I-99 in NY - it's official

[oscar]

Here are several photos I took yesterday of I-99 signage on US 15 in New York between I-86 and the Pennsylvania border.



This lone I-99 route marker is on the northbound freeway north of exit 8 (NY 417).



A closeup of that route marker.  None of the ones I saw had the state name.



A sign assembly on eastbound NY 417, approaching the ramp to northbound I-99/US 15.



South of exit 11 (another junction with NY 417), the I-99 marker is paired with the old US 15 marker.



An I-99 reference marker, southbound on the newest segment of the freeway south of exit 6 (junction with a county route).  I saw I-99 reference markers on the older segments (like under the sign shown above south of exit 11), but I don't know for sure that all the US 15 reference markers are gone, and vaguely recall seeing at least one of them. 



Here's one of the two End I-99 markers at the south end of I-99 in New York (the other marker is on the other side of the southbound lanes).  The "Pennsylvania Welcomes You" sign in the background confirms the location.  I didn't see any End I-99 markers at the north end of I-99 at the I-86 junction, but maybe they were on the ramp I didn't take.

I also didn't see any I-99 signage on I-86 eastbound.  The BGSes approaching the I-99 junction still refer only to US 15.

[Zeffy]

That I-99 sign with the Series C numerals looks like it wanted to have NEW YORK above it. At least the numerals aren't the big bulky 18" series D ones.

[cu2010]

They're not properly centered, though, which is just as bad.

Typical NYSDOT signage.

[PHLBOS]

They're not properly centered, though, which is just as bad.

Typical NYSDOT signage.

Agreed, those Series D numerals definitely need to be centered.  PennDOT did a much better job w/their I-99 shields.

[machias]

That I-99 sign with the Series C numerals looks like it wanted to have NEW YORK above it. At least the numerals aren't the big bulky 18" series D ones.

I've seen similar Series C numbers on other interstate markers throughout upstate New York. At first I thought they were confined to Region 3, but they've shown up in R1 at the north end of Wolf Rd. leading the way to I-87 and I've seen them in R7 for I-81 in the Watertown area.  Now they're in R6 with I-99.  I wonder if they're made by CorCraft or some other contractor. I have a hunch that they're specific to one contractor, whomever they may be.

[Avalanchez71]

A northern I-85 would also work.

I seemed to have routed an I-85 up that way.

[jpi]

Darn, missed these by nearly 3 weeks  Oh well, eventually that end tab will be replaced, if you think about it, PA can easly sign this as I-99 all the way to I-180\ US 220 in Williamsport, they would just have a missing link, like that is anything new for my home state   

[oscar]

Darn, missed these by nearly 3 weeks 

Yeah, timing is everything.

I knew I needed to work the route into my return from Rochester, since I was missing the newest segment south of exit 6.  Finding I-99 signage, just a few days after it went up, was a bonus.

[Roadrunner75]

For all the flak 99 gets for its numbering here, it's actually a really nice road.  I just did the Altoona to I-80 section in PA and it's a really good scenic drive (being mostly new construction helps too, of course).  I've also done Williamsport to 86/17 twice a few years ago before the northern PA and southern NY sections were done, and that was a good ride too.  A couple of points are docked for the abrupt 'temporary' ending for the left onto I-80 east near Bellefonte, which almost got me squashed between trucks.  Similar experience at 86/17 before the new interchange, with me almost barreling through the red light at the Painted Post end at highway speed.

[PHLBOS]

For all the flak 99 gets for its numbering here, it's actually a really nice road.

To my knowledge, nobody here has ever said anything negative regarding the actual road itself.

[Brandon]

For all the flak 99 gets for its numbering here, it's actually a really nice road.

To my knowledge, nobody here has ever said anything negative regarding the actual road itself.

The flak is usually reserved for how it got the number, not the assignment of the number itself.  It was the first of a trend of interstate numbers being written into law instead of being assigned by AASHTO.  Had I-99 been assigned by AASHTO, I think no one would've taken any issue with it.  Instead, Bud Shuster wrote the number into the law authorizing it.

[Roadrunner75]

For all the flak 99 gets for its numbering here, it's actually a really nice road.

