Interstate 587 New York

Overview

A somewhat unique route within the Interstate system, Interstate 587 forms a short spur connecting I-87 (New York Thruway) with the city of Kingston in Upstate New York. The interstate constitutes a controlled access arterial (Colonel Chandler Drive) leading east from the Kingston Traffic Circle joining the New York Thruway access road with the continuation of New York State Route 28 west to Onteora Trail and Washington Avenue south into Kingston.

NY 28 overlaps with I-587 as it crosses Esopus Creek east from I-87 to NY 32 (Albany Avenue / Broadway) in Downtown Kingston. There are no exit ramps along the route in either direction. Signs on the Thruway mainline for Exit 19 and Kingston, a former capital city for New York, omit the Interstate 587 designation.

Road work reconfigured the east end of Interstate 587 and NY 28 from a five way intersection into a roundabout. The roundabout was first suggested in February 2011 to improve traffic flow by a consultant group. A study recommending the $4.5 million reconfiguration was endorsed by City of Kingston lawmakers in May 2012.¹ Construction was slated for 2016, but then pushed back with bids expected in 2018 and work taking place in 2019.²

An $11.59 million contract was awarded for the I-587 Intersection Improvement at Albany Avenue project on November 15, 2019. The estimated completion date for the contract was November 23, 2021 and work was substantially completed ahead of schedule on August 30, 2021. Construction stages first removed roadways and consolidated traffic into a single intersection. The final stage replaced the intersection with a roundabout.

Route Information

East End – Kingston, NY
West End – Ulster, NY
Mileage – 1.21
Cities – Kingston
Junctions –

Source: December 31, 2021 Interstate Route Log and Finders List

I-587 Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT)

Location	Vehicles per day
NY 28 to Washington Ave	13,032
Washington Ave to NY 32	14,675

Source: 2016 NYSDOT Traffic Data Viewer

History

Interstate 587 was included in Kingston’s arterial route plan in 1957. Engineers made adjustments to the design of the highway so that it would meet New York State Department of Public Roads standards for “interstate connections,” allowing for federal aid. The major phase of the route was the spur leading northwest from Albany Avenue and Broadway (NY 32) to the New York Thruway interchange with NY 28. A traffic circle or interchange system was also proposed joining the expressway spur with NY 32 at East James Street.³ With the arterial plan approved, Interstate 587 was subsequently included in a state wide numbering plan announced by the State Public Works Department on October 21, 1958.⁷

Ground clearing for the the Kingston arterial spur started in early January 1959 at a site east of Sawkill and Brabant Roads.⁴ Plans for the east end of the route at Broadway and St. James Street were changed following concerns from area businesses. A new proposal was submitted to the state engineer’s office by Mayor Edwin F. Radel on August 4, 1959.⁵

Pavement work at the traffic circle connecting I-587 and NY 28 with the NY Thruway (I-87) commenced on September 16, 1959. Adjacent construction was nearly finished on the grade separation taking Sawkill Road over the arterial route.⁶ The Kingston spur was dedicated on July 25, 1960. Opened five months ahead of schedule, the 1.50 mile roadway cost $2.5 million to build.⁸

The Ulster County Board of Supervisors approved a resolution urging the State Legislature to name I-587 George F. Chandler Drive on August 13, 1964. Chandler was from Kingston and the founder of the New York State Police.⁹

Photo Guides

Interstate 587

East End at Albany St – Kingston, New York

East at

I-587/NY 28 curve southward across Ulster County Midtown Linear Park (MLP) ahead of the roundabout with NY 32 at Albany Avenue and Broadway east in Kingston. 10/05/14

East End Throwback

East at

Interstate 587 and NY 28 both end where NY 32 turns from Broadway to Albany Avenue. NY 28 formerly continued east on Broadway to Chester Street (old U.S. 9W). 08/04/07

Albany Avenue extends south as a local street to Clinton Avenue, the former alignment of U.S. 209. NY 32 follows Albany Avenue north to Flatbush Avenue to combine with U.S. 9W while Broadway Avenue takes the route east to Henry Street. 10/05/14

A set of button copy overheads previously guided motorists onto the respective directions of NY 32 and Albany Drive southbound to Uptown Kingston at the east end of I-587 and NY 28. 07/20/05

North at

Broadway advanced west from this assembly beyond Elmendorf Street to the intersection with I-587/NY 28 (Colonel Chandler Drive) west and Albany Avenue east. 08/04/07

NY 32 turned onto Albany Avenue north en route to East Kingston as Broadway directly connected with I-587/NY 28 west. 10/05/14

NY 28 overlaps with Interstate 587 west ahead of Stony Hollow, West Hurley and Ashokan Reservoir. 08/04/07

