Major Deegan Expressway
Encyclopedia
The Major Deegan Expressway (officially the Major William Francis Deegan Expressway) is a north–south expressway in the New York City
borough of the Bronx
. It is the southernmost 8.38 miles (13.5 km) of Interstate 87 (I-87), beginning at I-278
at the interchange of the Bruckner Expressway
and the Triboro Bridge in the south Bronx and ending at the Westchester County
line in Yonkers
, where the New York State Thruway
begins. In between, the Major Deegan Expressway winds through Van Cortlandt Park
, intersects with I-95
(the Cross Bronx Expressway) near the George Washington Bridge
, and passes by Yankee Stadium
on its eastern flank.
The expressway was opened in 1956 and became part of I-87 when that highway was assigned as part of the creation of the Interstate Highway System
in 1957. Commonly known as "The Deegan", it is named for William Francis Deegan
, who was a Major in the Army Corps of Engineers and a Democratic
political leader in New York City.
The origins of the Major Deegan Expressway date back to 1936 when the Regional Plan Association
concluded that in order to relieve New York City
's traffic problems, a limited-access, truck-accessible expressway should be built on the west side of the Bronx
. This route would connect the brand-new Triborough Bridge to the proposed New York State Thruway
in Westchester County
. A 1.5 miles (2.4 km) section of the expressway from the bridge to the Grand Concourse
was completed in April 1939. The highway was adorned with Whitestone-style light posts placed every 75 feet (23 m) of the 6-lane highway, each of which were 12 feet (3.7 m) in width. The expressway was designated as NY 1B ca. 1941; however, the designation was removed by 1947.
In 1945, public works planner Robert Moses
proposed extending the highway to the proposed Thruway. The plan began to come along in 1950, as the lower part of Tibbets Brook—located alongside the New York and Putnam Railroad—was put underground to make room for the new highway. The present alignment was opened in 1956 and became part of I-87
when that highway was assigned as part of the creation of the Interstate Highway System
in August 1957.
In the wake of former New York Yankees
player Joe DiMaggio
's death on March 8, 1999, Governor George Pataki
proposed renaming the Deegan Expressway to the "Joe DiMaggio Highway". However, New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani favored renaming the West Side Highway
for DiMaggio instead. A week later, Pataki agreed to Giuliani's proposal.
).
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
borough of the Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
. It is the southernmost 8.38 miles (13.5 km) of Interstate 87 (I-87), beginning at I-278
Interstate 278
Interstate 278 is an auxiliary Interstate Highway in New Jersey and New York, United States. The road runs from U.S. Route 1/9 in Linden, New Jersey to the Bruckner Interchange in the New York City borough of the Bronx...
at the interchange of the Bruckner Expressway
Bruckner Expressway
The Bruckner Expressway is a freeway in The Bronx. It carries Interstate 278 and Interstate 95 from the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge to the south end of the New England Thruway at the Pelham Parkway interchange....
and the Triboro Bridge in the south Bronx and ending at the Westchester County
Westchester County, New York
Westchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Westchester covers an area of and has a population of 949,113 according to the 2010 Census, residing in 45 municipalities...
line in Yonkers
Yonkers, New York
Yonkers is the fourth most populous city in the state of New York , and the most populous city in Westchester County, with a population of 195,976...
, where the New York State Thruway
New York State Thruway
The New York State Thruway is a system of limited-access highways located within the state of New York in the United States. The system, known officially as the Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway for former New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey, is operated by the New York State Thruway Authority and...
begins. In between, the Major Deegan Expressway winds through Van Cortlandt Park
Van Cortlandt Park
Van Cortlandt Park is a park located in the Bronx in New York City. It is the fourth largest park in New York City, behind Pelham Bay Park, Flushing Meadows Park and Staten Island Greenbelt....
, intersects with I-95
Interstate 95 in New York
Interstate 95 is a part of the Interstate Highway System that runs from Miami, Florida, to the Canada – United States border near Houlton, Maine. In the U.S. state of New York, I-95 extends from the George Washington Bridge in New York City to the Connecticut state line at Port Chester...
(the Cross Bronx Expressway) near the George Washington Bridge
George Washington Bridge
The George Washington Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Hudson River, connecting the Washington Heights neighborhood in the borough of Manhattan in New York City to Fort Lee, Bergen County, New Jersey. Interstate 95 and U.S. Route 1/9 cross the river via the bridge. U.S...
, and passes by Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium
Yankee Stadium was a stadium located in The Bronx in New York City, New York. It was the home ballpark of the New York Yankees from 1923 to 1973 and from 1976 to 2008. The stadium hosted 6,581 Yankees regular season home games during its 85-year history. It was also the former home of the New York...
on its eastern flank.
The expressway was opened in 1956 and became part of I-87 when that highway was assigned as part of the creation of the Interstate Highway System
Interstate Highway System
The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, , is a network of limited-access roads including freeways, highways, and expressways forming part of the National Highway System of the United States of America...
in 1957. Commonly known as "The Deegan", it is named for William Francis Deegan
William Francis Deegan
William Francis Deegan was an architect, Major in the Army Corps of Engineers, and Democratic political leader in New York City.-Biography:He was born on December 28, 1882to Irish immigrants...
, who was a Major in the Army Corps of Engineers and a Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
political leader in New York City.