To my knowledge, nobody here has ever said anything negative regarding the actual road itself.

The flak is usually reserved for how it got the number, not the assignment of the number itself.  It was the first of a trend of interstate numbers being written into law instead of being assigned by AASHTO.  Had I-99 been assigned by AASHTO, I think no one would've taken any issue with it.  Instead, Bud Shuster wrote the number into the law authorizing it.

Agreed and understood on all the above.  Just wanted to give the road some credit, since over the years the criticism of the number assignment has often overshadowed the road itself here and elsewhere.  Looking forward to its completion through PA (and hopefully its numbering up to Rochester), even if I rarely get to drive it.

[oscar]

For all the flak 99 gets for its numbering here, it's actually a really nice road.

To my knowledge, nobody here has ever said anything negative regarding the actual road itself.

Some of the older discussion (including on misc.transport.road, where many of us started before migrating here) objected not only to the route number and the designation process, but also its lack of a direct connection to I-70/76, and its getting too high a priority over other highway construction needs.

I-99 is certainly busy enough nowadays to counter the latter criticism.

[Buffaboy]

I was just on this new stretch of I-99 for the first time a week ago when I was in PA\NJ\NY, I did not see any I-99 signs so I realy did not know this is officially I-99 besides already signed US 15, I am thinking the signs just plain have not been erected yet?

Per  the state government ( https://www.governor.ny.gov/press/06272014-designation-route-15-interstate-99 ), what remains of US 15 in New York has been designated as I-99. I won't believe it until I see it in the Official Description of Highway Touring Routes. I was over there pretty recently and saw nothing but empty spaces on I-86's BGSes. As previously mentioned, the reference markers on recently-constructed/improved sections of US 15 do say "99I" because they did the re-designation for the books during construction. Again, don't expect any "15" RMs to disappear, as they are (almost) NEVER updated to reflect current routings.

On the Rochester extension stuff, there is one and only one reason to send I-99 up I-390 and replace the hundreds of I-390 shields (many of which are state name): They build the NY 63 bypass between Mount Morris and Buffalo that Region 4 has been talking about for years and put I-99 on the new road to get the federal funding.  People in New York still refer to I-86 as "Route 17" almost exclusively. Extending I-99 further would only cause confusion.

It almost naturally seems as though if a Rochester bypass were to be built that it be an extension of NY400 to I-390.

Also, I haven't followed this thread, are plans underway to complete the non finished portions of I-99 in PA?

[cl94]

I was just on this new stretch of I-99 for the first time a week ago when I was in PA\NJ\NY, I did not see any I-99 signs so I realy did not know this is officially I-99 besides already signed US 15, I am thinking the signs just plain have not been erected yet?

Per  the state government ( https://www.governor.ny.gov/press/06272014-designation-route-15-interstate-99 ), what remains of US 15 in New York has been designated as I-99. I won't believe it until I see it in the Official Description of Highway Touring Routes. I was over there pretty recently and saw nothing but empty spaces on I-86's BGSes. As previously mentioned, the reference markers on recently-constructed/improved sections of US 15 do say "99I" because they did the re-designation for the books during construction. Again, don't expect any "15" RMs to disappear, as they are (almost) NEVER updated to reflect current routings.

On the Rochester extension stuff, there is one and only one reason to send I-99 up I-390 and replace the hundreds of I-390 shields (many of which are state name): They build the NY 63 bypass between Mount Morris and Buffalo that Region 4 has been talking about for years and put I-99 on the new road to get the federal funding.  People in New York still refer to I-86 as "Route 17" almost exclusively. Extending I-99 further would only cause confusion.

It almost naturally seems as though if a Rochester bypass were to be built that it be an extension of NY400 to I-390.

Also, I haven't followed this thread, are plans underway to complete the non finished portions of I-99 in PA?

Yeah, there are. Go back a page or two or do a search for "I-99". You'll find more than you'd ever want.

This is going really off topic, but any project on the scale of a NY 63 bypass would have to be at least a US Route to obtain the large amount of federal funds required for construction. NY 400 is interstate quality (except for the northern terminus, which will be reconstructed beginning next year) and every limited-access highway constructed by NYSDOT within the last 30+ years is as well. Call it I-286 and all is well. US 219 is High Priority Corridor 21 and a possible Interstate designation has been tossed around for years.

