Was NY 7 Freeway in Colonie ever supposed to be part of unbuilt I-92?

[roadman65]

I was wondering about the former ALT NY 7 that is now NY 7 when NY 2 was extended to I-87.  I heard a story that if I-92 ever was built in New England, it would have entered NY and ended at I-87 using that freeway.  Is that a fact, or unverified rumor?

[kevinb1994]

I was wondering about the former ALT NY 7 that is now NY 7 when NY 2 was extended to I-87.  I heard a story that if I-92 ever was built in New England, it would have entered NY and ended at I-87 using that freeway.  Is that a fact, or unverified rumor?

That may have been the plan. Don't know for sure, though.

[jp the roadgeek]

The ALT NY 7 freeway in Colonie was originally supposed to be part of an extended I-88 before it was scrapped and the I-88 designation was floated about to be placed on Free 90 while 90 would stay on the Thruway to 21A then follow the full Berkshire Spur.  One I-92 proposal did utilize Route 7 and followed the NY 7/VT 9/NH 9/NH 101 corridor to Portsmouth,  while another followed the NY 149/US 4 corridor east from the Glens Falls area to Calais, ME. I've always pictured I-88 being extended to Hampton, NH over Route 7, while I-92 would run from Queensbury to Falmouth, ME.  My Calais route would be an I-98 that exists in two pieces from Watertown, NY to Derby Line, VT, and then from Coburn Gore, ME to Calais.  The gap would be filled US 2 style with a silent concurrency along A-55 and an extended A-10 north of the Quebec border.

[froggie]

Strictly answering roadman's question, it's a bit of both, but more of the latter (unverified rumor).  As JP noted, three corridors were studied for an east-west highway across northern New England, but no one corridor was settled upon.  This was after both the southern corridor (Albany, NY - Portsmouth, NH) and parts of the other two corridors (Glens Falls, NY - Bethel, VT and Montpelier, VT - Bangor, ME) were requested as part of the 1968 Interstate mileage addition.

At no time was an Interstate number officially designated for any of the corridors, nor was one mentioned in the ca. 1971-72 study of the three corridors.  The only place I've seen "I-92" prominently listed is on Steve Anderson's roads websites.

It's logical to assume that the southern corridor would have utilized the NY 7 freeway between the Northway and the river...*IF* they could have figured out a way to get it up the hill through the middle of Troy.  But it's not a given...the corridor studies looked at general corridors and did not go into that level of detail.

[Alps]

JP really hits the nail on the head here. What I'm surprised no one mentioned is the construction of the US 4 freeway in western Vermont, which wasn't officially done as part of I-92 but almost certainly was done in anticipation of it, whereas the Alt. 7 corridor was either done independently or in anticipation of I-88.

[jon daly]

The ALT NY 7 freeway in Colonie was originally supposed to be part of an extended I-88 before it was scrapped and the I-88 designation was floated about to be placed on Free 90 while 90 would stay on the Thruway to 21A then follow the full Berkshire Spur.

I've occasionally wondered why I-90 doesn't stay on the Thruway, but I also wonder why the Hutch isn't numbered NY-15. I expect limited access roads to be numbered.

[hotdogPi]

I also wonder why the Hutch isn't numbered NY-15. I expect limited access roads to be numbered.

1. A whole bunch of parkways in that area are unnumbered.
2. US 15.

[jp the roadgeek]

I also wonder why the Hutch isn't numbered NY-15. I expect limited access roads to be numbered.

1. A whole bunch of parkways in that area are unnumbered.
2. US 15.

It was originally numbered NY 1A prior to 1962.  There already is a NY 15 (a downgrade of US 15, which itself will probably be truncated to Williamsport if PennDOT ever designates/completes I-99) that parallels I-390.  Just one of those things like how CT 104 doesn't become NY 104 (another NY 104 in WNY), and NY 433 doesn't become CT 433 (people would think it's a signed SSR)

[jon daly]

I also wonder why the Hutch isn't numbered NY-15. I expect limited access roads to be numbered.

1. A whole bunch of parkways in that area are unnumbered.
2. US 15.

Yeah, but as a kid I expected everything to be like Connecticut all over the US. I wasn't aware that the Montville Connector had a name. I thought of it as a long ramp. Ditto the unsigned 695 section of the Connecticut Turnpike and the Milford Turnpike.

