STATEN ISLAND — The state has completed a $118.5 million project to build a new carpool and bus lane on the Staten Island Expressway, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced on Wednesday.
The new lane is now open 24/7 from the Victory Boulevard exit to the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge in both directions of the highway.
Cuomo said it will have strict enforcement around the clock to ensure only buses and cars with three or more people are driving in it.
“The Staten Island Expressway is the lifeblood of Richmond County's transportation network and we’ve made it a top priority to improve access and make travel along this corridor easier and more efficient," Cuomo said in a statement.
“This lane extension will further encourage carpooling and transit use to reduce congestion and auto emissions — which means a better experience for commuters and residents alike.”
The HOV/bus lane is part of a massive construction project on the expressway started by the state's Department of Transportation in 2010, the Staten Island Advance reported.
The project also includes adding a new drainage system, pavement, lights, signs, soundwalls, rehabbing three bridges and building an extra lane between Bradley Avenue and Clove Road on the highway.
All work on the project is scheduled to be finished by the end of the year, Cuomo said.
"It has been a difficult few years for Staten Islanders who have had to deal with multiple road projects on and around the Staten Island Expressway taking place simultaneously," Borough President James Oddo said in a statement.
"We are finally seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. This HOV lane will make a positive impact on the lives of Staten Islanders — and when the Verrazano Bridge project is complete there will be a seamless express bus ride from Victory Boulevard to Downtown Manhattan."
