New York

[vdeane]

NY used to have the same policy (not sure if it was ever a law or not) but no longer does.  There are still many remnants of it, though, including I-81 around Binghamton and I-87 south of Clifton Park (this is why the speed limit is different at exit 8 depending on which direction you're going).

[cl94]

NY used to have the same policy (not sure if it was ever a law or not) but no longer does.  There are still many remnants of it, though, including I-81 around Binghamton and I-87 south of Clifton Park (this is why the speed limit is different at exit 8 depending on which direction you're going).

NY got rid of that in the early to mid 2000s and it was indeed a law. Originally, 65 was reserved for rural Interstates and NY 17. I'd need to deflect to others for confirmation, but I'm 95% sure I-90 was 55 until well east of US 4. Speed limit got bumped up the same time NY 7 and US 219 went to 65. The Northway kept the low limit because of the bridge.

[Jim]

NY used to have the same policy (not sure if it was ever a law or not) but no longer does.  There are still many remnants of it, though, including I-81 around Binghamton and I-87 south of Clifton Park (this is why the speed limit is different at exit 8 depending on which direction you're going).

NY got rid of that in the early to mid 2000s and it was indeed a law. Originally, 65 was reserved for rural Interstates and NY 17. I'd need to deflect to others for confirmation, but I'm 95% sure I-90 was 55 until well east of US 4. Speed limit got bumped up the same time NY 7 and US 219 went to 65. The Northway kept the low limit because of the bridge.

It doesn't seem that long ago that "free" I-90 was 55 all the way from B1 to 24, but I'm sure it's been quite a few years by now.

[cl94]

NY used to have the same policy (not sure if it was ever a law or not) but no longer does.  There are still many remnants of it, though, including I-81 around Binghamton and I-87 south of Clifton Park (this is why the speed limit is different at exit 8 depending on which direction you're going).

NY got rid of that in the early to mid 2000s and it was indeed a law. Originally, 65 was reserved for rural Interstates and NY 17. I'd need to deflect to others for confirmation, but I'm 95% sure I-90 was 55 until well east of US 4. Speed limit got bumped up the same time NY 7 and US 219 went to 65. The Northway kept the low limit because of the bridge.

It doesn't seem that long ago that "free" I-90 was 55 all the way from B1 to 24, but I'm sure it's been quite a few years by now.

I thought it was 55 the entire way. Wasn't the Northway 55 a bit further north as well?

[kalvado]

NY used to have the same policy (not sure if it was ever a law or not) but no longer does.  There are still many remnants of it, though, including I-81 around Binghamton and I-87 south of Clifton Park (this is why the speed limit is different at exit 8 depending on which direction you're going).

NY got rid of that in the early to mid 2000s and it was indeed a law. Originally, 65 was reserved for rural Interstates and NY 17. I'd need to deflect to others for confirmation, but I'm 95% sure I-90 was 55 until well east of US 4. Speed limit got bumped up the same time NY 7 and US 219 went to 65. The Northway kept the low limit because of the bridge.

It doesn't seem that long ago that "free" I-90 was 55 all the way from B1 to 24, but I'm sure it's been quite a few years by now.

I thought it was 55 the entire way. Wasn't the Northway 55 a bit further north as well?

Whatever it worth... But "begin" tab on first  65 MPH sign northbound is clearly newer than the sign itself. My impression is that beginning of 65 was moved north a bit  fairly recently.

[cl94]

NY used to have the same policy (not sure if it was ever a law or not) but no longer does.  There are still many remnants of it, though, including I-81 around Binghamton and I-87 south of Clifton Park (this is why the speed limit is different at exit 8 depending on which direction you're going).

NY got rid of that in the early to mid 2000s and it was indeed a law. Originally, 65 was reserved for rural Interstates and NY 17. I'd need to deflect to others for confirmation, but I'm 95% sure I-90 was 55 until well east of US 4. Speed limit got bumped up the same time NY 7 and US 219 went to 65. The Northway kept the low limit because of the bridge.

