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State Finishes $7M Construction Project on West Shore Expressway

By Nicholas Rizzi | September 30, 2014 2:00pm
 The state completed a $7 million construction project, which opened two new ramps, on the West Shore Expressway in Staten Island.
The state completed a $7 million construction project, which opened two new ramps, on the West Shore Expressway in Staten Island.
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Flickr/Doug Kerr

CHARLESTON — A $7 million project to reduce traffic and ease access on the West Shore Expressway has been completed, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Tuesday.

The project included the reconstruction of the exit ramp leading to Eaglewood Avenue and a new entrance south of Bloomingdale Road on Veterans Road West, which both opened this week, Cuomo said.

“Improving infrastructure and reducing congestion is critical to connecting the Staten Island community,” Cuomo said in a statement.

“With this new configuration, there will be better traffic flow on a major artery of the West Shore Expressway, improving access for businesses, commuters and residents.”

With the new improvements, drivers on the expressway now have a direct lane to get to the Outerbridge Crossing, removing the need for cars to change lanes to cross, Cuomo said.

The new exit 3A at Eaglewood Avenue will also give drivers an easier route to get to nearby shopping centers in Charleston and avoid traffic heading to the bridge, Cuomo said.

"The West Shore Expressway is a crucial transportation artery for many Staten Islanders, especially South Shore residents," Borough President James Oddo said in a release.

"These improvements will help improve traffic flow, increase safety and help provide better access to several South Shore neighborhoods."

The contractor for the project will continue to work on adding lighting, guide rails, drainage and striping of the highway, along with replanting the 340 trees and 100 bushes removed during the work.