NY 17/"I-86"

[Plutonic Panda]

There are fewer active properties along the highway than 15 or so years ago.

Thanks to the population shifting from the rural to the urban areas. Seems like everyone wants to live in or very near a big city nowadays.

When I go through small towns around the area, I often ask myself "what do those people do for a living?"
There were plenty of towns supporting even more scattered farms. Those farms are more industrial these days with fewer people overall.
Many small mines are either depleted or not profitable. Small manufacturing isn't willing  to stay in the woods as well.
So, it's not about "who wants to live", more about "where jobs are?"

Have you ever known any of these people?

[abqtraveler]

There are fewer active properties along the highway than 15 or so years ago.

Thanks to the population shifting from the rural to the urban areas. Seems like everyone wants to live in or very near a big city nowadays.

When I go through small towns around the area, I often ask myself "what do those people do for a living?"
There were plenty of towns supporting even more scattered farms. Those farms are more industrial these days with fewer people overall.
Many small mines are either depleted or not profitable. Small manufacturing isn't willing  to stay in the woods as well.
So, it's not about "who wants to live", more about "where jobs are?"

True to a point. Farming has become largely automated as corporate operations have mostly replaced mom-and-pop farms. We all know about the American heavy industry's 50-year death spiral that's still playing out in slow motion, and the transition of American economy from industrial based to services based. What remains of America's industries have relocated to major cities to be near key logistics hubs and ports to shorten the supply chain from the point of production to the consumer. Of course, jobs like manufacturing, production, logistics, healthcare, and retail require employees to do their work onsite as their work involves direct interaction with their employers and clients.

However (comma), the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that for those who work in professional services (office workers), many functions can be performed from anywhere. Consequently, a lot of folks seeking work today prefer either fully remote work or some sort of hybrid model where they work remotely part time and go into the office part time. Employers also see the benefit of this model by reducing their PP&E (building/facility) costs, while achieving the same level of production from their employees.

But...my point being, you can remote work from anywhere with an Internet connection. If it were me being able to remote work from anywhere, I wouldn't mind being in a quiet rural area on 20 acres of land. Sure beats the stress of living in the chaos of a big city.

[kalvado]

There are fewer active properties along the highway than 15 or so years ago.

Thanks to the population shifting from the rural to the urban areas. Seems like everyone wants to live in or very near a big city nowadays.

When I go through small towns around the area, I often ask myself "what do those people do for a living?"
There were plenty of towns supporting even more scattered farms. Those farms are more industrial these days with fewer people overall.
Many small mines are either depleted or not profitable. Small manufacturing isn't willing  to stay in the woods as well.
So, it's not about "who wants to live", more about "where jobs are?"

True to a point. Farming has become largely automated as corporate operations have mostly replaced mom-and-pop farms. We all know about the American heavy industry's 50-year death spiral that's still playing out in slow motion, and the transition of American economy from industrial based to services based. What remains of America's industries have relocated to major cities to be near key logistics hubs and ports to shorten the supply chain from the point of production to the consumer. Of course, jobs like manufacturing, production, logistics, healthcare, and retail require employees to do their work onsite as their work involves direct interaction with their employers and clients.

However (comma), the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that for those who work in professional services (office workers), many functions can be performed from anywhere. Consequently, a lot of folks seeking work today prefer either fully remote work or some sort of hybrid model where they work remotely part time and go into the office part time. Employers also see the benefit of this model by reducing their PP&E (building/facility) costs, while achieving the same level of production from their employees.

But...my point being, you can remote work from anywhere with an Internet connection. If it were me being able to remote work from anywhere, I wouldn't mind being in a quiet rural area on 20 acres of land. Sure beats the stress of living in the chaos of a big city.

Which is true, again to a point.
A lot of relocation from NYC happens into towns along NYC-Albany corridor, with local news weekly stories about locals displaced by rent increases.
I-86 corridor in general, and Hale Eddy specifically, is much closer to the middle of nowhere. It may be less than attractive idea to an average office worker that the nearest grocery supermarket is some 40 miles away, and convenience store with very limited selection is still a 5 mile drive. If you can plow yourself out of the snow, of course.

I am not sure what kind of internet connection is available in Hale Eddy, cable internet isn't really guaranteed in those areas. on a wireless side, Tmobile shows "extended 5G" - their 600 MHz band. WHich may or may not be good for the home 5G internet, if you want to do video conferencing...

[TheDon102]

If consultants are to be believed, design for Hale Eddy to Hancock is progressing.  Had a meeting with the prime consultant today.

[The Ghostbuster]

Well, that is good news. It's a start.

[NJRoadfan]

I am not sure what kind of internet connection is available in Hale Eddy, cable internet isn't really guaranteed in those areas. on a wireless side, Tmobile shows "extended 5G" - their 600 MHz band. WHich may or may not be good for the home 5G internet, if you want to do video conferencing...

