New York State Route 1A
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| NY Route 1A |
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| Formed: | 1931[1] | ||||||||
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| Decomd.: | 1972[1] | ||||||||
| South end: |  NY 9A in Manhattan |
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| North end: |  US 1 in Pelham Manor |
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| Counties: | New York, Bronx, Westchester | ||||||||
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New York State Route 1A was a state highway in New York City, running from the Holland Tunnel to U.S. Route 1. It existed from 1934, when routes were first marked in New York City, until the 1960s.
[edit] History
New York City did not have posted routes until mid-December 1934. Earlier plans, drawn up in 1932 and 1933 by the New York Automobile Club, took U.S. Route 1 through the Holland Tunnel and north through the upper east side of Manhattan. However, by 1934, the approaches to the George Washington Bridge were completed, and so US 1 was rerouted to use that bridge and cross through upper Manhattan. Route 1A was assigned to what had been planned as US 1 south of Fordham Road and the Bronx and Pelham Parkway, using the following streets:
- Sixth Avenue from the Holland Tunnel north to Houston Street (northbound only, as it had become one-way since the 1933 plan; southbound traffic used Varick Street)
- Houston Street from Sixth Avenue (and Varick Street) to Second Avenue
- Second Avenue from Houston Street north to 23rd Street
- 23rd Street from Second Avenue east to First Avenue
- First Avenue from 23rd Street north to the Willis Avenue Bridge
- Southern Boulevard (now partly Bruckner Boulevard) from the Willis Avenue Bridge northeast to West Farms Road
- West Farms Road from Southern Boulevard to Boston Road
- Boston Road from West Farms Road to Fordham Road (US 1) and the Bronx and Pelham Parkway
The Willis Avenue Bridge became one-way northbound on August 5, 1941, and the Third Avenue Bridge became one-way southbound. Southbound Route 1A was thus rerouted along Lincoln Avenue, 135th Street and Third Avenue onto the bridge, and 128th Street, Second Avenue and 122nd Street to return to First Avenue. (A direct connection from Southern Boulevard to the Third Avenue Bridge was later built.)
On June 4, 1951, First and Second Avenues were made into a one-way pair north of Houston Street, moving northbound Route 1A south of 23rd Street and southbound Route 1A between 23rd Street and 122nd Street.
By 1952, Route 1A had moved in the Bronx, staying on Bruckner Boulevard to the Bruckner Interchange, and then using the Hutchinson River Parkway to end at US 1 just north of the city line in Pelham Manor. The designation was completely removed between 1960 and 1966.
[edit] See also
- U.S. Route 1 Business (now Route 139), which continued Route 1A back to its parent in Jersey City, New Jersey
[edit] References
- Through Routes Mapped, New York Times March 20, 1932
- Routes Through New York City, New York Times November 12, 1933
- Mark Ways in the City, New York Times December 16, 1934
- One-Way Bridges to Ease Traffic, New York Times August 4, 1941
- Joseph C. Ingraham, Autos Speeded 15% on 1st and 2d Aves., New York Times June 5, 1951
- Various old maps
