Union Drive West

Union Drive West is a freeway in Grand Theft Auto IV, its episodes, and Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars, located in western Algonquin, Liberty City.

Description
Union Drive West travels along the West River in Algonquin. It extends from Castle Tunnel to Wardite Street in Northwood, and can be used to travel easily to Castle Garden City, the Rotterdam Tower, Western Algonquin, and the Hickey Bridge at Topaz Street (which connects Alderney and Liberty City).

Unlike its sister freeway Union Drive East, much of the southern freeway is at-grade and is accessed via basic street intersections as opposed to more complex freeway intersection infrastructure. As a result, traffic lights are required at many of the exits to regulate traffic flow; this can result in a considerably slower journey than with the Union Drive East. Upon reaching the Hickey Bridge however, the freeway splits up, directing the center lane into Hickey Bridge and Topaz Street, while the on ramps that branched out from the outer lanes converge and continue on before terminating at the Ivy Drive North-Wardite Street intersection. The freeway is mostly likely representative of New York City's West Side Highway on the west side of Manhattan.

Exits and Entrances
The Union Drive West extends from the Western mouth of the Castle Tunnel in Castle Gardens to the intersection of Ivy Drive North and Wardite Street in Northwood. There are 17 entrances/exits between these two termini.

1. South Parkway - The Exchange/Castle Gardens

This is one of the few entrances/exits that uses dedicated access slip roads. Access is compulsory for vehicles travelling further west than the Denver Avenue intersection on South Parkway, however entering vehicles can only travel northbound away from the Castle Tunnel. Exit is optional for vehicles travelling south into the Castle Tunnel and Union Drive East but not possible for vehicles travelling north out of the tunnel. This is the only exit where your ability to enter/exit is determined by your direction of travel.

Eastbound Exit only.

2. C Street - City Hall

Exit only for both directions of travel.

Allows access to the highway for people in the City Hall and Chinatown districts. Exit from East only.

3. D Street - City Hall

Entrance only for both directions of travel.

Allows access to the City Hall and Chinatown districts.

Access from East only.

4. E Street - Castle Garden City

Exit only for both directions of travel.

Allows access to the highway for people in the Suffolk, Little Italy and Chinatown districts.

Eastbound Exit only.

5. Frankfort Avenue/Castle Drive South - Castle Garden City

Entrance and Exit for all directions of travel.

Allows access to Upper Downtown and Midtown destinations if exiting North onto Frankfort Avenue. Allows access to the Castle Garden City financial area if exiting South onto Castle Drive. Only exit with direct access to an Avenue (as opposed to a street).

Northbound and Southbound Exit available.

6. F Street - Castle Garden City

Entrance only for both directions of travel.

Allows access to the freeway from the Suffolk and Little Italy districts.

Access from East only.

7. G Street/Castle Drive North - Castle Garden City

Entrance and exit for all directions of travel.

Allows access to Suffolk and the Rotterdam Tower if exiting East onto Garnet Street. Allows access to the Castle Garden City financial area if exiting West on Castle Drive.

Eastbound and Westbound Exit available.

8. H Street/Golden Pier - The Meat Quarter

Exit only for both directions of travel if exiting East onto Hematite Street. Entrance and exit for both directions of travel if exiting West into the Golden Pier Retail Park and Swingers Golf Club.

Allows access to the Golden Pier in addition to The Meat Quarter and The Triangle districts of Midtown.

Eastbound and Westbound Exit available.

9. J Street - The Meat Quarter

Entrance and Exit for both directions of travel.

Allows access to The Meat Quarter, The Triangle and Star Junction districts. This exit would be used to reach the Maisonette 9 Nightclub.

Eastbound Exit only.

10. K Street - Westminster

Entrance and Exit for both directions of travel.

Allows access to the Westminster and Star Junction districts. Allows a more long distance but straightforward access to the Algonquin Bridge along Kunzite Street. This exit would be used to reach the Hercules nightclub.

Eastbound Exit only.

11. H Street North - Westminster

Entrance and Exit for both directions of travel. A very minor westbound exit only.

Allows access to the northern edges of Hematite Street and the northern edges of the Golden Pier area as well as industrial coastal areas along the Westminster and Purgatory Coastline, including a large multi-storey car park.

Westbound Exit only.

12. Hellgate/West Way - Purgatory

Entrance and Exit for both directions of travel.

Allows access to the Purgatory and Star Junction districts. Exiting vehicles must immediately turn left/north onto West Way when they exit as all other streets are for oncoming traffic only. This exit should be used to reach the Randolf Art Center.

Eastbound Exit only.

13. N Street - Middle Park West

Entrance only in both directions of travel from Nickel Street traffic. Entrance and Exit available for traffic travelling on to the far Western end of Nickel Street.

Allows access to the highway for residents of Middle Park West and Southern Middle Park. Allows access to the northern entrance of the large multi-storey car park as well as a quiet industrial area on the coast when exiting to the West. Following this exit, the freeway takes on a more freeway-like appearance, becoming more isolated from the urban area and becoming lined with large wall barriers.

Eastbound and Westbound Exit available.

14. R Street - Varsity Heights

Entrance and Exit for both directions of travel.

Allows access to the Varsity Heights district, Vespucci University and Central Middle Park.

Eastbound Exit only.

15. T Street/Hickey Bridge - Varsity Heights

Entrance and Exit for all directions of travel.

Allows access to Alderney, Varsity Heights, North Holland, Northern Middle Park and the Union Drive East.

Along with Exit 1, this is the only exit that uses a dedicated exit slip road as opposed to a general street intersection as a means of entering/exiting the freeway. To exit here when travelling north or south, the driver must occupy the left hand lane, which will become an elevated exit road. At the junction at the top, drivers may turn West to travel across the Hickey Bridge into Alderney or East to travel along Topaz Street, further into Algonquin. To remain on the freeway, the right hand lane must be occupied, which will underpass the elevated junction and allow fast access further along the freeway. Following this exit, the remainder of the freeway is elevated.

Eastbound and Westbound Exits available.

16. V Street/Ivy Drive North - North Holland

Entrance and Exit for all directions of travel.

Allows access to North Holland and East Holland exiting East. The Westbound exit is rarely used by motorists but does provide access to a small, sheltered, dilapidated region of the North Holland Coastline underneath the freeway. This small area does have a use in the game however, as it is where the Angels of Death Clubhouse is situated.

Eastbound and Westbound Exits available.

17. W Street/Ivy Drive North - Northwood

Entrance and Exit for both directions of travel.

Allows access to Northwood and North Holland.

Despite exiting onto the Wardite Street/Ivy Drive intersection; since Wardite Street is a strictly East - West street, access is only available onto Ivy Drive North. As this is the northern terminus of the Union Drive West, the freeway bends to the East into a compulsory exit, whereby drivers must either turn north or south onto Ivy Drive North in Northwood.

Eastbound Exit only.

Navigation
Union Drive West