It doesn't seem that long ago that "free" I-90 was 55 all the way from B1 to 24, but I'm sure it's been quite a few years by now.

I thought it was 55 the entire way. Wasn't the Northway 55 a bit further north as well?

Whatever it worth... But "begin" tab on first  65 MPH sign northbound is clearly newer than the sign itself. My impression is that beginning of 65 was moved north a bit  fairly recently.

65 started there since the early 2000s, if not earlier. The "begin" tab was added around 2010, probably to remind people that it's still 55 until then.

[vdeane]

NY used to have the same policy (not sure if it was ever a law or not) but no longer does.  There are still many remnants of it, though, including I-81 around Binghamton and I-87 south of Clifton Park (this is why the speed limit is different at exit 8 depending on which direction you're going).

NY got rid of that in the early to mid 2000s and it was indeed a law. Originally, 65 was reserved for rural Interstates and NY 17. I'd need to deflect to others for confirmation, but I'm 95% sure I-90 was 55 until well east of US 4. Speed limit got bumped up the same time NY 7 and US 219 went to 65. The Northway kept the low limit because of the bridge.

According to the research I did for my site's 1999 rollback April Fool's Day prank, speed limits of 65 were controlled entirely by the legislature until they deferred authority to NYSDOT and made them like any other limit.  I don't recall an intermediate step where they were allowed in rural areas but not urban, unless it was a requirement the legislature was operating under (I didn't dig that far, I just wanted to make sure I got rid of any 65 zones in the exit lists that weren't around yet in April 1999).  I still have the prank around, for anyone who wants to see what the roads were like back then (the NY 17 exit list is particularly impressive): http://nysroads.com/1999/index.php

I recall I-81 being 55 up to Central Square, but I couldn't find any documentation to support it.

[machias]

NY used to have the same policy (not sure if it was ever a law or not) but no longer does.  There are still many remnants of it, though, including I-81 around Binghamton and I-87 south of Clifton Park (this is why the speed limit is different at exit 8 depending on which direction you're going).

NY got rid of that in the early to mid 2000s and it was indeed a law. Originally, 65 was reserved for rural Interstates and NY 17. I'd need to deflect to others for confirmation, but I'm 95% sure I-90 was 55 until well east of US 4. Speed limit got bumped up the same time NY 7 and US 219 went to 65. The Northway kept the low limit because of the bridge.

According to the research I did for my site's 1999 rollback April Fool's Day prank, speed limits of 65 were controlled entirely by the legislature until they deferred authority to NYSDOT and made them like any other limit.  I don't recall an intermediate step where they were allowed in rural areas but not urban, unless it was a requirement the legislature was operating under (I didn't dig that far, I just wanted to make sure I got rid of any 65 zones in the exit lists that weren't around yet in April 1999).  I still have the prank around, for anyone who wants to see what the roads were like back then (the NY 17 exit list is particularly impressive): http://nysroads.com/1999/index.php

I recall I-81 being 55 up to Central Square, but I couldn't find any documentation to support it.

Hmmm, I don't remember I-81 being 55 up to Central Square, I was pretty sure the SB reduction to 55 was between the I-481/NY 481 and Taft Road interchanges, at the former location of MP 92 (before everything was readjusted in the mid '00s).

[vdeane]

Quite possibly.  Your memory of that time period is no doubt better than mine, and I would have only seen it on the drive to the Thousand Islands a few years anyways.

[roadman65]

I was looking at an old Travel Vision Map by General Drafting of Florham Park, NJ of New York, and could not find the date of publication.  I did notice that NY 7 between Troy and I-87 was shown on it as ALT NY 7 and NY 2 from Troy to I-87 was mainline NY 7.  I am curious to know, was there another plan for the freeway there that had this for a short time, or was it an error as NYSDOT does not (to my knowledge) use ALT banners as you would think it would be NY 7A instead?

