On most occasions the Belt Parkway is a neverending sh!tshow. Whether it's road maintenance work in the middle of the day or just the general traffic conditions that exist way into the night...... you're almost assured to be aggravated with any journey. East to West......West to East...... it'll probably raise your blood pressure a few points. My favorite part are the motorists who travel at a high rate of speed (when possible), change lanes erratically without signaling then proceed to jam on their brakes a short distance in front of them because of another traffic jam. The problem is, you're not left with many choices when traveling from the south shore of Long Island into Brooklyn. But hey, it's New York and you learn to live with it I guess. read more

A main highway to use in Queens and Brooklyn. The structure is in good shape some bumps. Safe driving everyone

Todays drive means another review this time regarding vehicular safety specifically. The parkway is many environs and phases with multiple agencies responsible thus no reliable straight forward maintenance description. My usual segment is from its eastern terminus at the Southern Parkway to the Knapp St exit thus includes most of the newest of the Seven Sisters bridges reconstructed this decade. Their width, interstate standard design, attentive maintenance, and safe sightlines makes them a major pleasure especially in a city where the typical road is the opposite. The recent weather has exposed to everyone's awareness how this roadway will be easily inundated in any storm. Solutions are more building for it since global political willpower won't come in time. I've never ever seen NYPD Highway Patrol actually patrol this highway and aggressive racers are a regular problem here so I would note this to my elected officials though there is easy plausible deniability due to the many districts the parkway traverses. read more

I have a love/hate relationship with the BELT! But mostly with Love. But hate the traffic...ugh!!! On one hand, DA BELT, it is an unchanged relic from my childhood, teen, years, and early adulthood. On the other hand, it was always plagued by gradually escalating traffic eon after eon. It was the main practical way to get anywhere from my Brooklyn Marine Park/Flatbush home/apartment until I finally moved to Manhattan in my twenties, where I was blessed with a rent controlled one bedroom apartment, owned by our Slovak Lutheran Church, on the fringe of Gramercy Park on 20th & 1st. Ave., for less than $400 a month! I was obviously blessed by God in the beginning, but since I have changed over to Zen Buddhism, I think whomever is up there may be pissed at me. No matter... It was hard to get to the CITY (Manhattan), Queen's, or really anywhere out of Brooklyn, except for Ocean Parkway, unless you used the BELT. Via the BELT, My dear departed poor Mom used to drag us like beloved little kittens all the way to Jone's Beach (for the pool or jumping into waves), Hempstead State Park (for BBQ's), or to visit her best friend OH, who had kids our age to play. What was funny, was that my Mom used to curse like a drunken KKK racist sailor way before "road rage" was even coined. She used extended colorful curses in long rants that insulted every race or religion of man you could imagine. When I was just 5 years old, I asked my Mom that if all drivers are Morons, then how about us...she replied that only Czechoslovaks were smart at all things. Just guess what we were? :) Via the BELT, Mom also used this to take us to all points out of NYC...like summers on the Farm in PA (to spend it with my country cousins, stay 2 months at a run down trailer in the woods, with a babbling brook behind it, & eat lots of Kelbasa & Perogies, along with fresh farm food). Mom wanted to keep us away from the concrete jungle of NYC, drugs, crime, back-stabbing friends, & get fresh air & serenity, well away from Belt Parkway's fumes. Via the BELT, You did not even have to go far in our old Corvair to get to Plumb Beach, which is a near forgot beach just of the BELT as you get off Nostrand Ave/ Knapp St. & head toward JFK. Plumb Beach is part of a coast wildlife park (with biking) that has a great beach for young kids...especially decades ago. It is just a trace on Goggle Maps, and so easy to miss, except for a roadside short path. See my review. Just look at Plumb Island... & you can get an idea. There is no way to access it from the Westbound lanes & it is so easy to miss even when you see the parking lot. Just slow down after you get on it at Knapp & you One of the early photos of me, that Mom kept in her wallet, was off my fishing with a fake kids pole at the age of 5 at Plumb Beach. My brother & I loved to romp the sand dunes, play with the Horseshoe Crabs, and catch creatures using a bed sheet as a net. We would then watch them in our bucket....& then release them for the next catch of the day, or when it was time for them & us to go home. I think I go my first really bad sunburn there. Later the BELT, helped me escape the confines of Bkyn to go to Vermont to Ski, go on dates to anywhere within a days drive, especially to Manhattan/Queens, or out of state, for romantic interludes. Finally I used the BELT, to go to JFK to go on trips everywhere in the world, or to go back to visit Mom, many eons later... And finally to lay her to rest, after her epic struggle to raise us, deal with my Schizophrenic dad, deal with failing health / Dementia & Delirium in her early eighties, and finally go to her as she slowly lost the struggle & needed her doctor son to ease her yearlong transition to heaven. She was my Angel & I was hers.... the BELT served both of us well as we both progressed thru both the good & the bad in life...and death. With sweet memories of my Beloved Mom in my mind, The BELT will alway be in my heart, as a part of my life in NYC, read more

