Alliance MLA Kellie Armstrong made the call after new figures revealed the area sees more traffic daily than many other busy roads combined.
Figures released by the Department for Infrastructure shows the peak daily traffic flow at the interchange area is 111,800 vehicles. This is compared to 20,704 on the A5 Western Transport Corridor, 20,630 on the A6 Randalstown to Castledawson and 26,720 on the A6 Derry to Dungiven.
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Ms Armstrong said: "Even though York Street is in Belfast, the investment to improve the traffic flow at Northern Ireland's busiest junction will reduce emissions from commuters and freight from counties north and west of the city.
"Alliance wishes to see investment outside of Belfast too but we need to be realistic. The figures show congestion is heavier at the York Street junction, so it makes more sense to resolve the issues there, rather than do what the Minister is currently doing, which is prioritising his and his party's infrastructure objectives instead of what is in the greater good."
(CD/MH)
