New York State Route 9D
Encyclopedia
New York State Route 9D (NY 9D), also known as the Bear Mountain – Beacon Highway, is a north–south state highway
that runs along the eastern shore of the Hudson River
in New York
in the United States
. It starts at the eastern end of the Bear Mountain Bridge
at U.S. Route 6
(US 6) and US 202
in Westchester County
, and ends at the intersection of Vassar Road (County Route 77) and US 9 north of the village of Wappingers Falls
in Dutchess County
. While US 9 follows a more inland routing between the bridge and Wappingers Falls, NY 9D runs along the river to serve the village of Cold Spring
and the city of Beacon
. The route originally began in Beacon when it was assigned in 1930; it was extended south to the Bear Mountain Bridge by the following year.
for its entire length. The route begins near the riverbank at the Bear Mountain Bridge
, where it meets US 6
and US 202
. A mere quarter-mile to the north, NY 9D passes into Putnam County
.
After crossing the Appalachian Trail
, NY 9D passes a few historical areas, such as the house Benedict Arnold
was holed up in prior to his treason, the point of land where he caught the ship downriver to New York City
, and the eastern end of the chain that was strung across the Hudson River during the American Revolution
to prevent ships from coming upriver north of West Point
. Continuing north, NY 9D enters Garrison
. Near the town center, at The Birches
and the Garrison Grist Mill Historic District
, NY 9D meets the western terminus of NY 403
, an intra-county route leading to US 9 to the east.
5 miles (8 km) to the north, NY 9D passes the historic Boscobel
mansion and enters Cold Spring
and becomes Chestnut Street. In the center of the village, NY 9D intersects Main Street, which carries NY 301
east of this point. On the opposite side of the intersection, NY 9D becomes Morris Avenue. A mile to the north of downtown Cold Spring, NY 9D merges with Fair Street, which runs along the Hudson in Cold Spring, and becomes the main riverside highway. The route, mere yards from the river, parallels the Metro-North Railroad
for the next 2 miles (3 km) through Hudson Highlands State Park
. This section of the route is locally known as the River Road, for its close proximity to the river, and "The Flats", for its relatively consistent elevation.
At the Putnam–Dutchess
county line, NY 9D passes through the Breakneck Ridge
tunnel, emerging in Dutchess County on the opposite side. Entering Beacon, NY along the river, parallelimg Beacon's Main Street.
Heading away from Breakneck Mountain, NY 9D continues on a northerly path, heading away from the Metro-North line and the Hudson River, to the southern edge of the City of Beacon
. At this point the route transitions from rural mountainous scenery to an urban setting when it becomes Wolcott Avenue. Upon reaching the city, however, NY 9D turns 90 degrees to the northwest and becomes the main north–south street through the city. Shortly after completing the turn, NY 9D crosses Fishkill Creek
.
0.75 miles (1.21 km) northwest of the creek, NY 9D makes another 90 degree turn, this time to the northeast, giving NY 9D a "S"-shape as it travels through Beacon. To the north of the turn, NY 9D intersects Main Street, carrying NY 52 Business, and becomes North Avenue. NY 52 Business turns north onto NY 9D here, forming a concurrency
along NY 9D north to an interchange with Interstate 84
, concurrent with NY 52
, on the northern edge of the city. NY 52 Business terminates at the interchange with I-84 and NY 52, while NY 9D continues north along the banks of the Hudson.
1 miles (1.6 km) north of Beacon, NY 9D runs by Dutchess Stadium
, the home of the Hudson Valley Renegades
, a Class A Minor League Baseball
team. Further north, it passes west of the hamlets of Chelsea and New Hamburg
, both of which lie on the banks of the Hudson.
Ultimately, NY 9D enters the village of Wappingers Falls
from the south as South Avenue and comes to a T-intersection with East Main Street in front of Mesier Park. NY 9D turns left and follows East Main across Wappinger Creek
, becoming West Main Street as it crosses over the water body and makes a sharp bend to the right (north). The route runs alongside Wappinger Lake for a short distance before terminating at US 9 north of the village, in the shadow of the South Hills Mall
and the Poughkeepsie Galleria
to the near west. County Route 77 (Vassar Road) continues on the other side of Route 9 as an extension of this road.
