New York State Route 17A

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NY Route 17A
Length: 24.76 mi[1] (39.85 km)
Formed: 1930[2]
West end: US 6/17/17M/207 in Goshen
East end: NY 17 in Southfields
Counties: Orange
Numbered highways in New York
< NY 17 NY 17B >
Spur of NY 17
Interstate - U.S. - N.Y. - Reference
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New York State Route 17A is a state highway in southern New York, United States, entirely within Orange County. Its western terminus is located at Goshen, New York at a junction with NY 17, and its eastern terminus is at another intersection with NY 17 located in Southfields, New York. It runs concurrently with NY 94 from Warwick to Florida.

It serves mainly to connect Warwick with the rest of the county. While it is an east-west route, many sections run in a more north-south orientation. Its circuitous route allows it to offer much scenery to drivers.

Contents

[edit] Route description

Truck use is limited along 17A.
Truck use is limited along 17A.

17A begins just south of Route 17 Exit 124 in Goshen. At the traffic light with the southern onramp from 17 eastbound, NY 207 becomes 17A.

The route quickly climbs to some of the hillier areas south of Goshen, offering views of not only Orange County's Black Dirt Region but Pochuck Mountain and High Point to the south in New Jersey. It then slowly descends past rolling meadows and farmland until it reaches the small village of Florida, where NY 94 comes in from the west shortly after the village border. The concurrent roads then become Florida's main street.

Once out of the village, 17A and 94 begin to climb again, this time offering some panoramic views to the north, all the way to the Shawangunk Ridge and even the Catskill Mountains beyond them in clear enough weather. The road is surprisingly little developed in this area, with only one gas station between Florida and Warwick, its next stop, which likewise presents itself after a descent.

Again, 17A and 94 serve as the bustling village's main street, longer this time and with many upscale boutiques in evidence. Many historic buildings line the road through Warwick. Near the southern end of the village, the two roads split, with 94 continuing toward New Jersey while 17A goes eastward.

The road begins to climb again over the next few miles, passing a county park and finally the small Mount Peter ski area before crossing the Appalachian Trail along the ridgecrest of Bellvale Mountain. From here it once again drops down and bends in a north-south direction to reach Greenwood Lake, where NY 210 leaves to go along the side of the lake to the state line.

NY 17A junction as seen from NY 17 north. This is also the eastern terminus of 17A.
NY 17A junction as seen from NY 17 north. This is also the eastern terminus of 17A.

Leaving Greenwood Lake, 17A climbs once again to cross another ridge before descending and expanding to a four-lane with median strip to pass through Sterling Forest and reach its eastern terminus at NY 17 in Southfields. The highway continues as County Route 106 in Orange & Rockland Counties east to that route's eastern terminus at US 9W/US 202 in Stony Point. County Route 106 was once part of NY 210 before it was truncated to NY 17A in Greenwood Lake.

[edit] History

In the late 1920s, what is now NY 17A from Greenwood Lake to Goshen was designated as part of New York State Route 55, a connector between NY 17 in Goshen and the New Jersey state line.[3][4] In the 1930 renumbering, NY 55 was incorporated into two longer routes: NY 210 from New Jersey to Greenwood Lake and NY 17A from Greenwood Lake to Goshen.[5] East of Greenwood Lake, NY 17A continued to Southfields over a previously unnumbered roadway to complete the alternate loop of NY 17. This portion of NY 17A overlapped NY 210,[2] which continued past the southern terminus of NY 17A at NY 17 to Stony Brook.[6] This overlap was eliminated at some point between 1977 and 1985.[7][8]

[edit] Major intersections

County Location Mile[1] Roads intersected Notes
Orange Village of Goshen 0.00 US 6 / NY 17 / NY 17M
NY 207		 Exit 124 (US 6/NY 17/NY 17M); western terminus of NY 207
Florida 4.49 NY 94 east Northern terminus of overlap
Village of Warwick 10.99 NY 94 west Southern terminus of overlap
Greenwood Lake 17.30 NY 210 Northern terminus of NY 210
Southfields 24.76 NY 17

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b 2006 Traffic Data Report for New York State (PDF) p. 124. New York State Department of Transportation (2007-07-16). Retrieved on 2008-02-15.
  2. ^ a b Leon A. Dickinson. "New Signs for State Highways", New York Times, 1930-01-12, p. 136. 
  3. ^ Automobile Blue Book, (Automobile Blue Books Inc., Chicago, 1927), Vol. 1
  4. ^ Automobile Blue Books, Inc. Automobile Blue Book - Volume Three [map]. (1929) Retrieved on 2008-03-04.
  5. ^ Automobile Legal Association (ALA) Automobile Green Book, 1930/31 and 1931/32 editions, (Scarborough Motor Guide Co., Boston, 1930 and 1931). The 1930/31 edition shows New York state routes prior to the 1930 renumbering
  6. ^ Sun Oil Company. Road Map & Historical Guide - New York [map]. Cartography by Rand McNally and Company. (1935)
  7. ^ Exxon. New York [map], 1977-78 edition. Cartography by General Drafting. (1977)
  8. ^ Rand McNally. New York [map]. (1985) ISBN 0-528-91040-X.