New York State Route 434
Encyclopedia
New York State Route 434 (NY 434) is a state highway
located in the Southern Tier
of the U.S. state
of New York
. The route extends for 20.89 miles (33.62 km) from an intersection with NY 96
in the village of Owego
to an intersection with US 11
in the city of Binghamton
. In between, NY 434 passes through the towns of Owego
and Vestal
. The portion of NY 434 from the Tioga
–Broome
County line to downtown Binghamton is known as Vestal Parkway.
NY 434 is the former route of NY 17
prior to the construction of the Southern Tier Expressway (STE), which NY 434 parallels. The portion of the expressway from Owego to Johnson City
opened in 1969, at which time NY 17 was realigned to follow the STE from Owego to Vestal and NY 17's former routing between the two locations was redesignated as New York State Route 188. However, in October 1969, NY 188 was renumbered to NY 434 as the New York State Department of Transportation
believed that the 188 designation would lead to confusion with the then-future Interstate 88
(abbreviated I-88) northeast of Binghamton. One month later, the portion of former NY 17 between Owego and the Tioga–Broome County line was removed from the state highway system.
The NY 434 designation was officially assigned on January 1, 1970, and initially extended from the Tioga–Broome County line to Vestal. It was extended eastward to downtown Binghamton by 1973 following the completion of the STE between Johnson City and Binghamton and westward to Owego in the late 1970s after NY 17's former routing from Owego to the county line was re-added to the state highway system.
When the first set of posted routes in New York
were assigned in 1924, what is now NY 434 was designated as part of NY 17
, a cross-state highway connecting Erie, Pennsylvania
, to New York City
. In the mid-1960s, construction began on the portion of the Southern Tier Expressway (STE) between the village of Owego
and the city of Binghamton
. The segment from Owego to Johnson City
was completed and opened to traffic in 1969, with the portion from Owego to Vestal becoming a realignment of NY 17.
Initially, the New York State Department of Transportation
(NYSDOT) designated the former routing of NY 17 from Owego to NY 26
in Vestal
as NY 188. However, on October 10, 1969, NYSDOT announced that they had elected to designate the highway as NY 434 instead, even though signage for NY 188 had already been erected. The state cited potential confusion between NY 188 and the then-future Interstate 88
(I-88) northeast of Binghamton as its reason for the change. At the same time, NYSDOT stated that the NY 434 designation would only extend as far west as the Tioga
–Broome
County line even though NY 188 had continued to Owego. Instead, the state planned on transferring ownership and maintenance of former NY 17 from Owego east to the county line to Tioga County. This transaction was completed on November 24, 1969.
The former routing of NY 17 in Tioga County between Owego and the eastern county line remained a county route through at least the mid-1970s. However, in the late 1970s, the Tioga County Legislature drafted a resolution that, if passed, would return jurisdiction of the highway to the state of New York
. It was passed by 1980, at which point the state of New York reacquired the highway and made it a westward extension of NY 434.
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...
located in the Southern Tier
Southern Tier
The Southern Tier is a geographical term that refers to the counties of New York State west of the Catskill Mountains along the northern border of Pennsylvania. It is a loosely defined term that generally includes the counties that border Pennsylvania west of Delaware County inclusive...
of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
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...
. The route extends for 20.89 miles (33.62 km) from an intersection with NY 96
New York State Route 96
New York State Route 96 is a northwest–southeast state highway in the Finger Lakes region of New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an interchange with NY 17 in the Southern Tier village of Owego, Tioga County. Its northern terminus is at a junction with...
in the village of Owego
Owego (village), New York
Owego is a village in and the county seat of Tioga County, New York, USA. The population was 3,911 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Binghamton Metropolitan Statistical Area...
to an intersection with US 11
U.S. Route 11
U.S. Route 11 is a north–south United States highway extending 1,645 miles across the eastern United States. The southern terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 90 in the Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge in eastern New Orleans, Louisiana. The northern terminus is at the United...
in the city of Binghamton
Binghamton, New York
Binghamton is a city in the Southern Tier of New York in the United States. It is near the Pennsylvania border, in a bowl-shaped valley at the confluence of the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers...
. In between, NY 434 passes through the towns of Owego
Owego (town), New York
Owego is a town in Tioga County, New York, USA. The population was 20,365 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from the Iroquois word Ahwaga, meaning where the valley widens....
and Vestal
Vestal, New York
Vestal is a town within Broome County in the Southern Tier of New York, and lies between the Susquehanna River and the Pennsylvania border. As of the 2000 census, the population was 26,535, estimated to have grown to 27,369 in 2009....
. The portion of NY 434 from the Tioga
Tioga County, New York
As of the census of 2010, there were 51,125 people residing in the county, with 22,203 housing units, of these 20,350 occupied, 1,853 vacant. The population density was 98 people per square mile...
–Broome
Broome County, New York
Broome County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 200,600. It was named in honor of John Broome, who was lieutenant governor in 1806 when Broome County was established. Its county seat is Binghamton, which is also its major city. The current...
County line to downtown Binghamton is known as Vestal Parkway.
