New York State Thruway

[Roadgeek Adam]

I use 90-63-408-390-17-81-380-80 if going straight through, which is rare.

[Roadgeekteen]

There is nothing special about the Thruway. It shouldn't be treated as a destination or control city on guide signs on approaches and it no longer has the need to stick to its original interchange numbering to keep toll tickets "easy to understand" . Like the ISTHA in Illinois, they can number the interchanges internally with their own numbering system all they want. They already have names (like the Penna Turnpike, albeit not shown on signs).

The interchanges are normally named after one of the exit destinations, correct? I can't say I've ever seen a list of them, but I imagine most are self-explanatory enough that I (and most others here) could probably guess them correctly offhand.

It could be helpful for Buffalo and other upstate NY drivers to know the distance to NYC, but I get you.

However, most people driving from Buffalo to NYC wouldn't use the Thruway. They'd use I-86 or I-81 to Binghamton and then either NY 17 or I-81/I-380/I-80 depending on where they're going in the NYC area.

Um maybe only for Utica then.

[vdeane]

Does the Thrwuway take precedent over the interstates in New York?

I'm going to be contrarian to the other roadgeeks here and answer yes, at least as far as the general public is concerned.  To people here in the Capital District, I-87 is the Northway, I-90 is free 90, and the Thruway is the Thruway.  This is despite the fact that the Thruway uses I-87 and I-90 reassurance shields almost exclusively, with less branding on signs than the Turnpikes in bordering MA, NJ, or PA.  I assume the fact that the Thruway has its own milemarkers and exit numbers, which reset when I-90 and I-87 leave the Thruway, contributes to this perception.  This is especially pronounced in the Capital District, though even further west, people more commonly refer to the Thruway than to I-90, and the Thruway is considered distinct from the other freeways in the state (outside of the free section around Buffalo).  This is largely due to the ticket system that existed prior to the AET conversion; it's hard to not think of a road as being its own thing, separate from everything else, if you have to drive though booths to get on and off.  It will be interesting to see if perception changes over the next few years.

[machias]

There is nothing special about the Thruway. It shouldn't be treated as a destination or control city on guide signs on approaches and it no longer has the need to stick to its original interchange numbering to keep toll tickets "easy to understand" . Like the ISTHA in Illinois, they can number the interchanges internally with their own numbering system all they want. They already have names (like the Penna Turnpike, albeit not shown on signs).

The interchanges are normally named after one of the exit destinations, correct? I can't say I've ever seen a list of them, but I imagine most are self-explanatory enough that I (and most others here) could probably guess them correctly offhand.

For the most part, yes. I'm only really familiar with the interchange names in Syracuse

Exit 34A is Collamer
Exit 35 is Carrier Circle
Exit 36 is Syracuse
Exit 37 is Electronics Park
Not sure about Exit 38
Exit 39 is State Fair

[froggie]

Not sure about Exit 38

Liverpool

[webny99]

... even further west, people more commonly refer to the Thruway than to I-90, and the Thruway is considered distinct from the other freeways in the state (outside of the free section around Buffalo).

Absolutely. It's always the Thruway, not I-90. This is probably even more pronounced west of Syracuse because then the Thruway is just I-90, not I-87, since I-87 south of Albany irrelevant for anyone in Western NY unless they go out of their way to use it (hence why I still haven't clinched the section between Harriman and the Berkshire Connector).

[storm2k]

Does the Thrwuway take precedent over the interstates in New York?

I'm going to be contrarian to the other roadgeeks here and answer yes, at least as far as the general public is concerned.  To people here in the Capital District, I-87 is the Northway, I-90 is free 90, and the Thruway is the Thruway.  This is despite the fact that the Thruway uses I-87 and I-90 reassurance shields almost exclusively, with less branding on signs than the Turnpikes in bordering MA, NJ, or PA.  I assume the fact that the Thruway has its own milemarkers and exit numbers, which reset when I-90 and I-87 leave the Thruway, contributes to this perception.  This is especially pronounced in the Capital District, though even further west, people more commonly refer to the Thruway than to I-90, and the Thruway is considered distinct from the other freeways in the state (outside of the free section around Buffalo).  This is largely due to the ticket system that existed prior to the AET conversion; it's hard to not think of a road as being its own thing, separate from everything else, if you have to drive though booths to get on and off.  It will be interesting to see if perception changes over the next few years.

I'm in complete agreement with you on this. No one in the NYC area thinks of the Thruway as I-87 because that road is two distinct roads: the Major Deegan south of the Bronx line, and the Thruway north of it. Plus, much like the NJ Turnpike, all Thruway signs are posted with both an interstate shield and the Thruway blue circle shield. And even though signs on its mainline mostly only use its associated interstate routes, almost every entrance to the PA Turnpike has one of those big oversized PA Turnpike shields. That's how the average motorist is going to think of these roads, and that's completely fine.

[bluecountry]

In your opinion, what is the best scenery on the Thruway?

Between Utica and Amsterdam.

On this, we can agree. I can't even think of any other good candidates... certainly nothing west of Syracuse (this is about as scenic as it gets, and even that's a stretch).

Umm the Catskills....

[Roadgeekteen]

In your opinion, what is the best scenery on the Thruway?

Between Utica and Amsterdam.

On this, we can agree. I can't even think of any other good candidates... certainly nothing west of Syracuse (this is about as scenic as it gets, and even that's a stretch).

Umm the Catskills....

The Catskills are east of Syracuse.

[Rothman]

In your opinion, what is the best scenery on the Thruway?

Between Utica and Amsterdam.

On this, we can agree. I can't even think of any other good candidates... certainly nothing west of Syracuse (this is about as scenic as it gets, and even that's a stretch).

