New York State Route 98
Encyclopedia
New York State Route 98 (NY 98) is a state highway
in the western part
of New York
in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an intersection with U.S. Route 219
(US 219) in the town of Great Valley
in Cattaraugus County
. The northern end is at an interchange with the Lake Ontario State Parkway
in the town of Carlton
in Orleans County
, near the southern shore of Lake Ontario
. In between, NY 98 serves the city of Batavia
, connects to the New York State Thruway
(Interstate 90
or I-90), and passes by the Attica Correctional Facility
. Most of the route passes through rural, undeveloped areas; however, in southern Genesee County
, it traverses more urbanized areas that lie in and around Batavia.
Most of modern NY 98 north of Batavia was originally designated as New York State Route 74 in the mid-1920s. It was extended south to US 20
(now US 20A
) in Varysburg in the late 1920s. NY 98, meanwhile, was assigned as part of the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York, utilizing NY 74 north of Varysburg and its modern alignment south of the hamlet. Initially, it followed what is now US 219 into Salamanca and ended at NY 18
in Carlton. The extension into Salamanca was eliminated in the 1960s, while the route was extended north to meet the Lake Ontario Parkway in the 1970s. Other changes, including a pair of substantial realignments, have also occurred in the time since the route was originally assigned.
. The only non-state-maintained section of the route lies within the city of Batavia
, where the route is locally maintained from the southern city line to the south end of the overlap with NY 33
.
in Great Valley, a hamlet located northeast of Salamanca
in the town of Great Valley
. The route heads northeast across Cattaraugus County
, paralleling Forks Creek through northeast Great Valley and the northwestern corner of Humphrey
to the town of Franklinville
. The creek ends southwest of the village of Franklinville
; however, NY 98 continues northeast for an additional 3.5 miles (5.6 km) across sparsely populated areas to the hamlet of Cadiz, where it intersects NY 16
just south of Franklinville. Here, NY 98 joins NY 16 northward through the village to the town of Farmersville
, where the two routes split.
East of NY 16, NY 98 continues generally northeastward across rural terrain through the hamlets of Farmersville and Farmersville Station to an isolated junction east of the latter, where NY 98 intersects NY 243
at a T-intersection. While NY 243 leaves to the right (east), NY 98 turns left, initially heading northwest before curving to the north as it crosses into the town of Freedom
. The route initially heads north toward the hamlet of the same name in the northeastern corner of the county, but ultimately bypasses the hamlet to the west to follow Clear Creek into Sandusky, the last settlement on NY 98 within the county. At the hamlet, NY 98 turns back to the northwest and crosses into Wyoming County
.
Across the county line, the amount of development along the route increases as NY 98 enters the village of Arcade
on Liberty Street. In the center of the village, NY 98 turns east to overlap with NY 39
for two long blocks along Main Street. The two routes split at Water Street, with NY 98 following the street northward across Cattaraugus Creek
to a junction with North Street in the lightly populated northern portion of the village. At this point, Water Street merges into North Street, and the latter parallels the Arcade and Attica Railroad (ARA) and Cattaraugus Creek as it carries NY 98 northeastward out of the village. NY 98 follows the creek to an area of farmlands known as Arcade Center, where the route and the railroad both turn north toward Java
, a mostly rural town dominated by farmland.
and NY 78
at a four-way junction in the center of the community. NY 77 continues north from the intersection on Cattaraugus Road while NY 98 joins NY 78 eastward on Main Street, traversing the ARA at another grade crossing on their way out of the hamlet. The overlap extends for 2.5 miles (4 km) across farmlands and through forests to a point once known as Five Corners, where NY 98 separates from NY 78 and turns northward once more. The route continues across a mixture of cultivated fields and forests to North Java, a small hamlet located at the junction between NY 98 and Perry and Wethersfield Roads. Not far to the north is the Java–Sheldon
town line, where NY 98 curves to follow a slightly northeastward alignment across Sheldon.
About 1.5 miles (2.4 km) into Sheldon, NY 98 passes the southern end of Tonawanda Creek
, the source of which is located along the west side of NY 98. The route follows the water body along the Sheldon–Orangeville
town line to a junction with US 20A
just inside of the town of Orangeville. NY 98 joins US 20A here, following the latter northwestward to Varysburg, a small creekside hamlet in Sheldon. At the center of Varysburg, NY 98 leaves US 20A to follow Creek Road northward through the towns of Bennington
and Attica
, following the base of a large valley surrounding Tonawanda Creek. Due to the terrain of the area, the routing of NY 98 is fairly isolated from the remainder of the county until it reaches the outskirts of the village of Attica
.
South of the village, the route comes within view of the Attica Correctional Facility
, the site of the 1971 Attica Prison riot. The route enters the village shortly afterward, following High Street through the lightly developed southern half of Attica. The amount of development begins to increase at a junction with NY 354
, known here as the Attica–Bennington Highway. One block later, NY 98 passes under the Norfolk Southern Railway
's Buffalo Line
and joins NY 238
at Main Street. The junction of Main and High Streets marks the start of Attica's business district, which follows NY 98 and NY 238 north for two blocks along Market Street to Buffalo Street. Here, NY 238 leaves NY 98 to continue toward Darien
while NY 98 remains on Market Street to the northern village line, which also serves as the Wyoming–Genesee
county line.
