. ▁Ne ither ▁was ▁up ▁to ▁modern ▁fre ew ay ▁standards , ▁util izing ▁left ▁turns ▁across ▁the ▁oppos ing ▁direction ▁at ▁access ▁points . ▁ ▁The ▁Bron x ▁River ▁Park way ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁highway ▁to ▁util ize ▁a ▁median ▁strip ▁to ▁separate ▁the ▁oppos ing ▁lan es , ▁the ▁first ▁highway ▁constructed ▁through ▁a ▁park , ▁and ▁the ▁first ▁highway ▁where ▁intersect ing ▁streets ▁crossed ▁over ▁brid ges . ▁ ▁The ▁West chester ▁section ▁of ▁the ▁Bron x ▁River ▁Park way ▁first ▁opened ▁to ▁traffic ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 2 ▁and ▁was ▁completed ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 5 . ▁A ▁new ▁road way ▁in ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁bor ough ▁of ▁the ▁Bron x ▁including ▁an ▁extension ▁south ▁of ▁the ▁former ▁Botan ical ▁Gard ens / B ur ke ▁Avenue ▁termin us ▁opened ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 1 . ▁That ▁extension ▁diver ges ▁east ward ▁from ▁the ▁river . ▁ ▁From ▁ 1 9 5 3 ▁to ▁ 1 9 5 5 , ▁a ▁ ▁segment ▁of ▁the ▁park way ▁between ▁Bron x ville ▁and ▁the ▁Bron x ▁was ▁closed ▁to ▁straight en ▁and ▁w iden ▁the ▁road . ▁ ▁During ▁this ▁reconst ruction ▁period , ▁a ▁new ▁over pass ▁was ▁also ▁built ▁for ▁the ▁Cross ▁County ▁Park way . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 7 , ▁a ▁half ▁mile ▁stretch ▁of ▁the ▁Park way ▁between ▁Wood land ▁Vi ad uct ▁in ▁White ▁Pla ins ▁and ▁the ▁Sc ars dale ▁border ▁was ▁re construct ed ▁to ▁eliminate