New York State Thruway
Encyclopedia
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 (NYSTA) and comprises 569.83 miles (917.05 km) of highway. The tolled
mainline of the Thruway extends for 496 miles (798.23 km) from the New York City
line at Yonkers
to the Pennsylvania state line at Ripley
by way of Albany
, Syracuse
, and Buffalo
. According to the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association, the Thruway is the fifth busiest toll road in the United States.
A tolled highway connecting the major cities of New York was first proposed as early as the 1940s. The first section of the Thruway, between Utica
and Rochester
, opened on June 24, 1954. The remainder of the mainline and many of its spurs connecting to highways in other states and provinces were built in the 1950s. When the Interstate Highway System
was created in 1957, much of the Thruway system was included as portions of Interstate 87 (I-87), I-90
, and I-95
. Other segments became part of I-190
and I-287
shortly afterward. Today, the system comprises six highways: the New York – Ripley mainline, the Berkshire Connector, the Garden State Parkway Connector, the New England Thruway
(I-95), the Niagara Thruway (I-190), and the Cross Westchester Expressway (I-287). The portion of I-84 in New York
was part of the Thruway system from 1991 to 2010.
The Thruway utilizes both open (barrier-based
) tolling and closed (ticket-based) tolling. Tickets are used on the Thruway mainline between Harriman
and the eastern suburbs of Buffalo
and from the southern suburbs of Buffalo to the Pennsylvania state line. The Berkshire Connector also utilizes a ticket-based tolling system. The portion of the mainline south of Harriman, the New England Thruway, and the Niagara Thruway have open tolling systems, with all three highways containing at least one toll barrier. The last two components—the Garden State Parkway Connector and the Cross Westchester Expressway—and the section of the mainline in and around Buffalo are toll-free.
The New York State Thruway system is a collection of six individual components across the state of New York
that connect the state to four neighboring states (Connecticut
, Massachusetts
, New Jersey
, and Pennsylvania
) as well as the Canadian
province of Ontario
. Together, the highways extend for 569.83 miles (917.05 km), making the Thruway system one of the largest toll highway systems in the United States. The longest of the six components is the 496 miles (798 km) mainline. Of the 570 miles in the Thruway system, 560.85 miles (902.6 km) (98.4%) carries at least one Interstate Highway designation. Only three sections of the system are not part of the Interstate Highway System; these are the Garden State Parkway Connector in Rockland County
, a 6 miles (10 km) portion of the Berkshire Connector between exit 21A on the mainline near Selkirk
and exit B1 in Schodack
, and a short section of the mainline within exit 24 in Albany
that is located between where I-87
departs the roadway and I-90
enters it. They are designated as New York State Route 982L (NY 982L), NY 912M, and NY 915H, respectively, all unsigned reference routes.
I-90, which comprises the bulk of the mainline and the Berkshire Connector, runs for 365.55 miles (588.29 km) along the Thruway: 17.7 miles (28.49 km) as part of the Berkshire Connector and 347.85 miles (559.81 km) on the mainline. I-87 comprises the remaining 148.15 miles (238.42 km) of the mainline, including an 18.86 miles (30.35 km) concurrency
with I-287
north of New York City. I-287 covers another 29.76 miles (47.89 km) (including the 18.86 miles (30.35 km) shared with I-87), while I-190
spans 21.24 miles (34.18 km) and I-95
covers 15.01 miles (24.16 km).
All highways maintained by the New York State Thruway Authority (NYSTA) lack the reference marker
s that exist on all New York State Department of Transportation
-maintained roads, as would be expected. In their place, NYSTA-controlled roadways use small, square tenth-mile markers with a white background and blue numbering. These markers differ from the white-on-green reference markers used by NYSDOT on state-maintained highways, which are 10 inches (25 cm) high and 8 inches (20 cm) wide and display a limited amount of mileage information on their third row.
s and mileposts, at the boundary between the New York City borough
of the Bronx
and the Westchester County
city of Yonkers
. Here, I-87 changes from the Major Deegan Expressway
to the Thruway as the mainline proceeds northward through Yonkers and southern Westchester County. It connects with Central Park Avenue (NY 100
) at exit 1, the first of 12 exits within the county. The Thruway generally parallels the Sprain Brook Parkway
north to Elmsford
, where it meets I-287 (the Cross Westchester Expressway). I-287 joins the Thruway here, following I-87 west across the Hudson River
into Rockland County
on the Tappan Zee Bridge
.
I-87 and I-287 remain overlapped through the densely populated southern portion of Rockland County, meeting the Palisades Interstate Parkway
and the New York segment of the Garden State Parkway
at exits 13 and 14, respectively, before separating at a large semi-directional T interchange (exit 15) near the New Jersey
border. At this point, I-287 heads south into New Jersey while I-87 and the Thruway turn northward into the valley of the Ramapo River
. The highway continues north through the river valley toward Harriman
, where it encounters the Woodbury
toll barrier, the southeastern end of the mainline's major closed ticket system. The barrier is located on the mainline within exit 16 (NY 17
), a trumpet interchange. Along with the mainline barrier in Harriman, a separate toll plaza exists on the exit 16 ramp midway between the Thruway and NY 17 exit 131 (NY 32
).
Now a completely tolled
highway, the Thruway heads northward, roughly paralleling the Hudson River to the river's west as it serves the city of Newburgh
, the village of New Paltz
, and the city of Kingston
, indirectly connecting to the short I-587 in the latter. Past Kingston, the highway runs closer to the river as it parallels U.S. Route 9W (US 9W) through the vicinity of the villages of Catskill
, Coxsackie
, and Ravena
. Just north of Ravena, the Thruway meets the west end of the Berkshire Connector, a spur linking the Thruway mainline to the Massachusetts Turnpike
25 miles (40 km) to the east. The highway continues into Albany
, where it connects to Troy
via I-787
at exit 23 and intersects I-90
at exit 24. The latter of the two junctions is the busiest of the Thruway's exits, serving an estimated 27 million vehicles a year. I-87 leaves the Thruway mainline here while I-90 merges into it, following the Thruway northwestward toward Schenectady
.
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, the Thruway and I-90 meet I-890
, a loop route of I-90 that directly serves the downtown district of Schenectady, at exit 25. The Thruway, meanwhile, bypasses the city to the south and west, intersecting I-88
at exit 25A in Rotterdam
before reuniting with I-890 at exit 26 west of Scotia
. From this point west to Utica
, the mainline of the Thruway parallels the Erie Canal
and the Mohawk River
, crossing over the waterbodies at Mohawk
. In between Schenectady and Utica, I-90 and the Thruway serve several riverside communities, including the cities of Amsterdam (exit 27 via NY 30
) and Little Falls
(exit 29A, NY 169
) and the villages of Fonda
(exit 28, NY 30A
), Canajoharie
(exit 29, NY 5S
and NY 10
), and Mohawk (exit 30, NY 28
).
Like Schenectady before it, the Thruway bypasses downtown Utica, following an alignment north of the city while I-790
serves it directly. I-790 breaks from the Thruway at exit 31 and runs along two carriageways flanking the mainline on both sides for 1.5 miles (2.4 km) before turning southward onto the North–South Arterial. The adjacent highways become NY 49
, which parallel the Thruway for another 2 miles (3.2 km) northwestward. At the end of this stretch, the Thruway turns slightly southwestward, crossing over the Mohawk River and the Erie Canal while NY 49 continues northwestward along the northern bank of the waterbodies toward Rome
. On the other side of the river, the Thruway curves back to the west, proceeding to exit 32 in Westmoreland
.
Not far to the west, the Thruway has a junction with NY 365
at exit 33 in Verona
. Here, the Thruway connects to the cities of Rome and Oneida
and serves the Turning Stone Resort & Casino via NY 365. The highway continues onward through a sparsely populated area between Verona and Syracuse, passing roughly 5 miles (8 km) south of Oneida Lake
as it connects to the village of Canastota
by way of NY 13
at exit 34. As the highway approaches exit 34A (I-481
) outside of Syracuse
, the surroundings become more developed. The level of development rises sharply west of I-481 as the Thruway enters Salina
, a northern suburb of Syracuse. Within Salina, I-90 and the Thruway intersect I-81
, which connects the Thruway to both downtown Syracuse
and Syracuse Hancock International Airport
.
and Onondaga Lake
before intersecting I-690
and its northern continuation, NY 690
, at exit 39 in Van Buren
. At this point, the amount of development along the Thruway sharply declines as it heads generally westward through a marsh
y area of Onondaga County
. I-90 and the Thruway reconnect to the Erie Canal (here part of the Seneca River
) at the western county line. Now in Cayuga County
, the highway serves Weedsport
via exit 40 and NY 34
and passes north of Port Byron
prior to entering Seneca County
and the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge
. Here, the canal leaves the Thruway for good, turning northwestward to follow the NY 31
corridor to Rochester
and beyond.
The portion of the Thruway between Montezuma
and the Rochester area is one of mostly rural nature, with the highway passing through remote, open fields, and for the most part avoiding highly-populated areas. Along this stretch, it connects to two cities, both located well to the south of the Thruway: Geneva by way of exit 42 for NY 14
and Canandaigua
by way of exit 43 via NY 21
. The next exit along the highway, exit 44 for NY 332
, also serves Canandaigua; the junction is the primary exit for Canandaigua-bound travelers from the Rochester area. Here, the Thruway temporarily widens from four to six lanes as it continues generally westward to meet I-490
at exit 45 near Victor
. Like in the vicinity of Schenectady and Utica, an auxiliary route of I-90—here I-490—directly serves a city (Rochester) while the Thruway bypasses it.
It heads northwestward through the city's southern, mostly rural suburbs to Henrietta
, where it meets I-390
at exit 46. Henrietta is as close as the Thruway gets to downtown as it proceeds west to Le Roy
, where I-490 reconnects to I-90 at exit 47. I-90 continues onward into Genesee County
, intersecting with NY 98
at exit 48 north of Batavia
and NY 77
at exit 48A in Pembroke
. The latter exit provides access to Darien Lake, a large amusement park located in the town of Darien
. I-90 and the Thruway continue into Erie County
and the Buffalo
area. It meets NY 78
at exit 49 near Depew
before passing through the Williamsville
toll barrier, the northwestern end of the major closed ticket system.
via exit 50, a semi-directional T interchange. At this point, the Thruway turns southward, passing through the immediate eastern suburbs of Buffalo. As it heads south, it meets the Kensington Expressway (NY 33
) at exit 51 and Walden Avenue at exit 52, both cloverleaf interchange
s. At exit 52, it passes to the west of the Walden Galleria
, a shopping mall situated at the nearby junction of Walden Avenue and NY 277
. Two exits later in southern Cheektowaga, I-90 meets I-190
, a spur route leading to downtown Buffalo and Niagara Falls
, at exit 53.
South of the city, the Thruway meets the Aurora Expressway (NY 400
) and the Southern Expressway (US 219) at exits 54 and 55, respectively, in West Seneca
. Just southwest of exit 55, I-90 and the Thruway pass through the Lackawanna
toll barrier, which serves as the northeast end of the minor closed ticket system. Once again a toll road, the Thruway heads southwestward, roughly paralleling the shoreline of Lake Erie
to Blasdell
, where it connects to NY 179
(the Milestrip Expressway). Farther southwestward, the Thruway is joined by US 20
, which follows a parallel routing to that of the Thruway to the Pennsylvania state line.
As the route passes from Erie County to Chautauqua County
, the last on its routing, it cuts through the northwestern portion of the Cattaraugus Indian Reservation, situated on Cattaraugus Creek
. The Thruway continues alongside US 20 past Dunkirk
and Westfield
to the Ripley
toll barrier, the southwestern end of the minor closed ticket system just northeast of exit 61 for Shortman Road. The Thruway ends about 1 miles (1.6 km) after exit 61 at the Pennsylvania state line. I-90, however, continues onward into Pennsylvania as a toll-free highway.
at the Massachusetts
state line in Canaan
. It is tolled as part of the closed ticket system in place on the mainline between exits 16 and 50. The highway begins at exit 21A off the Thruway southwest of Selkirk
in the town of Coeymans (south of Albany
) as NY 912M, an unsigned reference route. It proceeds eastward over the Hudson River
and into Rensselaer County
by way of the Castleton-on-Hudson Bridge. It navigates through the southern, rural portion of the county to exit B1 in Schodack
, where the connector meets I-90. The unsigned
NY 912M designation terminates here while I-90 joins the Berkshire Connector and follows the spur east into Columbia County
.
While the Rensselaer County segment follows a mostly east–west routing, the Berkshire Connector in Columbia County takes on a northwest-southeast alignment as the roadway heads towards exit B2 in East Chatham
. The junction serves as the northern terminus of the Taconic State Parkway
, which connects the spur to the New York City
area. About 2 miles (3.2 km) to the southeast is the Canaan
toll barrier, which marks the end of the Thruway ticket system. The last exit on the Berkshire Connector is exit B3 for NY 22
just west of the Massachusetts
state line in Canaan
. The spur continues east to the state line, where it becomes the Massachusetts Turnpike
.
at the New Jersey
state line at Ramapo
via exit 14A. It is designated as NY 982L, an unsigned reference route. The highway begins, in terms of mileposts, at Thruway (I-87
and I-287
) exit 14A in Ramapo and heads generally southwestward as a toll-free highway toward the state line. Just north of the state line, the southbound connector meets Red Schoolhouse Road (County Route 41 or CR 41) at a partial diamond interchange
. All commercial traffic is forced to exit here as the Garden State Parkway prohibits commercial traffic north of exit 105. Thus, the final 0.31 mile (0.4988954 km) of the road south of the Schoolhouse Road exit is the only part of the Thruway system that prohibits commercial vehicles. The connector continues to the state line, where it becomes the tolled Garden State Parkway.
, and the Niagara Thruway. The Cross Westchester Expressway, part of I-287, begins at I-87 exit 8 in Elmsford
, where I-287 splits from the Thruway mainline, and travels east across Westchester County
to I-95
, with connections to both the New England Thruway and the Connecticut Turnpike
at exit 12 in Rye
. The New England Thruway (NET) is a 15.01 miles (24.16 km) section of I-95 under the operation and maintenance of the New York State Thruway Authority. It begins at the Pelham Parkway
interchange (exit 8) in the Co-Op City section of the Bronx and continues northeastward into Westchester County to the Connecticut
state line, where it connects to the Connecticut Turnpike
. The Niagara Thruway comprises the first 21.24 miles (34.18 km) of I-190
from I-90 in Buffalo
to NY 384
in Niagara Falls
.
that would become part of a larger nationwide highway network was proposed as early as 1949. The following year, the New York State Legislature passed the Thruway Authority Act creating the New York State Thruway Authority (NYSTA), an independent public corporation, which would build and manage the turnpike. The project was to be financed through toll revenue bond
s and self-liquidating by receipt of tolls, rents, concessions, and other income. The act also stipulated NYSTA adopt a hybrid system of tolls, with barrier tolls collected in urban areas, and long-distance tickets issued in rural areas.