, NY 98 passes through lightly but consistently populated areas that serve as the suburbs of Batavia
. As Alexander Road, the route meets US 20
at an interchange in the village of Alexander
. The Alexander Road name remains through Alexander, past the CSX Transportation
-owned Rochester Subdivision
in the town of Batavia
(which NY 98 passes under), and up to the Batavia city limits, where it becomes Walnut Street. Within the city, NY 98 continues to run through mostly residential areas as it crosses the Depew, Lancaster and Western Railroad
at-grade. On the southern fringe of downtown Batavia, Walnut Street turns westward and becomes South Main Street, avoiding the nearby Tonawanda Creek. NY 98 meets NY 33
one block later, and the two routes join on Oak Street for one block to cross over Tonawanda Creek and enter the city's commercial district.
On the opposite bank, NY 33 separates from NY 98 at an intersection with West Main Street (NY 5
and NY 63
), one of Batavia's main commercial strips. While NY 33 heads southeast toward downtown Batavia, NY 98 continues north on Oak Street through a residential part of the city to the northern city limits, where it connects to the New York State Thruway
(I-90
) via an interchange south of the Genesee County Airport
. At this point, NY 98 becomes Oak Orchard Road and heads through progressively less developed areas to the village of Elba
, located in an area of the town of Elba
dominated by open farmland. NY 98 overlaps NY 262
through the southern fringe of the village before continuing through Elba as Main Street. Just north of the village limits, Oak Orchard Road leaves NY 98 to follow a more easterly routing into Orleans County
.
. About 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) south of Orleans County, NY 98 passes through a marshy area and crosses over Oak Orchard Creek, here contained within a canal that takes the stream through the nearby swamps. The marshes follow NY 98 into Orleans County and the town of Barre
, where the route meets County Route 99 (CR 99) at a junction 3 miles (5 km) north of the county line. Until the early 1950s, CR 99 was part of NY 279
, which overlapped NY 98 between this point and its current southern terminus in the town of Gaines
. Past CR 99, NY 98 heads across more firmer areas as it heads through Barre Center and crosses into the town of Albion.
Just north of the Barre–Albion town line, NY 98 intersects NY 31A
, a southerly alternate route of NY 31
across Orleans and Monroe County
Counties. NY 98 continues on for 2 miles (3.2 km) to the village of Albion, where it becomes Main Street and intersects NY 31 itself. Past NY 31, NY 98 passes the county courthouse
before going through the village's downtown
district and crossing over the Erie Canal
. On the other side of the canal, the route enters the town of Gaines
before exiting the Albion village limits. At Five Corners, a small hamlet north of Albion, NY 98 intersects the current southern terminus of NY 279. From this point north, NY 98 traverses far less developed areas, save for a handful of hamlets. One of these is Childs
, where NY 98 meets NY 104
(Ridge Road
), just west of the Cobblestone Historic District
, a National Historic Landmark
.
North of Childs lies the town of Carlton
, the final town that NY 98 traverses. The route proceeds through the hamlet of Carlton to an area known as Baldwin Corner, where NY 18
enters from the east and merges with NY 98. NY 18 and NY 98 remain concurrent to a hamlet known as The Bridges, where NY 18 turns west and crosses over Oak Orchard Creek, which enters The Bridges from the southwest. NY 98, meanwhile, crosses over a small tributary known as Marsh Creek and meets Oak Orchard River Road on the northern bank. From here, NY 98 continues northward along the eastern edge of Oak Orchard Creek as Point Breeze Road to an interchange with the Lake Ontario State Parkway
, where NY 98 terminates just 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) south of Lake Ontario.
was originally designated as part of Route 19, an unsigned legislative route
, by the New York State Legislature in 1908. In the mid-1920s, what is now NY 98 between Batavia and modern NY 18
in Carlton
was designated as NY 74. The route was extended southward to Varysburg over the former routing of legislative Route 19 in the late 1920s. In the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York, NY 74 became part of NY 98, a new route that extended from Salamanca
in the south to Carlton in the north via Great Valley
, Franklinville
, Arcade
, and Varysburg. When US 219
was extended into New York
ca. 1935, it was routed on NY 98 between Salamanca and Great Valley. The overlap between US 219 and NY 98 remained intact until ca. 1962 when NY 98 was truncated on its southern end to Great Valley.
Originally, NY 98 followed a more easterly alignment through the towns of Elba
and Barre
. At the northern edge of the village of Elba
, NY 98 left its modern alignment and followed modern CR 24 in Genesee County and CR 98 in Orleans County before rejoining its current alignment near Barre Center. The route was realigned to follow a linear path between the two communities in the early 1950s. Farther south, NY 98 was originally routed on East Arcade Road (now Wyoming County's CR 11) between Arcade and North Java. NY 98 was realigned ca. 1933 to follow Curriers, Chaffee, and Cattaraugus Roads between Arcade and Java Center and overlap with NY 78
between Java Center and its original alignment to the east. The portion of the route between Arcade and Java Center was also designated as part of NY 77
. Ca. 1939, NY 98 was relocated back onto its original alignment via East Arcade Road while NY 77 was truncated north to Corfu
. NY 77 was reextended to the vicinity of Arcade ca. 1961, following the modern routing of NY 98 between Arcade and Java Center. NY 98 was realigned in the early 1960s to follow NY 77 between Arcade and Java Center, resulting in the truncation of NY 77 to Java Center.