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The belt parkway is doing gradual improvements that are helping all of the heavy traffic. the freeways are being made wider and more lanes added. larger ramps are also in the works. I don't like the speeding that goes on with reckless drivers so you're always having to be extra careful. I don't like the heavy traffic but because of the construction I feel that the belt parkway is a lot better now that it was seven years ago or even five years ago. I love how they have redone but pavement roads on the belt so driving is very smooth and there is zero potholes now. read more

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Filled with pot holes and traffic delays as it is one of the main method of conveyance entering/exiting Brooklyn to Queens. On a clear day passengers can attain a scenic view of Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. It takes you to John F. Kennedy (JFK) Airport. The Shore Parkway, Southern Parkway, Laurelton Parkway, and Cross Island Parkway are collectively known as the "Belt System". The four components of the Belt System are designated as: New York State Route 907C (NY 907C), NY 907D, NY 907B, and NY 907A, respectively. The Belt System is a series of connected limited-access highways that form a belt-like circle around the New York City. (Source: Wikipedia) read more

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Ugh .... most times the traffic is aweful than not. What takes me 20 mins with no traffic can easily take you an hour with traffic on the Belt Unfortunately- this is the only highway to get you from NJ/staten Island/ Brooklyn to JKF or Long Island. The only way is thru the streets which is no better. There is a bad bump every time you go westbound towards JFK after the fisherman bridge. I see they are expanding certain parts of the Belt but that doesn't change the traffic near - the Verrazano, JFK , and near Marine Park/Canarsie If you have somewhere to be at a set time- give urself PLENTY of time to get there because you never know with the Belt. Rush hr is a given and should be avoided if you can read more

I travel on this almost seven days a week. It's like enduring Purgatory! I often wonder how many accidents occur on this road in a year. The backups can stretch for seven to ten miles. It's the main thoroughfare from Manhattan and Staten Island to JFK. I CANT IMAGINE how many poor souls have missed their flights trapped on this thing!!?? It's taken them years to rebuild the bridges and overpasses! I'm sure there are construction guys who will use this as their final retirement gig! I guess you can see this is not my favorite scenic parkway. Ugh read more

If you can avoid it, please do! I used to commute from LI to SI. What can easily be a 20-30 minute commute turns into a 3 hour traffic jam. It doesn't matter the day or time, there is ALWAYS traffic. Beware of the belt parkway, should be renamed "hell parkway". read more

Most of my days I sit right where I am right now - in Traffic on the Belt Parkway. This time however, I am in the passenger side!! This parkway has traffic Nonstop after 2:00 on weekdays. Weekends - Forget about it! They need to expand these roads to 4-5 lanes or build a bridge. Oh well, all I could do is review and hope the government helps us out. read more

Belt Parkway - Traffic... - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me

Contrary to popular belief, the Belt Parkway is not where you go to buy a clothing accessory that keeps your pants from falling down. And by the way, I need one of those, like, stat. The Belt Parkway is a beautiful highway that runs along the southernmost edges of Brooklyn with the most beautiful scenery as it bends and winds its way underneath the majestic Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. You can see Jersey at the start, and then Staten Island later on. Yes the traffic is awful, but I've had a lot of surprisingly smooth and speedy traffic experiences here too, so I'm not going to complain. For me, no nightmare compares to the BQE nightmare, or driving in the lower parts of Manhattan Island at rush hour. As an environmentalist, I should give this highway a 1/5. All of the land that it uses should have been dedicated to parks and reserves, since it's just so beautiful. But as a driver, it scores a hands-down 5/5. Some of the best scenery in New York City, from the beginning near Bay Ridge when you can see Manhattan and the Statue Of Liberty, all the way down under the Verrazano, and eventually reaching the familiar tower blocks of Coney Island. It's definitely one of my fave highways in the country, and maybe traffic is sometimes bad, but it's NYC so you expect that. It's not as bad (in my experience) as the BQE, or getting onto bridges or into tunnels at the wrong time of day. I usually get lucky, and it's backed up in the direction I'm not travelling in. It's my secret favourite way to get from anywhere to JFK airport. It might be a long way round, but it's a spectacularly beautiful long way round. In the heat of the summer, it's renamed the "Melt Parkway", and if the Belt Parkway kicks your ass then your skin is named the "Welt Parkway" (kinda sounds like what happens a lot with old-school Dads), if animals get run over here :( then it becomes the "Pelt Parkway", and if you're attractive, slender, and elegant, then you should probably use the "Svelte Parkway" instead. read more