The first section of the Thruway, between Utica
and Rochester
, opened on June 24, 1954. Other sections of the 426 miles (686 km) mainline between Buffalo
and the Bronx
were completed and opened throughout 1954 and 1955. The last segment, from Yonkers
south to the Bronx, was completed on August 31, 1956. The total cost was $600 million (equivalent to $ in ), financed by the sale of $972 million in bonds (equivalent to $ in ). At the time, it was the longest toll road in the world. In 1957, the mainline was extended 70 miles (113 km) west from Buffalo along Lake Erie
to the Pennsylvania state line. From 1957 to 1960, several spurs of the road were built to connect the road to turnpikes in adjacent states. These were the Berkshire Connector, which linked to the Massachusetts Turnpike
, the New England Thruway
, which connected to the Connecticut Turnpike
, and the Niagara Thruway, a spur leading to Niagara Falls
.
On August 14, 1957, the Interstate Highway System
was established. The segment of the mainline between the Pennsylvania border and the Adirondack Northway in Albany
became part of I-90
while the portions from the Northway south to Newburgh
and from Elmsford
south to the New York City
line were included in I-87
. The eastern half of the Berkshire Connector also became part of I-90, creating a gap in the I-90 designation around Albany. The entirety of the New England Thruway became part of I-95
while the Niagara Thruway became I-90N, and later I-190
. The Elmsford–Suffern
section of the mainline was designated as part of I-287
by 1960. The last section of the mainline to receive a designation—from Suffern to Newburgh—finally received one on January 1, 1970, when I-87 was realigned to follow the Thruway between the two locations. The highway was unique in that original signage utilized dark blue backgrounds, the same color blue as displayed on the New York state flag
. Over time, these signs were replaced with Federal Highway Administration
(FHWA)-approved green backgrounds.
was built in 1952, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority
(NJTA) and NYSTA proposed a 13 miles (21 km) extension of the New Jersey Turnpike that would go from its end (at US 46
in Ridgefield Park, New Jersey
, at the time) up to West Nyack
at the Thruway. The portion through New Jersey was to be constructed and maintained by NJTA, while the portion in New York was to be built and maintained by NYSTA. The purpose of this extension was to give motorists a "more direct bypass of the New York City area" to New England
by using the Tappan Zee Bridge
. The extension was to parallel NY 303
and the Conrail-owned River Line
, and have limited interchanges, one of which would be with the Palisades Interstate Parkway
. By 1970, it became too expensive to buy right-of-way access, and community opposition was fierce. Therefore, NJTA and NYSTA cancelled the project.
In 1990, the state of New York sold the Cross Westchester Expressway (part of I-287) to NYSTA for $20 million (equivalent to $ in ) in an effort to balance the state's budget. Similarly, in 1991, the Authority was directed to assume the cost of operating and maintaining the 71 miles (114 km) segment of I-84 in New York
, which runs east–west from the Pennsylvania state line at Port Jervis to the Connecticut state line at Brewster. The agreement made at this time between NYSTA and the New York State Department of Transportation
(NYSDOT) allowed NYSTA to transfer I-84 back to the state at any point after 1996 provided that the Thruway Authority gave NYSDOT a one-year notice. Around this time, state officials also investigated the possibility of having NYSTA take over ownership and maintenance of all or part of New York's Interstate Highways.
s used to build it had been paid off. The last of the bonds were paid off in 1996; however, the tolls remained in place after the New York State Legislature transferred ownership of the New York State Canal System
to NYSTA in 1992.
Roughly one week before the November 2006 elections, NYSTA accepted $14 million from the State Senate
in exchange for agreeing to cease the collection of tolls at the Black Rock and City Line toll barriers on the Niagara Thruway (I-190) in Buffalo
for one year. On October 30, 2006, NYSTA voted to permanently remove the tolls. Both major candidates in the 2006 gubernatorial election
, Democrat and eventual victor Eliot Spitzer
and Republican John Faso
, had pledged to remove the tolls on I-190 if elected. In order to offset the lost toll revenue, NYSTA also voted to return maintenance of I-84 to NYSDOT, as the annual maintenance cost of I-84 was considered to be equal to the amount of annual revenue generated from the Buffalo toll barriers—approximately $14 million. Under the terms of the 1991 agreement between NYSTA and NYSDOT, maintenance of I-84 would become the responsibility of the DOT on October 30, 2007.
In January 2007, State Senator John Bonacic
of Mount Hope
began drafting legislation to halt the planned transfer of maintenance of I-84. Bonacic asserted that the Thruway Authority had better maintenance practices than NYSDOT, most notably in the field of snow removal. He also claimed that the DOT lacked the time and money needed to match the quality of maintenance that NYSTA performed on I-84. The senator eventually prevailed as the 2007–2008 budget was modified to allocate additional funding to NYSDOT, which would then pay the Thruway Authority to maintain I-84. A formal agreement between the two agencies was reached on September 19. The one-year agreement cost NYSDOT $11.5 million and took effect October 30, the date I-84 was to become DOT-maintained. The agreement was renewed in April 2008 at a cost of $10.3 million, extending the arrangement through October 31, 2009. It remained in place until October 11, 2010, when NYSDOT re-assumed maintenance of the highway. The change was made in the 2010–2011 state budget in an effort to reduce the cost of maintaining I-84. Governor David Paterson
—who included the change in the budget—expected that the state would save $3.9 million annually on maintenance costs.
In 1964, the New York State Legislature officially renamed the Thruway in honor of Thomas E. Dewey, the Governor of New York
at the time of the Thruway's opening. The official designation is, however, rarely used in reference to the road.
In August 1993, NYSTA became the first agency to implement the E-ZPass
electronic toll collection system. By December 1996, it was implemented at all of the Thruway's fixed-toll barriers and at exits along the Berkshire Connector and the New York City – Buffalo section of the mainline. E-ZPass was installed at all of the mainline exits by March 1998. On May 14, 2010, a new E-ZPass configuration, consisting of two highway speed E-ZPass lanes in each direction, became operational at the Woodbury toll plaza, with concrete barriers separating the faster traffic from the staffed toll lanes necessary for vehicles not equipped for E-ZPass. A similar project is in development at the Williamsville toll plaza.
In 1999 NYSDOT, the Federal Highway Administration
and NYSTA discussed redesignating the Berkshire Connector as I-90 and redesignating the non-toll part of I-90 from Thruway exit 24 to exit B1 as I-88
. The section of the Thruway between exit 25 and 24 would then be designated as both I-90 and I-88. This was never implemented.
When I-84 was built through the Newburgh area in the early 1960s, no interchange was built between I-84 and the Thruway. Instead, the connection was made via a short segment of NY 300
, which both I-84 and I-87 meet via interchanges. Construction on a direct connection between the Thruway mainline and Interstate 84 began in August 2003. The portion of the exit carrying traffic from I-84 to the Thruway was opened in July 2009. The opposite direction was opened two months later on September 23. The connection allows cars to travel between I-87, I-84 and NY 300 via splits in the ramp.
service area at milepost 447 and the New Baltimore
plaza at milepost 127—are accessible from both directions of the Thruway; the remainder are accessible from only one direction. Each plaza features a gas station and a variety of restaurants. All of the toll plaza gas stations are served by either Mobil
or Sunoco
. Inside the plazas, there is at least one restaurant that is open 24 hours; this is typically a McDonald's
, Burger King
, Roy Rogers, Tim Hortons
, or Dunkin' Donuts
, depending on the plaza. Free Wi-Fi
service was added to all 27 service areas on March 1, 2007.
NYSTA also operates the Thruway Authority Highway Advisory Radio
(HAR) system, a network of radio stations across the state that broadcast information on traffic conditions along the Thruway. The system broadcasts at 1610 AM in the Buffalo
, Rochester
, Albany
, Kingston
, and Newburgh
areas, 1620 AM in the Finger Lakes
and Syracuse
areas, 530 AM in the New York City metropolitan area, 540 AM in the vicinity of Utica
, and at 98.7 FM in Chautauqua County
. HAR is also used to broadcast Amber Alert
s if one is issued.
All components of the New York State Thruway system except for the Garden State Parkway Connector and the Cross Westchester Expressway are tolled in some capacity. The New York
– Ripley
mainline employs both an open, barrier-based
tolling system and a closed, ticket-based tolling system. From the New York City line to the NY 17
exit near Harriman
, there are three toll barriers. From there northward, a closed system is employed where drivers must obtain tickets which show their point of entry and the cost of traveling from there to their desired point of exit. Upon exiting the Thruway, the ticket must be surrendered and the appropriate toll must be paid. Two separate closed systems are used on the Thruway mainline, encompassing all of the mainline between Harriman and the Pennsylvania state line except for a section in and around Buffalo
.
The southernmost of the three toll barriers is the Yonkers
toll barrier, a bi-directional barrier between exits 6A and 7 in Yonkers. In Tarrytown
, there is a southbound-only barrier for the Tappan Zee Bridge
. Lastly, there is a northbound, commercial traffic-only barrier in Spring Valley
. The closed ticket system originally began at the Spring Valley toll barrier but was moved to exit 16 on March 3, 1974, allowing interchanges along the Thruway in Rockland County
to be free of tolls. The toll plaza at Suffern was dismantled along with this change. At Harriman, the longer of the two closed, ticket-based systems begins and extends from NY 17 to just east of exit 50 in Amherst
. The Berkshire Connector is enclosed within this ticket system, so traveling between the mainline and the connector via exit 21A does not involve crossing a toll barrier, and the connector's exits up to the toll barrier at exit B3 are listed with the mainline exits on tickets for the major closed system. The other system encompasses the portion of the mainline between exit 56 south of Buffalo and exit 61 near the Pennsylvania state line.
To distinguish between exit 16 and the Woodbury toll barrier, Thruway tickets list the NY 17 interchange as exit 16 and the Woodbury toll plaza as exit 15, although the actual exit 15 is situated almost 15 miles (24 km) to the south. Northbound traffic on I-87 traveling through the Woodbury toll barrier is given a ticket while travelers on southbound I-87 must surrender their ticket and pay the appropriate toll. Traffic heading south on I-87 and exiting at exit 16 must pay the appropriate toll for exit 16 at the Harriman toll plaza. Similarly, traffic heading north on I-87 and exiting at exit 16 must pay a fixed-rate toll at the Harriman plaza. Traffic entering the Thruway from NY 17 east must pay a fixed-rate toll at the Harriman barrier and, if traveling north, collect a ticket at the Woodbury barrier. The ticket is identical to that given for exit 15 with the exception that the toll for exit 16 is subtracted from all of the prices.
The other components of the system that are tolled have far fewer tolls. On the New England Thruway
(I-95
), there is a single, fixed-rate toll barrier on I-95 northbound in New Rochelle
. Meanwhile, the only tolls along the Niagara Thruway (I-190
) are those for major bridges along the highway, namely the North
and South Grand Island Bridge
s.
, accounted for $5 of the toll, while the remaining $0.60 was charged at the Yonkers ($0.10) and Tappan Zee ($0.50) toll barriers. As of April 2010, this trip costs $24.60: $18.35 for the closed ticket system from Williamsville to Woodbury, $5 for the Tappan Zee Bridge, and $1.25 for the Yonkers toll barrier. After the south end of the major closed ticket system was moved from Spring Valley to Woodbury, the Spring Valley toll barrier became a fixed-rate toll for both cars and trucks. The toll for cars was removed in July 1997. At the time, the toll was $0.40 (equivalent to $ in ).
As of April 2010, the Berkshire Connector costs $0.85 to travel between the Massachusetts
state line and exit B1. Tolls west of exit B1 vary based on which direction a motorist travels on I-87. The toll on the minor closed ticket system from Pennsylvania to exit 55 south of Buffalo is $3.15. On I-190, the Grand Island Bridges cost $1 to cross while the New Rochelle toll barrier on I-95 costs $1.75 to pass through. The Black Rock and City Line toll barriers on the Niagara Thruway in Buffalo
charged $0.75 at the time of their removal on October 30, 2006.
, or the Niagara Thruway, see the articles on those highways.