Umm the Catskills....

The Catskills are east of Syracuse.

The Thruway doesn't go through the Catskills, either.

[kalvado]

In your opinion, what is the best scenery on the Thruway?

Between Utica and Amsterdam.

On this, we can agree. I can't even think of any other good candidates... certainly nothing west of Syracuse (this is about as scenic as it gets, and even that's a stretch).

Umm the Catskills....

The Catskills are east of Syracuse.

The Thruway doesn't go through the Catskills, either.

Thruway goes between Catskills and Catskill, passing over Catskill creek..

[empirestate]

In your opinion, what is the best scenery on the Thruway?

Between Utica and Amsterdam.

On this, we can agree. I can't even think of any other good candidates... certainly nothing west of Syracuse (this is about as scenic as it gets, and even that's a stretch).

Umm the Catskills....

The Catskills are east of Syracuse.

The Thruway doesn't go through the Catskills, either.

Thruway goes between Catskills and Catskill, passing over Catskill creek..

And has views of said Catskills.

[cl94]

Not only does the Thruway have many views of the Catskills and run inland of Catskill village, the Thruway itself enters Catskill Park for a mile or two near the Ulster service area if NYSDEC GIS is to be believed. South of there to just south of Exit 19, the line generally follows the west ROW line (but the Exit 19 trumpet is partially inside the park).

[Rothman]

It still isn't as scenic as the drive from Utica to Amsterdam.

[froggie]

Scenery is in the eye of the beholder...

[roadman65]

Scenery is in the eye of the beholder...

So true as some see Garbage as beauty. 

Heck look at modern art.  Some see it as art and some see that as trash.

Then a ceremony I once went to for the Knights of Columbus was said by many members to be beautiful, but to me I did not see any beauty in it when I attended.

This is AARoads where many get mad at others if you say something looks great and the other person fails to share your view.

[webny99]

So true as some see Garbage as beauty... This is AARoads where many get mad at others if you say something looks great and the other person fails to share your view.

Oh, man. LOL. This is almost worthy of being added to my signature. 

[vdeane]

Not only does the Thruway have many views of the Catskills and run inland of Catskill village, the Thruway itself enters Catskill Park for a mile or two near the Ulster service area if NYSDEC GIS is to be believed. South of there to just south of Exit 19, the line generally follows the west ROW line (but the Exit 19 trumpet is partially inside the park).

There are also "entering Catskill Park" signs on US 209 and NY 28 heading west crossing the Thruway.

[TonyTrafficLight]

Toll Booths at Exit 32 Westmoreland are no more. Looks like they've been there a few days working. Old Park and Drive next to the booths is ripped up and was moved into the Tractor Trailer Lot on the other side of the old booths. I still remember the days of that lot having 20 or so Rite-Aid trailers and others in it. Now there's 1 or 2 total.

[baugh17]

Toll Booths at Exit 32 Westmoreland are no more. Looks like they've been there a few days working. Old Park and Drive next to the booths is ripped up and was moved into the Tractor Trailer Lot on the other side of the old booths. I still remember the days of that lot having 20 or so Rite-Aid trailers and others in it. Now there's 1 or 2 total.

Here's what I was able to confirm during my travels to Syracuse this weekend...

Exit 32 (Westmoreland)...Gone
Exit 33 (Verona)...Still there, and presumably will be next
Exit 34 (Canastota)...Could not confirm
Exit 34A (I-481)...Could not confirm
Exit 35 (East Syracuse)...Gone

[cl94]

Toll Booths at Exit 32 Westmoreland are no more. Looks like they've been there a few days working. Old Park and Drive next to the booths is ripped up and was moved into the Tractor Trailer Lot on the other side of the old booths. I still remember the days of that lot having 20 or so Rite-Aid trailers and others in it. Now there's 1 or 2 total.

Here's what I was able to confirm during my travels to Syracuse this weekend...

Exit 32 (Westmoreland)...Gone
Exit 33 (Verona)...Still there, and presumably will be next
Exit 34 (Canastota)...Could not confirm
Exit 34A (I-481)...Could not confirm
Exit 35 (East Syracuse)...Gone

34A is gone as of Thursday. 34 was still there 2 weeks ago, may be down now.

[baugh17]

Toll Booths at Exit 32 Westmoreland are no more. Looks like they've been there a few days working. Old Park and Drive next to the booths is ripped up and was moved into the Tractor Trailer Lot on the other side of the old booths. I still remember the days of that lot having 20 or so Rite-Aid trailers and others in it. Now there's 1 or 2 total.

Here's what I was able to confirm during my travels to Syracuse this weekend...

Exit 32 (Westmoreland)...Gone
Exit 33 (Verona)...Still there, and presumably will be next
Exit 34 (Canastota)...Could not confirm
Exit 34A (I-481)...Could not confirm
Exit 35 (East Syracuse)...Gone

34A is gone as of Thursday. 34 was still there 2 weeks ago, may be down now.

I hope to have a better update next weekend (I'm heading to Buffalo on Saturday).

[vdeane]

33 and 34 are still there.  Further east, 48 and 48A are down.

[Roadgeek Adam]

49 is completely gone now. They just put up a new median barrier the other day. 36 is gone save for the tollhouse, which has a part of the roof overhang collapsing. My guess is the tollhouse at 36 is coming down. (The one at 49 is not, state troopers like to use it for some reason.)

[vdeane]

Other interesting note: at 45, the sign on I-490 near exit 29 for the Thruway with two indicating which lane to be in for each direction of I-90.  The old toll booth warning sign on the bridge has been replaced with "freeway ends" for some reason; not exactly normal to see such a sign approaching a freeway/freeway interchange. 

No changes at exit 47 yet.