A viral protest song targeting Exit 31 on the westbound Brooklyn-Queens Expressway has thrust a Williamsburg traffic bottleneck back into the spotlight as motorists wait for state infrastructure upgrades. Clinton Hill resident Andrew Rose Gregory, a member of the musical comedy quartet the Gregory Brothers, released a video lampooning the off-ramp congestion that frequently backs up onto the highway due to a merge with a local road ending at a traffic signal.
Viral Song Spotlights Williamsburg Traffic
The song resonated widely because hundreds of thousands of residents living in neighborhoods like Bed-Stuy, Crown Heights, Fort Greene, downtown Brooklyn, and Clinton Hill must travel through the area regularly, according to Gregory. The off-ramp snarls traffic for motorists traveling through the corridor, creating miserable daily conditions. Viewers connected emotionally with the video because it highlighted the problem and offered a clear and concise improvement in its second half, Gregory said.
Traffic improvements for the bottleneck were discussed during a community board meeting in 2025. Local residents learned that the state Department of Transportation intended to install a physical barrier dividing the off-ramp from nearby Williamsburg Street West, broaden the exit lane, and fine-tune traffic lights. Based on details from a project portal, the initiative is still being designed and is anticipated to wrap up by 2028 or 2029, even though an official commencement date has not been shared.
Driver Frustration and Next Steps
Local motorists expressed frustration over the persistent delays and lack of progress. Ryan Vereen told WABC-TV that drivers try to be patient, but it would be nice if officials took action. WABC-TV contacted the state Department of Transportation for an update on the construction project, and the agency stated it would share more details soon. Meanwhile, Gregory confirmed that another version of the Exit 31 song is currently on the way.