|rowspan=17|Westchester
|rowspan=9|Yonkers
|0.00
|
|
|Continuation into New York City
|-
|0.48
|1A
|Hall Place / McLean Avenue
|No access to McLean Avenue from northbound; signed as exit 1 southbound
|-
|1.42
|1B
|Yonkers Avenue
– Yonkers Raceway
|Northbound exit and southbound entrance
|-
|1.77
|1C
|Mile Square Road
|Northbound exit and southbound entrance
|-
|2.18
|2A
|
|Southbound exit also signed for Mile Square Road; signed as exit 2 northbound
|-
|2.70
|2B
|
|Northbound exit and southbound entrance
|-
|4.00
|4
|Tuckahoe Road – Bronxville, Yonkers
|Signed as exits 4A (west) and 4B (east) southbound
|-
|5.14
|5
|Stew Leonard Drive, Ridge Hill Boulevard
|
|-
|5.47
|colspan=3 align="center"|Yonkers toll barrier
|-
|Dobbs Ferry
|7.84
|7
|
|Northbound exit and southbound entrance
|-
|rowspan=4|Greenburgh
|10.33
|10
|
|Northbound exit only
|-
|10.33
|10
|
|Southbound exit and northbound entrance
|-
|11.31
|11A
|
|Northbound exit is part of exit 8
|-
|
|11B
|
|East end of I-287 overlap; signed as exit 11 northbound
|-
|rowspan=3|Tarrytown
|12.85
|12
|
|
|-
|13.07
|colspan=3 align="center"|Tappan Zee Bridge toll barrier
|-
|colspan=4 rowspan=2 align="center"|Tappan Zee Bridge
over the Hudson River
|-
|rowspan=11|Rockland
|rowspan=2|South Nyack
|-
|16.75
|16
|
|No southbound exit
|-
|Nyack
|17.42
|17
|
|
|-
|rowspan=3|Clarkstown
|18.76
|18
|
|
|-
|20.94
|20
|
|Signed as exits 20A (north) and 20B (south)
|-
|22.80
|22
|
|
|-
|rowspan=5|Ramapo
|23.53
|23
|
|
|-
|24.31
|colspan=3 align="center"|Spring Valley
toll barrier (commercial vehicles only)
|-
|27.62
|27
|Airmont Road (CR 89) – Airmont
, Montebello
|
|-
|30.17
|30
|
|West end of I-287 overlap; south end of NY 17 overlap
|-
|31.35
|31
|
|North end of NY 17 overlap
|-
|rowspan=3|Orange
|rowspan=2|Woodbury
|45.03
|colspan=4 align="center"|Woodbury toll barrier
|-
|45.20
|45
|
|
|-
|Newburgh
|60.10
|60
|
|
|-
|rowspan=3|Ulster
|New Paltz
|76.01
|76
|
|
|-
|Kingston
|91.37
|91
|
|
|-
|Saugerties
|101.25
|101
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2|Greene
|Catskill
|113.89
|113
|
|
|-
|New Baltimore
|124.53
|124
|
|
|-
|rowspan=5|Albany
|Coeymans
|133.60
|133
|
|
|-
|Bethlehem
|134.93
|134
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2|Albany
|141.92
|141
|
|
|-
|148.15
|148
|
|North end of I-87 overlap; east end of I-90 overlap
|-
|Guilderland
|153.83
|153
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2|Schenectady
|rowspan=2|Rotterdam
|158.82
|158
|
|
|-
|162.22
|162
|
|
|-
|rowspan=3|Montgomery
|Amsterdam
|173.59
|173
|
|
|-
|Glen
|182.17
|182
|
|
|-
|Canajoharie
|194.10
|194
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2|Herkimer
|Danube
|210.62
|210
|
|
|-
|Herkimer
|219.70
|219
|
|
|-
|rowspan=3|Oneida
|Utica
|232.85
|232
|
|
|-
|Westmoreland
|243.37
|243
|
|
|-
|Verona
|252.71
|252
|
|
|-
|Madison
|Canastota
|261.5
|261
|
|
|-
|rowspan=6|Onondaga
|rowspan=2|DeWitt
|276.58
|276
|
|
|-
|278.93
|278
|
|
|-
|rowspan=3|Salina
|282.93
|282
|
|
|-
|283.79
|283
|Electronics Parkway – Liverpool
, Syracuse
|
|-
|285.95
|285
|
|
|-
|Van Buren
|289.53
|289
|
|
|-
|Cayuga
|Brutus
|304.19
|304
|
|
|-
|Seneca
|Tyre
|320.41
|320
|
|
|-
|rowspan="4"|Ontario
|Phelps
|327.10
|327
|
|
|-
|Manchester
|340.15
|340
|
|
|-
|Farmington
|347.13
|347
|
|
|-
|Victor
|350.99
|350
|
|
|-
|Monroe
|Henrietta
|362.44
|362
|
|
|-
|rowspan="3"|Genesee
|Le Roy
|378.56
|378
|
|
|-
|Batavia
|390.13
|390
|
|
|-
|Pembroke
|401.72
|401
|
|
|-
|rowspan=14|Erie
|Cheektowaga
|417.27
|417
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2|Amherst
|419.69
|colspan=3 align="center"|Williamsville
toll barrier
|-
|420.34
|420A
|
|Signed as exit 420 westbound
|-
|rowspan=5|Cheektowaga
|420.70
|420B
|Cleveland Drive
|Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
|-
|421.57
|421
|
|Signed as exits 421A (west) and 421B (east)
|-
|423.19
|423
|Walden Avenue (NY 952Q
) – Buffalo, Cheektowaga
|Signed as exits 423A (west) and 423B (east)
|-
|424.92
|424
|William Street
|
|-
|426.17
|426
|
|
|-
|rowspan=3|West Seneca
|427.94
|427
|
|
|-
|429.47
|429
|
|
|-
|430.51
|colspan=3 align="center"|Lackawanna
toll barrier
|-
|rowspan=2|Hamburg
|432.45
|432
|
|
|-
|436.22
|436
|
|
|-
|Evans
|444.87
|444
|Eden
, Angola
|
|-
|rowspan=6|Chautauqua
|Hanover
|455.54
|455
|
|
|-
|Dunkirk
|467.74
|467
|
|
|-
|Westfield
|485.00
|485
|
|
|-
|rowspan=3|Ripley
|494.51
|colspan=3 align="center"|Ripley toll barrier
|-
|494.92
|494
|Shortman Road (NY 950D) – Ripley
|
|-
|496.00
|
|
|Continuation into Pennsylvania
|rowspan=2|Albany
|rowspan=2|Coeymans
|0.00
|21B-1-22-61
|
|Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
|-
|rowspan=2 colspan=4 align="center"|Castleton-on-Hudson Bridge over the Hudson River
|-
|rowspan="2"|Rensselaer
|rowspan=2|Schodack
|-
|6.58
|B1
|
|West end of I-90 overlap
|-
|rowspan="4"|Columbia
|Chatham
|15.09
|B2
|
|
|-
|rowspan="3"|Canaan
|17.83
|colspan=3 align="center"|Canaan toll barrier
|-
|23.27
|B3
|
|
|-
|24.28
|
|
|Continuation into Massachusetts
|rowspan=2|0.00
|
|CR 35 - Nanuet
|Northbound exit only; CR 35 not signed
|-
|14B-61-14-1
|
|Northbound exit and southbound entrance
|-
|2.09
|GS1
|Red Schoolhouse Road (CR 41) – Chestnut Ridge
|Signed as Schoolhouse Road; southbound exit and northbound entrance
|-
|2.40
|
|
|Continuation into New Jersey
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 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 (NYSTA) and comprises 569.83 miles (917.05 km) of highway. The tolled
Toll road
A toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
mainline of the Thruway extends for 496 miles (798.23 km) from the 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...
line at Yonkers
Yonkers, New York
Yonkers is the fourth most populous city in the state of New York , and the most populous city in Westchester County, with a population of 195,976...
to the Pennsylvania state line at Ripley
Ripley, New York
Ripley is a town on Lake Erie in the westernmost part of Chautauqua County, New York, USA. The population was 2,636 at the 2000 census. The town was named after General Eleazer Wheelock Ripley. There are no incorporated villages in the town, but there is one CDP: Ripley.- History :Ripley was...
by way of Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
, and Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
. According to the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association, the Thruway is the fifth busiest toll road in the United States.
A tolled highway connecting the major cities of New York was first proposed as early as the 1940s. The first section of the Thruway, between Utica
Utica, New York
Utica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
and Rochester
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
, opened on June 24, 1954. The remainder of the mainline and many of its spurs connecting to highways in other states and provinces were built in the 1950s. When the Interstate Highway System
Interstate Highway System
The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, , is a network of limited-access roads including freeways, highways, and expressways forming part of the National Highway System of the United States of America...
was created in 1957, much of the Thruway system was included as portions of Interstate 87 (I-87), 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...
, and I-95
Interstate 95 in New York
Interstate 95 is a part of the Interstate Highway System that runs from Miami, Florida, to the Canada – United States border near Houlton, Maine. In the U.S. state of New York, I-95 extends from the George Washington Bridge in New York City to the Connecticut state line at Port Chester...
. Other segments became part of I-190
Interstate 190 (New York)
Interstate 190 runs 28.34 miles from Interstate 90 near Buffalo, New York to Lewiston, New York via Niagara Falls. Parts of this highway were built on the former rights-of-way of the Lehigh Valley Railroad and the Erie Canal. It is referred to by locals as The One-Ninety...
and I-287
Interstate 287
Interstate 287 is an auxiliary Interstate Highway in the U.S. states of New Jersey and New York. It is a partial beltway around New York City, serving the northern half of New Jersey and the counties of Rockland and Westchester in New York...
shortly afterward. Today, the system comprises six highways: the New York – Ripley mainline, the Berkshire Connector, the Garden State Parkway Connector, the New England Thruway
New England Thruway
The New England Thruway is a portion of the U.S. Interstate highway system and of the New York State Thruway, within and operated by the New York State Thruway Authority, linking New York City with New England, specifically with southwestern Connecticut...
(I-95), the Niagara Thruway (I-190), and the Cross Westchester Expressway (I-287). The portion of I-84 in New York
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 part of the Thruway system from 1991 to 2010.
The Thruway utilizes both open (barrier-based
Barrier toll system
A barrier toll system is a method of collecting tolls on highways using toll barriers at regularly spaced intervals on the toll road's mainline. Motorists are typically charged a flat-rate toll, unlike toll roads with a ticket system where the toll rate is determined by the distance traveled or...
) tolling and closed (ticket-based) tolling. Tickets are used on the Thruway mainline between Harriman
Harriman, New York
Harriman is a village in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 2,252 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...
and the eastern suburbs of Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
and from the southern suburbs of Buffalo to the Pennsylvania state line. The Berkshire Connector also utilizes a ticket-based tolling system. The portion of the mainline south of Harriman, the New England Thruway, and the Niagara Thruway have open tolling systems, with all three highways containing at least one toll barrier. The last two components—the Garden State Parkway Connector and the Cross Westchester Expressway—and the section of the mainline in and around Buffalo are toll-free.
Route description
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...
that connect the state to four neighboring states (Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
, and Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
) as well as the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
province of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
. Together, the highways extend for 569.83 miles (917.05 km), making the Thruway system one of the largest toll highway systems in the United States. The longest of the six components is the 496 miles (798 km) mainline. Of the 570 miles in the Thruway system, 560.85 miles (902.6 km) (98.4%) carries at least one Interstate Highway designation. Only three sections of the system are not part of the Interstate Highway System; these are the Garden State Parkway Connector in Rockland County
Rockland County, New York
Rockland County is a suburban county 15 miles to the northwest of Manhattan and part of the New York City Metropolitan Area, in the U.S. state of New York. It is the southernmost county in New York west of the Hudson River, and the smallest county in New York outside of New York City. The...
, a 6 miles (10 km) portion of the Berkshire Connector between exit 21A on the mainline near Selkirk
Selkirk, New York
Selkirk is a hamlet in the town of Bethlehem, Albany County, New York. It is located south of the city of Albany, it is an suburb of that city....
and exit B1 in Schodack
Schodack, New York
Schodack is a town in Rensselaer County, New York, United States. The population was 12,536 at the 2000 census. The town name is derived from the native word, Escotak. The town is in the southwestern part of the county. Schodack is southeast of Albany, New York.- History :Prior to the advent of...
, and a short section of the mainline within exit 24 in Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
that is located between where I-87
Interstate 87
Interstate 87 is a Interstate Highway located entirely within New York State in the United States of America. I-87 is the longest intrastate Interstate highway in the Interstate Highway System. Its southern end is at the Bronx approaches of the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge in New York City...
departs the roadway 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...
enters it. They are designated as New York State Route 982L (NY 982L), NY 912M, and NY 915H, respectively, all unsigned reference routes.
I-90, which comprises the bulk of the mainline and the Berkshire Connector, runs for 365.55 miles (588.29 km) along the Thruway: 17.7 miles (28.49 km) as part of the Berkshire Connector and 347.85 miles (559.81 km) on the mainline. I-87 comprises the remaining 148.15 miles (238.42 km) of the mainline, including an 18.86 miles (30.35 km) 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...
with I-287
Interstate 287
Interstate 287 is an auxiliary Interstate Highway in the U.S. states of New Jersey and New York. It is a partial beltway around New York City, serving the northern half of New Jersey and the counties of Rockland and Westchester in New York...
north of New York City. I-287 covers another 29.76 miles (47.89 km) (including the 18.86 miles (30.35 km) shared with I-87), while I-190
Interstate 190 (New York)
Interstate 190 runs 28.34 miles from Interstate 90 near Buffalo, New York to Lewiston, New York via Niagara Falls. Parts of this highway were built on the former rights-of-way of the Lehigh Valley Railroad and the Erie Canal. It is referred to by locals as The One-Ninety...
spans 21.24 miles (34.18 km) and I-95
Interstate 95 in New York
Interstate 95 is a part of the Interstate Highway System that runs from Miami, Florida, to the Canada – United States border near Houlton, Maine. In the U.S. state of New York, I-95 extends from the George Washington Bridge in New York City to the Connecticut state line at Port Chester...
covers 15.01 miles (24.16 km).
All highways maintained by the New York State Thruway Authority (NYSTA) lack the reference marker
Reference marker (New York)
In New York, a reference marker is a small green sign mounted approximately every one-tenth mile on highways maintained by the New York State Department of Transportation. This was initiated in response to the Highway Safety Act of 1966 enacted by Congress, in an effort to monitor traffic and...
s that exist on all New York State Department of Transportation
New York State Department of Transportation
The New York State Department of Transportation is responsible for the development and operation of highways, railroads, mass transit systems, ports, waterways and aviation facilities in the U.S...
-maintained roads, as would be expected. In their place, NYSTA-controlled roadways use small, square tenth-mile markers with a white background and blue numbering. These markers differ from the white-on-green reference markers used by NYSDOT on state-maintained highways, which are 10 inches (25 cm) high and 8 inches (20 cm) wide and display a limited amount of mileage information on their third row.
South of Albany
The mainline of the Thruway begins, both in terms of exit numberExit number
An exit number is a number assigned to a road junction, usually an exit from a freeway. It is usually marked on the same sign as the destinations of the exit, as well as a sign in the gore....
s and mileposts, at the boundary between the New York City borough
Borough (New York City)
New York City, one of the largest cities in the world, is composed of five boroughs. Each borough now has the same boundaries as the county it is in. County governments were dissolved when the city consolidated in 1898, along with all city, town, and village governments within each county...
of the Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
and the 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...
city of Yonkers
Yonkers, New York
Yonkers is the fourth most populous city in the state of New York , and the most populous city in Westchester County, with a population of 195,976...
. Here, I-87 changes from the Major Deegan Expressway
Major Deegan Expressway
The Major Deegan Expressway is a north–south expressway in the New York City borough of the Bronx...
to the Thruway as the mainline proceeds northward through Yonkers and southern Westchester County. It connects with Central Park Avenue (NY 100
New York State Route 100
New York State Route 100 is a major north–south state highway in Westchester County, New York, in the United States. It begins parallel to Interstate 87 at a junction with the Cross County Parkway in the city of Yonkers and runs through most of the length of the county via the city of...
) at exit 1, the first of 12 exits within the county. The Thruway generally parallels the Sprain Brook Parkway
Sprain Brook Parkway
The Sprain Brook Parkway is a long north–south parkway in Westchester County, New York. It is one of the newest and most modern parkways in Westchester County, adopting many ideas and improvements developed during decades of statewide highway construction. The southern terminus is at the...
north to Elmsford
Elmsford, New York
Elmsford is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. Roughly one mile square, the village is fully contained within the borders of the town of Greenburgh...