When the Lake Ontario State Parkway
was constructed in the 1970s, NY 98 was extended north along NY 18 and Point Breeze Road to meet the parkway at a new interchange near the Carlton hamlet of The Bridges. Although the short extension of the route was signed as a state highway
, ownership and maintenance of it was not transferred from Orleans County
to the state of New York
until April 1, 1989. The segment of Point Breeze Road from the parkway to the Lake Ontario
shoreline remains county maintained as CR 37.
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 western part
Western New York
Western New York is the westernmost region of the state of New York. It includes the cities of Buffalo, Rochester, Niagara Falls, the surrounding suburbs, as well as the outlying rural areas of the Great Lakes lowlands, the Genesee Valley, and the Southern Tier. Some historians, scholars and others...
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. The southern terminus of the route is at an intersection with U.S. Route 219
U.S. Route 219 in New York
U.S. Route 219 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from Rich Creek, Virginia, to West Seneca, New York. In the U.S. state of New York, US 219 extends from the Pennsylvania state line at Carrollton to an interchange with the New York State Thruway at exit 55 in West...
(US 219) in the town of Great Valley
Great Valley, New York
Great Valley is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 2,145 at the 2000 census. The town is named after its local geographical setting, a relative comparison of two tributaries of the Allegheny River.The Town of Great Valley is centrally located in the...
in Cattaraugus County
Cattaraugus County, New York
Cattaraugus County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 80,317. The county seat is Little Valley.-History:...
. The northern end is at an interchange with the Lake Ontario State Parkway
Lake Ontario State Parkway
The Lake Ontario State Parkway is a parkway along the southern shore of Lake Ontario in western New York in the United States. The western end of the highway is at a partial interchange within Lakeside Beach State Park in Carlton, Orleans County. Its eastern terminus is at an intersection with...
in the town of Carlton
Carlton, New York
Carlton is a town in Orleans County, New York, United States. The population was 2,960 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from Carleton, a shipbuilding district near Ottawa, Ontario, Canada....
in Orleans County
Orleans County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 44,171 people, 15,363 households, and 10,846 families residing in the county. The population density was 113 people per square mile . There were 17,347 housing units at an average density of 44 per square mile...
, near the southern shore of Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...
. In between, NY 98 serves the city of Batavia
Batavia (city), New York
Batavia is a city in Genesee County, Western New York, USA, located near the middle of Genesee County, entirely within the Town of Batavia. Its population as of the 2000 census was 16,256...
, connects to 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...
or I-90), and passes by the Attica Correctional Facility
Attica Correctional Facility
The Attica Correctional Facility is a maximum penitentiary in the town of Attica, New York, operated by the New York State Department of Correctional Services. After it was constructed in the 1930s, it held many of the most dangerous criminals of the time. A tear gas system is installed in the mess...
. Most of the route passes through rural, undeveloped areas; however, in southern Genesee County
Genesee County, New York
Genesee County is a county located in Western New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 60,079. Its name is from the Seneca Indian word Gen-nis'-hee-yo meaning "The Beautiful Valley." Its county seat is Batavia.- History :...
, it traverses more urbanized areas that lie in and around Batavia.
Most of modern NY 98 north of Batavia was originally designated as New York State Route 74 in the mid-1920s. It was extended south to 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...
(now US 20A
U.S. Route 20A (New York)
U.S. Route 20A is an east–west alternate route of US 20 that extends for across the western portion of New York in the United States. It leaves US 20 in Hamburg, a suburb of Buffalo, and rejoins it in East Bloomfield about five miles west of Canandaigua, the county seat of...
) in Varysburg in the late 1920s. NY 98, meanwhile, was assigned as part of the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York, utilizing NY 74 north of Varysburg and its modern alignment south of the hamlet. Initially, it followed what is now US 219 into Salamanca and ended at NY 18
New York State Route 18
New York State Route 18 is an east–west state highway in western New York in the United States. It runs parallel to the south shore of Lake Ontario for most of its length between Niagara County and Monroe County...
in Carlton. The extension into Salamanca was eliminated in the 1960s, while the route was extended north to meet the Lake Ontario Parkway in the 1970s. Other changes, including a pair of substantial realignments, have also occurred in the time since the route was originally assigned.
Route description
Most of NY 98 is maintained by the New York State Department of TransportationNew 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...
. The only non-state-maintained section of the route lies within the city of Batavia
Batavia (city), New York
Batavia is a city in Genesee County, Western New York, USA, located near the middle of Genesee County, entirely within the Town of Batavia. Its population as of the 2000 census was 16,256...
, where the route is locally maintained from the southern city line to the south end of the overlap with NY 33
New York State Route 33
New York State Route 33 is an east–west state highway in western New York in the United States. The route extends for just under from NY 5 in Buffalo in the west to NY 31 in Rochester in the east. It is, in fact, the only state highway that directly connects both cities, although...
.
