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| Under the BQE on Northern Blvd. (Rte 25A) |
I didn't expect the BQE to show up in Dave Caldwell's excellent piece in today's Times about scenic roadways, "
Are We There Yet? Who Cares! Enjoy the View." But, returning to NYC after a couple weeks on the more-or-less open road, including the bucolic Merritt Parkway, it struck me how little the name Brooklyn Queens Expressway is actually used on signage. Does the Grand Central Parkway (Rte. 678, I think) or the Merritt (Rte. 15) get the same treatment? Where's the love?
Actually it would make it easier to understand - I can never remember what the road number is...what is it? 278? 287? And for goodness sake, which way is east and which is west? Would it kill them to put a destination on some of those signs so we know if we are going to Staten Island or the Triboro?
ReplyDeleteThe Grand Central Parkway is not a numbered road.
ReplyDeleteNumbered roads are part of the the Interstate system of HIGHWAYs (I-###) (roads for trucks/federally funded)
Local and state roads have Rte names.
The Van Wyck (a continuation of the Whitestone Expressway) is I-678. (not Rte 678) It runs parallel to Grand Central for a few miles (most evidently from the LIE (I-495) to Kew Gardens. (where the Grand Central turns, and once again becomes an easterly road (vs a southern)path.
These 2 roads (one a state road(grand central) and one an Interstate highway) form the east and west bounderies (for the most part) of Flushing Meadow Park
Parkways (i.e.,Grand Central PARKWAY) are for NON commercial (and used to also be NON TRUCK) traffic. but nowdays, SUV's and mini- buses can be found on the parkways. In my youth--VW buses (even those with all the seats in them) were prohibitted.)
Most of the parkways have low overpasses (under 10foot of clearance)--in a game i call Parkway bingo--I listen to traffic reports--and try to guess which parkway (in NY, NJ or CT) will have delays on any given day because of a tractor-trailer stuck on one of these roads.
Its a rare day there isn't one!
Out side of NYC these are state roads, and traffic is monitored by state (ny) mounties, in brown cars/uniforms. The same is true in NJ (state roads) and i think in CT. (but not sure)
Thanks to the Research Bureau for the corrections!
ReplyDelete