Albany Street – North at

Albany Avenue split into a tree lined boulevard through the former intersection with both Broadway (NY 32 south) and Colonel Chandler Drive (I-587/NY 28 west). NY 32 follows Albany Avenue northeast to Flatbush Avenue. 08/04/07

A left turn previously connected Albany Avenue north with I-587/NY 28 west. NY 28 forms a long distance loop from Kingston northwest to Oneonta and east to Warrensburg. 07/20/05

South at

NY 32 (Albany Avenue) south spans Midtown Linear Park ahead of the former intersection with I-587/NY 28 (Colonel Chandler Drive) west and Broadway east. 08/04/07

NY 32 south turns east onto Broadway at I-587/NY 28 as part of its dog leg through Kingston. 08/04/07

West End at Washington Ave – Ulster, New York

West at

Sawkill Road passes over I-587/NY 28 just east of the Kingston Traffic Circle with the New York Thruway access road and Washington Avenue south. 10/05/14

The first of three end shields for Interstate 587 stands ahead of the Sawkill Road overpass. 10/05/14

A diagrammatic sign precedes the bypass lane for the New York Thruway while all other movements require navigating through the Kingston Traffic Circle. NY 28 converges with the freeway along U.S. 209 just to the west. 10/05/14

The Kingston Traffic Circle was redesigned with a smaller radius during the early 2000s as bypass lanes were added. This scene looks at the previous end shield assemblies posted along I-587/NY 28 westbound. Photo by Steve Anderson (05/00).

The bypass lane for the NY Thruway leads to the access road and trumpet interchange (Exit 19) joining I-587 with I-87 north to the Capital District and Adirondack Northway and south to Newburgh and New York City. 10/05/14

Traffic partitions for I-87 north 51 miles to I-787 at Albany and I-87 south 61 miles to the overlap with I-287 at Suffern. 10/05/14

Washington Avenue – North

The New York Thruway access road at Exit 19 ties into the Kingston Traffic Circle at a bypass lane for NY 28 west to U.S. 209, the Kingston-Rhinecliff Bridge and Pine Hill. The subsequent connections from the traffic circle link I-87 with Washington Avenue south and I-587/NY 28 (Colonel Chandler Drive) east into Kingston. 10/05/14

Throwback – at

Button copy overheads formerly at the Kingston Traffic Circle joining I-87/New York Thruway with I-587/NY 28 and Washington Avenue. These were replaced when the circle was reconfigured in the early 2000s. 10/18/93

East at

NY 28 (Onteora Trail) links the freeway along U.S. 209 with both I-87 (New York Thruway) and I-587. The connection is separated by a signalized intersection for a business park. 08/04/07

NY 28 (Onteora Trail) crosses I-87 east ahead of the Kingston Traffic Circle with I-587. A bypass lane departs next for Washington Avenue south into west Kingston. Washington Avenue is the former alignment of NY 28 south to Hurley Avenue (historic U.S. 209). 08/04/07

The early 2000s reconfiguration of the Kingston Traffic Circle also added a park and ride lot between Colonel Chandler Drive and Washington Avenue. NY 28 east accompanies I-587 east from the rotary toward Downtown Kingston. 10/05/14

Washington Avenue – North at

Washington Avenue stems north from west Kingston across Esopus Creek ahead of Sawkill Road and the Kingston Traffic Circle with I-587, the New York Thruway access road and NY 28 (Onteora Trail). 07/20/05

Two lanes of traffic funnel into the Kingston Traffic Circle adjacent to a park and ride lot. The first turnoff takes motorists onto I-587/NY 28 east back into Kingston. 08/04/07

Sources:

“Kingston residents raise concerns about roundabout proposed for busy intersection.” Daily Freeman News (Kingston, NY), December 3, 2015.
“Kingston roundabout plan detailed.” Times Herald-Record (Middletown, NY), December 4, 2015.
“To Check Route Plan On Federal Aid Basis.” The Kingston Daily Freeman (NY), June 11, 1957.
“Kingston Arterial Route Will Bear Numbers 587.” The Kingston Daily Freeman (NY), October 21, 1958.
“Ground Clearing Starts in Ulster For Arterial Way.” The Kingston Daily Freeman (NY), January 9, 1959.
“Merchants Very Much Concerned – Former Alderman, Mayor Ask Action.” The Kingston Daily Freeman (NY), August 5, 1959.
“To Start Blacktop Pouring on Circle.” The Kingston Daily Freeman (NY), September 16, 1959.
“Arterial Spur to Thruway Opened Today.” The Kingston Daily Freeman (NY), July 25, 1960.
“Supervisors Due To Act Tonight on Naming Spur.” The Kingston Daily Freeman (NY), August 13, 1964.

Page updated June 10, 2022.