, where it meets I-287 (the Cross Westchester Expressway). I-287 joins the Thruway here, following I-87 west across 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...
into Rockland County
Rockland County, New York
Rockland County is a suburban county 15 miles to the northwest of Manhattan and part of the New York City Metropolitan Area, in the U.S. state of New York. It is the southernmost county in New York west of the Hudson River, and the smallest county in New York outside of New York City. The...
on the Tappan Zee Bridge
Tappan Zee Bridge
The Governor Malcolm Wilson Tappan Zee Bridge, usually referred to as Tappan Zee Bridge, is a cantilever bridge in New York over the Hudson River at one of its widest points; the Tappan Zee is named for an American Indian tribe from the area called "Tappan"; and zee being the Dutch word for "sea"....
.
Palisades Interstate Parkway
The Palisades Interstate Parkway is a long limited-access highway in the U.S. states of New Jersey and New York. The parkway is a major commuter route into New York City from Rockland and Orange counties in New York and Bergen County in New Jersey...
and the New York segment of the Garden State Parkway
Garden State Parkway
The Garden State Parkway is a 172.4-mile limited-access toll parkway that stretches the length of New Jersey from the New York line at Montvale, New Jersey, to Cape May at New Jersey's southernmost tip. Its name refers to New Jersey's nickname, the "Garden State." Most New Jersey residents refer...
at exits 13 and 14, respectively, before separating at a large semi-directional T interchange (exit 15) near the New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
border. At this point, I-287 heads south into New Jersey while I-87 and the Thruway turn northward into the valley of the Ramapo River
Ramapo River
The Ramapo River is a tributary of the Pompton River, approximately 30 mi long, in southern New York and northern New Jersey in the United States.-Course:...
. The highway continues north through the river valley toward Harriman
Harriman, New York
Harriman is a village in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 2,252 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...
, where it encounters the Woodbury
Woodbury, Orange County, New York
Woodbury is a town and village in Orange County, New York, United States. The town population was 9,460 at the 2000 census. The village was incorporated in 2006 and comprises all of the town that is not part of the village of Harriman. The region was once called Woodbury Clove...
toll barrier, the southeastern end of the mainline's major closed ticket system. The barrier is located on the mainline within exit 16 (NY 17
New York State Route 17
New York State Route 17 is a state highway that extends for through the Southern Tier and Downstate regions of New York in the United States...
), a trumpet interchange. Along with the mainline barrier in Harriman, a separate toll plaza exists on the exit 16 ramp midway between the Thruway and NY 17 exit 131 (NY 32
New York State Route 32
New York State Route 32 is a north–south state highway that extends for through the Hudson Valley and Capital District regions of the U.S. state of New York. It is a two-lane surface road for nearly its entire length, with few divided and no limited-access sections. From Harriman to Albany,...
).
Now a completely tolled
Toll road
A toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
highway, the Thruway heads northward, roughly paralleling the Hudson River to the river's west as it serves the city of Newburgh
Newburgh (city), New York
Newburgh is a city located in Orange County, New York, United States, north of New York City, and south of Albany, on the Hudson River. Newburgh is a principal city of the Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown metropolitan area, which includes all of Dutchess and Orange counties. The Newburgh area was...
, the village of New Paltz
New Paltz (village), New York
New Paltz is a village in Ulster County in the U.S. state of New York. It is about north of New York City and south of Albany. The population was 6,818 at the 2010 census.The Village of New Paltz is located within the Town of New Paltz...
, and the city of Kingston
Kingston, New York
Kingston is a city in and the county seat of Ulster County, New York, USA. It is north of New York City and south of Albany. It became New York's first capital in 1777, and was burned by the British Oct. 16, 1777, after the Battles of Saratoga...
, indirectly connecting to the short I-587 in the latter. Past Kingston, the highway runs closer to the river as it parallels U.S. Route 9W (US 9W) through the vicinity of the villages of Catskill
Catskill (village), New York
Catskill is a village in Greene County, New York, USA. The population was 4,081 at the 2010 census.The Village of Catskill is in the northeast part of the Town of Catskill. Catskill is the county seat of Greene County.-History:...
, Coxsackie
Coxsackie (village), New York
Coxsackie is a village in Greene County, New York, USA. The population was 2,813 at the 2010 census. The village name is a native word mak-kachs-hack-ing, and when purchased by the Dutch settlers was written as Koxhackung...
, and Ravena
Ravena, New York
Ravena is a village in Albany County, New York, United States. United States. The population was 3,268 at the 2010 census. The village is in the southeast part of the town of Coeymans.- History :The village of Ravena incorporated in 1914...
. Just north of Ravena, the Thruway meets the west end of the Berkshire Connector, a spur linking the Thruway mainline to the Massachusetts Turnpike
Massachusetts Turnpike
The Massachusetts Turnpike is the easternmost stretch of Interstate 90. The Turnpike begins at the western border of Massachusetts in West Stockbridge connecting with the Berkshire Connector portion of the New York State Thruway...
25 miles (40 km) to the east. The highway continues into Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, where it connects to Troy
Troy, New York
Troy is a city in the US State of New York and the seat of Rensselaer County. Troy is located on the western edge of Rensselaer County and on the eastern bank of the Hudson River. Troy has close ties to the nearby cities of Albany and Schenectady, forming a region popularly called the Capital...
via I-787
Interstate 787
Interstate 787 is an auxiliary Interstate Highway in the U.S. state of New York. I-787 is the main highway for those traveling into and out of downtown Albany. The southern terminus is at the Interstate 87/New York State Thruway exit 23 toll plaza southwest of downtown Albany...
at exit 23 and intersects 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...
at exit 24. The latter of the two junctions is the busiest of the Thruway's exits, serving an estimated 27 million vehicles a year. I-87 leaves the Thruway mainline here while I-90 merges into it, following the Thruway northwestward toward Schenectady
Schenectady, New York
Schenectady is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 66,135...
.
Albany to Syracuse
South of Schenectady, but still in Albany CountyAlbany County, New York
Albany County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, and is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area. The name is from the title of the Duke of York and Albany, who became James II of England . As of the 2010 census, the population was 304,204...
, the Thruway and I-90 meet I-890
Interstate 890
Interstate 890 is a long auxiliary Interstate Highway in the vicinity of Schenectady, New York, United States. The highway runs southeast–northwest from an interchange with the New York State Thruway northwest of Schenectady to another junction with the Thruway south of the city and passes...
, a loop route of I-90 that directly serves the downtown district of Schenectady, at exit 25. The Thruway, meanwhile, bypasses the city to the south and west, intersecting I-88
Interstate 88 (east)
Interstate 88 is an intrastate Interstate Highway entirely within the U.S. state of New York. Its western end is at Interstate 81 in Binghamton and its eastern end is at Interstate 90 in Schenectady. It serves as an important connector route from Albany to Binghamton, Elmira , and...
at exit 25A in Rotterdam
Rotterdam (town), New York
Rotterdam is a town in Schenectady County, New York, United States. The population was 28,316 at the 2000 census.The town of Rotterdam is in the south-central part of the county. It was founded by Dutch settlers, who named it after the port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands, where many emigrants last...
before reuniting with I-890 at exit 26 west of Scotia
Scotia, New York
Scotia is a village in Schenectady County, New York, United States, incorporated in 1904. The population was 7,957 at the 2000 census.The Village of Scotia is part of the Town of Glenville, partly contiguous with Schenectady, New York and is connected by the Western Gateway Bridge over the Mohawk...
. From this point west to Utica
Utica, New York
Utica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
, the mainline of the Thruway parallels 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...
and the Mohawk River
Mohawk River
The Mohawk River is a river in the U.S. state of New York. It is the largest tributary of the Hudson River. The Mohawk flows into the Hudson in the Capital District, a few miles north of the city of Albany. The river is named for the Mohawk Nation of the Iroquois Confederacy...
, crossing over the waterbodies at Mohawk
Mohawk, Herkimer County, New York
----Mohawk is a village in Herkimer County, New York, United States. The population was 2,660 at the 2000 census. The village was named after the adjacent river....
. In between Schenectady and Utica, I-90 and the Thruway serve several riverside communities, including the cities of Amsterdam (exit 27 via NY 30
New York State Route 30
New York State Route 30 is a state highway in the central part of New York in the United States. It extends for from an interchange with NY 17 in the Southern Tier to the Canadian border in the state's North Country, where it continues into Quebec as Route 138. On a regional level,...
) and Little Falls
Little Falls (city), New York
Little Falls is a city in Herkimer County, New York, USA. The population was 5,188 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from a small cataract near the city....
(exit 29A, NY 169
New York State Route 169
New York State Route 169 is a north–south state highway located within Herkimer County, New York, in the United States. It extends for from an intersection with NY 5S in the town of Danube to a junction with NY 28 and NY 29 in the village of Middleville...
) and the villages of Fonda
Fonda, New York
Fonda is a village in Montgomery County, New York, United States. The population was 810 at the 2000 census. Fonda is the county seat of Montgomery County...
(exit 28, NY 30A
New York State Route 30A
New York State Route 30A is a state highway in the Capital District of New York in the United States. It serves as a westerly alternate route of NY 30 from near the Schoharie County village of Schoharie to the Fulton County hamlet of Riceville, south of the village of Mayfield...
), Canajoharie
Canajoharie (village), New York
Canajoharie is a village in the town of Canajoharie in Montgomery County, New York, USA. As of the 2000 census, the village had a population of 2,257...
(exit 29, NY 5S
New York State Route 5S
New York State Route 5S is an east–west state highway located in the Mohawk Valley of New York in the United States. It extends for from an interchange with NY 5, NY 5A, NY 8, and NY 12 in Utica to a smaller interchange with NY 890 in Rotterdam...
and NY 10
New York State Route 10
New York State Route 10 is a north–south state highway in the Central New York and North Country regions of New York in the United States. It extends for from the Quickway in Deposit, Delaware County to NY 8 at Higgins Bay, a hamlet in the Hamilton County town of Arietta...
), and Mohawk (exit 30, NY 28
New York State Route 28
New York State Route 28 is a state highway extending for in the shape of a "C" between the Hudson Valley city of Kingston and southern Warren County in the U.S. state of New York. Along the way, it intersects several major routes, including Interstate 88 , U.S. Route 20 , and the...
).
Like Schenectady before it, the Thruway bypasses downtown Utica, following an alignment north of the city while I-790
Interstate 790
Interstate 790 is an auxiliary Interstate Highway in the city of Utica, New York, in the United States. It runs for from an interchange with NY 5A and NY 5S in downtown Utica to exit 31 of the New York State Thruway east of the city...
serves it directly. I-790 breaks from the Thruway at exit 31 and runs along two carriageways flanking the mainline on both sides for 1.5 miles (2.4 km) before turning southward onto the North–South Arterial. The adjacent highways become NY 49
New York State Route 49
New York State Route 49 is an east–west state highway in New York in the United States. It runs from NY 3 in Volney to Interstate 790 , NY 5, NY 8 and NY 12 in Utica...
, which parallel the Thruway for another 2 miles (3.2 km) northwestward. At the end of this stretch, the Thruway turns slightly southwestward, crossing over the Mohawk River and the Erie Canal while NY 49 continues northwestward along the northern bank of the waterbodies toward Rome
Rome, New York
Rome is a city in Oneida County, New York, United States. It is located in north-central or "upstate" New York. The population was 44,797 at the 2010 census. It is in New York's 24th congressional district. In 1758, British forces began construction of Fort Stanwix at this strategic location, but...
. On the other side of the river, the Thruway curves back to the west, proceeding to exit 32 in Westmoreland
Westmoreland, New York
Westmoreland is a town in Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 6,207 at the 2000 census.The Town of Westmoreland is in the west-central part of the county. The New York State Thruway passes across the town. Westmoreland is west of Utica, New York.The Westmoreland Central...
.
New York State Route 365
New York State Route 365 is an east–west state highway in the central portion of New York in the United States. It extends for from an intersection with NY 5 east of the Oneida County city of Oneida to a junction with NY 8 in the Herkimer County town of Ohio...
at exit 33 in Verona
Verona, New York
Verona is a town in Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 6,425 at the 2000 census. The source of the town name is unknown, though it's possibly named after Verona, Italy....
. Here, the Thruway connects to the cities of Rome and Oneida
Oneida, New York
Oneida is a city in Madison County located west of Oneida Castle and east of Canastota, New York, United States. The population was 10,987 at the 2000 census. The city, like both Oneida County and the nearby silver and china maker, takes its name from the Oneida tribe...
and serves the Turning Stone Resort & Casino via NY 365. The highway continues onward through a sparsely populated area between Verona and Syracuse, passing roughly 5 miles (8 km) south of Oneida Lake
Oneida Lake
Oneida Lake is the largest lake entirely within New York State . The lake is located northeast of Syracuse and near the Great Lakes. It serves as one of the links in the Erie Canal. It empties into the Oneida River which flows into the Oswego River which in turn flows into Lake Ontario...
as it connects to the village of Canastota
Canastota, New York
Canastota is a village located inside the Town of Lenox in Madison County, New York, United States. The population was 4,425 at the 2000 census.The Village of Canastota is in the south part of the Town of Lenox.- History :...
by way of NY 13
New York State Route 13
New York State Route 13 is a state highway that runs mainly north–south for between NY 14 in Horseheads and NY 3 west of Pulaski in Central New York in the United States. In between, NY 13 intersects with Interstate 81 in Cortland and Pulaski and meets the New York...
at exit 34. As the highway approaches exit 34A (I-481
Interstate 481
Interstate 481 is an auxiliary Interstate Highway that serves as an eastern bypass of Syracuse, New York, in the United States. It begins at its parent, I-81, in the city's southern end and travels through the eastern Syracuse suburbs of Jamesville, DeWitt, and Cicero before rejoining I-81 in...
) outside of Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
, the surroundings become more developed. The level of development rises sharply west of I-481 as the Thruway enters Salina
Salina, New York
Salina is a town in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 33,290 at the 2000 census. The name of the town is derived from the Latin word for "salt."...
, a northern suburb of Syracuse. Within Salina, I-90 and the Thruway intersect I-81
Interstate 81 in New York
Interstate 81 is a part of the Interstate Highway System that runs from Dandridge, Tennessee, to the Canada – United States border at Wellesley Island in New York. In the U.S. state of New York, I-81 extends from the Pennsylvania state line southeast of Binghamton to the Canadian border...
, which connects the Thruway to both downtown Syracuse
Downtown Syracuse
Downtown Syracuse is the economic center of Syracuse, New York, and Central New York, employing over 30,000 people, and housing over 2,000. It is also one of the 26 officially recognized neighborhoods of Syracuse.- History :...
and Syracuse Hancock International Airport
Syracuse Hancock International Airport
Syracuse Hancock International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located northeast of Syracuse, in Onondaga County, New York, off of Interstate 81 near Mattydale, New York. The main terminal complex is located at the eastern end of Colonel Eileen Collins Boulevard.-History:In 1927...
