New York State Route 747
Encyclopedia
New York State Route 747 (NY 747) is a state highway
in northeast Orange County, New York
, in the United States
. The route extends for about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) from NY 207
in the town of New Windsor
to NY 17K
in the town of Montgomery
. It officially came into existence when exit 5A on Interstate 84
was completed and opened in 2007. Most of NY 747 follows Drury Lane, once a highway maintained by Orange County as County Route 54.
The road provides easy access to Stewart International Airport
via International Boulevard, a newly-built connecting road. The lack of such access has long been seen as an obstacle to the airport's development. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
has taken the airport over from former private lessees National Express Group
with the intent of realizing long-held hopes of making the airport the New York Metropolitan Area
's fourth major airport; improved access to the airport is seen as essential to that goal.
Drury Lane, which divided the airport property from what is now Stewart State Forest, save for a small corridor along the road near the interstate, was long the line in the sand for local environmental activists who opposed any development to its west. Construction of the highway involved significant relocation of some of the route for these and other issues.
for a planned expansion of the airport in the early 1970s.
747 begins at the junction of Drury and NY 207
near the Grange
Hall at the center of the onetime hamlet of Little Britain. A traffic light
was installed at the intersection.
It remains a two-lane road along a new alignment through the wooded area between the airport and the state forest. At the junction with International Boulevard, it expands to a four-lane divided route from there to I-84. Here it passes the western end of the airport's main runway
, and sometimes large C-5
cargo planes from Stewart Air National Guard Base
can be seen taking off
right above the road. While one more traffic light has been allowed in this section, development here will likely be limited since much of the land to the west is either wetland
s or part of the FAA
-mandated Runway Protection Zone, a 45 acres (18.2 ha) trapezoid
in which no building is allowed.
The road climbs slightly into the Town of Newburgh and then to the exit
. A new overpass
was built; the old one was dismantled. The westbound Interstate 84
exit and entrance takes the form of half of a diamond interchange
, while the eastbound exit and entrance forms half of an A2/B2 type partial cloverleaf to avoid encroaching on wetlands in the southwest quadrant of the interchange.
The ramp from westbound 84 to 747 goes over a small bridge built to protect the Catskill Aqueduct
from the vibrations of passing trucks. The presence of the aqueduct, which carries 40% of New York City
's water supply
and runs right alongside the road just north of 84, forced the construction of a new section of road a short distance north of the interstate. Route 747 here deviates from the historical route of Drury Lane, bends into the Town of Montgomery and reaches NY 17K
, its northern terminus, at the intersection with Stone Castle Road. The section of Stone Castle Road north of Route 17K has itself been slightly relocated to provide for a better location for the intersection, at which another traffic light was erected.
The remaining section of Drury Lane, which has houses and businesses, now ends in a cul-de-sac
near the new road and the aqueduct. This small stub of a road remains the outlet for several small private roads which end in cul-de-sacs of their own. A few structures formerly on the west side of Drury Lane now remain on the west side of the renamed Route 747. Despite this plan, a new Valero-branded convenience store
and gas station has been opened at the current intersection of 17K and Drury to take advantage of interstate traffic coming off the exit.
The construction of Route 747 is the culmination of a lengthy regional controversy about the airport and the role it should play in the local economy. Before the 1970 closure of Stewart Air Force Base, Drury Lane was just another two-lane rural north–south route in the farmlands west of the base.
changed that. With supersonic transport
(SST) considered at the time to be the next major development in air travel, Rockefeller wanted New York to have an airport that could handle both the SSTs and regular jets. Accordingly, plans were drawn up for a major expansion of the airport.
The state moved to condemn much of the land between Drury Lane and Maybrook
in order to more than double Stewart's size. Families that had lived there since the Revolution
fought bitterly. Eventually they were all evicted, but only after the state had promised never to develop the land and American SST development was canceled due to rising fuel costs.
In the years that followed, environmental and business activists in the region clashed over what to do with the 7400 acres (29.9 km²) west of Drury. The former saw the recreational and conservation possibilities of keeping it a protected area
; the latter pointed to ideal real estate in a region that was beginning to lose its job base.
The privatization
of the airport in 2000 led the state to finally begin construction of the interchange, after Governor George Pataki
designated much of the western lands as Stewart State Forest. It was stalled for three years by a lawsuit
filed by several national and local environmental groups alleging that required environmental reviews
were not properly conducted. On November 21, 2005, a compromise was reached in which most of the land that had not been designated as part of the state forest was and 400 acres (1.6 km²) near the exit was made available for development. Construction of the exit and the surrounding roads proceeded apace.
insisted that any new roads over the aqueduct bridge it to protect the aging pipeline from damage that vibration
s from truck
s passing overhead could cause.
