New York State Route 7

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

NY Route 7
Length: 180.47 mi[1] (290.44 km)
Formed: 1927[2] (1924 as NY 9)[3]
West end: PA 29 at Conklin
Major
junctions:		 I-81/I-86 in Binghamton
NY 8 in Sidney
NY 28 in Oneonta
US 20 in Duanesburg
NY 5 in Schenectady
I-87 in Latham
I-787 in Green Island
East end: VT 9 at Hoosick
Counties: Broome, Chenango, Otsego, Schoharie, Schenectady, Albany, Rensselaer
Numbered highways in New York
< NY 6N NY 8 >
Interstate - U.S. - N.Y. - Reference

New York State Route 7 is a 180-mile (290 km) long New York State Highway that runs from the New York/Pennsylvania border south of Binghamton, New York to the New York/Vermont border east of Hoosick. Most of the road runs along the Susquehanna Valley, closely paralleling Interstate 88 throughout that road's length. Portions of the highway route near the cities of Binghamton, Schenectady, and Troy date back to the early 19th century.

Contents

[edit] Route description

[edit] Binghamton area

NY 7 begins at Pennsylvania state line south of Corbettsville, where the road continues into Pennsylvania as Pennsylvania Route 29. Like PA 29 to the south, NY 7 follows Snake Creek north to Corbettsville, where it meets NY 7A on the banks of the Susquehanna River. From Corbettsville northward, NY 7 becomes the riverside highway, following the river (as well as U.S. Route 11 and Interstate 81 on the opposite bank) through Conklin to eastern Binghamton, where it indirectly connects to US 11 via a bridge over the Susquehanna. The route continues west into downtown along Conklin Avenue, then heads north on Tompkins Avenue to traverse the Susquehanna River. On the opposite bank, NY 7 intersects US 11 and becomes Brandywine Avenue. After three blocks, NY 7 merges with the limited-access NY 363. While NY 363 terminates at the merge, NY 7 follows the right-of-way of NY 363 northward, interchanging with the concurrent routes of I-81 and NY 17 before leaving the city limits.

Immediately north of Binghamton in Port Dickinson, NY 7 merges with Interstate 88 across the Chenango River from the western terminus of I-88 at I-81. NY 7 and I-88 continue to the northeast along the Chenango River through Chenango Bridge (where the route interchanges with NY 12A) and Port Crane (where NY 7 and I-88 meet NY 369 and leave the path of the Chenango River) before separating in Sanitaria Springs.

[edit] Binghamton to Schenectady

From Sanitaria Springs eastward, NY 7 and I-88 follow parallel routings through Colesville to Harpursville, where NY 7 overlaps NY 79 for a short distance and intersects NY 235 outside of the community. East of NY 235, NY 7 rejoins the Susquehanna River, following the river (as well as I-88 on the opposite bank) through several riverside villages (including Unadilla) to Oneonta. West of the city, NY 7 meets NY 23 and joins the route into the heart of Oneonta. Near the eastern edge of the city, NY 23 breaks from NY 7 while NY 7 continues onward in the shadow of I-88 and the Susquehanna River. To the northeast in Colliersville, the Susquehanna separates from NY 7 and is joined by NY 28 while NY 7 continues along the path of Schenevus Creek.

Both NY 7 and I-88 head northeast along the creek through numerous communities to Richmondville, where NY 7 meets NY 10 at an interchange with I-88 near Cobleskill Creek. NY 10 turns east onto NY 7, forming an overlap along the creek to Cobleskill before separating from NY 7 in the center of the village at an intersection with NY 145. NY 145 then overlaps NY 7 east out of the village before separating midway between Cobleskill and Schoharie near Howe Caverns. North of Schoharie, NY 7 briefly overlaps NY 30A across Schoharie Creek before intersecting NY 30 west of the Schoharie-Schenectady County line.

[edit] Capital District

In Duanesburg, southwest of Schenectady, NY 7 intersects U.S. Route 20 and meets I-88 once more at exit 24. Both routes continue northeast along Normans Kill Creek into western Schenectady, where I-88 interchanges with NY 7 one final time before terminating at an interchange with the New York State Thruway (Interstate 90). NY 7, however, passes over the Thruway with no connection and heads east into Rotterdam as Duanesburg Road. In the center of the community, NY 7 turns east onto Curry Road, remaining on the roadway to an interchange with Interstate 890 adjacent to the Schenectady-Albany County line. NY 7 merges with I-890 northward for two exits (creating a wrong-way concurrency) before exiting onto the Crosstown Arterial.

