Kew Gardens Grand Central Pkwy Exit To Close Mornings This Week

KEW GARDENS, QUEENS -- Heads up to anyone making an early-morning commute through Queens this week: The westbound Union Turnpike entrance ramp onto Grand Central Parkway will be closed during the early morning hours, state officials said Monday.

The Kew Gardens ramp onto westbound Grand Central Parkway will be closed from 12 to 5 a.m. on Tuesday through Saturday for construction, according to the New York State Department of Transportation.

Contractors are shutting the ramp down during the predawn hours to build structural steel for the new southbound Van Wyck overpass, part of a $110 million construction project to revamp the Kew Gardens Interchange, NYSDOT said.

Drivers who usually use the ramp are advised to continue along a signed detour route in the right lane of westbound Union Turnpike and turn right onto Park Drive East. From there, turn left onto Jewel Avenue and then right at the Grand Central Parkway westbound entrance.

The agency also warns drivers to drive carefully through the construction zone and reminds that speeding fines double in a work zone.

For the latest up-to-date travel information, view this interactive traffic map, call 511 or follow the New York State DOT on Twitter.

(Lead photo courtesy of the New York State Department of Transportation)