[vdeane]

It almost naturally seems as though if a Rochester bypass were to be built that it be an extension of NY400 to I-390.

Also, I haven't followed this thread, are plans underway to complete the non finished portions of I-99 in PA?

In terms of bypassing Rochester, the I-390/I-90 route already does.  While there is commuter traffic north of Rush, I-390 remains rural up to a mile north of the Thruway interchange, and I-90 has 16 miles until the next exit.  The trucks all take NY 63, not to avoid a city, but to clip the corner of the interstate and shunpike.

Yeah, there are. Go back a page or two or do a search for "I-99". You'll find more than you'd ever want.

In this case, "planned" and "will likely happen in the next 50 years" seem to be two entirely different things.

[Buffaboy]

It almost naturally seems as though if a Rochester bypass were to be built that it be an extension of NY400 to I-390.

Also, I haven't followed this thread, are plans underway to complete the non finished portions of I-99 in PA?

In terms of bypassing Rochester, the I-390/I-90 route already does.  While there is commuter traffic north of Rush, I-390 remains rural up to a mile north of the Thruway interchange, and I-90 has 16 miles until the next exit.  The trucks all take NY 63, not to avoid a city, but to clip the corner of the interstate and shunpike.

Yeah, there are. Go back a page or two or do a search for "I-99". You'll find more than you'd ever want.

In this case, "planned" and "will likely happen in the next 50 years" seem to be two entirely different things.

I completely misspoke about the bypass, as I really meant bypass the 30 or so miles between west of Batavia and the I-390 junction. I've been on the 63 and 20A a few times and while it's useful it isn't the safest.

And yes, this is a little off topic...

[LeftyJR]

There is a "Begin" sign at the PA/NY border, which isn't really the beginning is it?

[qguy]

...it's actually a really nice road.

I-99/US 220/US 15 is one of my favorite freeway drives anywhere. It's terraced a lot along its entire length, often highly so, hugging the sides of mountain ridges and often dashing from one side of a valley to the other in great swoops. In some places it winds through a gorge and tops out through a high pass before diving down into another valley. In many places you can also see the highway snaking off in the far distance. All very dramatic. It's great fun to drive and is really quite beautiful, more so in the autumn.

This is true for the entire highway, but especially for the segment from Williamsburg to Corning.

Another drive very much like this is US 322 between Harrisburg and State College.

I love the three-dimensional nature of roads like these. Great fun to drive! If you ever have the opportunity to drive these two highways (I-99 and US 322) don't pass it up.

[PenguinXL2]

I wonder how this will affect traffic in Williamsport....

[Flyer78]

There is a "Begin" sign at the PA/NY border, which isn't really the beginning is it?

It's NY's long overdue response to the Casey-era "America Starts Here" welcome to PA signs.

It's also only Future I-99 on the PA side at that point.

[oscar]

There is a "Begin" sign at the PA/NY border, which isn't really the beginning is it?

I didn't notice it there when I drove through on Sunday.  Maybe I overlooked it while searching for a good place to stop to photograph the "end" signs from the northbound lanes (no luck, so I backtracked and photographed one of them from the southbound right shoulder), or maybe the "begin" sign was added in the last few days.

[jemacedo9]

Driving through the I-86/I-99 interchange, I noticed that the BGSs now have I-99 shields, as greenout patches over the old US 15 shields.  I did not see any mention of, or any auxiliary signage for, US 15, though US 15 reassurance signs still exist.  I was not able to grab any photos.

[TheKnightoftheInterstate]

All I can say that it is about time that my Interstate has earned some respect and appreciation from the world. I-99 is useful.

[I94RoadRunner]

Driving through the I-86/I-99 interchange, I noticed that the BGSs now have I-99 shields, as greenout patches over the old US 15 shields.  I did not see any mention of, or any auxiliary signage for, US 15, though US 15 reassurance signs still exist.  I was not able to grab any photos.

Any chance of some pics .....?