At the end of the arterial in eastern Schenectady, NY 7 becomes the at-grade Troy-Schenectady Road as it heads along the south bank of the Mohawk River into Albany County. Shortly after entering the county and the Town of Colonie, NY 7 leaves the river and progresses southeast toward the hamlet of Latham. Soon after passing the Albany International Airport and prior to entering the center of Latham, NY 7 interchanges with Interstate 87 at exit 6. Here, NY 7 joins the freeway northward while Troy-Schenectady Road continues east as NY 2. At exit 7, NY 7 separates from I-87 and continues east on a freeway known locally as "Alternate Route 7." The route interchanges with U.S. Route 9 and Interstate 787/NY 787 prior to crossing over the Hudson River and into Troy over the Collar City Bridge. The route remains a limited-access highway to 8th Street, where it becomes the at-grade Hoosick Street.

NY 7 continues east through Troy, intersecting NY 40 before exiting the city. Past Troy, the land surrounding NY 7 is largely rural as it heads through Pittstown to Hoosick, where it meets and is briefly concurrent to NY 22. Farther east, NY 7 intersects the western end of the Bennington Bypass, a limited-access highway leading to Bennington, Vermont, before crossing into Vermont and becoming Vermont Route 9.

[edit] History

The history of Route 7 dates back to the 19th century toll road known as the Troy and Schenectady Turnpike (now the Troy-Schenectady Road) chartered in 1802, connecting the cities of Troy and Schenectady.[4] Another turnpike road, the Troy Turnpike, was established in 1831 and went east from Troy to Bennington, Vermont.[5] The road between Binghamton (at the location known as Chenango Point) through the village of Unadilla to the town of Otego was also an old turnpike road (Unadilla Turnpike) that was chartered in 1806.[6]

The state took over maintenance of certain trunk line highways at the beginning of the 20th century. Most of modern NY 7 was first defined in the 1909 Highway Law (amended in 1911)[7] as State Route 7, which was designated from the Pennsylvania line at Binghamton town to Harpursville, then along the Susquehanna Valley through Oneonta to the town of Schoharie. From there, the legislative route 7 went east via Berne and New Scotland to Albany. The portion of modern NY 7 continuing northeast to Schenectady was part of State Route 7A. The road between Troy and Schenectady was defined as part of State Route 42, while that between Troy and Hoosick was part of State Route 22.

In 1924, when state highways were first publicly signed, most of what is now NY 7 between Binghamton and the Vermont state line was designated as New York State Route 9,[3] continuing the numbering of New England Route 9 in Vermont. Within Albany, NY 9 followed the modern routing of NY 2 through Latham to Troy, where the connection to the modern alignment of NY 7 was made via current U.S. Route 4.[8] In 1927, NY 9 was redesignated as NY 7 to avoid conflict with US 9.[2] The route north of Binghamton remained unchanged in the 1930 renumbering;[9] however, south of Binghamton, NY 7 was extended to the Pennsylvania state line, where it became PA 29.[10][11]

In 1981, the Collar City Bridge was built, connecting Green Island with Troy in the Capital District.[12] By 1985, construction had begun on the NY 7 freeway, then marked as NY 7 Alternate, between Interstate 87 and Interstate 787 west of Green Island.[13] In 1986, NY 7 "Alternate" opened, becoming part of a realigned NY 7.[12] The old surface alignment was designated as an extension of NY 2.[citation needed]

Originally, NY 7 began in Binghamton (at Court Street) and went north along Chenango Street.[14] In Schenectady, it was originally routed along Broadway, State Street, Nott Terrace, and Union Street,[2] and was shifted to avoid downtown by 1949 to Altamont Avenue and Union Avenue.[15] The segment of Chenango Street between the Binghamton city line and current NY 7 in Port Dickinson (a distance of 1.07 miles (1.72 km)) is now Reference Route 990H[16] while a portion of Altamont Avenue from modern NY 7 (Curry Road) to the Schenectady city line (0.96 miles (1.54 km)) is designated Reference Route 911H.[17] Both reference routes, maintained by NYSDOT, are unsigned. In the time between that both Route 7 and Route 911H were designated, Altamont Avenue was maintained as New York State Route 951, with reference markers still bearing this number.[17]

[edit] Future

NYSDOT has announced plans to construct a Single-Point Urban Interchange (SPUI) at exit 6 for the Northway to replace the current diamond interchange in place.[18]

[edit] Suffixed routes

NY 7 currently has two spurs, both located in the Southern Tier. A third formerly existed in the Capital District near Schenectady.