.
Syracuse to Buffalo
West of Salina, the Thruway passes north of LiverpoolLiverpool, New York
Liverpool is a village located in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 2,505 at the 2000 census. The name was adopted from the city of Liverpool in the United Kingdom...
and Onondaga Lake
Onondaga Lake
Onondaga Lake is a lake in Central New York located northwest of Syracuse, New York. The southeastern end of the lake and the southwestern shore abut industrial areas and expressways; the northeastern shore and northwestern end border a series of parks and museums. Although it is near the Finger...
before intersecting I-690
Interstate 690
Interstate 690 is an auxiliary Interstate Highway that extends for through the vicinity of Syracuse, New York, in the United States. It is a spur of I-90 that travels southeast from Thruway exit 39 in Van Buren to I-481 in DeWitt...
and its northern continuation, NY 690
New York State Route 690
New York State Route 690 is a state highway in Central New York. NY 690's southern terminus is at an interchange with the New York State Thruway and Interstate 690 in Van Buren. The northern terminus is at an intersection with NY 48 and NY 631 in Lysander...
, at exit 39 in Van Buren
Van Buren, New York
Van Buren is a town located in Onondaga County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town had a population of 12,667. The town is named after future President Martin van Buren, who was then governor of the state....
. At this point, the amount of development along the Thruway sharply declines as it heads generally westward through a marsh
Marsh
In geography, a marsh, or morass, is a type of wetland that is subject to frequent or continuous flood. Typically the water is shallow and features grasses, rushes, reeds, typhas, sedges, other herbaceous plants, and moss....
y area of Onondaga County
Onondaga County, New York
Onondaga County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 467,026. The county seat is Syracuse.Onondaga County is part of the Syracuse, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area....
. I-90 and the Thruway reconnect to the Erie Canal (here part of the Seneca River
Seneca River (New York)
The Seneca River in central New York flows from west to east, from Seneca Lake, through the Montezuma Marsh at the north end of Cayuga Lake to the Seneca's confluence with the Oneida and Oswego rivers at the Three Rivers area north of Syracuse. Much of the river has been channelized to form part...
) at the western county line. Now in Cayuga County
Cayuga County, New York
Cayuga County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It was named for one of the tribes of Indians in the Iroquois Confederation. Its county seat is Auburn.- History :...
, the highway serves Weedsport
Weedsport, New York
Weedsport is a village in Cayuga County, New York, USA. The population was 2,017 at the 2000 census. The name is from Elihu and Edward Weed, merchants who helped found the village....
via exit 40 and NY 34
New York State Route 34
New York State Route 34 is a north–south New York state route located in Central New York. Its southern terminus is at the Pennsylvania state line in the village of Waverly, where it connects to Pennsylvania Route 199 and meets NY 17...
and passes north of Port Byron
Port Byron, New York
Port Byron is a village in Cayuga County, New York, United States. The population was 1,297 at the 2000 census. The village is believed to be named after Lord Byron.The Village of Port Byron is in the Town of Mentz and is north of Auburn, New York....
prior to entering Seneca County
Seneca County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 33,342 people, 12,630 households, and 8,626 families residing in the county. The population density was 103 people per square mile . There were 14,794 housing units at an average density of 46 per square mile...
and the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge
Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge
Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge is a wildlife preserve operated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, encompassing part of the Montezuma Swamp at the north end of Cayuga Lake...
. Here, the canal leaves the Thruway for good, turning northwestward to follow the 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...
corridor to Rochester
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
and beyond.
The portion of the Thruway between Montezuma
Montezuma, New York
Montezuma is a town in Cayuga County, New York, United States. The population was 1,277 at the 2010 census.The Town of Montezuma is at the west border of Cayuga County and is northwest of Auburn, New York.- History :...
and the Rochester area is one of mostly rural nature, with the highway passing through remote, open fields, and for the most part avoiding highly-populated areas. Along this stretch, it connects to two cities, both located well to the south of the Thruway: Geneva by way of exit 42 for NY 14
New York State Route 14
New York State Route 14 is a state highway located in western New York in the United States. Along with NY 19, it is one of two routes to transect the state in a north–south fashion between the Pennsylvania border and Lake Ontario...
and Canandaigua
Canandaigua (city), New York
Canandaigua is a city in Ontario County, New York, USA, of which it is the county seat. The population was 11,264 at the 2000 census...
by way of exit 43 via NY 21
New York State Route 21
New York State Route 21 is a state highway extending for through the western part of New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at NY 417 in Andover. The northern terminus is at NY 104 in Williamson...
. The next exit along the highway, exit 44 for NY 332
New York State Route 332
New York State Route 332 is a north–south state highway that extends for through Ontario County in the Finger Lakes region of New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an intersection with U.S. Route 20, NY 5, and NY 21 just south of...
, also serves Canandaigua; the junction is the primary exit for Canandaigua-bound travelers from the Rochester area. Here, the Thruway temporarily widens from four to six lanes as it continues generally westward to meet I-490
Interstate 490 (New York)
Interstate 490 is an auxiliary Interstate Highway that serves the city of Rochester, New York, in the United States. It acts as a northerly alternate route to the New York State Thruway , leaving it at exit 47 in the town of Le Roy and rejoining the highway at exit 45 in the town of...
at exit 45 near Victor
Victor (village), New York
Victor is a village located in within the Town of Victor in Ontario County, New York, USA. The population was 2,433 at the 2000 census.The Village of Victor is in the southeast part of the town and is southeast of the City of Rochester.- History :...
. Like in the vicinity of Schenectady and Utica, an auxiliary route of I-90—here I-490—directly serves a city (Rochester) while the Thruway bypasses it.
Henrietta, New York
Henrietta is a town in Monroe County, New York, United States. It is a suburb of Rochester. The population was 42,581 at the 2010 census. Established in 1818, the town is named after Henrietta Laura Pulteney, Countess of Bath, daughter of Sir William Pulteney, 5th Baronet, a major British...
, where it meets I-390
Interstate 390
Interstate 390 is a north–south auxiliary Interstate Highway located entirely within New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at the Southern Tier Expressway in the town of Avoca. Its northern terminus is at I-490 in Rochester...
at exit 46. Henrietta is as close as the Thruway gets to downtown as it proceeds west to Le Roy
Le Roy (town), New York
Le Roy, or more commonly LeRoy, is a town in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 7,790 at the 2000 census. The town is named after one of the original land owners, Herman Le Roy....
, where I-490 reconnects to I-90 at exit 47. I-90 continues onward into 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 :...
, intersecting with NY 98
New York State Route 98
New York State Route 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 in the town of Great Valley in Cattaraugus County...
at exit 48 north 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...
and 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...
at exit 48A in Pembroke
Pembroke, New York
Pembroke is a town in Genesee County, Western New York, United States. The population was 4,530 at the 2000 census. The town is named for a town in west Wales.The town of Pembroke lies on the west border of Genesee County, west of Batavia, NY.- History :...
. The latter exit provides access to Darien Lake, a large amusement park located in the town of 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 :...
. I-90 and the Thruway continue into Erie County
Erie County, New York
Erie County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 919,040. The county seat is Buffalo. The county's name comes from Lake Erie, which in turn comes from the Erie tribe of American Indians who lived south and east of the lake before 1654.Erie...
and the Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
area. It meets 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 exit 49 near Depew
Depew, New York
Depew is a village in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 16,629 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area...
before passing through the Williamsville
Williamsville, New York
Williamsville is a village in Erie County, New York in the United States. The population was 5,573 at the 2000 census. The village is named after Jonas Williams, an early settler...
toll barrier, the northwestern end of the major closed ticket system.
West of Buffalo
Just west of the toll barrier, I-90 and the Thruway—now toll-free—connect to I-290Interstate 290 (New York)
Interstate 290 runs for near Buffalo, New York from I-90 to I-190. It connects Buffalo with its northern suburbs of Amherst and Tonawanda, and provides a route to Niagara Falls that bypasses the city of Buffalo. I-290 also connects to Interstate 990, and through this connection,...
via exit 50, a semi-directional T interchange. At this point, the Thruway turns southward, passing through the immediate eastern suburbs of Buffalo. As it heads south, it meets the Kensington Expressway (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...
) at exit 51 and Walden Avenue at exit 52, both cloverleaf interchange
Cloverleaf interchange
A cloverleaf interchange is a two-level interchange in which left turns, reverse direction in left-driving regions, are handled by ramp roads...
s. At exit 52, it passes to the west of the Walden Galleria
Walden Galleria
Walden Galleria is an enclosed shopping mall located in the town of Cheektowaga, New York. Walden Galleria comprises more than of retail space, with 250 stores on two levels, including a food court and a movie theater. Anchor stores include Best Buy, Dick's Sporting Goods, DSW Shoe Warehouse,...
, a shopping mall situated at the nearby junction of Walden Avenue and NY 277
New York State Route 277
New York State Route 277 is a state highway in New York, USA. This highway is also called Union Road, along with other names. NY 277 is a major north–south road east of Buffalo, New York, through the middle of Erie County...
. Two exits later in southern Cheektowaga, I-90 meets I-190
Interstate 190 (New York)
Interstate 190 runs 28.34 miles from Interstate 90 near Buffalo, New York to Lewiston, New York via Niagara Falls. Parts of this highway were built on the former rights-of-way of the Lehigh Valley Railroad and the Erie Canal. It is referred to by locals as The One-Ninety...
, a spur route leading to downtown Buffalo and Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls, New York
Niagara Falls is a city in Niagara County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 50,193, down from the 55,593 recorded in the 2000 census. It is across the Niagara River from Niagara Falls, Ontario , both named after the famed Niagara Falls which they...
, at exit 53.
South of the city, the Thruway meets the Aurora Expressway (NY 400
New York State Route 400
New York State Route 400 is a state highway located within Erie County, New York, in the United States. The northwest end is connected to the New York State Thruway and the southeast end terminates at NY 16 in the town of Aurora. NY 400, a limited-access highway, roughly parallels...
) and the Southern Expressway (US 219) at exits 54 and 55, respectively, in West Seneca
West Seneca, New York
West Seneca is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 44,711 at the 2010 census. West Seneca is a centrally-located interior town of the county, and a suburb of Buffalo...
. Just southwest of exit 55, I-90 and the Thruway pass through the Lackawanna
Lackawanna, New York
Lackawanna is a city in Erie County, New York, U.S., located just south of the city of Buffalo in the western part of New York state. The population was 18,141 at the 2010 census. The name derives from the Lackawanna Steel Company...
toll barrier, which serves as the northeast end of the minor closed ticket system. Once again a toll road, the Thruway heads southwestward, roughly paralleling the shoreline of Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
to Blasdell
Blasdell, New York
Blasdell is a village in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 2,718 according to the year 2000 census. The name is derived from Herman Blasdell, the first station master of the Erie and Pennsylvania railroad depot...
, where it connects to NY 179
New York State Route 179
New York State Route 179 is a short state highway located south of Buffalo in Erie County, New York, in the United States. It is a four-lane divided road for most of its length. It is known as Mile Strip Road. A small section between U.S...
(the Milestrip Expressway). Farther southwestward, the Thruway is joined by 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...
, which follows a parallel routing to that of the Thruway to the Pennsylvania state line.
As the route passes from Erie County to Chautauqua County
Chautauqua County, New York
-Major highways:* Interstate 86/New York State Route 17 * Interstate 90 * U.S. Route 20* U.S. Route 62* New York State Route 5* New York State Route 39* New York State Route 60* New York State Route 394...
, the last on its routing, it cuts through the northwestern portion of the Cattaraugus Indian Reservation, situated on 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...
. The Thruway continues alongside US 20 past Dunkirk
Dunkirk (city), New York
Dunkirk is a city in Chautauqua County, New York in the USA. It was officially incorporated in 1880, though it was first settled around 1805. The population was 12,563 at the 2010 census. Dunkirk is bordered on the north by Lake Erie. It shares a border with the Village of Fredonia to the south,...
and Westfield
Westfield (village), New York
Westfield is a village in Chautauqua County, New York, United States. USA. The population was 3,481 at the 2010 census.The Village of Westfield lies within the Town of Westfield in the northern part of the county...
to the Ripley
Ripley, New York
Ripley is a town on Lake Erie in the westernmost part of Chautauqua County, New York, USA. The population was 2,636 at the 2000 census. The town was named after General Eleazer Wheelock Ripley. There are no incorporated villages in the town, but there is one CDP: Ripley.- History :Ripley was...
toll barrier, the southwestern end of the minor closed ticket system just northeast of exit 61 for Shortman Road. The Thruway ends about 1 miles (1.6 km) after exit 61 at the Pennsylvania state line. I-90, however, continues onward into Pennsylvania as a toll-free highway.
Berkshire Connector
The Berkshire Connector is a 24.28 miles (39.07 km) east–west spur connecting the Thruway mainline in Coeymans to the Massachusetts TurnpikeMassachusetts Turnpike
The Massachusetts Turnpike is the easternmost stretch of Interstate 90. The Turnpike begins at the western border of Massachusetts in West Stockbridge connecting with the Berkshire Connector portion of the New York State Thruway...
at the Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
state line in Canaan
Canaan, New York
Canaan is a town in Columbia County, New York, United States. The population was 1,820 at the 2000 census.The Town of Canaan is in the northeast part of the county.- History :The first settlers arrived around 1759....
. It is tolled as part of the closed ticket system in place on the mainline between exits 16 and 50. The highway begins at exit 21A off the Thruway southwest of Selkirk
Selkirk, New York
Selkirk is a hamlet in the town of Bethlehem, Albany County, New York. It is located south of the city of Albany, it is an suburb of that city....
in the town of Coeymans (south of Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
) as NY 912M, an unsigned reference route. It proceeds eastward over 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...
and into Rensselaer County
Rensselaer County, New York
Rensselaer County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 159,429. Its name is in honor of the family of Kiliaen van Rensselaer, the original Dutch owner of the land in the area. Its county seat is Troy...
by way of the Castleton-on-Hudson Bridge. It navigates through the southern, rural portion of the county to exit B1 in Schodack
Schodack, New York
Schodack is a town in Rensselaer County, New York, United States. The population was 12,536 at the 2000 census. The town name is derived from the native word, Escotak. The town is in the southwestern part of the county. Schodack is southeast of Albany, New York.- History :Prior to the advent of...
, where the connector meets I-90. The unsigned
Unsigned highway
An unsigned highway is a highway that has been assigned a route number, but does not bear conventional road markings that would normally be used to identify the route with that number...