The traffic is ridiculous and the rain makes it so much worse. We got on the Belt around 6pm. Traveling for 2 hrs and we're only at exit 15, probably get to the Verrazano by 8:30 at this rate. They really need to improve this Parkway. As long as I can remember it's always crowded on the weekends or after three or four during the week. The roads need to be expanded to another lane or something but it needs relief. If everyone would just drive straight with no rubber necking there wouldn't be any delays. I would love to know when they're going to complete the work by the Rockaways. This has been going on for over 10 yrs. how long are they going to milk this job? This road wouldn't be so bad if folk would just focus and drive. read more

It dawned on me recently that the Belt Parkway (actually, three different roads collectively called the Belt), was aptly named. While designed to shepherd traffic from western Brooklyn into Queens and ultimately onto Long Island, it is also outdated despite constant "improvements" over the past 75 years. The opening of the Verrazano Narrows Bridge in 1964 added Staten Island and New Jersey traffic to its volume, not to mention the continuous development along its route out to Long Island, made it still more inadequate. Widening to 3 lanes helped for about 5 minutes. The Belt is always tightening because of the growing girth of the body it attempts to surround. On the rare occasion that traffic is not choking, the drive is pleasant as it skirts the southern shore from its western end through Canarsie, Coney Island and The Rockaways. I spent my childhood summers out there, but how times change those days of innocence. These days, I am on the Belt to shuttle people to and from JFK International Airport. I try to give myself plenty of time to get there, knowing what I will likely confront along the way. I have even been known to go far enough in advance to grab a hotel room near my destination, and enjoy the pleasures that can still be found on the streets of Jamaica, or even Flushing. That way, the tribulations of delays and crushed metal are more easily negotiated. Still, an episode on the Belt Parkway is an epic practice in patience and keen attention to surrounding madness. read more

Belt Parkway - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me

Parkway - with lots and lots of holes... You know the old joke: Why do we drive on parkways and park on driveways... In any case, the Belt Parkway is a necessary evil - and pretty much a quick way to get out of NY for points south so long as you go early in the morning or late at night.. The road is winding, dippy, bumpy and full of holes that are guaranteed to wreck your suspension system and knock any loose parts off your car. The worst areas are around the drawbridges - it is like driving across cobblestones at 70mph - I swear, if you have fillings in your teeth, this road will knock out any loose ones. The roadbed is way better the closer you get to the Verrazano bridge - why? Not sure, but although the road is smoother, the drivers get up to higher speeds - so stay alert as you never know when a minivan full of church people is going to swerve in front of you at 80mph and then hit the brakes for no reason whatsoever... Use at your own risk, avoid during rush hours at all costs. read more

At night, there are places you can stop and see some great ocean and bridge views... Ironically, they named this parkway the belt parkway. Must be wishful thinking, as I am always walking by someone at one of those viewing places who seems not to have a belt. Why else would his pants have fallen? read more

One of the most beautiful roads, and at the same time one of the most unbearable roads. How does it work? Only in NYC. Lol Traffic? Most times. Narrow shoulders? Most of the way. Beautiful ocean? Most of the parts. Verrazano bridge at the horizon? It is there. Love it when it's empty. Hate it when it is not. Spent so many hours on this road. I can't even try and calculate. Now I'm in LA. If someone told me that it is worst here in terms of traffic, while I am bump to bump with the cars in from and behind me, I would laugh and though he is bs me. But now I'm here, and let me tell you all: the sun is up, but the traffic is a nightmare. Back to the belt: if you get a chance stop on one of the places the low allow you to stop. See the ocean. Relax. The traffic will wait for you. read more

Terrible always traffic. No one is friendly. There is never a point of the day where traffic is good. read more

This highway connects Long Island via the Southern State Parkway and Staten Island and the Brooklyn Queens Expressway via the Verazzano Bridge. It also goes to JFK and basically runs along the water until the Bridge. Mostly three lanes. There are nice stretches along the water. read more

The Belt really has its own review? Amazing! Okay so this road always floods and it almost always has traffic but it has some great views and its part of my childhood due to my grandma living in Brooklyn and this being my parents' main roadway. read more

