New York State Route 203
Encyclopedia
New York State Route 203 (NY 203) is a state highway
in the Capital District
of New York
in the United States
. It begins at an intersection with NY 22
in the Columbia County
hamlet of Austerlitz
and ends at a junction with US 20
in the Rensselaer County
village of Nassau
. NY 203 was assigned as part of the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York. Prior to that time, the section of NY 203 east of Valatie
was part of NY 22.
NY 203 begins at NY 22
in Austerlitz
. A two-lane highway, it heads downhill to the hamlet of Spencertown, then heads northwest to an interchange with the Taconic State Parkway
. Shortly thereafter, NY 203 crosses NY 66
in Chatham
as Coleman Street. It then heads to Valatie
, entering as Chatham Street, using Main Street for two block, then exiting as Mechanic Street. While in Valatie, NY 203 does not directly connect with US 9
, linking instead via Main Street. From there, NY 203 heads northward to Niverville
and along the east shores of Kinderhook Lake.
North of the lake, NY 203 passes into Rensselaer County
upon passing under the Berkshire Spur of the New York State Thruway
(Interstate 90
). NY 203's segment in Rensselaer County is brief, becoming Chatham Street in the village of Nassau
before ending at US 20
.
extending from New York City
to Albany
along the eastern fringe of New York
. Route 1 mostly followed what is now NY 22
from New York City to Austerlitz
, where it turned west and continued to Valatie
on modern NY 203. The route left NY 203 at Main Street and continued to Albany on current U.S. Route 9. When the first set of posted routes in New York were assigned in 1924, most of legislative Route 1 south of NY 23
in Hillsdale
became NY 22. The remainder of old Route 1 between Hillsdale and Valatie became part of an extended NY 22 in the late 1920s.
NY 22 was realigned as part of the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York to continue north from Austerlitz to the Canadian border near Mooers
by way of the eastern edge of the state. Most of NY 22's former routing between Valatie and Austerlitz became part of NY 203, a new route extending from Austerlitz to Nassau
via Valatie. The short segment of former NY 22 along Main Street in Valatie from Kinderhook Street (US 9) to Chatham Street (NY 203) did not receive a designation and is now NY 980B, an unsigned reference route.
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 the Capital District
Capital District
New York's Capital District, also known as the Capital Region, is a region in upstate New York that generally refers to the four counties surrounding Albany, the capital of the state: Albany County, Schenectady County, Rensselaer County, and Saratoga County...
of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It begins at an intersection with NY 22
New York State Route 22
New York State Route 22 is a north–south state highway in eastern New York in the United States. It runs parallel to the state's eastern edge from the outskirts of New York City to a short distance south of the Canadian border. At , it is the state's longest north–south route and...
in the Columbia County
Columbia County, New York
Columbia County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 63,096. The county seat is Hudson. The name comes from the Latin feminine form of the name of Christopher Columbus, which was at the time of the formation of the county a popular proposal...
hamlet of Austerlitz
Austerlitz, New York
Austerlitz is a town in Columbia County, New York, United States. The population was 1,453 at the 2000 census. The town was named after the Battle of Austerlitz.The Town of Austerlitz is in the east part of Columbia County.- History :Ellis, Capt...
and ends at a junction with US 20
U.S. Route 20 in New York
U.S. Route 20 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from Newport, Oregon, to Boston, Massachusetts. In the U.S. state of New York, US 20 extends from the Pennsylvania state line at Ripley to the Massachusetts state line in the Berkshire Mountains. US 20 is the longest...
in the Rensselaer County
Rensselaer County, New York
Rensselaer County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 159,429. Its name is in honor of the family of Kiliaen van Rensselaer, the original Dutch owner of the land in the area. Its county seat is Troy...
village of Nassau
Nassau (village), New York
Nassau is a village located in the Town of Nassau in Rensselaer County, New York, USA. The population was 1,161 at the 2000 census.The Village of Nassau is in the south part of the county in the Town of Nassau...
. NY 203 was assigned as part of the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York. Prior to that time, the section of NY 203 east of Valatie
Valatie, New York
Valatie is a village in Columbia County, New York, United States. The population was 1,819 at the 2010 census.The Village of Valatie is in the center of the Town of Kinderhook on US 9.-Geography:Valatie is located at ....
was part of NY 22.
Route description
New York State Route 22
New York State Route 22 is a north–south state highway in eastern New York in the United States. It runs parallel to the state's eastern edge from the outskirts of New York City to a short distance south of the Canadian border. At , it is the state's longest north–south route and...
in Austerlitz
Austerlitz, New York
Austerlitz is a town in Columbia County, New York, United States. The population was 1,453 at the 2000 census. The town was named after the Battle of Austerlitz.The Town of Austerlitz is in the east part of Columbia County.- History :Ellis, Capt...
. A two-lane highway, it heads downhill to the hamlet of Spencertown, then heads northwest to an interchange with the Taconic State Parkway
Taconic State Parkway
The Taconic State Parkway , is a divided highway between Kensico Dam and Chatham, the longest parkway in the U.S. state of New York. It follows a generally northward route midway between the Hudson River and the Connecticut and Massachusetts state lines...