. At the same time, the segment of modern NY 9D from the Bear Mountain Bridge
north to Cold Spring
became part of NY 9C, which continued south through Peekskill to Croton-on-Hudson
. NY 9D was extended south to the Bear Mountain Bridge by the following year, replacing NY 9C from Cold Spring to the bridge.
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...
that runs along the eastern shore of the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It starts at the eastern end of the Bear Mountain Bridge
Bear Mountain Bridge
The Bear Mountain Bridge is a toll suspension bridge in New York State, carrying U.S. Highways 202 and 6 across the Hudson River between Rockland and Westchester counties...
at U.S. Route 6
U.S. Route 6 in New York
U.S. Route 6 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from Bishop, California, to Provincetown, Massachusetts. In New York, US 6 extends from the Pennsylvania state line at Port Jervis to the Connecticut state line east of Brewster...
(US 6) and US 202
U.S. Route 202 in New York
U.S. Route 202 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from New Castle, Delaware, to Bangor, Maine. In the U.S. state of New York, US 202 extends from the New Jersey state line near Suffern to the Connecticut state line east of Brewster. While most of US 202 is signed...
in Westchester County
Westchester County, New York
Westchester County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Westchester covers an area of and has a population of 949,113 according to the 2010 Census, residing in 45 municipalities...
, and ends at the intersection of Vassar Road (County Route 77) and US 9 north of the village of Wappingers Falls
Wappingers Falls, New York
Wappingers Falls is a village in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The name is derived from the local Wappinger Indians. One half of the village is in the town of Wappinger and the other half is in the town of Poughkeepsie, with Wappinger Creek forming the dividing line between the...
in Dutchess County
Dutchess County, New York
Dutchess County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, in the state's Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley. The 2010 census lists the population as 297,488...
. While US 9 follows a more inland routing between the bridge and Wappingers Falls, NY 9D runs along the river to serve the village of Cold Spring
Cold Spring, New York
Cold Spring is a village located in the Town of Philipstown in Putnam County, New York. The population was 1,983 at the 2000 census. It borders the smaller village of Nelsonville...
and the city of Beacon
Beacon, New York
Beacon is a city located in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The 2010 census placed the city total population at 15,541. Beacon is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport,...
. The route originally began in Beacon when it was assigned in 1930; it was extended south to the Bear Mountain Bridge by the following year.
Westchester and Putnam Counties
Like its parent road, U.S. Route 9 (US 9), NY 9D runs north–south parallel to the Hudson RiverHudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
for its entire length. The route begins near the riverbank at the Bear Mountain Bridge
Bear Mountain Bridge
The Bear Mountain Bridge is a toll suspension bridge in New York State, carrying U.S. Highways 202 and 6 across the Hudson River between Rockland and Westchester counties...
, where it meets US 6
U.S. Route 6 in New York
U.S. Route 6 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from Bishop, California, to Provincetown, Massachusetts. In New York, US 6 extends from the Pennsylvania state line at Port Jervis to the Connecticut state line east of Brewster...
and US 202
U.S. Route 202 in New York
U.S. Route 202 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from New Castle, Delaware, to Bangor, Maine. In the U.S. state of New York, US 202 extends from the New Jersey state line near Suffern to the Connecticut state line east of Brewster. While most of US 202 is signed...
. A mere quarter-mile to the north, NY 9D passes into Putnam County
Putnam County, New York
Putnam County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, in the lower Hudson River Valley. Putnam county formed in 1812, when it detached from Dutchess County. , the population was 99,710. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. The county seat is the hamlet of Carmel...
.
Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply the AT, is a marked hiking trail in the eastern United States extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. It is approximately long...
, NY 9D passes a few historical areas, such as the house Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold V was a general during the American Revolutionary War. He began the war in the Continental Army but later defected to the British Army. While a general on the American side, he obtained command of the fort at West Point, New York, and plotted to surrender it to the British forces...
was holed up in prior to his treason, the point of land where he caught the ship downriver 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...
, and the eastern end of the chain that was strung across the Hudson River during the American 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...
to prevent ships from coming upriver north of West Point
West Point, New York
West Point is a federal military reservation established by President of the United States Thomas Jefferson in 1802. It is a census-designated place located in Town of Highlands in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 7,138 at the 2000 census...
. Continuing north, NY 9D enters Garrison
Garrison, New York
Garrison is a hamlet in Putnam County, New York, United States. It is part of the town of Philipstown and is on the east side of the Hudson River, across from the United States Military Academy at West Point...
