The Cross Bronx Expressway: A Highway’s Legacy of Congestion

The Cross Bronx Expressway, designed to ease traffic through the Bronx, has instead become one of New York’s most infamous bottlenecks. Opened in stages from the 1950s to the 1970s, this highway now sees daily gridlock, with traffic often backing up for miles, particularly at its interchanges with I-87 and I-95.

Originally conceived as part of Robert Moses’ grand vision for New York’s highways, the Cross Bronx has been criticized for its impact on local communities, dividing neighborhoods and contributing to environmental degradation. Its design, which includes narrow lanes and outdated merging patterns, does not accommodate today’s traffic volumes or vehicle sizes.

Attempts to mitigate congestion have included traffic light synchronization, ramp metering, and even proposals for decking over parts of the expressway to reconnect communities. However, these solutions are often met with logistical challenges and funding issues. The expressway’s role in freight movement also complicates matters, as it’s a key corridor for trucks serving the port and beyond.

The Cross Bronx Expressway’s story is one of urban planning lessons, where the cure for congestion has, in some ways, exacerbated the problem, highlighting the need for more thoughtful integration of transportation infrastructure with community needs.