NY 912M designation terminates here while I-90 joins the Berkshire Connector and follows the spur east into Columbia County
Columbia County, New York
Columbia County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 63,096. The county seat is Hudson. The name comes from the Latin feminine form of the name of Christopher Columbus, which was at the time of the formation of the county a popular proposal...
.
While the Rensselaer County segment follows a mostly east–west routing, the Berkshire Connector in Columbia County takes on a northwest-southeast alignment as the roadway heads towards exit B2 in East Chatham
East Chatham, New York
East Chatham is a hamlet located partly in the town of Chatham and partly in the town of Canaan, in the state of New York. It is located at the crossroads of a railroad, I-90, and the Taconic State Parkway....
. The junction serves as the northern terminus of the Taconic State Parkway
Taconic State Parkway
The Taconic State Parkway , is a divided highway between Kensico Dam and Chatham, the longest parkway in the U.S. state of New York. It follows a generally northward route midway between the Hudson River and the Connecticut and Massachusetts state lines...
, which connects the spur to the 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...
area. About 2 miles (3.2 km) to the southeast is the Canaan
Canaan, New York
Canaan is a town in Columbia County, New York, United States. The population was 1,820 at the 2000 census.The Town of Canaan is in the northeast part of the county.- History :The first settlers arrived around 1759....
toll barrier, which marks the end of the Thruway ticket system. The last exit on the Berkshire Connector is exit B3 for NY 22
New York State Route 22
New York State Route 22 is a north–south state highway in eastern New York in the United States. It runs parallel to the state's eastern edge from the outskirts of New York City to a short distance south of the Canadian border. At , it is the state's longest north–south route and...
just west of the Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
state line in Canaan
Canaan, New York
Canaan is a town in Columbia County, New York, United States. The population was 1,820 at the 2000 census.The Town of Canaan is in the northeast part of the county.- History :The first settlers arrived around 1759....
. The spur continues east to the state line, where it becomes the Massachusetts Turnpike
Massachusetts Turnpike
The Massachusetts Turnpike is the easternmost stretch of Interstate 90. The Turnpike begins at the western border of Massachusetts in West Stockbridge connecting with the Berkshire Connector portion of the New York State Thruway...
.
Garden State Parkway Connector
The Garden State Parkway Connector is a 2.4 miles (3.86 km) highway that connects the Thruway mainline with the Garden State ParkwayGarden State Parkway
The Garden State Parkway is a 172.4-mile limited-access toll parkway that stretches the length of New Jersey from the New York line at Montvale, New Jersey, to Cape May at New Jersey's southernmost tip. Its name refers to New Jersey's nickname, the "Garden State." Most New Jersey residents refer...
at the New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
state line at Ramapo
Ramapo, New York
Ramapo , formerly known as New Hempstead and then Hampstead, is a town in Rockland County, New York, United States located north of New Jersey; southeast of Orange County, New York; south of the Town of Haverstraw and west of the Town of Clarkstown and the Town of Orangetown...
via exit 14A. It is designated as NY 982L, an unsigned reference route. The highway begins, in terms of mileposts, at Thruway (I-87
Interstate 87
Interstate 87 is a Interstate Highway located entirely within New York State in the United States of America. I-87 is the longest intrastate Interstate highway in the Interstate Highway System. Its southern end is at the Bronx approaches of the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge in New York City...
and I-287
Interstate 287
Interstate 287 is an auxiliary Interstate Highway in the U.S. states of New Jersey and New York. It is a partial beltway around New York City, serving the northern half of New Jersey and the counties of Rockland and Westchester in New York...
) exit 14A in Ramapo and heads generally southwestward as a toll-free highway toward the state line. Just north of the state line, the southbound connector meets Red Schoolhouse Road (County Route 41 or CR 41) at a partial 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...
. All commercial traffic is forced to exit here as the Garden State Parkway prohibits commercial traffic north of exit 105. Thus, the final 0.31 mile (0.4988954 km) of the road south of the Schoolhouse Road exit is the only part of the Thruway system that prohibits commercial vehicles. The connector continues to the state line, where it becomes the tolled Garden State Parkway.
Other components
The New York State Thruway system also consists of three other components: the Cross Westchester Expressway, the New England ThruwayNew England Thruway
The New England Thruway is a portion of the U.S. Interstate highway system and of the New York State Thruway, within and operated by the New York State Thruway Authority, linking New York City with New England, specifically with southwestern Connecticut...
, and the Niagara Thruway. The Cross Westchester Expressway, part of I-287, begins at I-87 exit 8 in Elmsford
Elmsford, New York
Elmsford is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. Roughly one mile square, the village is fully contained within the borders of the town of Greenburgh...
, where I-287 splits from the Thruway mainline, and travels east across 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...
to I-95
Interstate 95 in New York
Interstate 95 is a part of the Interstate Highway System that runs from Miami, Florida, to the Canada – United States border near Houlton, Maine. In the U.S. state of New York, I-95 extends from the George Washington Bridge in New York City to the Connecticut state line at Port Chester...
, with connections to both the New England Thruway and the Connecticut Turnpike
Connecticut Turnpike
The Connecticut Turnpike, known now as the Governor John Davis Lodge Turnpike, is a freeway in Connecticut that runs from Greenwich to Killingly. It is signed as Interstate 95 from the New York state line at Greenwich to East Lyme, and then as Interstate 395 from East Lyme to Plainfield...
at exit 12 in Rye
Rye (city), New York
Rye is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is separate from the town of Rye, which is larger than the city. Rye city, formerly the village of Rye, was part of the town until 1942, when it received its charter as a city, the most recent to be issued in New York...
. The New England Thruway (NET) is a 15.01 miles (24.16 km) section of I-95 under the operation and maintenance of the New York State Thruway Authority. It begins at the Pelham Parkway
Pelham Parkway
The Bronx and Pelham Parkway is a parkway in the borough of the Bronx in New York City. Despite the parkway moniker, Pelham Parkway is a local street, with two main roadways , and two service roads. Like other parkways in New York City, commercial traffic is disallowed, and is redirected to the...
interchange (exit 8) in the Co-Op City section of the Bronx and continues northeastward into Westchester County to the Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
state line, where it connects to the Connecticut Turnpike
Connecticut Turnpike
The Connecticut Turnpike, known now as the Governor John Davis Lodge Turnpike, is a freeway in Connecticut that runs from Greenwich to Killingly. It is signed as Interstate 95 from the New York state line at Greenwich to East Lyme, and then as Interstate 395 from East Lyme to Plainfield...
. The Niagara Thruway comprises the first 21.24 miles (34.18 km) of I-190
Interstate 190 (New York)
Interstate 190 runs 28.34 miles from Interstate 90 near Buffalo, New York to Lewiston, New York via Niagara Falls. Parts of this highway were built on the former rights-of-way of the Lehigh Valley Railroad and the Erie Canal. It is referred to by locals as The One-Ninety...
from I-90 in Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
to NY 384
New York State Route 384
New York State Route 384 is a state highway in Western New York in the United States. It is a north–south route extending from the city of Buffalo, Erie County to the city of Niagara Falls, Niagara County, and is one of several routes directly connecting the two cities. The southern terminus...
in Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls, New York
Niagara Falls is a city in Niagara County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 50,193, down from the 55,593 recorded in the 2000 census. It is across the Niagara River from Niagara Falls, Ontario , both named after the famed Niagara Falls which they...
.
Origins and construction
A toll superhighway connecting the major cities of the state of New YorkNew 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...
that would become part of a larger nationwide highway network was proposed as early as 1949. The following year, the New York State Legislature passed the Thruway Authority Act creating the New York State Thruway Authority (NYSTA), an independent public corporation, which would build and manage the turnpike. The project was to be financed through toll revenue bond
Toll revenue bond
A toll revenue bond is a financial promissory note usually issued to generate funds for the construction and/or operation of a public accommodation such as an expressway, bridge, or tunnel...
s and self-liquidating by receipt of tolls, rents, concessions, and other income. The act also stipulated NYSTA adopt a hybrid system of tolls, with barrier tolls collected in urban areas, and long-distance tickets issued in rural areas.
The first section of the Thruway, between Utica
Utica, New York
Utica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
and Rochester
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
, opened on June 24, 1954. Other sections of the 426 miles (686 km) mainline between Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
and the Bronx
The Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
were completed and opened throughout 1954 and 1955. The last segment, from Yonkers
Yonkers, New York
Yonkers is the fourth most populous city in the state of New York , and the most populous city in Westchester County, with a population of 195,976...
south to the Bronx, was completed on August 31, 1956. The total cost was $600 million (equivalent to $ in ), financed by the sale of $972 million in bonds (equivalent to $ in ). At the time, it was the longest toll road in the world. In 1957, the mainline was extended 70 miles (113 km) west from Buffalo along Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
to the Pennsylvania state line. From 1957 to 1960, several spurs of the road were built to connect the road to turnpikes in adjacent states. These were the Berkshire Connector, which linked to the Massachusetts Turnpike
Massachusetts Turnpike
The Massachusetts Turnpike is the easternmost stretch of Interstate 90. The Turnpike begins at the western border of Massachusetts in West Stockbridge connecting with the Berkshire Connector portion of the New York State Thruway...
, the New England Thruway
New England Thruway
The New England Thruway is a portion of the U.S. Interstate highway system and of the New York State Thruway, within and operated by the New York State Thruway Authority, linking New York City with New England, specifically with southwestern Connecticut...
, which connected to the Connecticut Turnpike
Connecticut Turnpike
The Connecticut Turnpike, known now as the Governor John Davis Lodge Turnpike, is a freeway in Connecticut that runs from Greenwich to Killingly. It is signed as Interstate 95 from the New York state line at Greenwich to East Lyme, and then as Interstate 395 from East Lyme to Plainfield...
, and the Niagara Thruway, a spur leading to Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls, New York
Niagara Falls is a city in Niagara County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 50,193, down from the 55,593 recorded in the 2000 census. It is across the Niagara River from Niagara Falls, Ontario , both named after the famed Niagara Falls which they...
.
On August 14, 1957, the Interstate Highway System
Interstate Highway System
The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, , is a network of limited-access roads including freeways, highways, and expressways forming part of the National Highway System of the United States of America...
was established. The segment of the mainline between the Pennsylvania border and the Adirondack Northway in Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
became part of 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...
while the portions from the Northway south to Newburgh
Newburgh (city), New York
Newburgh is a city located in Orange County, New York, United States, north of New York City, and south of Albany, on the Hudson River. Newburgh is a principal city of the Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown metropolitan area, which includes all of Dutchess and Orange counties. The Newburgh area was...
and from Elmsford
Elmsford, New York
Elmsford is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. Roughly one mile square, the village is fully contained within the borders of the town of Greenburgh...
south to the 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...
line were included in I-87
Interstate 87
Interstate 87 is a Interstate Highway located entirely within New York State in the United States of America. I-87 is the longest intrastate Interstate highway in the Interstate Highway System. Its southern end is at the Bronx approaches of the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge in New York City...
. The eastern half of the Berkshire Connector also became part of I-90, creating a gap in the I-90 designation around Albany. The entirety of the New England Thruway became part of I-95
Interstate 95 in New York
Interstate 95 is a part of the Interstate Highway System that runs from Miami, Florida, to the Canada – United States border near Houlton, Maine. In the U.S. state of New York, I-95 extends from the George Washington Bridge in New York City to the Connecticut state line at Port Chester...
while the Niagara Thruway became I-90N, and later I-190
Interstate 190 (New York)
Interstate 190 runs 28.34 miles from Interstate 90 near Buffalo, New York to Lewiston, New York via Niagara Falls. Parts of this highway were built on the former rights-of-way of the Lehigh Valley Railroad and the Erie Canal. It is referred to by locals as The One-Ninety...
. The Elmsford–Suffern
Suffern, New York
Suffern is a village in the Town of Ramapo, Rockland County, New York, United States located north of the State of New Jersey; east of Hillburn; south of Montebello and west of Airmont...
section of the mainline was designated as part of I-287
Interstate 287
Interstate 287 is an auxiliary Interstate Highway in the U.S. states of New Jersey and New York. It is a partial beltway around New York City, serving the northern half of New Jersey and the counties of Rockland and Westchester in New York...
by 1960. The last section of the mainline to receive a designation—from Suffern to Newburgh—finally received one on January 1, 1970, when I-87 was realigned to follow the Thruway between the two locations. The highway was unique in that original signage utilized dark blue backgrounds, the same color blue as displayed on the New York state flag
Flag of New York
The flag of the state of New York is the state's coat of arms on a blue background. It depicts two supporters:* Left: Liberty, with the Revolutionary imagery of a Phrygian cap raised on a pole...
. Over time, these signs were replaced with Federal Highway Administration
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...
(FHWA)-approved green backgrounds.
System expansion
After the New Jersey TurnpikeNew Jersey Turnpike
The New Jersey Turnpike is a toll road in New Jersey, maintained by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority. According to the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association, the Turnpike is the nation's sixth-busiest toll road and is among one of the most heavily traveled highways in the United...
was built in 1952, the New Jersey Turnpike Authority
New Jersey Turnpike Authority
The New Jersey Turnpike Authority is a state agency responsible for maintaining the New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway...
(NJTA) and NYSTA proposed a 13 miles (21 km) extension of the New Jersey Turnpike that would go from its end (at US 46
U.S. Route 46
U.S. Route 46 is an east–west U.S. Highway, running for , completely within the state of New Jersey. The west end is at an interchange with Interstate 80 and Route 94 in Columbia, Warren County on the Delaware River...
in Ridgefield Park, New Jersey
Ridgefield Park, New Jersey
Ridgefield Park is a village in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. The population was 12,729 at the 2010 United States Census. Of 566 municipalities statewide, Ridgefield Park is only one of three with a village type of government in New Jersey, along with Loch Arbour and Ridgewood.The...
, at the time) up to West Nyack
West Nyack, New York
West Nyack is a hamlet in the Town of Clarkstown Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Central Nyack; east of Nanuet; south of Valley Cottage and west of Upper Nyack. It is approximately 18 miles north of New York City...
at the Thruway. The portion through New Jersey was to be constructed and maintained by NJTA, while the portion in New York was to be built and maintained by NYSTA. The purpose of this extension was to give motorists a "more direct bypass of the New York City area" to New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
by using the Tappan Zee Bridge
Tappan Zee Bridge
The Governor Malcolm Wilson Tappan Zee Bridge, usually referred to as Tappan Zee Bridge, is a cantilever bridge in New York over the Hudson River at one of its widest points; the Tappan Zee is named for an American Indian tribe from the area called "Tappan"; and zee being the Dutch word for "sea"....