. Near the town center, at The Birches
The Birches (Garrison, New York)
The Birches is a house at the southeast corner of the junction of NY 9D and 403 in the hamlet of Garrison, New York, United States. It was built for William Osborn, as part of his nearby Wing & Wing estate, by architect Ralph Adams Cram in the Gothic Revival architectural style.In 1982 it was added...
and the Garrison Grist Mill Historic District
Garrison Grist Mill Historic District
The Garrison Grist Mill Historic District is a parcel of Highlands Country Club located at the southwest corner of the intersection of NY 9D and Lower Station Road in Garrison, New York, United States...
, NY 9D meets the western terminus of NY 403
New York State Route 403
New York State Route 403 is a short state highway located entirely within Putnam County. It connects NY 9D in Philipstown at its northern/western end to US 9 in Graymoor, where the Appalachian Trail crosses both highways...
, an intra-county route leading to US 9 to the east.
5 miles (8 km) to the north, NY 9D passes the historic Boscobel
Garrison, New York
Garrison is a hamlet in Putnam County, New York, United States. It is part of the town of Philipstown and is on the east side of the Hudson River, across from the United States Military Academy at West Point...
mansion and enters Cold Spring
Cold Spring, New York
Cold Spring is a village located in the Town of Philipstown in Putnam County, New York. The population was 1,983 at the 2000 census. It borders the smaller village of Nelsonville...
and becomes Chestnut Street. In the center of the village, NY 9D intersects Main Street, which carries NY 301
New York State Route 301
New York State Route 301 is an intra-county state highway stretching across three-quarters of Putnam County, New York, in the United States. The western terminus of NY 301 is at an intersection with NY 9D in Cold Spring. Its eastern terminus is at a junction with NY 52 in...
east of this point. On the opposite side of the intersection, NY 9D becomes Morris Avenue. A mile to the north of downtown Cold Spring, NY 9D merges with Fair Street, which runs along the Hudson in Cold Spring, and becomes the main riverside highway. The route, mere yards from the river, parallels the Metro-North Railroad
Metro-North Railroad
The Metro-North Commuter Railroad , trading as MTA Metro-North Railroad, or, more commonly, Metro-North, is a suburban commuter rail service that is run and managed by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority , an authority of New York State. It is the busiest commuter railroad in the United...
for the next 2 miles (3 km) through Hudson Highlands State Park
Hudson Highlands State Park
Hudson Highlands State Park is a non-contiguous state park in the U.S. state of New York, located on the east side of the Hudson River. The park runs from Peekskill in Westchester County, through Putnam County, to Beacon in Dutchess County, in the eastern section of the Hudson Highlands.The park's...
. This section of the route is locally known as the River Road, for its close proximity to the river, and "The Flats", for its relatively consistent elevation.
At the Putnam–Dutchess
Dutchess County, New York
Dutchess County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, in the state's Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley. The 2010 census lists the population as 297,488...
county line, NY 9D passes through the Breakneck Ridge
Breakneck Ridge
Breakneck Ridge is a mountain along the Hudson River between Beacon and Cold Spring, New York, straddling the boundary between Dutchess and Putnam counties...
tunnel, emerging in Dutchess County on the opposite side. Entering Beacon, NY along the river, parallelimg Beacon's Main Street.
Dutchess County
Beacon, New York
Beacon is a city located in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The 2010 census placed the city total population at 15,541. Beacon is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport,...
. At this point the route transitions from rural mountainous scenery to an urban setting when it becomes Wolcott Avenue. Upon reaching the city, however, NY 9D turns 90 degrees to the northwest and becomes the main north–south street through the city. Shortly after completing the turn, NY 9D crosses Fishkill Creek
Fishkill Creek
Fishkill Creek is a tributary of the Hudson River in Dutchess County, New York, United States. At it is the second longest stream in the county, after Wappinger Creek. It rises in the town of Union Vale and flows generally southwest to a small estuary on the Hudson just south of Beacon. Part of...
.
