History New York State Route 440

the dr. martin luther king jr. expressway, southbound, walker street.

ny 440 designated in 1949, beginning @ outerbridge crossing , ending @ bayonne bridge, today; however, route routed on drumgoole boulevard , richmond avenue in between 2 bridges. in 1950s, proposals surfaced willowbrook parkway, extend staten island marine park (later great kills park , part of gateway national recreation area) on island s east shore bayonne bridge via egbertville , bulls head. second highway, west shore expressway, proposed c. 1961. proposed, begin @ outerbridge crossing , run along west shore of staten island meet clove lakes expressway (i-278) near goethals bridge.

the first section of willowbrook parkway—from i-278 north modern exit 13—was completed 1965. short extension south victory boulevard opened traffic 1968. highway renamed willowbrook expressway time. never extended past victory boulevard opposition both local property owners , environmental activists prevented construction of rest of highway. original route has never been formally demapped, however. ny 440 realigned follow willowbrook expressway 1970.

drumgoole boulevard transformed limited-access highway in late 1960s , 1970s , renamed richmond parkway (now korean war veterans parkway) c. 1973; however, ny 440 continued follow parkway. segment of west shore expressway southwest of huguenot avenue opened c. 1973 , became part of realigned ny 440 on july 1, 1977. ny 440 left expressway @ huguenot avenue , followed arthur kill road east richmond avenue, continued north on original alignment. former alignment of ny 440 on richmond parkway redesignated temporary ny 440. when west shore expressway completed in 1976, temporary ny 440 designation eliminated while ny 440 shifted westward follow west shore , clove lakes expressways between huguenot avenue , willowbrook expressway.

in mid-1960s, officials in new jersey , new york considered extending i-287 designation eastward current terminus @ new jersey turnpike (i-95) staten island via new jersey route 440 , richmond parkway. idea temporarily dropped afterward. however, still reconsider these plans in future. in 1990, willowbrook expressway renamed dr. martin luther king jr. expressway in honor of martin luther king jr, slain civil rights leader. however, still called willowbrook expressway many locals today. west shore expressway ceremonially designated pearl harbor expressway new york governor george pataki in 1999. however, expressway s official name did not change.