Great Valley to Arcade
NY 98 begins at an intersection with US 219U.S. Route 219 in New York
U.S. Route 219 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from Rich Creek, Virginia, to West Seneca, New York. In the U.S. state of New York, US 219 extends from the Pennsylvania state line at Carrollton to an interchange with the New York State Thruway at exit 55 in West...
in Great Valley, a hamlet located northeast of Salamanca
Salamanca (city), New York
Salamanca is a city in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States, located inside the Allegany Indian Reservation. The population was 6,097 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
in the town of Great Valley
Great Valley, New York
Great Valley is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 2,145 at the 2000 census. The town is named after its local geographical setting, a relative comparison of two tributaries of the Allegheny River.The Town of Great Valley is centrally located in the...
. The route heads northeast across Cattaraugus County
Cattaraugus County, New York
Cattaraugus County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 80,317. The county seat is Little Valley.-History:...
, paralleling Forks Creek through northeast Great Valley and the northwestern corner of Humphrey
Humphrey, New York
Humphrey is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 721 at the 2000 census. The town is named after politician Charles Humphrey....
to the town of Franklinville
Franklinville (town), New York
Franklinville is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 3,128 at the 2000 census.The Town of Franklinville is an interior town, located in the northeast quadrant of the county. Franklinville is also the name of a village in the town.- History :The town was first...
. The creek ends southwest of the village of Franklinville
Franklinville (village), New York
Franklinville is a village in Cattaraugus County, New York, USA. The population was 1,855 at the 2000 census. The community was named after Benjamin Franklin.The Village of Franklinville is in the northeast part of the Town of Franklinville....
; however, NY 98 continues northeast for an additional 3.5 miles (5.6 km) across sparsely populated areas to the hamlet of Cadiz, where it intersects NY 16
New York State Route 16
New York State Route 16 is a state highway in western New York, United States. It runs from the Pennsylvania state line, where it is one of the highest highways in the state in elevation, to downtown Buffalo. NY 16 is a major route through Erie County, despite the construction of the...
just south of Franklinville. Here, NY 98 joins NY 16 northward through the village to the town of Farmersville
Farmersville, New York
Farmersville is a town located in the eastern border of Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 1,028 at the 2000 census.- History :The area was first settled around 1805, but no permanent settlement was made until around 1817...
, where the two routes split.
East of NY 16, NY 98 continues generally northeastward across rural terrain through the hamlets of Farmersville and Farmersville Station to an isolated junction east of the latter, where NY 98 intersects NY 243
New York State Route 243
New York State Route 243 is a short east–west state highway in the Southern Tier of Western New York. Despite its minimal length, it is an important route as it provides access to Rushford Lake.-Route description:...
at a T-intersection. While NY 243 leaves to the right (east), NY 98 turns left, initially heading northwest before curving to the north as it crosses into the town of Freedom
Freedom, New York
Freedom is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 2,493 at the 2000 census.The Town of Freedom is in the northeast corner of the Cattaraugus County.- History :The first settlers arrived around 1811....
. The route initially heads north toward the hamlet of the same name in the northeastern corner of the county, but ultimately bypasses the hamlet to the west to follow Clear Creek into Sandusky, the last settlement on NY 98 within the county. At the hamlet, NY 98 turns back to the northwest and crosses into Wyoming County
Wyoming County, New York
Wyoming County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. At the 2010 census, the population was 42,155. The county seat is Warsaw. The name is from a modified Delaware Indian word meaning "broad bottom lands"...
.
Across the county line, the amount of development along the route increases as NY 98 enters the village of Arcade
Arcade (village), New York
Arcade is a village in Wyoming County, New York, in the United States. The population was 2,026 at the 2000 census.The Village of Arcade in located in the southwest part of the Town of Arcade...
on Liberty Street. In the center of the village, NY 98 turns east to overlap with NY 39
New York State Route 39
New York State Route 39 is an east–west state highway in the western portion of New York in the United States. It begins and ends at intersections with U.S. Route 20 apart...
for two long blocks along Main Street. The two routes split at Water Street, with NY 98 following the street northward across Cattaraugus Creek
Cattaraugus Creek
Cattaraugus Creek is a stream, approximately 68 miles long, in western New York in the United States. The creek drains a wooded rural portion of western New York southwest of Buffalo into Lake Erie. In its lower course it flows primarily through the Cattaraugus Reservation of the Seneca tribe...
to a junction with North Street in the lightly populated northern portion of the village. At this point, Water Street merges into North Street, and the latter parallels the Arcade and Attica Railroad (ARA) and Cattaraugus Creek as it carries NY 98 northeastward out of the village. NY 98 follows the creek to an area of farmlands known as Arcade Center, where the route and the railroad both turn north toward Java
Java, New York
Java is a town in Wyoming County, New York, United States. The population was 2,222 at the 2000 census. In the 2007 estimate, this had declined to 2,153.Contrary to practice elsewhere, the name is pronounced "Jay-vuh"....
, a mostly rural town dominated by farmland.
