Richmond Avenue

Infobox_road
highway_name=Richmond Avenue
length_mi=7.0
length_round=2
direction_a=North
starting_terminus=Forest Avenue (former NY 439)
junction=
direction_b=South
ending_terminus=Tennyson Drive
counties=Richmond

Richmond Avenue is an integral north-south thoroughfare on Staten Island. Measuring approximately 7.0 miles (11.27 kilometres), the road runs from the community of Graniteville to the south shore community of Eltingville.

Street description

Richmond Avenue begins at an intersection with Forest Avenue and Morningstar Road in Graniteville.cite map|publisher=Google Maps|url=http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=Richmond+Avenue+and+Forest+Avenue,+Staten+Island&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl|title=Overview Map of Richmond Avenue/Forest Avenue/Morningstar Road intersection|accessdate=2007-10-02] Goethals Road North, a road that parallels the Staten Island Expressway, begins to the left at .8 miles.cite map|publisher=Google Maps|url=http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=from:+RichAve+%4040.625110,+-74.148760+to:+Richmond+Ave+%4040.616320,+-74.156780&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl|title=Overview Map of Richmond Avenue-Goethals Road North length|accessdate=2007-10-02] After crossing the Staten Island Expressway, Richmond Avenue intersects with Lamberts Lane, a road with access to 278 north. At 1.5 miles, Victory Boulevard intersects on its way towards Forest Avenue. Rockland Avenue intersects at 2.3 miles with Draper Place in New Springville. At 4.7 miles, the Korean War Veterans Parkway (formerly the Richmond Parkway), comes to an end at Richmond Avenue. A tenth of a mile later, Arthur Kill Road intersects. At 6.8 miles, Hylan Boulevard crosses before it becomes a divided highway. .2 of a mile later, Richmond Avenue comes to an end at Tennyson Drive.cite map|publisher=Google Maps|url=http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=Richmond+Avenue+and+Hylan+Boulevard&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl|title=Overview Map of Richmond Avenue and Hylan Boulevard intersection|accessdate=2007-10-02]

History

The road is one of the older ones on Staten Island, presumably dating back to the early to mid-1800s. Early writings and periodicals refer to Richmond Avenue as the road from Port Richmond to New Springville, just north of the Fresh Kills. Sections of road along what is currently Richmond Avenue were known by various names, such as Bridge Avenue (south to Arthur Kill Road), Old Stone Road and Church Road (in Port Richmond). In 1912, they were all consolidated as "Richmond Avenue". [ [http://www.rootsweb.com/~nyrichmo/misc/street_name_changes.shtml 1912 Richmond Country Street Name Changes] , accessed June 16, 2007] In 1964, the construction of the Willowbrook Expressway divided Richmond Avenue into two sections, the northern segment being later renamed Port Richmond Avenue.

In the 1920s and 1930s, most of Richmond Avenue, particularly south of Victory Boulevard, was predominantly farmland. The road itself was merely one-lane wide. However, indicative of the economic transformation the Richmond Avenue corridor of Staten Island experienced, specifically with the opening of the Staten Island Mall, the roadway was widened. The roadway from Rockland Avenue to Forest Hill Road has been widened to an eight-lane thoroughfare (four lanes each way), while other sections are two and three lanes wide.

Prior to the construction of any expressway on Staten Island, Richmond Avenue, north of Drumgoole Boulevard, was designated New York Route 440, which it held until the West Shore Expressway was completed in 1976. [ [http://www.nycroads.com/history/1960_metro-2 Staten Island Map 1960] , accessed August 19, 2006]

References