It's the belt, It's surely not svelte, And when you open your windows and smell you'll shout, "Omgawwwd who dealt?" On the bright side, there are worse things then driving on the belt in traffic. For example: 1) Ingrown toenail removal 2) A random child puking on you in the grocery store 3) The BQE when they are doing construction (always) When you're not dealing with rubbernecking, construction, and airport traffic you might get a nice view of the water. The road admittedly goes through a few lovely sections by the coast, but you wouldn't really notice all of that when you're shaking your fist at the other drivers yelling obscenities. You know that nice road trip you planned? Yeah, good luck. Google maps will lie. Traffic only gets worse. 4 hours to your destination? Sure, but first you must spend over an hour driving on the Belt Parkway in traffic to get to the Verrazano. If you happen to have to tinkle after sitting in traffic, good luck! You really don't want to stop in some of the neighborhoods it runs through (Hi! East new york!). Try to make it to one of the shopping centers before bay ridge. There's a Starbucks and Wendy's waiting for ya. They are not the cleanest but no one's going to try and sell you weed outside of them. Protip: Stay away from NYPD highway 2 base. They patrol most of the area and they have the absolute worst women's bathroom I've ever been in by far, complete with dead roaches. Don't ask me how I know this. Ew. read more

So Johanna G. the yelper below me here reminded me of my discontent with the awful parkway, since the day of its inception or at least since I've been allowed to drive on my own there's been some sort of construction debacle going on. As well to the fun construction there's lots of pot holes that make you think you're driving down Route Irish or some other war torn road... The curves are always sneaking up on me and dammit, dammit, son of a bitch I've made what I like to call the 13 dollar mistake on several occasions where the signs to Bay Ridge are poorly marked and somehow I'm on my way over the Verazano Bridge (13 dollar mistake).... Please please State of NY do something for this awfull parkway, that also connects to an equally awful parkway.... The Southern State!!! But that's another review. read more

Belt Parkway - Traffic you ask? Always! - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me

I. HATE. THE. BELT. PARKWAY. I have family in Long Island that I avoid only because I try to stay off the belt at all costs. Its the slowest roadway in NYC. God forbid there's regular traffic and a car accident. You'll seriously be stuck for hours and its happened to me. A trip from Brooklyn through queens into Long Island could take hours. 0 mph is a possibility. The belt is crumbly and forever being worked on in parts. So what they widened it? That'll just give already crazy drivers more of a reason to speed which is what happened when traffic eventually opens up. Watch out and keep your eyes peeled because in rare cases when there's little to no traffic people fly on this thing. Ive seen horrific wrecks too... Driving in NYC will never get better. It'll only get worse as more people move here and more people get cars. Its always been bad and will probably continue to be bad from beginning to end. read more

So, this is my first roadway review, so expect not a eye opening delivery of uniquely new points of view. Every road in NYC is in horrific, post winter 2015 condition, The Belt held up a little better. The one inch blacktop common to most roads seem to have only a one year shelf life, the Belts beige construct suffers little from these Antarctic blasts we endure yearly. Traffic is no fault of the road, but a significant oversight of initial planning. Chances are, the most robust city in the world just may need more than three lanes connecting Long Island to Queens to Brooklyn to Manhattan. Shortsighted to the highest level. But improvements are underway, creating new on and off ramps, some lane expansion and each project appears to be less intrusive on us commuters and have a start and end point. Unlike other city infrastructure road works that are perpetual in time, decorated by obnoxious orange which is a color few driving New Yorkers can get through one single day without its neon glare smiling and staring back at you as if to say "you'll be gone far before I will buddy." read more

Been on beltway lots of time. Can be a pain in da ass with traffic. But when there is no traffic it can be good to be on. read more

Belt Parkway - This is me Santo. - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me

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Horrible. There's always construction and accidents somewhere. Only time to drive without sitting in traffic is 11pm-4am on weekdays.

I'd like to belt the Belt Parkway the majority of the time for being perpetually under construction. Can we please expand the lanes and reconstruct that new draw bridge just a little faster so maybe, idk, my grand kids can use it??? It's totally hit or miss traffic here, and it's usually a lot of parking on the parkway. Good job you civil engineers - complete this major roadway in your sweet time; it's not like anyone uses it often right? read more

Despite this highway being pretty unpredictable in terms of traffic, it's one of the highways I use the most. One thing I do know is you will ALWAYS hit traffic around Green Acres Mall no matter what time of day. Between the Rockaway and Sunrise Highway exit you will be in traffic. Every day. Any time. The Belt leads into the southern state, BQE, Cross Island Parkway, and Staten Island Expressway if you take it to the Verrazano bridge. There's been construction going on for some time and I've noticed some improvements but it's taking such a long time. read more