Java to Attica
NY 98 heads virtually due north through Java, remaining in close proximity to the ARA up to the hamlet of Java Center. NY 98 crosses the railroad at a grade crossing just south of the hamlet before meeting NY 77New York State Route 77
New York State Route 77 is a north–south state highway in the western part of New York in the United States. The highway runs for across mostly rural areas from an intersection with NY 78 and NY 98 in the Wyoming County town of Java to a junction with NY 31 near the city of...
and NY 78
New York State Route 78
New York State Route 78 , most commonly known as Transit Road, is a state highway in Western New York, USA. While it is signed north–south, the lower portion runs in an east–west direction across Wyoming County, from its beginning north of the Village of Gainesville.NY 78 is...
at a four-way junction in the center of the community. NY 77 continues north from the intersection on Cattaraugus Road while NY 98 joins NY 78 eastward on Main Street, traversing the ARA at another grade crossing on their way out of the hamlet. The overlap extends for 2.5 miles (4 km) across farmlands and through forests to a point once known as Five Corners, where NY 98 separates from NY 78 and turns northward once more. The route continues across a mixture of cultivated fields and forests to North Java, a small hamlet located at the junction between NY 98 and Perry and Wethersfield Roads. Not far to the north is the Java–Sheldon
Sheldon, New York
Sheldon is a town in Wyoming County, New York, United States. The population was 2,561 at the 2000 census.The Town of Sheldon is on the west border of Wyoming County. The town is southeast of Buffalo, New York.- History :...
town line, where NY 98 curves to follow a slightly northeastward alignment across Sheldon.
About 1.5 miles (2.4 km) into Sheldon, NY 98 passes the southern end of Tonawanda Creek
Tonawanda Creek
Tonawanda Creek is a small river in Western New York, in the United States. William Bright says the best that can be said of the name is that it is "probably from an Iroquoian source, but of unclear derivation".-Description:...
, the source of which is located along the west side of NY 98. The route follows the water body along the Sheldon–Orangeville
Orangeville, New York
Orangeville is a town in Wyoming County, New York, United States. The population was 1,301 at the 2000 census.The Town of Orangeville is centrally located in the county. U.S. Route 20A passes across the town.- History :...
town line to a junction with US 20A
U.S. Route 20A (New York)
U.S. Route 20A is an east–west alternate route of US 20 that extends for across the western portion of New York in the United States. It leaves US 20 in Hamburg, a suburb of Buffalo, and rejoins it in East Bloomfield about five miles west of Canandaigua, the county seat of...
just inside of the town of Orangeville. NY 98 joins US 20A here, following the latter northwestward to Varysburg, a small creekside hamlet in Sheldon. At the center of Varysburg, NY 98 leaves US 20A to follow Creek Road northward through the towns of Bennington
Bennington, New York
Bennington is a town in Wyoming County, New York in the USA. The population was 3,349 during the 2000 census. The town was named after Bennington, Vermont....
and Attica
Attica (town), New York
Attica is a town in Wyoming County, New York, United States. The population was 6,028 at the 2000 census .The town is named after a region in Greece....
, following the base of a large valley surrounding Tonawanda Creek. Due to the terrain of the area, the routing of NY 98 is fairly isolated from the remainder of the county until it reaches the outskirts of the village of Attica
Attica (village), New York
Attica is a village in Wyoming County, New York in the USA. The population was 2,597 at the 2000 census. It is named after a region in Greece.The Village of Attica is on the northern border of Wyoming County...
.
South of the village, the route comes within view of the Attica Correctional Facility
Attica Correctional Facility
The Attica Correctional Facility is a maximum penitentiary in the town of Attica, New York, operated by the New York State Department of Correctional Services. After it was constructed in the 1930s, it held many of the most dangerous criminals of the time. A tear gas system is installed in the mess...
, the site of the 1971 Attica Prison riot. The route enters the village shortly afterward, following High Street through the lightly developed southern half of Attica. The amount of development begins to increase at a junction with NY 354
New York State Route 354
New York State Route 354 is a state highway in New York, USA. NY 354 is one of several highways radiating eastward from its western terminus in downtown Buffalo, New York. The east terminus of NY 354 is in the Village of Attica, where it ends at NY 98 and NY 238 as West...
, known here as the Attica–Bennington Highway. One block later, NY 98 passes under the Norfolk Southern Railway
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
's Buffalo Line
Buffalo Line
The Buffalo Line is a railroad line owned and operated by the Norfolk Southern Railway in the U.S. states of New York and Pennsylvania. The line runs from Buffalo, New York southeast to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania along a former Pennsylvania Railroad line...
and joins NY 238
New York State Route 238
New York State Route 238 is a state highway located in Western New York in the United States. It runs in a northwest–southeast direction roughly centered on the village of Attica. In the former direction, it connects to U.S. Route 20 in Darien and serves as a more direct route into...
at Main Street. The junction of Main and High Streets marks the start of Attica's business district, which follows NY 98 and NY 238 north for two blocks along Market Street to Buffalo Street. Here, NY 238 leaves NY 98 to continue toward Darien
Darien, New York
Darien is a town in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 3,061 at the 2000 census.The Town of Darien lies in the southwest part of Genesee County, southwest of Batavia.- History :...
while NY 98 remains on Market Street to the northern village line, which also serves as the Wyoming–Genesee
Genesee County, New York
Genesee County is a county located in Western New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 60,079. Its name is from the Seneca Indian word Gen-nis'-hee-yo meaning "The Beautiful Valley." Its county seat is Batavia.- History :...
county line.
