Construction on the third and final phase of the transformative $1.7 billion Hunts Point Access Improvement Project in New York City's South Bronx has been completed, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Nov. 17, 2025.

It represents the final milestone in the transformation of the South Bronx, which was designed to strengthen neighborhoods, improve mobility and provide new recreational opportunities and access to the area's green space.

Managed by the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), the six-year project streamlined access to the Hunts Point Market and directed thousands of heavy commercial vehicles away from neighborhood streets to ease congestion, enhance safety and improve air quality by reducing vehicle emissions.

At the same time, the project also created new shared-use paths and provided new connections to area parks and the Bronx River waterfront that will strengthen communities and improve quality of life, according to a news release from Hochul's office.

This level of investment is a game changer in the South Bronx, restoring east-west connections throughout the borough that were not in place before the initiation of the project.

"For far too long, residents of the South Bronx have contended with heavy truck traffic in their neighborhoods and all the problems that resulted, including high asthma rates and poor health outcomes," Hochul said. "Thanks to this project we have taken thousands of trucks headed to the Hunts Point Market off local streets every day and added further fuel to the growing resurgence of the South Bronx with less congested streets, cleaner air and exciting new recreational opportunities along the Bronx River waterfront."

The Hunts Point Market is the nation's largest food distribution center and plays a vital role in New York City's food chain, supplying more than 60 percent of its meat, fish and produce. It also is a vital economic engine for the Bronx, generating more than $2 billion in annual economic activity.

The completed project created direct access to Hunts Point from both the Bruckner Expressway and Sheridan Boulevard, removing tens of thousands of commercial vehicles from local streets and alleviating congestion.

Range of Different Improvements Made Over Three Phases

The Hunts Point Project builds on the success of a $75 million project that converted the Sheridan Expressway into Sheridan Boulevard, completed in 2019 at the request of local officials who pushed for new east-west connections and pedestrian facilities in the area.

Despite carrying relatively little traffic for an interstate, the old Sheridan Expressway walled off the neighborhoods of Crotona, West Farms and Soundview from nearby green space and forced residents to take long routes to reach Starlight Park. By replacing an underused highway with a neighborhood-friendly boulevard, the project restored access to the Bronx River waterfront and other vital public green spaces.

The effort was completed under budget and accomplished in three overlapping phases.

The initial phase, which concluded in October 2022, focused on:

• Removing heavy truck traffic from local streets by constructing three new ramps to Edgewater Road. These included a new two-way ramp from Sheridan Boulevard and a connection from the eastbound Bruckner Expressway.

• Edgewater Road also was resurfaced and outfitted with new traffic signals at Seneca and Garrison Avenues to enhance safety.

• Four bridges over Amtrak and CSX rail lines were replaced and the Bryant Avenue pedestrian bridge was reconstructed.

• Garrison Park was upgraded with new landscaping, Bronx River overlooks and a formal entrance featuring a signalized rail crossing.

• A new shared-use path was created to connect Garrison Park with Concrete Plant Park, extending the Bronx River Greenway.

• Another 15,000 sq. ft. of "Bronx River Open Space" also was created beneath the rehabilitated Bronx River Avenue viaduct for residents to enjoy.

The second phase, which ended in the summer of 2023, included:

• The reconstruction of 1.25 mi. of the old Bruckner Expressway and new ramps linking the westbound Bruckner to Leggett Avenue, providing a more direct route into Hunts Point.

• A 1.75-mi. stretch of Bruckner Boulevard was rebuilt with 15 intersections, which were upgraded with new sidewalks, curbs, medians and crosswalks.

• A 1.5-mi. shared-use path was added along Bruckner Boulevard that connects to Randall's Island, Manhattan and the Bronx River Greenway.

In Phase 3, which started in late 2022, the state's focus was on eliminating long-standing bottlenecks and preparing the corridor for the future. Work in this portion of the Hunts Point Access project Included:

• A complete reconstruction of the Bruckner Expressway and Sheridan Boulevard with relocated ramps to simplify traffic movements in each direction;

• Upgraded signage for greater clarity;

• New pavement, sidewalks and bikeways were installed along the eastbound and westbound Bruckner Boulevard;

• Improved local street designs to enhance pedestrian safety with shorter crosswalks and better signalization and lighting; and

• A shared-use path to connect a variety of other paths from 141st Street to the Bronx River bikeways.

In addition, a new 111-space parking lot with 24 electric vehicle charging stations, including four rapid charge spots to better accommodate electric vehicles, was constructed under the Bruckner Expressway to help enhance air quality in the South Bronx.

South Bronx's Latest Upgrades Proving to Be Big Hit

"Governor Kathy Hochul is making historic transportation infrastructure investments in the South Bronx that are moving people and goods more efficiently, enhancing public safety, improving health outcomes and quality of life and in doing so, fundamentally connecting and strengthening the entire Hunts Point community," said Marie Therese Dominguez, NYSDOT's commissioner.

She added that New York State "is leading the nation in transformative infrastructure investments to connect communities, and this project does exactly that — getting trucks off neighborhood roads, creating pedestrian connections so residents can safely access Concrete and Starlite parks and the Bronx River."

By working with the South Bronx community, Dominguez said, her department under Hochul "is investing in infrastructure solutions that make a positive and meaningful difference in the lives of Bronxites."

New York Assemblymember Emérita Torres represents the South Bronx, including Hunts Point. She applauded the state's attention to her district and its efforts to bring the much-needed project to a successful conclusion.

"The completion of the Hunts Point Access Improvement Project's third and final phase marks an important moment for the South Bronx," she said. "Our communities have historically carried the burden of truck congestion, poor air quality and dismal health disparities thanks to poorly planned transportation infrastructure. This project changes that.

"Notably, this investment reconnects communities, creates new pathways to our Bronx River Waterfront and offers recreational spaces that will improve our quality of life for generations," Torres added. "I'm grateful to Governor Hochul, NYSDOT Commissioner Dominguez. and all our partners for prioritizing environmental justice and delivering a project that … corrects the poor urban infrastructure of the past and delivers for our community's future."

As the Hunts Point Access Improvement Project concludes, NYSDOT remains committed to continuing its engagement with the community in the South Bronx.

The state agency is currently advancing the environmental process for a future project to replace or rehabilitate five bridges on the Cross Bronx Expressway to enhance public safety and preserve a vital travel artery that serves approximately 150,000 vehicles each day.