0.75 miles (1.21 km) northwest of the creek, NY 9D makes another 90 degree turn, this time to the northeast, giving NY 9D a "S"-shape as it travels through Beacon. To the north of the turn, NY 9D intersects Main Street, carrying NY 52 Business, and becomes North Avenue. NY 52 Business turns north onto NY 9D here, forming a concurrency
Concurrency (road)
A concurrency, overlap, or coincidence in a road network is an instance of one physical road bearing two or more different highway, motorway, or other route numbers...
along NY 9D north to an interchange with 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...
, concurrent with NY 52
New York State Route 52
New York State Route 52 is a long state highway in the southeastern part of New York in the United States. It generally runs from west to east, beginning at the Pennsylvania state line in the Delaware River near Narrowsburg, crossing the Hudson River on the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge, and ending...
, on the northern edge of the city. NY 52 Business terminates at the interchange with I-84 and NY 52, while NY 9D continues north along the banks of the Hudson.
Dutchess Stadium
Dutchess Stadium is a stadium in Fishkill, New York. It opened in 1994 and holds 4,500 people. It is located on New York State Route 9D.It is primarily used for baseball, as the home field of the Hudson Valley Renegades minor league baseball team. The Renegades are the rookie-level team of the...
, the home of the Hudson Valley Renegades
Hudson Valley Renegades
The Hudson Valley Renegades are a minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Tampa Bay Rays. The team is a member of the New York - Penn League, a Class A Short Season league. The Renegades play at Dutchess Stadium in Fishkill, NY....
, a Class A Minor League Baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
team. Further north, it passes west of the hamlets of Chelsea and New Hamburg
New Hamburg, New York
New Hamburg is a small hamlet along the Hudson River in Dutchess County, New York, best known as home of a popular marina and a busy Metro-North Railroad Hudson Line station. It is located in the southern corner of the Wappingers Falls....
, both of which lie on the banks of the Hudson.
Ultimately, NY 9D enters the village of Wappingers Falls
Wappingers Falls, New York
Wappingers Falls is a village in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The name is derived from the local Wappinger Indians. One half of the village is in the town of Wappinger and the other half is in the town of Poughkeepsie, with Wappinger Creek forming the dividing line between the...
from the south as South Avenue and comes to a T-intersection with East Main Street in front of Mesier Park. NY 9D turns left and follows East Main across Wappinger Creek
Wappinger Creek
Wappinger Creek is a creek which runs from Thompson Pond to the Hudson River at New Hamburg in Dutchess County, New York, United States. It is the longest creek in Dutchess County, with the largest watershed in the county.- Overview :...
, becoming West Main Street as it crosses over the water body and makes a sharp bend to the right (north). The route runs alongside Wappinger Lake for a short distance before terminating at US 9 north of the village, in the shadow of the South Hills Mall
South Hills Mall
South Hills Mall was an indoor shopping mall on U.S. 9 in the town of Poughkeepsie, New York. The 675,000 ft² plaza opened in 1974 and included four stores, a small food court, and an eight-screen second-run cinema...
and the Poughkeepsie Galleria
Poughkeepsie Galleria
The Poughkeepsie Galleria is a shopping mall on U.S. 9 in the Town of Poughkeepsie, New York, not far from Wappingers Falls, and is the biggest mall in New York's Hudson Valley region. The mall, which opened in 1987 after much controversy regarding its construction, has an area of with two floors...
to the near west. County Route 77 (Vassar Road) continues on the other side of Route 9 as an extension of this road.
History
NY 9D was assigned as part of the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York to the portion of its modern alignment north of BeaconBeacon, New York
Beacon is a city located in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The 2010 census placed the city total population at 15,541. Beacon is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport,...
. At the same time, the segment of modern NY 9D from the Bear Mountain Bridge
Bear Mountain Bridge
The Bear Mountain Bridge is a toll suspension bridge in New York State, carrying U.S. Highways 202 and 6 across the Hudson River between Rockland and Westchester counties...
north to Cold Spring
Cold Spring, New York
Cold Spring is a village located in the Town of Philipstown in Putnam County, New York. The population was 1,983 at the 2000 census. It borders the smaller village of Nelsonville...
became part of NY 9C, which continued south through Peekskill to Croton-on-Hudson
Croton-on-Hudson, New York
Croton-on-Hudson is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 8,070 at the 2010 census. It is located in the town of Cortlandt, in New York City's northern suburbs...
. NY 9D was extended south to the Bear Mountain Bridge by the following year, replacing NY 9C from Cold Spring to the bridge.