Batavia area
Across the county line in the town of AlexanderAlexander (town), New York
Alexander is a town in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 2,451 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Alexander Rea, an early settler....
, NY 98 passes through lightly but consistently populated areas that serve as the suburbs of Batavia
Batavia (city), New York
Batavia is a city in Genesee County, Western New York, USA, located near the middle of Genesee County, entirely within the Town of Batavia. Its population as of the 2000 census was 16,256...
. As Alexander Road, the route meets 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...
at an interchange in the village of Alexander
Alexander (village), New York
Alexander is a village in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 481 at the 2000 census. The village is named after early settler, Alexander Rea.The village of Alexander is within the Town of Alexander...
. The Alexander Road name remains through Alexander, past the CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
-owned Rochester Subdivision
Rochester Subdivision
The Rochester Subdivision is a railroad line owned by CSX Transportation in the U.S. state of New York. The line runs from Syracuse west to Buffalo along the former New York Central Railroad main line. At its east end, west of downtown Syracuse, the line becomes the Mohawk Subdivision...
in the town of Batavia
Batavia (town), New York
Batavia is a town in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 5,915 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from the Roman name for part of the Netherlands....
(which NY 98 passes under), and up to the Batavia city limits, where it becomes Walnut Street. Within the city, NY 98 continues to run through mostly residential areas as it crosses the Depew, Lancaster and Western Railroad
Depew, Lancaster and Western Railroad
The Depew, Lancaster and Western Railroad is a class III railroad operating in New York. It is a subsidiary of Genesee Valley Transportation . The DLWR is composed of two operations, one located between Depew, New York and Lancaster, New York and the other in Batavia, New York...
at-grade. On the southern fringe of downtown Batavia, Walnut Street turns westward and becomes South Main Street, avoiding the nearby Tonawanda Creek. NY 98 meets NY 33
New York State Route 33
New York State Route 33 is an east–west state highway in western New York in the United States. The route extends for just under from NY 5 in Buffalo in the west to NY 31 in Rochester in the east. It is, in fact, the only state highway that directly connects both cities, although...
one block later, and the two routes join on Oak Street for one block to cross over Tonawanda Creek and enter the city's commercial district.
On the opposite bank, NY 33 separates from NY 98 at an intersection with West Main Street (NY 5
New York State Route 5
New York State Route 5 is a state highway that extends for across the state of New York in the United States. It begins at the Pennsylvania state line in the Chautauqua County town of Ripley and passes through Buffalo, Syracuse, Utica, Schenectady, and several other smaller cities and...
and NY 63
New York State Route 63
New York State Route 63 is a state highway in the western part of New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 15 and NY 21 in the village of Wayland in Steuben County. Its northern end is at a junction with NY 18 in the town...
), one of Batavia's main commercial strips. While NY 33 heads southeast toward downtown Batavia, NY 98 continues north on Oak Street through a residential part of the city to the northern city limits, where it connects to 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...
(I-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...
) via an interchange south of the Genesee County Airport
Genesee County Airport
Genesee County Airport is a county-owned, public-use airport located two nautical miles north of the central business district of Batavia, a city in Genesee County, New York, United States. According to the FAA's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2009–2013, it is classified as a...
. At this point, NY 98 becomes Oak Orchard Road and heads through progressively less developed areas to the village of Elba
Elba (village), New York
Elba is a village in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 696 at the 2000 census. The village is named after the island of Elba.The village of Elba is in the town of Elba...
, located in an area of the town of Elba
Elba (town), New York
Elba is a town in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 2,439 at the 2000 census.The Town of Elba is at the north border of the county. The town is north of the City of Batavia.The Village of Elba is near the town's center....
dominated by open farmland. NY 98 overlaps NY 262
New York State Route 262
New York State Route 262 is an east–west state highway in Genesee County, New York, in the United States. It extends for across mostly rural areas dominated by cultivated fields, connecting NY 63 in the village of Oakfield to NY 19 in the village of Bergen...
through the southern fringe of the village before continuing through Elba as Main Street. Just north of the village limits, Oak Orchard Road leaves NY 98 to follow a more easterly routing into Orleans County
Orleans County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 44,171 people, 15,363 households, and 10,846 families residing in the county. The population density was 113 people per square mile . There were 17,347 housing units at an average density of 44 per square mile...
.
Orleans County
NY 98, meanwhile, proceeds toward the county line on Quaker Hill Road, which forms the first portion of the linear north–south alignment that the remainder of NY 98 takes to its northern terminus near Lake OntarioLake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...
. About 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) south of Orleans County, NY 98 passes through a marshy area and crosses over Oak Orchard Creek, here contained within a canal that takes the stream through the nearby swamps. The marshes follow NY 98 into Orleans County and the town of Barre
Barre, New York
Barre is a town in Orleans County, New York, United States. The population was 2,124 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Barre, Massachusetts.The Town of Barre is on the south border of the county.- History :...
, where the route meets County Route 99 (CR 99) at a junction 3 miles (5 km) north of the county line. Until the early 1950s, CR 99 was part of NY 279
New York State Route 279
New York State Route 279 is a north–south state highway in Orleans County, New York, in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 98 north of the village of Albion in the town of Gaines...