[cl94]

I was looking at an old Travel Vision Map by General Drafting of Florham Park, NJ of New York, and could not find the date of publication.  I did notice that NY 7 between Troy and I-87 was shown on it as ALT NY 7 and NY 2 from Troy to I-87 was mainline NY 7.  I am curious to know, was there another plan for the freeway there that had this for a short time, or was it an error as NYSDOT does not (to my knowledge) use ALT banners as you would think it would be NY 7A instead?

ALT NY 7 was the original designation.

[Buffaboy]

There are a bunch of brown signs up on NY 5 along Buffalo's Outer Harbor. Going westbound, there are 3 signs within about 30 feet of each other. Unless you were going at 20 MPH, you cannot read these comfortably.

[Alps]

I was looking at an old Travel Vision Map by General Drafting of Florham Park, NJ of New York, and could not find the date of publication.  I did notice that NY 7 between Troy and I-87 was shown on it as ALT NY 7 and NY 2 from Troy to I-87 was mainline NY 7.  I am curious to know, was there another plan for the freeway there that had this for a short time, or was it an error as NYSDOT does not (to my knowledge) use ALT banners as you would think it would be NY 7A instead?

ALT NY 7 was the original designation.

It is still called ALT 7 in traffic reports.

[cl94]

I was looking at an old Travel Vision Map by General Drafting of Florham Park, NJ of New York, and could not find the date of publication.  I did notice that NY 7 between Troy and I-87 was shown on it as ALT NY 7 and NY 2 from Troy to I-87 was mainline NY 7.  I am curious to know, was there another plan for the freeway there that had this for a short time, or was it an error as NYSDOT does not (to my knowledge) use ALT banners as you would think it would be NY 7A instead?

ALT NY 7 was the original designation.

It is still called ALT 7 in traffic reports.

I try to ignore that. I'd rather not encourage them.

[roadman65]

Traffic reporters are not always that knowledgeable about proper names.

Anyway, looking at that edition of my Travelvision Map, and at the time it was printed NY 17 west of Lake Chautaupau was shown as a Super 2 along with the freeway near Salmanaca being incomplete as both US 219 and NY 17 were routed on what is now US 209 Business and NY 417.  That would explain why Hornell was originally used before Jamestown as a control city west of Corning on I-86 & NY 17. 

What interests me in reading this old map is that Travelvision used to denote all principal through routes and routes connecting freeway segments in red.  So when NY 17 ended at NY 426 just shy of the PA Line, NY 426 and PA 426 were not shown in red to connect the unfinished road to I-90 at all.  Instead NY 430 from Bemus Point north to Mayville, and then NY 394 north to Westfield was shown in red to connect NY 17 with I-90.

Also this is edition that shows exit numbers on the Taconic State Parkway such as Exit W20 for Baldwin Road in Yorktown and P1 for L Sector Road in Putnam Valley.  US 6, the orphaned section of the Bear Mtn. Pky, and US 202 are not shown to have numbers though.  Interesting that the never posted exit numbers used prefixes with the county name on them. 

[Sam]

.  So when NY 17 ended at NY 426 just shy of the PA Line, NY 426 and PA 426 were not shown in red to connect the unfinished road to I-90 at all.  Instead NY 430 from Bemus Point north to Mayville, and then NY 394 north to Westfield was shown in red to connect NY 17 with I-90.

NY 394 used to be NY 17, which terminated at the Thruway in Westfield, so that may be why it was the "major" route.

[roadman65]

.  So when NY 17 ended at NY 426 just shy of the PA Line, NY 426 and PA 426 were not shown in red to connect the unfinished road to I-90 at all.  Instead NY 430 from Bemus Point north to Mayville, and then NY 394 north to Westfield was shown in red to connect NY 17 with I-90.

NY 394 used to be NY 17, which terminated at the Thruway in Westfield, so that may be why it was the "major" route.