According to the FCC broadband map, the entire area has gigabit symmetric fiber courtesy of TDS Communications or The Hancock Telephone Co. Yeah, somehow they have better internet then suburban areas of the NYC metro area. Thanks rural broadband grants!

[abqtraveler]

I was looking at GSV images of I-86/NY-17 west of Waverly and noticed in several locations between the current east end of I-86 in Waverly and around Exit 28 in Cuba, GSV imagery from the past year shows that Route 17 signs on that stretch have been removed (The LGSs still show I-86/NY-17, but the reassurance sign assemblies following interchanges now show only I-86).  Are we seeing the demise of Route 17 along stretches of the Southern Tier Expressway that have been upgraded to I-86?

[74/171FAN]

^From cl94 on the Travel Mapping Forum:

Alright, some NY 17 fun. Our source at Region 6 posted in one of the Facebook groups that NYSDOT is making a conscious decision to remove all NY 17 signage west of US 220, as well as NY 15 signage along the I-86 and I-390 overlaps. 15 has already been truncated on TM, but this would effectively delete all of current NY NY 17. All of 17 west of Waverly/220 is concurrent with I-86, so nothing would be deleted from the system other than the NY 17 designation.

I can confirm that, apart from a couple of older overheads that are scheduled to be replaced within the next few years, most NY 17 signs are gone west of Waverly as of last week. The remaining ground-mounted signs are supposed to come down this year. This effectively means that NY 17 will be unsigned west of US 220 in the very near future (it already does not officially exist west of there according to Region 6).

And from vdeane:

I drove I-86 from Hornell to US 219 today.  No ground-mounted NY 17 signs in Region 6, but they reappeared upon entering Region 5.

[The Ghostbuster]

Since Interstate 86 is the only route signed on large stretches of the highway, it is apparent that NYSDOT sees that co-designating the roadway as NY 17 is overkill (and rightfully so). The NY 17 will continue to co-exist with Interstate 86, but until it is officially truncated, it is probably better that the 17 designation remains unsigned.

[Alps]

I was looking at GSV images of I-86/NY-17 west of Waverly and noticed in several locations between the current east end of I-86 in Waverly and around Exit 28 in Cuba, GSV imagery from the past year shows that Route 17 signs on that stretch have been removed (The LGSs still show I-86/NY-17, but the reassurance sign assemblies following interchanges now show only I-86).  Are we seeing the demise of Route 17 along stretches of the Southern Tier Expressway that have been upgraded to I-86?

someone on this forum is responsible for that.

[dgolub]

However (comma), the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that for those who work in professional services (office workers), many functions can be performed from anywhere. Consequently, a lot of folks seeking work today prefer either fully remote work or some sort of hybrid model where they work remotely part time and go into the office part time. Employers also see the benefit of this model by reducing their PP&E (building/facility) costs, while achieving the same level of production from their employees.

But...my point being, you can remote work from anywhere with an Internet connection. If it were me being able to remote work from anywhere, I wouldn't mind being in a quiet rural area on 20 acres of land. Sure beats the stress of living in the chaos of a big city.

This.  I'll also note that, for those of us working in software engineering, this trend was already starting before the pandemic.  COVID-19 vastly accelerated it, but it probably would have happened anyway.

[Rothman]

^From cl94 on the Travel Mapping Forum:

Alright, some NY 17 fun. Our source at Region 6 posted in one of the Facebook groups that NYSDOT is making a conscious decision to remove all NY 17 signage west of US 220, as well as NY 15 signage along the I-86 and I-390 overlaps. 15 has already been truncated on TM, but this would effectively delete all of current NY NY 17. All of 17 west of Waverly/220 is concurrent with I-86, so nothing would be deleted from the system other than the NY 17 designation.

I can confirm that, apart from a couple of older overheads that are scheduled to be replaced within the next few years, most NY 17 signs are gone west of Waverly as of last week. The remaining ground-mounted signs are supposed to come down this year. This effectively means that NY 17 will be unsigned west of US 220 in the very near future (it already does not officially exist west of there according to Region 6).

And from vdeane:

I drove I-86 from Hornell to US 219 today.  No ground-mounted NY 17 signs in Region 6, but they reappeared upon entering Region 5.

Meh.  I'd wait for NYSDOT to become consistent before changing anything.

*mutters about how regional control of the capital program is a double-edged sword, but infinitely better than if all programming control happened in Albany*

[kalvado]

^From cl94 on the Travel Mapping Forum:

Alright, some NY 17 fun. Our source at Region 6 posted in one of the Facebook groups that NYSDOT is making a conscious decision to remove all NY 17 signage west of US 220, as well as NY 15 signage along the I-86 and I-390 overlaps. 15 has already been truncated on TM, but this would effectively delete all of current NY NY 17. All of 17 west of Waverly/220 is concurrent with I-86, so nothing would be deleted from the system other than the NY 17 designation.

I can confirm that, apart from a couple of older overheads that are scheduled to be replaced within the next few years, most NY 17 signs are gone west of Waverly as of last week. The remaining ground-mounted signs are supposed to come down this year. This effectively means that NY 17 will be unsigned west of US 220 in the very near future (it already does not officially exist west of there according to Region 6).