This belief wasn't just about roads. I was surprised to learn that there are unincorporated areas. I didn't find out about that until I joined the Army.

[roadman65]

I also wonder why the Hutch isn't numbered NY-15. I expect limited access roads to be numbered.

1. A whole bunch of parkways in that area are unnumbered.
2. US 15.

First of all do people in Connecticut ever refer to the Merrit Parkway as Route 15?  Wikipedia says no.  Would New Yorkers call it also Route 15?  Does anyone call the Cross Bronx I-95 or the West Side Highway NY 9A?

Why pay money for signs that won't get used. 

[cl94]

Answering the general question, NYSDOT considered the (initially unbuilt) NY 7 freeway and Hudson River bridge to be I-88. Route logs had the designation ending at 8th Street in Troy. Having PDF copies of old route logs and actually having the paper ones from the state library, I can confirm it. Not much work beyond initial corridor studies was done for any extension, but I'm pretty certain there WAS a final corridor outlined in NY at least. In Troy, the current interchange was intended as temporary and the expressway would have followed 7 up the hill, likely taking a lot of property and creating some major rock cuts in the process (as the grade on current 7 is quite steep for a freeway).

Similarly, the US 4 expressway in VT was almost certainly in anticipation of I-92. VTrans maps and documents actually show that segment as an "Interstate", though that could just be an internal synonym for "freeway" as there are no other non-Interstate full freeways in Vermont excluding a short section of US 7 around Bennington.

I've occasionally wondered why I-90 doesn't stay on the Thruway...

That dates back to the original proposal for I-90. Currently, it parallels US 20 east of Albany, deviating in Schodack to get down to the Berkshire Spur. The original plan was for I-90 to parallel US 20 through New Lebanon and Pittsfield, joining the Mass Pike in Lee, with the Berkshire Spur and westernmost ~10 miles of the Pike being unnumbered (or at least not having a mainline Interstate designation). The feds reconsidered building a free road parallel to existing toll roads and replaced the Schodack Center - Lee free section with a short segment connecting the expressway through Albany to the Berkshire Spur at Exit B1. There was never much actual construction done for this, but there is a noticeable curve in I-90's alignment at the US 20 interchange in Schodack and that interchange was where the expressway initially ended.

[jp the roadgeek]

I also wonder why the Hutch isn't numbered NY-15. I expect limited access roads to be numbered.

1. A whole bunch of parkways in that area are unnumbered.
2. US 15.

First of all do people in Connecticut ever refer to the Merrit Parkway as Route 15?  Wikipedia says no.  Would New Yorkers call it also Route 15?  Does anyone call the Cross Bronx I-95 or the West Side Highway NY 9A?

Why pay money for signs that won't get used.

I call it route 15 sometimes, but most locals call it the parkway.  The route 15 usage is a little more common on the Wilbur Cross portion.  It was much more common when Route 15 was the primary designation for what is now I-84 to Sturbridge (heck, places in Sturbridge still use route 15 references).  While we're at it, does anyone call the half-belt approximately 10-12 miles from downtown Boston I-95?  Yet, MassDOT is forcing it on people that will never, ever stop calling it Route 128 by slowly phasing out 128 signage.

[froggie]

Similarly, the US 4 expressway in VT was almost certainly in anticipation of I-92. VTrans maps and documents actually show that segment as an "Interstate", though that could just be an internal synonym for "freeway" as there are no other non-Interstate full freeways in Vermont excluding a short section of US 7 around Bennington.

The planning and timeline of initial construction of US 4 west of Rutland are such that they were intended for the precursor plan for an Interstate (what roadgeeks call "I-92") through that area.  The initial segments were under construction before the 1968 Highway Act added another 1,500 miles of future Interstate to the system (of which, as I mentioned above, NY & VT requested mileage from ~Glens Falls to Bethel).

[hotdogPi]

While we're at it, does anyone call the half-belt approximately 10-12 miles from downtown Boston I-95?

It's rare, but I have heard it.

[roadman65]

Similarly, the US 4 expressway in VT was almost certainly in anticipation of I-92. VTrans maps and documents actually show that segment as an "Interstate", though that could just be an internal synonym for "freeway" as there are no other non-Interstate full freeways in Vermont excluding a short section of US 7 around Bennington.