, which overlapped NY 98 between this point and its current southern terminus in the town of Gaines
Gaines, New York
Gaines is a town in Orleans County, New York, United States. The population was 3,740 at the 2000 census. The town is named after General Edmund Pendleton Gaines, who defended the area during the War of 1812....
. Past CR 99, NY 98 heads across more firmer areas as it heads through Barre Center and crosses into the town of Albion.
Just north of the Barre–Albion town line, NY 98 intersects NY 31A
New York State Route 31A
New York State Route 31A is an east–west state highway located in the western part of New York in the United States. It serves as a southerly alternate route of NY 31 from the western part of Orleans County to the far western part of Monroe County...
, a southerly alternate route of NY 31
New York State Route 31
New York State Route 31 is a state highway that extends for across western and central New York in the United States. The western terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 104 in the city of Niagara Falls. Its eastern terminus is at a traffic circle with NY 26 in Vernon...
across Orleans and Monroe County
Monroe County, New York
Monroe County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 744,344. It is named after James Monroe, fifth President of the United States of America. Its county seat is the city of Rochester....
Counties. NY 98 continues on for 2 miles (3.2 km) to the village of Albion, where it becomes Main Street and intersects NY 31 itself. Past NY 31, NY 98 passes the county courthouse
Orleans County Courthouse Historic District
The Orleans County Courthouse Historic District is one of two located in downtown Albion, New York, United States. Centered around Courthouse Square, it includes many significant buildings in the village, such as its library, post office and churches from seven different denominations, one of which...
before going through the village's downtown
North Main-Bank Streets Historic District
The North Main-Bank Streets Historic District is located along those streets in Albion, New York, United States. It is one of two historic districts in the village, comprising the commercial core of the village, developed during its years as a major stop on the Erie Canal...
district and crossing over the Erie Canal
Erie Canal
The Erie Canal is a waterway in New York that runs about from Albany, New York, on the Hudson River to Buffalo, New York, at Lake Erie, completing a navigable water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. The canal contains 36 locks and encompasses a total elevation differential of...
. On the other side of the canal, the route enters the town of Gaines
Gaines, New York
Gaines is a town in Orleans County, New York, United States. The population was 3,740 at the 2000 census. The town is named after General Edmund Pendleton Gaines, who defended the area during the War of 1812....
before exiting the Albion village limits. At Five Corners, a small hamlet north of Albion, NY 98 intersects the current southern terminus of NY 279. From this point north, NY 98 traverses far less developed areas, save for a handful of hamlets. One of these is Childs
Childs, New York
Childs, New York is an unincorporated hamlet in the town of Gaines in Orleans County, New York, USA. It is named after Judge Henry Childs and previously known as "Proctor's Corners" and "Fair Haven." It is the location of the Cobblestone Historic District that was listed on the National Register of...
, where NY 98 meets NY 104
New York State Route 104
New York State Route 104 is a long east–west state highway in Upstate New York, United States. It spans six counties and enters the vicinity of four cities—Niagara Falls, Lockport, Rochester, and Oswego—as it follows a routing largely parallel to that of the southern shoreline of Lake...
(Ridge Road
Ridge Road (Western New York)
Ridge Road is a east–west road that traverses four counties in Upstate New York in the United States. It is named for the rise atop which the road was built, a mound of sand and gravel that was formed when it was the shoreline of ancient Glacial Lake Iroquois...
), just west of the Cobblestone Historic District
Cobblestone Historic District
The Cobblestone Historic District is located along state highway NY 104 in Childs, New York, United States. It comprises three buildings that exemplify the cobblestone architecture developed to a high degree in the regions of upstate New York near Lake Ontario and exported to other areas with...
, a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
.
North of Childs lies the town of Carlton
Carlton, New York
Carlton is a town in Orleans County, New York, United States. The population was 2,960 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from Carleton, a shipbuilding district near Ottawa, Ontario, Canada....
, the final town that NY 98 traverses. The route proceeds through the hamlet of Carlton to an area known as Baldwin Corner, where NY 18
New York State Route 18
New York State Route 18 is an east–west state highway in western New York in the United States. It runs parallel to the south shore of Lake Ontario for most of its length between Niagara County and Monroe County...
enters from the east and merges with NY 98. NY 18 and NY 98 remain concurrent to a hamlet known as The Bridges, where NY 18 turns west and crosses over Oak Orchard Creek, which enters The Bridges from the southwest. NY 98, meanwhile, crosses over a small tributary known as Marsh Creek and meets Oak Orchard River Road on the northern bank. From here, NY 98 continues northward along the eastern edge of Oak Orchard Creek as Point Breeze Road to an interchange with the Lake Ontario State Parkway
Lake Ontario State Parkway
The Lake Ontario State Parkway is a parkway along the southern shore of Lake Ontario in western New York in the United States. The western end of the highway is at a partial interchange within Lakeside Beach State Park in Carlton, Orleans County. Its eastern terminus is at an intersection with...
, where NY 98 terminates just 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) south of Lake Ontario.
History
The segment of modern NY 98 between Varysburg and BataviaBatavia (city), New York
Batavia is a city in Genesee County, Western New York, USA, located near the middle of Genesee County, entirely within the Town of Batavia. Its population as of the 2000 census was 16,256...
was originally designated as part of Route 19, an unsigned legislative route
Legislative 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...