And from vdeane:

I drove I-86 from Hornell to US 219 today.  No ground-mounted NY 17 signs in Region 6, but they reappeared upon entering Region 5.

Meh.  I'd wait for NYSDOT to become consistent before changing anything.

*mutters about how regional control of the capital program is a double-edged sword, but infinitely better than if all programming control happened in Albany*

Now imagine what happens when your local and regional control is still in Albany....

[dzheng35]

Just wondering, are there parts of I-86 that technically don't meet modern interstate standards despite being given the designation since standards have changed over the years and the western 177 miles of I-86 were designated in 1999?

[webny99]

Just wondering, are there parts of I-86 that technically don't meet modern interstate standards despite being given the designation since standards have changed over the years and the western 177 miles of I-86 were designated in 1999?

There are some bridges that seem substandard by today's standards, especially between Corning and Binghamton (such as this one). But given the minor issues preventing the segment east of Binghamton from being designated, those bridges must not be an issue or they wouldn't have been designated. West of Elmira, it's a reasonably high quality road. I can't think of anything else that would be substandard besides the bridges.

[dzheng35]

I drove the entire Quickway twice within the past couple of months. Have the police seem to lighten up on the 55 mph speed limit enforcement throughout the entire stretch in Delaware County? I didn't see any cops on that entire stretch both times I drove it this summer.

[cockroachking]

I drove the entire Quickway twice within the past couple of months. Have the police seem to lighten up on the 55 mph speed limit enforcement throughout the entire stretch in Delaware County? I didn't see any cops on that entire stretch both times I drove it this summer.

And I was stuck behind one going 62mph from Hale Eddy to Roscoe on July 4th. YMMV

[dzheng35]

While I drove past Exit 105 in Monticello on Route 17, I never got off of Route 17 at Exit 105 to see how the interchange reconstruction was going there. Besides, it was dark at night when I drove the Quickway. To anyone who has during the daytime, any updates on the current status of the interchange reconstruction such as the ramps or the roundabouts that are being installed?

[abqtraveler]

While I drove past Exit 105 in Monticello on Route 17, I never got off of Route 17 at Exit 105 to see how the interchange reconstruction was going there. Besides, it was dark at night when I drove the Quickway. To anyone who has during the daytime, any updates on the current status of the interchange reconstruction such as the ramps or the roundabouts that are being installed?

Here's a GSV of Exit 105 from August 2023.  Looks like the loop ramps have been closed and are in the process of being removed and the new ramps being paved.

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.6638444,-74.6788696,3a,79.2y,134.54h,68.88t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1syDQj_6_vGLJMEpv7cGYPKg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu

[ABXY]

Quick thoughts: Interestingly enough 17 is my favorite number so it'll suck to see the designation disappear completely but I'd like to see 17C become 17 again, or 417 (unlikely). The map isn't to be trifiled with but I think it will remained a unsigned
concurrency/afterthought in the future, or removed completely. Or 17 can Absorb 17k. I know those who are in favor of at least preserving it, or restoring the old alignments. IMO, 417 and 17C(?) in Binghamton restored as 17 with a (unsigned or signed) concurrency with 86 to connect the two would be a pain but would be a win-win for those on both sides of the coin. Who knows really.

[The Ghostbuster]

Would it be possible (or likely) that NY 17 along completed portions of Interstate 86 may simply be de-signed, but not actually truncated or decommissioned? That way, NY 17A-NY 17M would not have to be decommissioned or renumbered.

[vdeane]

Would it be possible (or likely) that NY 17 along completed portions of Interstate 86 may simply be de-signed, but not actually truncated or decommissioned? That way, NY 17A-NY 17M would not have to be decommissioned or renumbered.

That's basically that status quo on parts of the Southern Tier Expressway, but I don't believe that's the intended end state for if/when I-86 is finished.  That said, I wouldn't assume that the suffixed routes "have" to be decommissioned or renumbered even if NY 17 does go away - it's not like the I-x78 routes have been decommissioned or renumbered, after all.

[74/171FAN]

Well I would think that the NY peeps would have posted this already, but I did not know that this I-86 EB shield existed before Saturday.  (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10219981070077597&set=pcb.10219981105758489)

[Interstate 69 Fan]

Well I would think that the NY peeps would have posted this already, but I did not know that this I-86 EB shield existed before Saturday.  (https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10219981070077597&set=pcb.10219981105758489)

And this particular shield has been there since 2008 at least... wow.

[The Ghostbuster]

I would like to see far more Interstate 86 signs erected where there currently aren't any, even if upgrades to Interstate Standards aren't completed yet. Maybe it would give some incentive to get a move on making the Interstate upgrade improvements. After all, the Interstate conversion of the entire corridor was once planned to be completed by 2009 (or at least that's what then-Governor George Pataki said in 1998, was he off by at least a few decades).