95 north at the Bruckner Interchange. 08/09/04

I-278 east at I-895 - Bronx, New York
I-278 east at I-895 - Bronx, New York

The elevated lanes of I-278 (Bruckner Expressway) split with I-895 (Sheridan Expressway) at a wye interchange (Exit 49). 12/17/17

Sources:

  1. Meeting Minutes, Special Committee on U.S. Route Numbering. https://route.transportation.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/50/2017/06/USRN-01-Minutes-and-Application-results_-AM-Phoenix-2017.pdf AASHTO, September 24, 2017.
  2. “Sheridan Expressway Removal Gets $97 Million Boost in State Budget.” Streetsblog NYC, April 5, 2016.
  3. “Governor Cuomo Announces New York City Highlights of the 2016-17 State Budget Agreement.” (New York) Governor’s Press Office, April 1, 2016.
  4. Rte I895 over Bronx River, Bronx County, New York. BridgeReports.com.
  5. “Long-Term Closure of Entrance Ramp from Northbound Sheridan Boulevard to Southbound Cross Bronx Expressway (I-95) in the Bronx, on or about January 28, 2022 through Fall 2022.” New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), traveler advisory. January 26, 2022.

Page updated June 6, 2022.