I wonder why they did not make the red line on the west shore of the lake instead of using NY 430 on the east shore?  Being that all of NY 394 was old NY 17 it should have been, unless it had to do with that Lake Bridge being built later on with NY 17 being temporarily signed on NY 430 there which might make sense.

[Sam]

.  So when NY 17 ended at NY 426 just shy of the PA Line, NY 426 and PA 426 were not shown in red to connect the unfinished road to I-90 at all.  Instead NY 430 from Bemus Point north to Mayville, and then NY 394 north to Westfield was shown in red to connect NY 17 with I-90.

NY 394 used to be NY 17, which terminated at the Thruway in Westfield, so that may be why it was the "major" route.

I should say "intersected" the Thruway. It probably terminated at NY 5.

[cl94]

Also this is edition that shows exit numbers on the Taconic State Parkway such as Exit W20 for Baldwin Road in Yorktown and P1 for L Sector Road in Putnam Valley.  US 6, the orphaned section of the Bear Mtn. Pky, and US 202 are not shown to have numbers though.  Interesting that the never posted exit numbers used prefixes with the county name on them.

They were posted, once upon a time

[Michael]

Syracuse.com: NYDOT warns I-690 drivers of 'significant' travel impacts from bridge project

This is from Sunday night, so the work has already begun.  It bugs me that the headline uses NYDOT instead of NYSDOT.

[Alps]

Syracuse.com: NYDOT warns I-690 drivers of 'significant' travel impacts from bridge project

This is from Sunday night, so the work has already begun.  It bugs me that the headline uses NYDOT instead of NYSDOT.

Probably from Syracuse.com trying to marginalize "downstate" NYCDOT. (:

[Buffaboy]

Why do 3 different French Roads intersect Transit Road in Erie County?

[roadman65]

I was reading about the never completed Bear Mtn. State Parkway in Westchester County.  I see it was one of Robert Moses ideas to have NYC connected to Bear Mountain with a limited access facility using the Taoconic (then known as the Bronx River Parkway Extension) to this two lane parkway stemming west out of Yorktown.  However with construction of the the Thruway, changed things so it never got built due to the lack of demand.

Now, you have a short section that connects NY 35 & US 202 to the Taconic State Paarkway missing one movemen as you can't get NB from EB. in addition to the other part that acts as a bypass of Peekskill.  I did read, though, they could build the road with no eminent domain as a ROW was left behind so that the 1.8 mile segment could someday be completed.  There is talk of actually completing the parkway, but not as a parkway as it would allow trucks to use it.

How accurate is  those talks? 

[cl94]

I was reading about the never completed Bear Mtn. State Parkway in Westchester County.  I see it was one of Robert Moses ideas to have NYC connected to Bear Mountain with a limited access facility using the Taoconic (then known as the Bronx River Parkway Extension) to this two lane parkway stemming west out of Yorktown.  However with construction of the the Thruway, changed things so it never got built due to the lack of demand.

Now, you have a short section that connects NY 35 & US 202 to the Taconic State Paarkway missing one movemen as you can't get NB from EB. in addition to the other part that acts as a bypass of Peekskill.  I did read, though, they could build the road with no eminent domain as a ROW was left behind so that the 1.8 mile segment could someday be completed.  There is talk of actually completing the parkway, but not as a parkway as it would allow trucks to use it.

How accurate is  those talks?

Talk is correct, but it actually being done is another story altogether. BMP is currently the only parkway that allows trucks for its entire length, albeit with a weight restriction during the day.

[froggie]

There *WAS* talk of completing the parkway about 15 years ago (see http://web.archive.org/web/20041204040643/www.202and6.com/home.html), but more recent articles suggest it didn't have much support, and there was the sticking point of whether or not to allow trucks on the revamped BMP.

Though there is some right-of-way that NYSDOT still owns along the north side of 202/35, it appears they're more interested in improving 202/35 instead, like they did with part of the stretch a few years ago.