New York State Route 218
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| NY Route 218 |
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| Storm King Highway | |||||||||
| Length: | 10.81 mi[1] (17.4 km) | ||||||||
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| South end: |  US 9W in Highland Falls |
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| Major junctions: |
US 9W in Highlands |
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| North end: | US 9W in Cornwall-on Hudson |
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| Counties: | Orange | ||||||||
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New York State Route 218 is a state highway in New York, located entirely within Orange County, that loops off U.S. Route 9W to run closer to the Hudson River between Highland Falls and Cornwall-on-Hudson. North of Highland Falls, it is briefly concurrent with 9W.
218 sees much traffic despite its short length. Not only does it bring most of the United States Military Academy's traffic to Thayer Gate, its main entrance, it attracts many who drive it just for the sake of its most renowned portion: the cliffside drive alongside Storm King Mountain. In good weather during the summer months many cars can be seen taking in the views of the river and the Hudson Highlands here (however, this section can be gated off and closed in times of high rockslide danger).
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[edit] Route description
218 forks off 9W a short distance north of the Bear Mountain Traffic Circle, near the ruins of the old Fort Montgomery. A mile from that junction, it turns from northeast to more northerly and reaches downtown Highland Falls. After several blocks USMA's Thayer Gate becomes apparent, and instead of entering the academy grounds the state highway veers northwestward and uphill, rejoining 9W, at this point a four-lane divided highway.
After going up and down one of the rises in this area, 218 again splits off at the exit where NY 293 comes in from the west, just adjacent to West Point's Washington Gate. This section passes through less developed, woodsier property before reaching the southern of two gates that block access to the Storm King section in bad weather.
The next mile and a half wind leisurely along a narrow roadway where a picturesque stone wall serves to prevent drivers from tumbling into the river. There are several small parking areas where it is possible to stop and take in the vistas that stretch from the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge to the north over Pollopel Island to West Point and the USMA buildings at the southern end. Breakneck Ridge and other mountains of the Highlands tower across the river. The view and the walls led this section to be added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982 as "Storm King Highway".
The northern gate heralds re-entry into populated areas as the houses of Cornwall-on-Hudson begin alongside the road not long afterwards, and it takes the name Bayview Avenue. After becoming Hudson Street in the village's downtown section, 218 then follows Academy Street (the now-decommissioned Route 307 once had its eastern terminus at that intersection). Appropriately enough, it passes the New York Military Academy, a private secondary school, and reaches its northern terminus at 9W immediately afterward.
[edit] Communities along the route
[edit] Major intersections
| County | Location | Mile | Road(s) | Notes |
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| Orange | Highland Falls | 0.0 | US 9W |
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| Highlands | 2.5 | US 9W |
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| 3.2 | US 9W |
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| 3.2 |  NY 293 |
Northern terminus of NY 293. | ||
| Cornwall-on-Hudson | 9.9 |  CR 107 |
Former eastern terminus of  NY 307. |
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| 10.8 | US 9W |
| Legend | |||||
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| Crossing, no access | Concurrency termini | Decommissioned | Unconstructed | Closed | |
[edit] History
During the forest fires on Storm King during the summer of 1999, 218 was closed for many weeks.