  • NY 7A (1.74 miles (2.80 km)[1]) is a spur assigned in the 1930 renumbering from NY 7 to the Pennsylvania state line in the Broome County town of Conklin.[10][11] NY 7A continues Route 7's course along the Susquehanna River valley parallel to US 11 and I-81 from a point where Route 7 detours up a creek valley to Pennsylvania where it continues as PA SR 1033. Originally, NY 7A connected to PA 602 at the state line;[11] the road in Pennsylvania later became part of an extended PA 70 in the 1940s[19] before ceasing to be a signed route in the 1960s.[20]
  • NY 7B (3.71 miles (5.97 km)[1]) is a spur that follows the former, pre-expressway routing of NY 7 between NY 369 in Port Crane and NY 7 in Sanitaria Springs in Broome County.[21] Prior to becoming NY 7B, it was designated NY 990K, an unsigned reference route.[22] Before 1970, the NY 7B designation was used for what is now NY 357 from Unadilla to North Franklin.[23]
  • NY 7C was a loop off of NY 7 east of Schenectady in Schenectady and Albany Counties. It began at NY 7 in Niskayuna and proceeded east along Rosendale Road into Colonie, where it ended at NY 7. The portion of the route in Schenectady County is now known as County Route 158.[24]

[edit] Major intersections

[edit] Pennsylvania to Colonie

County Location Mile[1] Roads intersected Notes
Broome Conklin 0.00 PA 29 Continuation into Pennsylvania
1.26 NY 7A Northern terminus of NY 7A
City of Binghamton 11.11 US 11
11.57 NY 363 Northern terminus of NY 363
11.97 I-81 / NY 17 Exit 4 (I-81/NY 17)
14.14 I-88 west Exit 1 (I-88/NY 7); western terminus of overlap
Fenton 15.90 NY 12A Exit 2 (I-88/NY 7); eastern terminus of NY 12A
Port Crane 18.16 NY 7B / NY 369 Exit 3 (I-88/NY 7); southern termini of NY 7B and NY 369
Colesville 21.36 I-88 east Exit 4 (I-88/NY 7); eastern terminus of overlap
Fenton 21.59 NY 7B Northern terminus of NY 7B
Colesville 28.56 NY 79 west Western terminus of overlap
Nineveh 29.81 NY 79 east Eastern terminus of overlap
30.97 NY 235 Southern terminus of NY 235
Chenango Village of Afton 37.27 NY 41
Village of Bainbridge 43.01 NY 206
Otsego Town of Sidney 47.32 NY 8
Town of Unadilla 53.49 NY 357 Western terminus of NY 357
Village of Otego 67.72 NY 205
Town of Oneonta 68.69 NY 23 west Western terminus of overlap
70.95 NY 23 east Eastern terminus of overlap
Town of Milford 76.00 NY 28
Schoharie Village of Richmondville 103.20 NY 10 south Western terminus of overlap
Town of Richmondville 105.73 I-88 Exit 20 (I-88)
Village of Cobleskill 107.70 NY 10 north / NY 145 north Eastern terminus of NY 7/NY 10 overlap; western terminus of NY 7/NY 145 overlap
111.07 NY 145 south Eastern terminus of overlap
Town of Schoharie 115.87 NY 30A north Western terminus of overlap
117.01 NY 30A south Eastern terminus of overlap
119.06 NY 30
Schenectady Delanson 123.89 NY 395
Duanesburg 127.24 US 20
Princetown 128.23 I-88 Exit 24 (I-88)
Town of Rotterdam 133.15 I-88 Exit 25 (I-88); to I-90/Thruway
134.07 NY 337 Southern terminus of NY 337
135.62 NY 159 Eastern terminus of NY 159
136.16 NY 158 Northern terminus of NY 158
138.44 NY 146 To I-890 east
Albany Guilderland 139.14 I-890 Exit 9 (I-890); southern terminus of overlap
Schenectady Schenectady 140.71 I-890 west Exit 7 (I-890); northern terminus of overlap
141.55 NY 5
Niskayuna 142.70 Rosendale Road Former western terminus of NY 7C
Albany Town of Colonie 146.39 Rosendale Road / Vly Road Former eastern terminus of NY 7C
149.92 I-87 south / NY 2 Exit 6 (I-87); southern terminus of I-87/NY 7 overlap; western terminus of NY 2
150.53 I-87 north Exit 7 (I-87); northern terminus of overlap

[edit] Alternate Route 7

All exits are unnumbered.