History
Regional Plan Association
The Regional Plan Association is an independent, not-for-profit regional planning organization, founded in 1922, that focuses on recommendations to improve the quality of life and economic competitiveness of the 31-county New York-New Jersey-Connecticut region...
concluded that in order to relieve New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
's traffic problems, a limited-access, truck-accessible expressway should be built on the west side of the Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
. This route would connect the brand-new Triborough Bridge to the proposed New York State Thruway
New York State Thruway
The New York State Thruway is a system of limited-access highways located within the state of New York in the United States. The system, known officially as the Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway for former New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey, is operated by the New York State Thruway Authority and...
in Westchester County
Westchester County, New York
Westchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Westchester covers an area of and has a population of 949,113 according to the 2010 Census, residing in 45 municipalities...
. A 1.5 miles (2.4 km) section of the expressway from the bridge to the Grand Concourse
Grand Concourse (Bronx)
The Grand Concourse is a major thoroughfare in the borough of the Bronx in New York City...
was completed in April 1939. The highway was adorned with Whitestone-style light posts placed every 75 feet (23 m) of the 6-lane highway, each of which were 12 feet (3.7 m) in width. The expressway was designated as NY 1B ca. 1941; however, the designation was removed by 1947.
In 1945, public works planner Robert Moses
Robert Moses
Robert Moses was the "master builder" of mid-20th century New York City, Long Island, Rockland County, and Westchester County, New York. As the shaper of a modern city, he is sometimes compared to Baron Haussmann of Second Empire Paris, and is one of the most polarizing figures in the history of...
proposed extending the highway to the proposed Thruway. The plan began to come along in 1950, as the lower part of Tibbets Brook—located alongside the New York and Putnam Railroad—was put underground to make room for the new highway. The present alignment was opened in 1956 and became part of I-87
Interstate 87
Interstate 87 is a Interstate Highway located entirely within New York State in the United States of America. I-87 is the longest intrastate Interstate highway in the Interstate Highway System. Its southern end is at the Bronx approaches of the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge in New York City...
when that highway was assigned as part of the creation of the Interstate Highway System
Interstate Highway System
The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, , is a network of limited-access roads including freeways, highways, and expressways forming part of the National Highway System of the United States of America...
in August 1957.
In the wake of former New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
player Joe DiMaggio
Joe DiMaggio
Joseph Paul "Joe" DiMaggio , nicknamed "Joltin' Joe" and "The Yankee Clipper," was an American Major League Baseball center fielder who played his entire 13-year career for the New York Yankees. He is perhaps best known for his 56-game hitting streak , a record that still stands...
's death on March 8, 1999, Governor George Pataki
George Pataki
George Elmer Pataki is an American politician who was the 53rd Governor of New York. A member of the Republican Party, Pataki served three consecutive four-year terms from January 1, 1995 until December 31, 2006.- Early life :...
proposed renaming the Deegan Expressway to the "Joe DiMaggio Highway". However, New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani favored renaming the West Side Highway
West Side Highway
The West Side Highway is a mostly surface section of New York State Route 9A that runs from West 72nd Street along the Hudson River to the southern tip of Manhattan. It replaced the West Side Elevated Highway, built between 1929 and 1951, which was shut down in 1973 due to neglect and lack of...
for DiMaggio instead. A week later, Pataki agreed to Giuliani's proposal.
Exit list
The entire route is in Bronx County (the BronxThe Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
).
| Mile | Exit | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.00 | Southbound exit and northbound entrance | ||
| 1 | Brook Avenue | No northbound exit | |
| 0.57 | 2 | Willis Avenue – Third Avenue Bridge | |
| 1.20 | 3 | Grand Concourse Grand Concourse (Bronx) The Grand Concourse is a major thoroughfare in the borough of the Bronx in New York City... / East 138th Street – Madison Avenue Bridge Madison Avenue Bridge The Madison Avenue Bridge crosses the Harlem River connecting Madison Avenue in Manhattan with East 138th Street in the Bronx in New York City. The bridge is operated and maintained by the New York City Department of Transportation. It was designed by Alfred P... |
|
| 4 | East 149th Street – 145th Street Bridge 145th Street Bridge The 145th Street Bridge, located in New York City, USA, is a four-lane swing bridge that crosses the Harlem River, connecting 145th Street and Lenox Avenue in Manhattan with East 149th Street and River Avenue in the Bronx. It once carried northbound New York State Route 22 and New York State Route... |
Northbound exit only | |
| 2.44 | 5 | East 161st Street – Macombs Dam Bridge Macombs Dam Bridge Macombs Dam Bridge is a swing bridge that spans the Harlem River in New York City, connecting the boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx near Yankee Stadium. It is the third-oldest bridge in New York City and was designated an official landmark in January 1992... |
Yankee Stadium Yankee Stadium Yankee Stadium was a stadium located in The Bronx in New York City, New York. It was the home ballpark of the New York Yankees from 1923 to 1973 and from 1976 to 2008. The stadium hosted 6,581 Yankees regular season home games during its 85-year history. It was also the former home of the New York... |
| 6 | East 153rd Street / River Avenue Yankee Stadium | Northbound exit is via exit 5 | |
| 3.43 | 7 | Signed as exits 7N (north) and 7S (south) | |
| 8 | West 179th Street | Northbound exit and entrance | |
| 4.83 | 9 | West Fordham Road – University Heights Bridge | |
| 5.93 | 10 | West 230th Street | |
| 6.70 | 11 | Van Cortlandt Park South | |
| 7.14 | 12 | Northbound exit and southbound entrance | |
| 7.55 | 13 | East 233rd Street | |
| 14 | McLean Avenue | Northbound exit only; ramp accesses the service road in the Bronx but McLean Avenue is in Westchester County Westchester County, New York Westchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Westchester covers an area of and has a population of 949,113 according to the 2010 Census, residing in 45 municipalities... |
|
| 8.38 | Continuation into Westchester County |