New York State Route 131
Encyclopedia
New York State Route 131 (NY 131) is a 12.45 miles (20.04 km) long state highway
in St. Lawrence County, New York
, United States
. It serves as a coastal alternate route to NY 37
, going around the village of Massena
instead of through it. NY 131 leaves NY 37 in the town of Louisville
and rejoins it in the town of Massena
. Town Line Road, a county-maintained highway straddling the Louisville–Massena town line, serves as a connector between NY 131 and Massena village.
originally entered the village of Massena
when it was assigned as part of the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York. In the mid-1950s, construction began on a bypass around the southern edge of the village. It opened to traffic as a realignment of NY 37 by 1958. The former alignment of NY 37 from the bypass eastward along the Grasse River
to Town Line Road was designated as NY 131 by 1960. The remainder of NY 37's old routing through Massena became an extension of NY 37B
, which continued west through the town of Louisville
on Town Line Road and an unnamed roadway along the St. Lawrence River to NY 37 at Louisville Corner.
The alignments of NY 37B and NY 131 west of the Town Line Road / Maple Street intersection were flipped ca. 1962, placing NY 37B on NY 37's former alignment and NY 131 on the riverside highway and Town Line Road. Within two years, NY 131 was realigned again, this time east of Town Line Road, to follow a new road along the river to Barnhart Island Road, where it turned south and followed the highway to its junction with NY 37. A short, 0.1 mile (0.160934 km)-long portion of NY 131's former alignment on Town Line Road is still maintained by the New York State Department of Transportation
as NY 971J, an unsigned reference route. The remainder of Town Line Road is maintained by St. Lawrence County
as County Route 43.
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
in St. Lawrence County, New York
St. Lawrence County, New York
St. Lawrence County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 111,944. The county seat is Canton. The county is named for the Saint Lawrence River, which in turn was named for the Catholic saint on whose Feast day the river was discovered by...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It serves as a coastal alternate route to NY 37
New York State Route 37
New York State Route 37 is a state highway in the North Country of New York in the United States, extending for on a west–east axis. The western terminus of the route is at an intersection with U.S. Route 11 in Watertown, Jefferson County...
, going around the village of Massena
Massena (village), New York
Massena is a village in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. The population was 13,589 at the 2000 census. The village is named after Andre Massena, one of Napoleon's generals....
instead of through it. NY 131 leaves NY 37 in the town of Louisville
Louisville, New York
Louisville is a town in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. The population was 3,195 at the 2000 census. The town is reportedly named after a French king, but it is pronounced as "Lewis-ville."...
and rejoins it in the town of Massena
Massena (town), New York
Massena is a town in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. The town is on the northern border of the county and is nicknamed "The Gateway to the Fourth Coast". The population was 13,121 at the 2000 census. The town of Massena contains a village also called Massena...
. Town Line Road, a county-maintained highway straddling the Louisville–Massena town line, serves as a connector between NY 131 and Massena village.
History
NY 37New York State Route 37
New York State Route 37 is a state highway in the North Country of New York in the United States, extending for on a west–east axis. The western terminus of the route is at an intersection with U.S. Route 11 in Watertown, Jefferson County...
originally entered the village of Massena
Massena (village), New York
Massena is a village in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. The population was 13,589 at the 2000 census. The village is named after Andre Massena, one of Napoleon's generals....
when it was assigned as part of the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York. In the mid-1950s, construction began on a bypass around the southern edge of the village. It opened to traffic as a realignment of NY 37 by 1958. The former alignment of NY 37 from the bypass eastward along the Grasse River
Grasse River
The Grasse River or Grass River is a river in northern New York, in the United States...
to Town Line Road was designated as NY 131 by 1960. The remainder of NY 37's old routing through Massena became an extension of NY 37B
New York State Route 37B
New York State Route 37B is an east–west state highway located in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. It serves as a business route of NY 37 through the village of Massena. While NY 37B enters the village, NY 37 bypasses it to the south. The western terminus of the...
, which continued west through the town of Louisville
Louisville, New York
Louisville is a town in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. The population was 3,195 at the 2000 census. The town is reportedly named after a French king, but it is pronounced as "Lewis-ville."...
on Town Line Road and an unnamed roadway along the St. Lawrence River to NY 37 at Louisville Corner.
The alignments of NY 37B and NY 131 west of the Town Line Road / Maple Street intersection were flipped ca. 1962, placing NY 37B on NY 37's former alignment and NY 131 on the riverside highway and Town Line Road. Within two years, NY 131 was realigned again, this time east of Town Line Road, to follow a new road along the river to Barnhart Island Road, where it turned south and followed the highway to its junction with NY 37. A short, 0.1 mile (0.160934 km)-long portion of NY 131's former alignment on Town Line Road is still maintained by the New York State Department of Transportation
New York State Department of Transportation
The New York State Department of Transportation is responsible for the development and operation of highways, railroads, mass transit systems, ports, waterways and aviation facilities in the U.S...
as NY 971J, an unsigned reference route. The remainder of Town Line Road is maintained by St. Lawrence County
St. Lawrence County, New York
St. Lawrence County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 111,944. The county seat is Canton. The county is named for the Saint Lawrence River, which in turn was named for the Catholic saint on whose Feast day the river was discovered by...
as County Route 43.