Since Drury crosses the aqueduct north of the interstate on relatively level ground, a bridge would have added considerable expense to the project. However, a federally-required 1999 value engineering
study recommended instead rerouting Drury to make a four-way intersection at Stone Castle Road and Route 17K. While at the time there were some other issues seen as holding this up, eventually this was the option chosen.
The access road required some deep cuts to keep it level at the intersection with Drury Lane. Bill Gorton, NYSDOT's regional design engineer, compared it to the initial construction of I-84. "We tell our young engineers to take a good look at what we're doing here because chances are they won't see anything like this again in their careers", said Rashid Shariff, DOT's engineer in charge. Over 1000000 cubic yards (764,554.9 m³) of dirt were moved. A quarter of that was used to fill a ravine the road crosses; the rest will be used as needed on the airport property.
The project's design took into account several considerations for rare or endangered species native to the area, which earned it an Exemplary Ecosystem Initiative award from the Federal Highway Administration
. These included the construction of 12 vernal pool
s adjacent to the road to provide habitat for the Blue-spotted Salamander
and Jefferson Salamander
and box culverts to allow them to safely cross under the road, avoiding tree removal during the season when Indiana bat
s are roosting, and siting new wetlands to avoid impacting Purple milkweed
.
Prior to the project, Drury Lane had been maintained by Orange County
as County Route 54. In February 2007, it was announced that the highway would become state-maintained and be designated as NY 747 once the project was completed. On July 30, 2007, Route 747 was de facto
open. Drury Lane was closed off north of the aqueduct and traffic was routed onto the new roadway between both termini, and on the new overpass. Road crews began removing the pavement from the former roadbed and dismantling the old overpass.
The 1.25 miles (2.01 km) long east–west airport access road from Route 747 to the main terminal, International Boulevard, was opened on November 20, 2007, officially completing the $55 million project. Although NYSDOT refers to this access road as Stewart Boulevard in their press release, all area signage refers to the access road as International Boulevard, a last-minute change by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
.
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 northeast Orange County, New York
Orange County, New York
Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area and is located at the northern reaches of the New York metropolitan area. The county sits in the state's scenic Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The route extends for about 3.5 miles (5.6 km) from NY 207
New York State Route 207
New York State Route 207 is a state highway located entirely within Orange County, New York, in the United States. It serves as a connector between the village of Goshen and the city of Newburgh. It has for a long time provided the main access to Stewart International Airport...
in the town of New Windsor
New Windsor, New York
New Windsor is a town in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was estimated at 25,244 in 2010 by the US Census.The Town of New Windsor is in the eastern part of the county, bordering the Town of Newburgh and the City of Newburgh....
to NY 17K
New York State Route 17K
New York State Route 17K is an east–west state highway located within Orange County, New York, in the United States. It extends for from an intersection with County Route 76 east of Bloomingburg to a junction with U.S. Route 9W midway across the city of Newburgh...
in the town of Montgomery
Montgomery (town), New York
Montgomery is a town in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 20,891 at the 2000 census. It was named in honor of Richard Montgomery, an American Revolutionary War general killed in 1775 at the Battle of Quebec....
. It officially came into existence when exit 5A on Interstate 84
Interstate 84 in New York
Interstate 84 is a part of the Interstate Highway System that runs from Dunmore, Pennsylvania, to Sturbridge, Massachusetts, in the Eastern United States. In New York, I-84 extends from the Pennsylvania state line at Port Jervis to the Connecticut state line east of Brewster...
was completed and opened in 2007. Most of NY 747 follows Drury Lane, once a highway maintained by Orange County as County Route 54.
The road provides easy access to Stewart International Airport
Stewart International Airport
Stewart International Airport is located in the southern Hudson Valley, west of Newburgh, New York and over north of Midtown Manhattan, New York City. The airport is located in the Town of Newburgh and the Town of New Windsor."." U.S. Census Bureau...
via International Boulevard, a newly-built connecting road. The lack of such access has long been seen as an obstacle to the airport's development. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is a bi-state port district, established in 1921 through an interstate compact, that runs most of the regional transportation infrastructure, including the bridges, tunnels, airports, and seaports, within the Port of New York and New Jersey...
has taken the airport over from former private lessees National Express Group
National Express Group
National Express Group plc is a British transport group headquartered in Birmingham that operates bus, coach, rail and tram services in the UK, the US and Canada, Spain, Portugal and Morocco and long-distance coach routes across Europe...
with the intent of realizing long-held hopes of making the airport the New York Metropolitan Area
New York metropolitan area
The New York metropolitan area, also known as Greater New York, or the Tri-State area, is the region that composes of New York City and the surrounding region...