. The extension was to parallel NY 303
New York State Route 303
New York State Route 303 is a north–south state highway in eastern Rockland County, New York, in the United States. It begins at the New Jersey state line in the hamlet of Tappan and ends later at an intersection with U.S. Route 9W in Clarkstown...
and the Conrail-owned River Line
River Line (Conrail)
The River Line is a rail corridor located between Jersey City, New Jersey and Selkirk, New York, running along the west bank of the Hudson River. A parallel track, which was operated as part of the River Line from Jersey City to Weehawken, New Jersey, was known as the Weehawken Branch...
, and have limited interchanges, one of which would be with the Palisades Interstate Parkway
Palisades Interstate Parkway
The Palisades Interstate Parkway is a long limited-access highway in the U.S. states of New Jersey and New York. The parkway is a major commuter route into New York City from Rockland and Orange counties in New York and Bergen County in New Jersey...
. By 1970, it became too expensive to buy right-of-way access, and community opposition was fierce. Therefore, NJTA and NYSTA cancelled the project.
In 1990, the state of New York sold the Cross Westchester Expressway (part of I-287) to NYSTA for $20 million (equivalent to $ in ) in an effort to balance the state's budget. Similarly, in 1991, the Authority was directed to assume the cost of operating and maintaining the 71 miles (114 km) segment of I-84 in New York
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...
, which runs east–west from the Pennsylvania state line at Port Jervis to the Connecticut state line at Brewster. The agreement made at this time between NYSTA and the New York State Department of Transportation
New York State Department of Transportation
The New York State Department of Transportation is responsible for the development and operation of highways, railroads, mass transit systems, ports, waterways and aviation facilities in the U.S...
(NYSDOT) allowed NYSTA to transfer I-84 back to the state at any point after 1996 provided that the Thruway Authority gave NYSDOT a one-year notice. Around this time, state officials also investigated the possibility of having NYSTA take over ownership and maintenance of all or part of New York's Interstate Highways.
Toll elimination and I-84
All tolls along the Thruway were supposed to be abolished when the construction bondBond (finance)
In finance, a bond is a debt security, in which the authorized issuer owes the holders a debt and, depending on the terms of the bond, is obliged to pay interest to use and/or to repay the principal at a later date, termed maturity...
s used to build it had been paid off. The last of the bonds were paid off in 1996; however, the tolls remained in place after the New York State Legislature transferred ownership of the New York State Canal System
New York State Canal System
The New York State Canal System is a successor to the Erie Canal and other canals within New York...
to NYSTA in 1992.
Roughly one week before the November 2006 elections, NYSTA accepted $14 million from the State Senate
New York State Senate
The New York State Senate is one of two houses in the New York State Legislature and has members each elected to two-year terms. There are no limits on the number of terms one may serve...
in exchange for agreeing to cease the collection of tolls at the Black Rock and City Line toll barriers on the Niagara Thruway (I-190) in Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
for one year. On October 30, 2006, NYSTA voted to permanently remove the tolls. Both major candidates in the 2006 gubernatorial election
New York gubernatorial election, 2006
The New York gubernatorial election of 2006 was a race for the governorship of this U.S. state. Eliot Spitzer was elected on November 7, 2006, succeeding Governor George Pataki, the three-term incumbent, who did not run for a fourth term....
, Democrat and eventual victor Eliot Spitzer
Eliot Spitzer
Eliot Laurence Spitzer is an American lawyer, former Democratic Party politician, and political commentator. He was the co-host of In the Arena, a talk-show and punditry forum broadcast on CNN until CNN cancelled his show in July of 2011...
and Republican John Faso
John Faso
John Faso was the Republican nominee for Governor of New York in 2006, and was defeated by Democratic nominee Eliot Spitzer in the largest defeat for a Republican gubernatorial candidate in the state's history. This followed his loss to Alan Hevesi four years earlier in his run for State Comptroller...
, had pledged to remove the tolls on I-190 if elected. In order to offset the lost toll revenue, NYSTA also voted to return maintenance of I-84 to NYSDOT, as the annual maintenance cost of I-84 was considered to be equal to the amount of annual revenue generated from the Buffalo toll barriers—approximately $14 million. Under the terms of the 1991 agreement between NYSTA and NYSDOT, maintenance of I-84 would become the responsibility of the DOT on October 30, 2007.
In January 2007, State Senator John Bonacic
John Bonacic
John J. Bonacic is the Republican New York State Senator from the 42nd District...
of Mount Hope
Mount Hope, New York
Mount Hope is a town in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 6,639 at the 2000 census.The Town of Mount Hope is in the northwestern part of the county, west of Middletown...
began drafting legislation to halt the planned transfer of maintenance of I-84. Bonacic asserted that the Thruway Authority had better maintenance practices than NYSDOT, most notably in the field of snow removal. He also claimed that the DOT lacked the time and money needed to match the quality of maintenance that NYSTA performed on I-84. The senator eventually prevailed as the 2007–2008 budget was modified to allocate additional funding to NYSDOT, which would then pay the Thruway Authority to maintain I-84. A formal agreement between the two agencies was reached on September 19. The one-year agreement cost NYSDOT $11.5 million and took effect October 30, the date I-84 was to become DOT-maintained. The agreement was renewed in April 2008 at a cost of $10.3 million, extending the arrangement through October 31, 2009. It remained in place until October 11, 2010, when NYSDOT re-assumed maintenance of the highway. The change was made in the 2010–2011 state budget in an effort to reduce the cost of maintaining I-84. Governor David Paterson
David Paterson
David Alexander Paterson is an American politician who served as the 55th Governor of New York, from 2008 to 2010. During his tenure he was the first governor of New York of African American heritage and also the second legally blind governor of any U.S. state after Bob C. Riley, who was Acting...
—who included the change in the budget—expected that the state would save $3.9 million annually on maintenance costs.
Other developments
Governor of New York
The Governor of the State of New York is the chief executive of the State of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military and naval forces. The officeholder is afforded the courtesy title of His/Her...
at the time of the Thruway's opening. The official designation is, however, rarely used in reference to the road.
In August 1993, NYSTA became the first agency to implement the E-ZPass
E-ZPass
E-ZPass is an electronic toll-collection system used on most tolled roads, bridges, and tunnels in the northeastern US, south to Virginia and West Virginia, and west to Illinois. Currently, there are 25 agencies spread across 14 states that make up the . All member agencies use the same technology,...
electronic toll collection system. By December 1996, it was implemented at all of the Thruway's fixed-toll barriers and at exits along the Berkshire Connector and the New York City – Buffalo section of the mainline. E-ZPass was installed at all of the mainline exits by March 1998. On May 14, 2010, a new E-ZPass configuration, consisting of two highway speed E-ZPass lanes in each direction, became operational at the Woodbury toll plaza, with concrete barriers separating the faster traffic from the staffed toll lanes necessary for vehicles not equipped for E-ZPass. A similar project is in development at the Williamsville toll plaza.
In 1999 NYSDOT, the Federal Highway Administration
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...
and NYSTA discussed redesignating the Berkshire Connector as I-90 and redesignating the non-toll part of I-90 from Thruway exit 24 to exit B1 as I-88
Interstate 88 (east)
Interstate 88 is an intrastate Interstate Highway entirely within the U.S. state of New York. Its western end is at Interstate 81 in Binghamton and its eastern end is at Interstate 90 in Schenectady. It serves as an important connector route from Albany to Binghamton, Elmira , and...
. The section of the Thruway between exit 25 and 24 would then be designated as both I-90 and I-88. This was never implemented.
When I-84 was built through the Newburgh area in the early 1960s, no interchange was built between I-84 and the Thruway. Instead, the connection was made via a short segment of NY 300
New York State Route 300
New York State Route 300 is a state highway located west of the city of Newburgh in the Hudson Valley of New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at a five-way intersection with NY 32 and NY 94 in the hamlet of Vails Gate...
, which both I-84 and I-87 meet via interchanges. Construction on a direct connection between the Thruway mainline and Interstate 84 began in August 2003. The portion of the exit carrying traffic from I-84 to the Thruway was opened in July 2009. The opposite direction was opened two months later on September 23. The connection allows cars to travel between I-87, I-84 and NY 300 via splits in the ramp.
Services
There are 27 service areas along the Thruway, all on the New York – Ripley mainline. The service areas, called "travel plazas" by the New York State Thruway Authority (NYSTA), are spaced roughly 30 miles (48 km) apart and are open at all hours of the day. Two plazas—the AngolaAngola, New York
Angola is a village in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 2,266 at the 2000 census. The name is reportedly derived from the South-central African country of Angola...
service area at milepost 447 and the New Baltimore
New Baltimore, New York
New Baltimore is a town in Greene County, New York, United States. The population was 3,370 at the 2010 census.The Town of New Baltimore is in the northeast part of the county.- History :The region was part of the Mahican homeland....
plaza at milepost 127—are accessible from both directions of the Thruway; the remainder are accessible from only one direction. Each plaza features a gas station and a variety of restaurants. All of the toll plaza gas stations are served by either Mobil
Mobil
Mobil, previously known as the Socony-Vacuum Oil Company, was a major American oil company which merged with Exxon in 1999 to form ExxonMobil. Today Mobil continues as a major brand name within the combined company, as well as still being a gas station sometimes paired with their own store or On...
or Sunoco
Sunoco
Sunoco Inc. is an American petroleum and petrochemical manufacturer headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, formerly known as Sun Company Inc. and Sun Oil Co. ....
. Inside the plazas, there is at least one restaurant that is open 24 hours; this is typically a McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
, Burger King
Burger King
Burger King, often abbreviated as BK, is a global chain of hamburger fast food restaurants headquartered in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The company began in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, a Jacksonville, Florida-based restaurant chain...
, Roy Rogers, Tim Hortons
Tim Hortons
Tim Hortons Inc. is a Canadian fast casual restaurant known for its coffee and doughnuts. It is also Canada's largest fast food service with over 3000 stores nationwide. It was founded in 1964 in Hamilton, Ontario, by Canadian hockey player Tim Horton and Jim Charade, after an initial venture in...
, or Dunkin' Donuts
Dunkin' Donuts
Dunkin' Donuts is an international doughnut and coffee retailer founded in 1950 by William Rosenberg in Quincy, Massachusetts; it is now headquartered in Canton...
, depending on the plaza. Free Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi or Wifi, is a mechanism for wirelessly connecting electronic devices. A device enabled with Wi-Fi, such as a personal computer, video game console, smartphone, or digital audio player, can connect to the Internet via a wireless network access point. An access point has a range of about 20...
service was added to all 27 service areas on March 1, 2007.
NYSTA also operates the Thruway Authority Highway Advisory Radio
Highway advisory radio
Travelers Information Radio Stations , are sometimes also called Highway Advisory Radio Stations by Departments of Transportation in the United States. These radio stations are licensed low-power AM radio stations set up by local transport departments to provide bulletins to motorists and other...
(HAR) system, a network of radio stations across the state that broadcast information on traffic conditions along the Thruway. The system broadcasts at 1610 AM in the Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, Rochester
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
, Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, Kingston
Kingston, New York
Kingston is a city in and the county seat of Ulster County, New York, USA. It is north of New York City and south of Albany. It became New York's first capital in 1777, and was burned by the British Oct. 16, 1777, after the Battles of Saratoga...
, and Newburgh
Newburgh (city), New York
Newburgh is a city located in Orange County, New York, United States, north of New York City, and south of Albany, on the Hudson River. Newburgh is a principal city of the Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown metropolitan area, which includes all of Dutchess and Orange counties. The Newburgh area was...
areas, 1620 AM in the Finger Lakes
Finger Lakes
The Finger Lakes are a pattern of lakes in the west-central section of Upstate New York in the United States. They are a popular tourist destination. The lakes are long and thin , each oriented roughly on a north-south axis. The two longest, Cayuga Lake and Seneca Lake, are among the deepest in...
and Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
areas, 530 AM in the New York City metropolitan area, 540 AM in the vicinity of Utica
Utica, New York
Utica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
, and at 98.7 FM in Chautauqua County
Chautauqua County, New York
-Major highways:* Interstate 86/New York State Route 17 * Interstate 90 * U.S. Route 20* U.S. Route 62* New York State Route 5* New York State Route 39* New York State Route 60* New York State Route 394...
. HAR is also used to broadcast Amber Alert
AMBER Alert
An AMBER Alert or a Child Abduction Emergency is a child abduction alert bulletin in several countries throughout the world, issued upon the suspected abduction of a child, since 1996...
s if one is issued.
Collection methods
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...
– Ripley
Ripley, New York
Ripley is a town on Lake Erie in the westernmost part of Chautauqua County, New York, USA. The population was 2,636 at the 2000 census. The town was named after General Eleazer Wheelock Ripley. There are no incorporated villages in the town, but there is one CDP: Ripley.- History :Ripley was...
mainline employs both an open, barrier-based
Barrier toll system
A barrier toll system is a method of collecting tolls on highways using toll barriers at regularly spaced intervals on the toll road's mainline. Motorists are typically charged a flat-rate toll, unlike toll roads with a ticket system where the toll rate is determined by the distance traveled or...
tolling system and a closed, ticket-based tolling system. From the New York City line to the NY 17
New York State Route 17
New York State Route 17 is a state highway that extends for through the Southern Tier and Downstate regions of New York in the United States...
exit near Harriman
Harriman, New York
Harriman is a village in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 2,252 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...
, there are three toll barriers. From there northward, a closed system is employed where drivers must obtain tickets which show their point of entry and the cost of traveling from there to their desired point of exit. Upon exiting the Thruway, the ticket must be surrendered and the appropriate toll must be paid. Two separate closed systems are used on the Thruway mainline, encompassing all of the mainline between Harriman and the Pennsylvania state line except for a section in and around Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
.
The southernmost of the three toll barriers is the Yonkers
Yonkers, New York
Yonkers is the fourth most populous city in the state of New York , and the most populous city in Westchester County, with a population of 195,976...
toll barrier, a bi-directional barrier between exits 6A and 7 in Yonkers. In Tarrytown
Tarrytown, New York
Tarrytown is a village in the town of Greenburgh in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located on the eastern bank of the Hudson River, about north of midtown Manhattan in New York City, and is served by a stop on the Metro-North Hudson Line...
, there is a southbound-only barrier for the Tappan Zee Bridge
Tappan Zee Bridge
The Governor Malcolm Wilson Tappan Zee Bridge, usually referred to as Tappan Zee Bridge, is a cantilever bridge in New York over the Hudson River at one of its widest points; the Tappan Zee is named for an American Indian tribe from the area called "Tappan"; and zee being the Dutch word for "sea"....
. Lastly, there is a northbound, commercial traffic-only barrier in Spring Valley
Spring Valley, New York
Spring Valley, incorporated on July 9, 1902 is a village spanning the Town of Ramapo and Town of Clarkstown in Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Nanuet; east of Airmont and Monsey; south of Hillcrest and west of West Nyack...