NY 434 is the former route of NY 17
New York State Route 17
New York State Route 17 is a state highway that extends for through the Southern Tier and Downstate regions of New York in the United States...
prior to the construction of the Southern Tier Expressway (STE), which NY 434 parallels. The portion of the expressway from Owego to Johnson City
Johnson City, New York
Johnson City is a village in Broome County, New York, United States. The population was 15,535 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Binghamton Metropolitan Statistical Area....
opened in 1969, at which time NY 17 was realigned to follow the STE from Owego to Vestal and NY 17's former routing between the two locations was redesignated as New York State Route 188. However, in October 1969, NY 188 was renumbered to NY 434 as 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...
believed that the 188 designation would lead to confusion with the then-future Interstate 88
Interstate 88 (east)
Interstate 88 is an intrastate Interstate Highway entirely within the U.S. state of New York. Its western end is at Interstate 81 in Binghamton and its eastern end is at Interstate 90 in Schenectady. It serves as an important connector route from Albany to Binghamton, Elmira , and...
(abbreviated I-88) northeast of Binghamton. One month later, the portion of former NY 17 between Owego and the Tioga–Broome County line was removed from the state highway system.
The NY 434 designation was officially assigned on January 1, 1970, and initially extended from the Tioga–Broome County line to Vestal. It was extended eastward to downtown Binghamton by 1973 following the completion of the STE between Johnson City and Binghamton and westward to Owego in the late 1970s after NY 17's former routing from Owego to the county line was re-added to the state highway system.
Origins
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...
were assigned in 1924, what is now NY 434 was designated as part of NY 17
New York State Route 17
New York State Route 17 is a state highway that extends for through the Southern Tier and Downstate regions of New York in the United States...
, a cross-state highway connecting Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie is a city located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the United States. Named for the lake and the Native American tribe that resided along its southern shore, Erie is the state's fourth-largest city , with a population of 102,000...
, to 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...
. In the mid-1960s, construction began on the portion of the Southern Tier Expressway (STE) between the village of Owego
Owego (village), New York
Owego is a village in and the county seat of Tioga County, New York, USA. The population was 3,911 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Binghamton Metropolitan Statistical Area...
and the city of Binghamton
Binghamton, New York
Binghamton is a city in the Southern Tier of New York in the United States. It is near the Pennsylvania border, in a bowl-shaped valley at the confluence of the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers...
. The segment from Owego to Johnson City
Johnson City, New York
Johnson City is a village in Broome County, New York, United States. The population was 15,535 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Binghamton Metropolitan Statistical Area....
was completed and opened to traffic in 1969, with the portion from Owego to Vestal becoming a realignment of NY 17.
Initially, 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...
(NYSDOT) designated the former routing of NY 17 from Owego to NY 26
New York State Route 26
New York State Route 26 is a north–south state highway that runs for through Central New York in the United States. Its southern terminus is located at the Pennsylvania state line south of the town of Vestal in Broome County, where it becomes Pennsylvania Route 267...
in Vestal
Vestal, New York
Vestal is a town within Broome County in the Southern Tier of New York, and lies between the Susquehanna River and the Pennsylvania border. As of the 2000 census, the population was 26,535, estimated to have grown to 27,369 in 2009....
as NY 188. However, on October 10, 1969, NYSDOT announced that they had elected to designate the highway as NY 434 instead, even though signage for NY 188 had already been erected. The state cited potential confusion between NY 188 and the then-future Interstate 88
Interstate 88 (east)
Interstate 88 is an intrastate Interstate Highway entirely within the U.S. state of New York. Its western end is at Interstate 81 in Binghamton and its eastern end is at Interstate 90 in Schenectady. It serves as an important connector route from Albany to Binghamton, Elmira , and...
(I-88) northeast of Binghamton as its reason for the change. At the same time, NYSDOT stated that the NY 434 designation would only extend as far west as the Tioga
Tioga County, New York
As of the census of 2010, there were 51,125 people residing in the county, with 22,203 housing units, of these 20,350 occupied, 1,853 vacant. The population density was 98 people per square mile...
–Broome
Broome County, New York
Broome County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 200,600. It was named in honor of John Broome, who was lieutenant governor in 1806 when Broome County was established. Its county seat is Binghamton, which is also its major city. The current...
County line even though NY 188 had continued to Owego. Instead, the state planned on transferring ownership and maintenance of former NY 17 from Owego east to the county line to Tioga County. This transaction was completed on November 24, 1969.
Designation and extensions
NY 434 was officially assigned on January 1, 1970, as part of a wide-scale update of NYSDOT's Official Description of Touring Routes in New York State. A list of changes accompanying the log described NY 434 as "a new number assigned to replace former NY 17 between the Broome–Tioga County line and NY 26 in Vestal." At the time, NY 434 also ended at NY 17 in Vestal. Although the STE was open from Vestal to Johnson City, it was not slated to become part of NY 17 until the segment of the STE from Johnson City to Interstate 81 was completed. As a result, NY 17 exited the STE at Vestal, overlapped NY 26 south to Vestal Parkway, and followed its original alignment along Vestal Parkway into downtown Binghamton. The Johnson City – I-81 piece of the expressway was completed and opened to traffic by 1973. NY 17 was realigned to follow the STE while NY 17's former routing from Vestal to Binghamton became an extension of NY 434. Like the NY 17 realignment, the NY 434 extension had been planned years before.The former routing of NY 17 in Tioga County between Owego and the eastern county line remained a county route through at least the mid-1970s. However, in the late 1970s, the Tioga County Legislature drafted a resolution that, if passed, would return jurisdiction of the highway to the state 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...
. It was passed by 1980, at which point the state of New York reacquired the highway and made it a westward extension of NY 434.