's fourth major airport; improved access to the airport is seen as essential to that goal.
Drury Lane, which divided the airport property from what is now Stewart State Forest, save for a small corridor along the road near the interstate, was long the line in the sand for local environmental activists who opposed any development to its west. Construction of the highway involved significant relocation of some of the route for these and other issues.
Route description
The entire route runs through wooded land that has remained undeveloped since being seizedEminent domain
Eminent domain , compulsory purchase , resumption/compulsory acquisition , or expropriation is an action of the state to seize a citizen's private property, expropriate property, or seize a citizen's rights in property with due monetary compensation, but without the owner's consent...
for a planned expansion of the airport in the early 1970s.
747 begins at the junction of Drury and NY 207
New York State Route 207
New York State Route 207 is a state highway located entirely within Orange County, New York, in the United States. It serves as a connector between the village of Goshen and the city of Newburgh. It has for a long time provided the main access to Stewart International Airport...
near the Grange
Grange movement
The National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry, also simply styled the Grange, is a fraternal organization for American farmers that encourages farm families to band together for their common economic and political well-being...
Hall at the center of the onetime hamlet of Little Britain. A traffic light
Traffic light
Traffic lights, which may also be known as stoplights, traffic lamps, traffic signals, signal lights, robots or semaphore, are signalling devices positioned at road intersections, pedestrian crossings and other locations to control competing flows of traffic...
was installed at the intersection.
It remains a two-lane road along a new alignment through the wooded area between the airport and the state forest. At the junction with International Boulevard, it expands to a four-lane divided route from there to I-84. Here it passes the western end of the airport's main runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
, and sometimes large C-5
C-5 Galaxy
The Lockheed C-5 Galaxy is a large military transport aircraft built by Lockheed. It provides the United States Air Force with a heavy intercontinental-range strategic airlift capability, one that can carry outsize and oversize cargos, including all air-certifiable cargo. The Galaxy has many...
cargo planes from Stewart Air National Guard Base
Stewart Air National Guard Base
Stewart Air National Guard Base is the home of the 105th Airlift Wing , an Air Mobility Command -gained unit of the New York Air National Guard and "host" wing for the installation...
can be seen taking off
Takeoff
Takeoff is the phase of flight in which an aerospace vehicle goes from the ground to flying in the air.For horizontal takeoff aircraft this usually involves starting with a transition from moving along the ground on a runway. For balloons, helicopters and some specialized fixed-wing aircraft , no...
right above the road. While one more traffic light has been allowed in this section, development here will likely be limited since much of the land to the west is either wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
s or part of the FAA
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration is the national aviation authority of the United States. An agency of the United States Department of Transportation, it has authority to regulate and oversee all aspects of civil aviation in the U.S...
-mandated Runway Protection Zone, a 45 acres (18.2 ha) trapezoid
Trapezoid
In Euclidean geometry, a convex quadrilateral with one pair of parallel sides is referred to as a trapezoid in American English and as a trapezium in English outside North America. A trapezoid with vertices ABCD is denoted...
in which no building is allowed.
The road climbs slightly into the Town of Newburgh and then to the exit
Interchange (road)
In the field of road transport, an interchange is a road junction that typically uses grade separation, and one or more ramps, to permit traffic on at least one highway to pass through the junction without directly crossing any other traffic stream. It differs from a standard intersection, at which...
. A new overpass
Overpass
An overpass is a bridge, road, railway or similar structure that crosses over another road or railway...
was built; the old one was dismantled. The westbound Interstate 84
Interstate 84 in New York
Interstate 84 is a part of the Interstate Highway System that runs from Dunmore, Pennsylvania, to Sturbridge, Massachusetts, in the Eastern United States. In New York, I-84 extends from the Pennsylvania state line at Port Jervis to the Connecticut state line east of Brewster...
exit and entrance takes the form of half of a diamond interchange
Diamond interchange
A diamond interchange is a common type of road junction, used where a freeway crosses a minor road. The freeway itself is grade-separated from the minor road, one crossing the other over a bridge...
, while the eastbound exit and entrance forms half of an A2/B2 type partial cloverleaf to avoid encroaching on wetlands in the southwest quadrant of the interchange.