. Shortly thereafter, NY 203 crosses NY 66
New York State Route 66
New York State Route 66 is a state highway in the Capital District of New York in the United States. The route begins at an intersection with NY 23B in the Columbia County city of Hudson and ends at a junction with NY 2 in the Rensselaer County city of Troy...
in Chatham
Chatham (village), New York
Chatham is a village in Columbia County, New York, USA. The population was 1,770 at the 2010 census.The Village of Chatham is in the Town of Chatham and the Town of Ghent. The village is at the junction of Routes 66 and 203.-History:...
as Coleman Street. It then heads to Valatie
Valatie, New York
Valatie is a village in Columbia County, New York, United States. The population was 1,819 at the 2010 census.The Village of Valatie is in the center of the Town of Kinderhook on US 9.-Geography:Valatie is located at ....
, entering as Chatham Street, using Main Street for two block, then exiting as Mechanic Street. While in Valatie, NY 203 does not directly connect with US 9
U.S. Route 9
U.S. Route 9 is a north–south United States highway in the states of Delaware, New Jersey, and New York in the United States. It is one of only two U.S. highways with a ferry connection ; the other being US 10. US 9 is signed east–west in Delaware and north–south on the rest of...
, linking instead via Main Street. From there, NY 203 heads northward to Niverville
Niverville, New York
Niverville is a hamlet in Columbia County, New York, United States. The population was 1,662 at the 2010 census.Niverville is located in the Town of Kinderhook and is the seat of town government.-Geography:...
and along the east shores of Kinderhook Lake.
North of the lake, NY 203 passes into Rensselaer County
Rensselaer County, New York
Rensselaer County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 159,429. Its name is in honor of the family of Kiliaen van Rensselaer, the original Dutch owner of the land in the area. Its county seat is Troy...
upon passing under the Berkshire Spur of the New York State Thruway
New York State Thruway
The New York State Thruway is a system of limited-access highways located within the state of New York in the United States. The system, known officially as the Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway for former New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey, is operated by the New York State Thruway Authority and...
(Interstate 90
Interstate 90 in New York
Interstate 90 is a part of the Interstate Highway System that runs from Seattle, Washington, to Boston, Massachusetts. In the U.S. state of New York, I-90 extends from the Pennsylvania state line at Ripley to the Massachusetts state line at Canaan...
). NY 203's segment in Rensselaer County is brief, becoming Chatham Street in the village of Nassau
Nassau (village), New York
Nassau is a village located in the Town of Nassau in Rensselaer County, New York, USA. The population was 1,161 at the 2000 census.The Village of Nassau is in the south part of the county in the Town of Nassau...
before ending at US 20
U.S. Route 20
U.S. Route 20 is an east–west United States highway. As the "0" in its route number implies, US 20 is a coast-to-coast route. Spanning , it is the longest road in the United States, and the route sparsely parallels Interstate 90...
.
History
In 1908, the New York State Legislature created Route 1, an unsigned legislative routeLegislative route
In United States, a legislative route or legislative highway is a highway defined by laws passed in a state legislature. The numbering of such highways may or may not correspond to the numbers familiar to the public as part of the state, U.S. highway, and Interstate highway systems...
extending from New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
along the eastern fringe of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. Route 1 mostly followed what is now NY 22
New York State Route 22
New York State Route 22 is a north–south state highway in eastern New York in the United States. It runs parallel to the state's eastern edge from the outskirts of New York City to a short distance south of the Canadian border. At , it is the state's longest north–south route and...
from New York City to Austerlitz
Austerlitz, New York
Austerlitz is a town in Columbia County, New York, United States. The population was 1,453 at the 2000 census. The town was named after the Battle of Austerlitz.The Town of Austerlitz is in the east part of Columbia County.- History :Ellis, Capt...
, where it turned west and continued to Valatie
Valatie, New York
Valatie is a village in Columbia County, New York, United States. The population was 1,819 at the 2010 census.The Village of Valatie is in the center of the Town of Kinderhook on US 9.-Geography:Valatie is located at ....
on modern NY 203. The route left NY 203 at Main Street and continued to Albany on current U.S. Route 9. When the first set of posted routes in New York were assigned in 1924, most of legislative Route 1 south of NY 23
New York State Route 23
New York State Route 23 is an east–west state highway in the eastern portion New York in the United States. It extends for from an intersection with NY 26 in the Central New York town of Cincinnatus to the Massachusetts state line in the Berkshire Mountains, where it continues east as...
in Hillsdale
Hillsdale, New York
Hillsdale is a town in Columbia County, New York, United States. The population was 1,744 at the 2000 census.- History :The region was taken from the Town of Claverack in 1782. The Town of Hillsdale was established in 1788....
became NY 22. The remainder of old Route 1 between Hillsdale and Valatie became part of an extended NY 22 in the late 1920s.
NY 22 was realigned as part of the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York to continue north from Austerlitz to the Canadian border near Mooers
Mooers (CDP), New York
Mooers is a hamlet in Clinton County, New York, USA. The population was 442 at the 2010 census.The community of Mooers is in the Town of Mooers near the northern border of New York State and the Canadian province of Quebec....
by way of the eastern edge of the state. Most of NY 22's former routing between Valatie and Austerlitz became part of NY 203, a new route extending from Austerlitz to Nassau
Nassau (village), New York
Nassau is a village located in the Town of Nassau in Rensselaer County, New York, USA. The population was 1,161 at the 2000 census.The Village of Nassau is in the south part of the county in the Town of Nassau...
via Valatie. The short segment of former NY 22 along Main Street in Valatie from Kinderhook Street (US 9) to Chatham Street (NY 203) did not receive a designation and is now NY 980B, an unsigned reference route.