The Belt as I call it is a great place to ride from Brooklyn out to Queens Via MOTORCYCLE. I really like the way the highway hugs the water. Late night riding is best there are spots that highway cops enforce the speed limits exits 17 and exits 2 other than that there is open road no commercial traffic easiest way to Coney Island and JFK great view of the Verazzano. read more

Try to get to JFK using the belt parkway freeway. Mark my word, you can easily miss the flight, or even get so stressed that you are about to miss the flight, that you will lose few heart beats. It was enough that one woman with her vehicle got stuck on a part with no margins, to make the whole belt parkway stop. I was lucky enough that I was only one mile behind her, so I was able to get my to my flight on time. Do yourself a favor: if you are planning to use this road, leave an hour earlier, or use wave to navigate. read more

Didn't know you could review this highway here. Well here I go. Whenever I visit relatives in LI or go down to JFK Airport, I utilize this highway. Lots and lots of traffic, and traffic jams form at random times for usually no reason. Unbelievable, but I have to take it whenever I have to travel to the places mentioned above. read more

I've always been stuck in a traffic jam on the Belt Parkway. I've seen photos of this highway with light traffic, but to me they're like seeing photos of Bigfoot, the Yeti, or the Loch Ness Monster. I'm sure that if you drive there in the wee hours of the morning/late late evening, the traffic situation is much improved. A big part of the problem is simple geography. Both JFK Airport and the Verrazano Bridge add cars to the traffic. On the plus side, while stuck in traffic you can enjoy the wonderful views of NY Harbor, the Verrazano Bridge and, when you just pass the bridge before it turns into the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, lower Manhattan. Then the impatient driver behind you will obnoxiously honk his/her horn at you for not moving one inch closer to the car that you're practically tailgating and ruin the mood. read more

I have a love/hate relationship with this parkway and most times its hateful due to the nonstopn traffic and/or construction. I love it when I am coming from a long out of state road trip and I reach this parkway and know I am close too home. LOL. It is a quick ride from Staten Island, Brooklyn to Queens or Long Island if the traffic is moving. Many times I have detoured unto local streets to head home because of congestion on this parkway. read more

This article claims construction is going to start, and traffic is going to get worse! http://www.brooklyndaily.com/stories/2012/11/all_beltroadwork_2012_03_16_bk.html Worse? Is that possible? And there are always signs saying there is construction and that is the reason for the traffic delays. So what does that mean? Construction will start and traffic will get worse? Then what is this from last year?http://www.ny1.com/content/top_stories/135935/eastbound-belt-parkway-closes-overnight-for-roadway-repairs That is only one example. Traffic will get worse? I think someone needs to pay us to live here. More accidents, more deaths? http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/10/13/84-year-old-man-killed-in-wrong-way-belt-parkway-crash-two-others-hospitalized/ http://www.sheepsheadbites.com/2012/02/video-shows-why-belt-parkway-bridges-need-repair/ There is no way this is real! We took my niece out for dinner once and we were stuck on the Belt for 5 hours, just for dinner. It should have been a 15 minute drive tops. Now traffic is going to get worse? I know what's going on, I just figured it out. This is really the Truman show! read more

Belt Parkway - courtesy of CBS news , a typical site on the Belt - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me

This road always has construction and traffic. It is one of the worst highways I ever been on. Aside from BQE,

It's the Belt Parkway. Fortunately, it's on the upswing, lots of govt bucks being spent on improvements. Hopefully it will be completed before I need to give up my driving privileges due to old age 40 years from now.. read more

It's a long stretch of road going from Manhattan thru Brooklyn and Queens and all around again. There are two damn airports either on it or close to it (jfk & lga). It's a pain in the arse that I used to have to drive on. Now I don't. Halelllleujah! Because it truly does suck the life out of me to wait in traffic on this godamn road. read more

are you serious, Belt Parkway? How is it physically possible to always be bumper to bumper on this parkway? is it the brooklyn drivers? Is it the OTHER county drivers that take you to get outta dodge? Is it the never ending construction that hasn't made anything better? Eff that, I'd rather drive 30 miles out of my way and go through the bronx then spend 3 days on this godforsaken parkway. read more

Sometimes is great others it's awful. Good luck I suggest only traveling after 8pm. Anytime before that and hope you like traffic

That's super weird that yelp suggested to me to review the belt Pkwy. Even though I hate it, I seen worse (BQE?). Always traffic, narrow lines, especially on the way to manhattan. They fix and clean the road during rush hour. Who does that ??? read more

At its best its a slowly crawling parking lot, at its worst - it's total standstill. Plan for extra time. And fill up your tank before you leave Jersey! read more