The ramp from westbound 84 to 747 goes over a small bridge built to protect the Catskill Aqueduct
Catskill Aqueduct
The Catskill Aqueduct, part of the New York City water supply system, brings water from the Catskill Mountains to Yonkers where it connects to other parts of the system.-History:Construction commenced in 1907...
from the vibrations of passing trucks. The presence of the aqueduct, which carries 40% of 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...
's water supply
Water supply
Water supply is the provision of water by public utilities, commercial organisations, community endeavours or by individuals, usually via a system of pumps and pipes...
and runs right alongside the road just north of 84, forced the construction of a new section of road a short distance north of the interstate. Route 747 here deviates from the historical route of Drury Lane, bends into the Town of Montgomery and reaches NY 17K
New York State Route 17K
New York State Route 17K is an east–west state highway located within Orange County, New York, in the United States. It extends for from an intersection with County Route 76 east of Bloomingburg to a junction with U.S. Route 9W midway across the city of Newburgh...
, its northern terminus, at the intersection with Stone Castle Road. The section of Stone Castle Road north of Route 17K has itself been slightly relocated to provide for a better location for the intersection, at which another traffic light was erected.
The remaining section of Drury Lane, which has houses and businesses, now ends in a cul-de-sac
Cul-de-sac
A cul-de-sac is a word of French origin referring to a dead end, close, no through road or court meaning dead-end street with only one inlet/outlet...
near the new road and the aqueduct. This small stub of a road remains the outlet for several small private roads which end in cul-de-sacs of their own. A few structures formerly on the west side of Drury Lane now remain on the west side of the renamed Route 747. Despite this plan, a new Valero-branded convenience store
Convenience store
A convenience store, corner store, corner shop, commonly called a bodega in Spanish-speaking areas of the United States, is a small store or shop in a built up area that stocks a range of everyday items such as groceries, toiletries, alcoholic and soft drinks, and may also offer money order and...
and gas station has been opened at the current intersection of 17K and Drury to take advantage of interstate traffic coming off the exit.
History
Development controversy
Plans initiated by then-governor Nelson RockefellerNelson Rockefeller
Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller was the 41st Vice President of the United States , serving under President Gerald Ford, and the 49th Governor of New York , as well as serving the Roosevelt, Truman and Eisenhower administrations in a variety of positions...
changed that. With supersonic transport
Supersonic transport
A supersonic transport is a civilian supersonic aircraft designed to transport passengers at speeds greater than the speed of sound. The only SSTs to see regular service to date have been Concorde and the Tupolev Tu-144. The last passenger flight of the Tu-144 was in June 1978 with its last ever...
(SST) considered at the time to be the next major development in air travel, Rockefeller wanted New York to have an airport that could handle both the SSTs and regular jets. Accordingly, plans were drawn up for a major expansion of the airport.
The state moved to condemn much of the land between Drury Lane and Maybrook
Maybrook, New York
Maybrook is a village in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 3,084 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined...
in order to more than double Stewart's size. Families that had lived there since the Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
fought bitterly. Eventually they were all evicted, but only after the state had promised never to develop the land and American SST development was canceled due to rising fuel costs.
Protected area
Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognised natural, ecological and/or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international...
; the latter pointed to ideal real estate in a region that was beginning to lose its job base.
The privatization
Privatization
Privatization is the incidence or process of transferring ownership of a business, enterprise, agency or public service from the public sector to the private sector or to private non-profit organizations...
of the airport in 2000 led the state to finally begin construction of the interchange, after Governor George Pataki
George Pataki
George Elmer Pataki is an American politician who was the 53rd Governor of New York. A member of the Republican Party, Pataki served three consecutive four-year terms from January 1, 1995 until December 31, 2006.- Early life :...
designated much of the western lands as Stewart State Forest. It was stalled for three years by a lawsuit
Lawsuit
A lawsuit or "suit in law" is a civil action brought in a court of law in which a plaintiff, a party who claims to have incurred loss as a result of a defendant's actions, demands a legal or equitable remedy. The defendant is required to respond to the plaintiff's complaint...
filed by several national and local environmental groups alleging that required environmental reviews
National Environmental Policy Act
The National Environmental Policy Act is a United States environmental law that established a U.S. national policy promoting the enhancement of the environment and also established the President's Council on Environmental Quality ....
were not properly conducted. On November 21, 2005, a compromise was reached in which most of the land that had not been designated as part of the state forest was and 400 acres (1.6 km²) near the exit was made available for development. Construction of the exit and the surrounding roads proceeded apace.