The planning and timeline of initial construction of US 4 west of Rutland are such that they were intended for the precursor plan for an Interstate (what roadgeeks call "I-92") through that area.  The initial segments were under construction before the 1968 Highway Act added another 1,500 miles of future Interstate to the system (of which, as I mentioned above, NY & VT requested mileage from ~Glens Falls to Bethel).

That is what I originally thought.  I had not heard that NY 7 along with VT & NH 9 were also considered.

[Conn. Roads]

I88 is segmented as it is. I know that we are talking about its extension in New York to at least Schenectady, and possibly to Troy. How about on the bigger scope, nation wide? There is I88 Tollway across Illinois. Are there any other segments across the country? Was it ever intended to be a continuous coast-to-coast interstate, like I90?

[hotdogPi]

I88 is segmented as it is. I know that we are talking about its extension in New York to at least Schenectady, and possibly to Troy. How about on the bigger scope, nation wide? There is I88 Tollway across Illinois. Are there any other segments across the country? Was it ever intended to be a continuous coast-to-coast interstate, like I90?

No. 76, 84, 86, and 88 were never intended to be connected. However, 74 was.

There is a lack of available even numbers between 70 and 90, leading to duplicates.

[Alps]

I88 is segmented as it is. I know that we are talking about its extension in New York to at least Schenectady, and possibly to Troy. How about on the bigger scope, nation wide? There is I88 Tollway across Illinois. Are there any other segments across the country? Was it ever intended to be a continuous coast-to-coast interstate, like I90?

No. 76, 84, 86, and 88 were never intended to be connected. However, 74 was.

There is a lack of available even numbers between 70 and 90, leading to duplicates.

You sure about 76? Then explain this. https://goo.gl/maps/U3AcgnHs6cB2

[3467]

88 was designated for speed limit purposes and never used to its potential in Illinois or Iowa.
Another question about New York . I recall seeing a map an old one about the era of Illinois supplemental freeways. It had a number of upstate proposed 4 lanes that were never built. Does anyone know about those. Also I think PA did too.

[jon daly]

There is a lack of available even numbers between 70 and 90, leading to duplicates.

This makes me wonder what the number would've been for the Southern Tier Expressway if I-84 went to Providence and I-86 was used from Manchester, Conn. to Sturbridge, Mass.. Would there be 3 I-86es?

[Alps]

There is a lack of available even numbers between 70 and 90, leading to duplicates.

This makes me wonder what the number would've been for the Southern Tier Expressway if I-84 went to Providence and I-86 was used from Manchester, Conn. to Sturbridge, Mass.. Would there be 3 I-86es?

I-82? It does dip below 84 at the east end.

[kalvado]

I88 is segmented as it is. I know that we are talking about its extension in New York to at least Schenectady, and possibly to Troy. How about on the bigger scope, nation wide? There is I88 Tollway across Illinois. Are there any other segments across the country? Was it ever intended to be a continuous coast-to-coast interstate, like I90?

No. 76, 84, 86, and 88 were never intended to be connected. However, 74 was.

There is a lack of available even numbers between 70 and 90, leading to duplicates.

You sure about 76? Then explain this. https://goo.gl/maps/U3AcgnHs6cB2

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Denver,+PA/@40.2337441,-76.1593905,14z/

[odditude]

I88 is segmented as it is. I know that we are talking about its extension in New York to at least Schenectady, and possibly to Troy. How about on the bigger scope, nation wide? There is I88 Tollway across Illinois. Are there any other segments across the country? Was it ever intended to be a continuous coast-to-coast interstate, like I90?

No. 76, 84, 86, and 88 were never intended to be connected. However, 74 was.

There is a lack of available even numbers between 70 and 90, leading to duplicates.

You sure about 76? Then explain this. https://goo.gl/maps/U3AcgnHs6cB2

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Denver,+PA/@40.2337441,-76.1593905,14z/

sarcasm and silliness are often lost in plain text.

[RobbieL2415]

I'm surprised that NH/VT 9 and NY 7 east of Albany were never given a US Route number.  Say, US 94 maybe?  Its obviously not on the grid but it would fit in with all the 9x Interstates around.

[Alps]

I'm surprised that NH/VT 9 and NY 7 east of Albany were never given a US Route number.  Say, US 94 maybe?  Its obviously not on the grid but it would fit in with all the 9x Interstates around.

US 204 perhaps, given 104 in western NY. There are a few New England routes that could have been more, but they weren't PA in terms of designating US highways.