County Location Mile[1] Destinations Notes
Albany Town of Colonie 151.00 US 9 / NY 9R – Latham, Cohoes
154.41 I-787 / NY 787 – Albany, Watervliet, Cohoes Exits 9E-W (I-787); northern terminus of I-787; southern terminus of NY 787
Rensselaer Troy Downtown Troy Eastbound exit, westbound entrance
155.02 8th Street At-grade intersection

[edit] Troy to Vermont

County Location Mile[1] Roads intersected Notes
Rensselaer Troy 155.12 NY 40 Southern terminus of NY 40
Brunswick 158.75 NY 142 Eastern terminus of NY 142
159.78 NY 278 Northern terminus of NY 278
Hoosick 176.02 NY 22 south Western terminus of overlap
176.35 NY 22 north Eastern terminus of overlap
179.57
To VT 279		 Access via NY 915G
180.47 VT 9 Continuation into Vermont

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Traffic Data Report - US 1 to US 9 (PDF). NYSDOT (2007-07-16). Retrieved on 2007-09-13.
  2. ^ a b c Automobile Blue Book, (Automobile Blue Book Inc., Chicago, 1927).
  3. ^ a b "New York's Main Highways Designated by Numbers", New York Times, 1924-12-21, p. XX9. 
  4. ^ George Rogers Howell (1886). [History of the County of Schenectady, N.Y., from 1662 to 1886 History of the County of Schenectady, N.Y., from 1662 to 1886]. W.W. Munsell and Co. Publishers. Retrieved on 2007-11-24.
  5. ^ George Baker Anderson (1897). History of Troy, New York. D. Mason and Co. Publishers. Retrieved on 2007-11-24.
  6. ^ Laws of the State of New York, 1806 - An act to incorporate the Unadillla Turnpike Company, and for other purposes
  7. ^ State of New York - Laws of 1909, Chapter 30 (The Highway Law), as amended 1910-1919.
  8. ^ Rand McNally. Rand McNally Road Atlas [map]. (1926) Retrieved on 2007-09-12.
  9. ^ Leon A. Dickinson. "New Signs for State Highways", New York Times, 1930-01-12, p. 136. 
  10. ^ a b Automobile Blue Book Inc.. Automobile Blue Book [map]. (1929) Retrieved on 2007-09-12.
  11. ^ a b c Pennsylvania Department of Highways. Tourist Map of Pennsylvania [map]. (1930) Retrieved on 2007-09-12.
  12. ^ a b National Bridge Inventory, a database compiled by the United States Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration, available at www.nationalbridges.com. Accessed 2007-09-12.
  13. ^ Rand McNally. New York [map]. Cartography by Rand McNally. (1985)
  14. ^ Automobile Blue Book Inc.. Automobile Blue Book [map]. (1929) Retrieved on 2007-10-12.
  15. ^ United States Geological Survey. Schenectady, NY Quadrangle [map], 1:62,500, 15 Minute Series (Topographic). (1949) Retrieved on 2007-10-12.
  16. ^ Empire State Roads - Reference Routes, Region 9
  17. ^ a b Empire State Roads - Reference Routes, Region 1
  18. ^ I-87 Exit 6 Project (HTML). NYSDOT (2008). Retrieved on 2008-05-16.
  19. ^ Pennsylvania Department of Highways. Official Road Map of Pennsylvania [map]. (1950) Retrieved on 2007-11-26.
  20. ^ Pennsylvania Department of Highways. Official Map of Pennsylvania [map]. (1970) Retrieved on 2007-11-26.
  21. ^ New York Routes - New York State Route 7B. Retrieved on 2007-11-26.
  22. ^ NYS Reference Routes: Region 9. Retrieved on 2007-11-26.
  23. ^ State of New York Department of Transportation (1970-01-01). Official Description of Touring Routes in New York State. Retrieved on 2007-11-26.
  24. ^ New York Routes - New York State Route 7C. Retrieved on 2007-11-26.

[edit] External links