Construction
Drury Lane as it was could not serve to bring the kind of traffic a major airport would handle. The road would have to be widened to at least four lanes and realigned. The presence of the aqueduct also complicated matters greatly. New York City's Department of Environmental ProtectionNew York City Department of Environmental Protection
The New York City Department of Environmental Protection is a City agency of nearly 6,000 employees that manages and conserves the City’s water supply; distributes more than one billion gallons of clean drinking water each day to nine million New Yorkers and collects wastewater through a vast...
insisted that any new roads over the aqueduct bridge it to protect the aging pipeline from damage that vibration
Vibration
Vibration refers to mechanical oscillations about an equilibrium point. The oscillations may be periodic such as the motion of a pendulum or random such as the movement of a tire on a gravel road.Vibration is occasionally "desirable"...
s from truck
Truck
A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, with the smallest being mechanically similar to an automobile...
s passing overhead could cause.
Value engineering
Value engineering is a systematic method to improve the "value" of goods or products and services by using an examination of function. Value, as defined, is the ratio of function to cost. Value can therefore be increased by either improving the function or reducing the cost...
study recommended instead rerouting Drury to make a four-way intersection at Stone Castle Road and Route 17K. While at the time there were some other issues seen as holding this up, eventually this was the option chosen.
The access road required some deep cuts to keep it level at the intersection with Drury Lane. Bill Gorton, NYSDOT's regional design engineer, compared it to the initial construction of I-84. "We tell our young engineers to take a good look at what we're doing here because chances are they won't see anything like this again in their careers", said Rashid Shariff, DOT's engineer in charge. Over 1000000 cubic yards (764,554.9 m³) of dirt were moved. A quarter of that was used to fill a ravine the road crosses; the rest will be used as needed on the airport property.
Federal Highway Administration
The Federal Highway Administration is a division of the United States Department of Transportation that specializes in highway transportation. The agency's major activities are grouped into two "programs," the Federal-aid Highway Program and the Federal Lands Highway Program...
. These included the construction of 12 vernal pool
Vernal pool
Vernal pools, also called vernal ponds or ephemeral pools, are temporary pools of water. They are usually devoid of fish, and thus allow the safe development of natal amphibian and insect species...
s adjacent to the road to provide habitat for the Blue-spotted Salamander
Blue-spotted Salamander
The Blue-spotted salamander, or Ambystoma laterale, is a mole salamander native to the Great Lakes states and northeastern United States, and parts of Ontario and Quebec in Canada. Their range is known to extend to James Bay to the north, and southeastern Manitoba to the west.-Description:These...
and Jefferson Salamander
Jefferson Salamander
The Jefferson salamander is a mole salamander native to the northeastern United States, southern and central Ontario, and southwestern Quebec. It was named after Jefferson College in Pennsylvania....
and box culverts to allow them to safely cross under the road, avoiding tree removal during the season when Indiana bat
Indiana bat
The Indiana bat is a medium-sized mouse-eared bat native to North America. It lives primarily in eastern and midwestern states and in parts of the south of the United States. The Indiana bat is gray, black, or chestnut in colour and is 1.2–2 inches and weighs about 1/4 an ounce...
s are roosting, and siting new wetlands to avoid impacting Purple milkweed
Asclepias purpurascens
Purple milkweed is a herbaceous plant species. It is in the genus Asclepias, making it a type of milkweed. It is native to the Eastern, Southern and Midwestern United States similar to the range of the Common Milkweed...
.
Prior to the project, Drury Lane had been maintained by Orange County
Orange County, New York
Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area and is located at the northern reaches of the New York metropolitan area. The county sits in the state's scenic Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley...
as County Route 54. In February 2007, it was announced that the highway would become state-maintained and be designated as NY 747 once the project was completed. On July 30, 2007, Route 747 was de facto
De facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
open. Drury Lane was closed off north of the aqueduct and traffic was routed onto the new roadway between both termini, and on the new overpass. Road crews began removing the pavement from the former roadbed and dismantling the old overpass.
The 1.25 miles (2.01 km) long east–west airport access road from Route 747 to the main terminal, International Boulevard, was opened on November 20, 2007, officially completing the $55 million project. Although NYSDOT refers to this access road as Stewart Boulevard in their press release, all area signage refers to the access road as International Boulevard, a last-minute change by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
Port Authority of New York and New Jersey
The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey is a bi-state port district, established in 1921 through an interstate compact, that runs most of the regional transportation infrastructure, including the bridges, tunnels, airports, and seaports, within the Port of New York and New Jersey...
.