, by the New York State Legislature in 1908. In the mid-1920s, what is now NY 98 between Batavia and modern NY 18
New York State Route 18
New York State Route 18 is an east–west state highway in western New York in the United States. It runs parallel to the south shore of Lake Ontario for most of its length between Niagara County and Monroe County...
in Carlton
Carlton, New York
Carlton is a town in Orleans County, New York, United States. The population was 2,960 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from Carleton, a shipbuilding district near Ottawa, Ontario, Canada....
was designated as NY 74. The route was extended southward to Varysburg over the former routing of legislative Route 19 in the late 1920s. In the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York, NY 74 became part of NY 98, a new route that extended from Salamanca
Salamanca (city), New York
Salamanca is a city in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States, located inside the Allegany Indian Reservation. The population was 6,097 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
in the south to Carlton in the north via Great Valley
Great Valley, New York
Great Valley is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 2,145 at the 2000 census. The town is named after its local geographical setting, a relative comparison of two tributaries of the Allegheny River.The Town of Great Valley is centrally located in the...
, Franklinville
Franklinville (town), New York
Franklinville is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 3,128 at the 2000 census.The Town of Franklinville is an interior town, located in the northeast quadrant of the county. Franklinville is also the name of a village in the town.- History :The town was first...
, Arcade
Arcade (village), New York
Arcade is a village in Wyoming County, New York, in the United States. The population was 2,026 at the 2000 census.The Village of Arcade in located in the southwest part of the Town of Arcade...
, and Varysburg. When US 219
U.S. Route 219 in New York
U.S. Route 219 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from Rich Creek, Virginia, to West Seneca, New York. In the U.S. state of New York, US 219 extends from the Pennsylvania state line at Carrollton to an interchange with the New York State Thruway at exit 55 in West...
was extended into 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...
ca. 1935, it was routed on NY 98 between Salamanca and Great Valley. The overlap between US 219 and NY 98 remained intact until ca. 1962 when NY 98 was truncated on its southern end to Great Valley.
Originally, NY 98 followed a more easterly alignment through the towns of Elba
Elba (town), New York
Elba is a town in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 2,439 at the 2000 census.The Town of Elba is at the north border of the county. The town is north of the City of Batavia.The Village of Elba is near the town's center....
and Barre
Barre, New York
Barre is a town in Orleans County, New York, United States. The population was 2,124 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Barre, Massachusetts.The Town of Barre is on the south border of the county.- History :...
. At the northern edge of the village of Elba
Elba (village), New York
Elba is a village in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 696 at the 2000 census. The village is named after the island of Elba.The village of Elba is in the town of Elba...
, NY 98 left its modern alignment and followed modern CR 24 in Genesee County and CR 98 in Orleans County before rejoining its current alignment near Barre Center. The route was realigned to follow a linear path between the two communities in the early 1950s. Farther south, NY 98 was originally routed on East Arcade Road (now Wyoming County's CR 11) between Arcade and North Java. NY 98 was realigned ca. 1933 to follow Curriers, Chaffee, and Cattaraugus Roads between Arcade and Java Center and overlap with NY 78
New York State Route 78
New York State Route 78 , most commonly known as Transit Road, is a state highway in Western New York, USA. While it is signed north–south, the lower portion runs in an east–west direction across Wyoming County, from its beginning north of the Village of Gainesville.NY 78 is...
between Java Center and its original alignment to the east. The portion of the route between Arcade and Java Center was also designated as part of NY 77
New York State Route 77
New York State Route 77 is a north–south state highway in the western part of New York in the United States. The highway runs for across mostly rural areas from an intersection with NY 78 and NY 98 in the Wyoming County town of Java to a junction with NY 31 near the city of...
. Ca. 1939, NY 98 was relocated back onto its original alignment via East Arcade Road while NY 77 was truncated north to Corfu
Corfu, New York
Corfu is a village in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 795 at the 2000 census. It is named after the Island of Corfu....
. NY 77 was reextended to the vicinity of Arcade ca. 1961, following the modern routing of NY 98 between Arcade and Java Center. NY 98 was realigned in the early 1960s to follow NY 77 between Arcade and Java Center, resulting in the truncation of NY 77 to Java Center.
When the Lake Ontario State Parkway
Lake Ontario State Parkway
The Lake Ontario State Parkway is a parkway along the southern shore of Lake Ontario in western New York in the United States. The western end of the highway is at a partial interchange within Lakeside Beach State Park in Carlton, Orleans County. Its eastern terminus is at an intersection with...
was constructed in the 1970s, NY 98 was extended north along NY 18 and Point Breeze Road to meet the parkway at a new interchange near the Carlton hamlet of The Bridges. Although the short extension of the route was signed as a state highway
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...
, ownership and maintenance of it was not transferred from Orleans County
Orleans County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 44,171 people, 15,363 households, and 10,846 families residing in the county. The population density was 113 people per square mile . There were 17,347 housing units at an average density of 44 per square mile...
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...
until April 1, 1989. The segment of Point Breeze Road from the parkway to the Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...
shoreline remains county maintained as CR 37.