Korean War Veterans Parkway facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
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Korean War Veterans Parkway highlighted in red
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| Route information | |
| Maintained by NYSDOT | |
| Length | 4.50 mi (7.24 km)
0.7 mi (1.13 km) via Drumgoole Road (NY 909C)
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| Existed | 1972–present |
| History | Named Richmond Parkway from 1972–1997 |
| Restrictions | No commercial vehicles south of Arthur Kill Road |
| Major junctions | |
| South end |  NY 440 in Pleasant Plains |
| North end | Richmond Avenue in Greenridge/Eltingville |
| Location | |
| Counties: | Richmond |
| Highway system | |
| Numbered highways in New York Interstate • U.S. • N.Y. (former) • Reference • County |
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The Korean War Veterans Parkway is a special road on Staten Island, New York. It runs across the South Shore of Staten Island. This parkway starts near the Outerbridge Crossing and goes northeast. It connects to Drumgoole Road in the Greenridge area.
This road is also known as New York State Route 909C. This is a hidden "reference route" number. The parkway was first opened in 1972. Back then, it was called the Richmond Parkway. It got its new name, Korean War Veterans Parkway, in 1997. However, many people still call it Richmond Parkway.
The parkway was planned to be much longer. It was supposed to go all the way to the Staten Island Expressway. There was also a plan for a branch road called Wolfe's Pond Parkway. This branch would have led to Wolfe's Pond Park. But these plans were stopped. This happened because people in the community did not want the road built through their neighborhoods. They also worried about the environment.
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Exploring the Parkway's Path
The Korean War Veterans Parkway starts at the Outerbridge Crossing toll plaza. This is near the border with New Jersey. For a short part of its beginning, it shares its path with NY 440. This shared part ends in Pleasant Plains. Here, NY 440 turns north onto the West Shore Expressway.
After NY 440 leaves, the parkway becomes a four-lane road. It has smaller "frontage roads" next to it. These roads are called Drumgoole Road. The parkway then passes by Bloomingdale Park. You can get to Maguire Avenue from here using ramps that connect to Drumgoole Road. The road continues northeast through Pleasant Plains. It also serves Huguenot Avenue with ramps for cars getting on and off.
Journey Through Staten Island Neighborhoods
From Huguenot Avenue, the parkway turns more directly northeast. It goes through areas like Woodrow and Annadale. In Annadale, there's an interchange for Arden Avenue. The parkway stays a four-lane highway. It leads to Greenridge. Here, the parkway merges with the northern part of Drumgoole Road. This creates a four-lane street with traffic going both ways.
The Korean War Veterans Parkway officially ends at this merge. But its hidden number, NY 909C, continues. It follows Drumgoole Road a little further. This road ends at an intersection with Richmond Avenue. You can still see parts of the road that were meant to continue the parkway. These unused parts cross over Richmond Avenue. They then become a small, non-public road.
The Parkway's Past: How It Was Built
The parkway we see today is less than half of what was first planned. The original idea was for the parkway to go much further northeast. It would have reached the Staten Island Expressway in Sunnyside. The part of the parkway that exists now was built between 1966 and 1972. It opened in late 1972. This section was built along Drumgoole Road. That's why the service roads next to the parkway are called Drumgoole Road East and West.
Drumgoole Road was named after Father John Drumgoole. He was from Ireland. He started a Catholic orphanage called the Mission of the Immaculate Virgin. Today, this place is better known as Mount Loretto.
Why the Parkway Was Not Finished
In the late 1960s, many people strongly opposed the plans for the eastern part of the parkway. Environmental groups were especially concerned. The planned route would have cut through the Staten Island Greenbelt. It also would have required taking down many private homes. Because of this strong opposition, the section of the parkway east of Richmond Avenue was never built. The plans for it were officially canceled.
Sometimes, people suggest building the rest of the parkway. This is because traffic on Staten Island keeps getting worse. However, these ideas have not received much support. Local leaders and residents do not want to revive the old plans.
There was even an interchange built for the parkway near the Staten Island Expressway. This was done by a famous city planner named Robert Moses. But the parkway was never finished to connect to it. This interchange was taken down in 2012. This happened as part of a project to make the Staten Island Expressway wider.
Another planned road was Wolfe's Pond Parkway. This was a branch road that would connect to Wolfe's Pond Park. Robert Moses suggested it in 1941. But this road also never got past the planning stage. It was finally canceled in the 1970s.
In 1997, the Richmond Parkway was renamed. It became the Korean War Veterans Memorial Parkway. But when the new signs were put up, the word "Memorial" was left out by mistake.
Parkway Exits
| County | Location | Mile | Roads intersected | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pleasant Plains | 0.00 | 0.00 | NY 440 south (Outerbridge Crossing) |
This is a bridge where you pay a toll. |
| 0.20 | 0.32 | Park & Ride | Only for cars exiting southbound; other directions use NY 440. | |
| 0.35 | 0.56 |  NY 440 north (West Shore Expressway) to I-278 (Staten Island Expressway) |
This is Exit 2 on NY 440. | |
| Huguenot | 0.98 | 1.58 | Maguire Avenue / Foster Road / Huguenot Avenue | Only for cars exiting northbound and entering southbound. |
| Maguire Avenue / Bloomingdale Road / Arthur Kill Road | Only for cars exiting southbound and entering northbound. | |||
| 2.1 | 3.4 | Foster Road / Hugenot Avenue | Only for cars exiting southbound and entering northbound. | |
| Annadale | 3.10 | 4.99 | Arden Avenue / Annadale Road | Signs show Albee Avenue southbound and Annadale Road northbound. |
| Greenridge | 4.00 | 6.44 | Richmond Avenue south | Only for cars exiting northbound; uses Drumgoole Road East. |
| 4.28 | 6.89 | Park & Ride | Here the parkway changes to Drumgoole Road West. | |
| 4.45 | 7.16 | Arthur Kill Road – Richmondtown | This is a regular intersection at ground level. | |
| Latourette Park | 4.63 | Richmond Avenue north to I-278 (Staten Island Expressway) |
This is a regular intersection at ground level; it's the end of NY 909C. | |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi | ||||