. The closed ticket system originally began at the Spring Valley toll barrier but was moved to exit 16 on March 3, 1974, allowing interchanges along the Thruway in Rockland County
Rockland County, New York
Rockland County is a suburban county 15 miles to the northwest of Manhattan and part of the New York City Metropolitan Area, in the U.S. state of New York. It is the southernmost county in New York west of the Hudson River, and the smallest county in New York outside of New York City. The...
to be free of tolls. The toll plaza at Suffern was dismantled along with this change. At Harriman, the longer of the two closed, ticket-based systems begins and extends from NY 17 to just east of exit 50 in Amherst
Amherst, New York
Amherst is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 122,366. This represents an increase of 5.0% from the 2000 census. The town is named for Jeffrey Amherst, a British Army officer of the colonial period...
. The Berkshire Connector is enclosed within this ticket system, so traveling between the mainline and the connector via exit 21A does not involve crossing a toll barrier, and the connector's exits up to the toll barrier at exit B3 are listed with the mainline exits on tickets for the major closed system. The other system encompasses the portion of the mainline between exit 56 south of Buffalo and exit 61 near the Pennsylvania state line.
To distinguish between exit 16 and the Woodbury toll barrier, Thruway tickets list the NY 17 interchange as exit 16 and the Woodbury toll plaza as exit 15, although the actual exit 15 is situated almost 15 miles (24 km) to the south. Northbound traffic on I-87 traveling through the Woodbury toll barrier is given a ticket while travelers on southbound I-87 must surrender their ticket and pay the appropriate toll. Traffic heading south on I-87 and exiting at exit 16 must pay the appropriate toll for exit 16 at the Harriman toll plaza. Similarly, traffic heading north on I-87 and exiting at exit 16 must pay a fixed-rate toll at the Harriman plaza. Traffic entering the Thruway from NY 17 east must pay a fixed-rate toll at the Harriman barrier and, if traveling north, collect a ticket at the Woodbury barrier. The ticket is identical to that given for exit 15 with the exception that the toll for exit 16 is subtracted from all of the prices.
The other components of the system that are tolled have far fewer tolls. On the New England Thruway
New England Thruway
The New England Thruway is a portion of the U.S. Interstate highway system and of the New York State Thruway, within and operated by the New York State Thruway Authority, linking New York City with New England, specifically with southwestern Connecticut...
(I-95
Interstate 95 in New York
Interstate 95 is a part of the Interstate Highway System that runs from Miami, Florida, to the Canada – United States border near Houlton, Maine. In the U.S. state of New York, I-95 extends from the George Washington Bridge in New York City to the Connecticut state line at Port Chester...
), there is a single, fixed-rate toll barrier on I-95 northbound in New Rochelle
New Rochelle, New York
New Rochelle is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States, in the southeastern portion of the state.The town was settled by refugee Huguenots in 1688 who were fleeing persecution in France...
. Meanwhile, the only tolls along the Niagara Thruway (I-190
Interstate 190 (New York)
Interstate 190 runs 28.34 miles from Interstate 90 near Buffalo, New York to Lewiston, New York via Niagara Falls. Parts of this highway were built on the former rights-of-way of the Lehigh Valley Railroad and the Erie Canal. It is referred to by locals as The One-Ninety...
) are those for major bridges along the highway, namely the North
North Grand Island Bridge
The North Grand Island Bridge carries Interstate 190 across the Niagara River between Grand Island, New York and Niagara Falls, New York. The toll plaza are found on the Grand Island, New York side of the bridge....
and South Grand Island Bridge
South Grand Island Bridge
The South Grand Island Bridge carries Interstate 190 across the Niagara River between Tonawanda, New York and Grand Island, New York. The toll plaza is found on the Tonawanda side of the bridge; Only 2 booths are EZ-Pass, the remainder are manned booths.The twin Truss arch bridges crosses from...
s.
Cost
When the Thruway opened in the mid-1950s, the cost to travel from Buffalo to New York City was $5.60 (equivalent to $ in ). The closed ticket system, which at the time extended from Spring Valley to WilliamsvilleWilliamsville, New York
Williamsville is a village in Erie County, New York in the United States. The population was 5,573 at the 2000 census. The village is named after Jonas Williams, an early settler...
, accounted for $5 of the toll, while the remaining $0.60 was charged at the Yonkers ($0.10) and Tappan Zee ($0.50) toll barriers. As of April 2010, this trip costs $24.60: $18.35 for the closed ticket system from Williamsville to Woodbury, $5 for the Tappan Zee Bridge, and $1.25 for the Yonkers toll barrier. After the south end of the major closed ticket system was moved from Spring Valley to Woodbury, the Spring Valley toll barrier became a fixed-rate toll for both cars and trucks. The toll for cars was removed in July 1997. At the time, the toll was $0.40 (equivalent to $ in ).
As of April 2010, the Berkshire Connector costs $0.85 to travel between the Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
state line and exit B1. Tolls west of exit B1 vary based on which direction a motorist travels on I-87. The toll on the minor closed ticket system from Pennsylvania to exit 55 south of Buffalo is $3.15. On I-190, the Grand Island Bridges cost $1 to cross while the New Rochelle toll barrier on I-95 costs $1.75 to pass through. The Black Rock and City Line toll barriers on the Niagara Thruway in Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
charged $0.75 at the time of their removal on October 30, 2006.
Exit list
For exits on the Cross Westchester Expressway, the New England ThruwayNew England Thruway
The New England Thruway is a portion of the U.S. Interstate highway system and of the New York State Thruway, within and operated by the New York State Thruway Authority, linking New York City with New England, specifically with southwestern Connecticut...
, or the Niagara Thruway, see the articles on those highways.
Mainline
|-|rowspan=17|Westchester
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...
|rowspan=9|Yonkers
Yonkers, New York
Yonkers is the fourth most populous city in the state of New York , and the most populous city in Westchester County, with a population of 195,976...
|0.00
|
|
|Continuation into 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...
|-
|0.48
|1A
|Hall Place / McLean Avenue
|No access to McLean Avenue from northbound; signed as exit 1 southbound
|-
|1.42
|1B
|Yonkers Avenue
Yonkers Avenue
Yonkers Avenue is an east–west street in the city of Yonkers in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is one of four major east–west through routes in the city. The western terminus of the street is at Nepperhan Avenue, which connects to U.S. Route 9 and New York State Route 9A...
– Yonkers Raceway
Yonkers Raceway
Yonkers Raceway, founded in 1899 as the Empire City Race Track, is a one-half-mile standardbred harness racing dirt track and New York state-approved slots racino located at the intersection of Central Park Avenue and Yonkers Avenue in Yonkers, New York near the New York City border...
|Northbound exit and southbound entrance
|-
|1.77
|1C
|Mile Square Road
|Northbound exit and southbound entrance
|-
|2.18
|2A
|
|Southbound exit also signed for Mile Square Road; signed as exit 2 northbound
|-
|2.70
|2B
|
|Northbound exit and southbound entrance
|-
|4.00
|4
|Tuckahoe Road – Bronxville, Yonkers
|Signed as exits 4A (west) and 4B (east) southbound
|-
|5.14
|5
|Stew Leonard Drive, Ridge Hill Boulevard
|
|-
|5.47
|colspan=3 align="center"|Yonkers toll barrier
|-
|Dobbs Ferry
Dobbs Ferry, New York
Dobbs Ferry is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 10,875 at the 2010 census.The Village of Dobbs Ferry is located in, and is a part of, the town of Greenburgh...
|7.84
|7
|
|Northbound exit and southbound entrance
|-
|rowspan=4|Greenburgh
Greenburgh, New York
Greenburgh is a town in the western part of Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 88,400 at the 2010 census. Paul J. Feiner has been the Town Supervisor since 1991.-History:...
|10.33
|10
|
|Northbound exit only
|-
|10.33
|10
|
|Southbound exit and northbound entrance
|-
|11.31
|11A
|
|Northbound exit is part of exit 8
|-
|
|11B
|
|East end of I-287 overlap; signed as exit 11 northbound
|-
|rowspan=3|Tarrytown
Tarrytown, New York
Tarrytown is a village in the town of Greenburgh in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located on the eastern bank of the Hudson River, about north of midtown Manhattan in New York City, and is served by a stop on the Metro-North Hudson Line...
|12.85
|12
|
|
|-
|13.07
|colspan=3 align="center"|Tappan Zee Bridge toll barrier
|-
|colspan=4 rowspan=2 align="center"|Tappan Zee Bridge
Tappan Zee Bridge
The Governor Malcolm Wilson Tappan Zee Bridge, usually referred to as Tappan Zee Bridge, is a cantilever bridge in New York over the Hudson River at one of its widest points; the Tappan Zee is named for an American Indian tribe from the area called "Tappan"; and zee being the Dutch word for "sea"....
over 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...
|-
|rowspan=11|Rockland
Rockland County, New York
Rockland County is a suburban county 15 miles to the northwest of Manhattan and part of the New York City Metropolitan Area, in the U.S. state of New York. It is the southernmost county in New York west of the Hudson River, and the smallest county in New York outside of New York City. The...
|rowspan=2|South Nyack
South Nyack, New York
South Nyack is a village in the town of Orangetown in Rockland County, New York, located north of Grand View-on-Hudson; northeast of Orangeburg; east of Blauvelt State Park; south of the village of Nyack and west of the Hudson River...
|-
|16.75
|16
|
|No southbound exit
|-
|Nyack
Nyack, New York
Nyack is a village in the towns of Orangetown and Clarkstown in Rockland County, New York, United States, located north of South Nyack; east of Central Nyack; south of Upper Nyack and west of the Hudson River, approximately 19 miles north of the Manhattan boundary, it is an inner suburb of New...
|17.42
|17
|
|
|-
|rowspan=3|Clarkstown
Clarkstown, New York
Clarkstown is a town in Rockland County, New York, United States. The town is on the eastern border of the county, located north of the town of Orangetown; east of the town of Ramapo; South of the town of Haverstraw and west of the Hudson River. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total...
|18.76
|18
|
|
|-
|20.94
|20
|
|Signed as exits 20A (north) and 20B (south)
|-
|22.80
|22
|
|
|-
|rowspan=5|Ramapo
Ramapo, New York
Ramapo , formerly known as New Hempstead and then Hampstead, is a town in Rockland County, New York, United States located north of New Jersey; southeast of Orange County, New York; south of the Town of Haverstraw and west of the Town of Clarkstown and the Town of Orangetown...
|23.53
|23
|
|
|-
|24.31
|colspan=3 align="center"|Spring Valley
Spring Valley, New York
Spring Valley, incorporated on July 9, 1902 is a village spanning the Town of Ramapo and Town of Clarkstown in Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Nanuet; east of Airmont and Monsey; south of Hillcrest and west of West Nyack...
toll barrier (commercial vehicles only)
|-
|27.62
|27
|Airmont Road (CR 89) – Airmont
Airmont, New York
Airmont is a village in the town of Ramapo, Rockland County, New York, United States located north of the state of New Jersey; east of Suffern; south of Montebello and west of Chestnut Ridge. The population was 7,799 at the 2000 census....
, Montebello
Montebello, New York
Montebello is a village in the town of Ramapo Rockland County, New York, United States. It is located north of Suffern, east of Hillburn, south of Wesley Hills and west of Airmont...
|
|-
|30.17
|30
|
|West end of I-287 overlap; south end of NY 17 overlap
|-
|31.35
|31
|
|North end of NY 17 overlap
|-
|rowspan=3|Orange
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...
|rowspan=2|Woodbury
Woodbury, Orange County, New York
Woodbury is a town and village in Orange County, New York, United States. The town population was 9,460 at the 2000 census. The village was incorporated in 2006 and comprises all of the town that is not part of the village of Harriman. The region was once called Woodbury Clove...
|45.03
|colspan=4 align="center"|Woodbury toll barrier
|-
|45.20
|45
|
|
|-
|Newburgh
Newburgh (town), New York
Newburgh is a town in Orange County, New York, United States. The 2010 census determined the population is 29,801. This is the first time ever that the population of the Town of Newburgh officially exceeded that of the adjacent but totally separate municipality known as the city of Newburgh...
|60.10
|60
|
|
|-
|rowspan=3|Ulster
Ulster County, New York
Ulster County is a county located in the state of New York, USA. It sits in the state's Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 182,493. Recent population estimates completed by the United States Census Bureau for the 12-month period ending July 1 are at...
|New Paltz
|76.01
|76
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|Kingston
Kingston, New York
Kingston is a city in and the county seat of Ulster County, New York, USA. It is north of New York City and south of Albany. It became New York's first capital in 1777, and was burned by the British Oct. 16, 1777, after the Battles of Saratoga...
|91.37
|91
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|Saugerties
Saugerties (town), New York
Saugerties is a town in Ulster County, New York, USA. The population was 19,482 at the 2000 census. The Town of Saugerties contains the Village of Saugerties. The town is in the northeast corner of Ulster County....
|101.25
|101
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|rowspan=2|Greene
Greene County, New York
Greene County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. Its name is in honor of the American Revolutionary War general Nathanael Greene. Its county seat is Catskill...
|Catskill
Catskill (town), New York
Catskill is a town in the southeast part of Greene County, New York, United States. The population was 11,775 at the 2010 census. The western part of the town is in the Catskill Park....
|113.89
|113
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|New Baltimore
New Baltimore, New York
New Baltimore is a town in Greene County, New York, United States. The population was 3,370 at the 2010 census.The Town of New Baltimore is in the northeast part of the county.- History :The region was part of the Mahican homeland....
|124.53
|124
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|rowspan=5|Albany
Albany County, New York
Albany County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, and is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area. The name is from the title of the Duke of York and Albany, who became James II of England . As of the 2010 census, the population was 304,204...
|Coeymans
|133.60
|133
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|Bethlehem
Bethlehem, New York
Bethlehem is a town in Albany County, New York, USA. The population was 33,656 at the 2010 census. The town is south of Albany. Bethlehem includes the following hamlets: Delmar, Elsmere, Slingerlands, Glenmont, Selkirk, South and North Bethlehem. U.S. Route 9W passes through the town...
|134.93
|134
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|rowspan=2|Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
|141.92
|141
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|148.15
|148
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|North end of I-87 overlap; east end of I-90 overlap
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|Guilderland
Guilderland, New York
Guilderland is a town in Albany County, New York, United States. In the 2010 census, the town had a population of 35,303. The town is named for the Gelderland province in the Netherlands....
|153.83
|153
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|rowspan=2|Schenectady
Schenectady County, New York
Schenectady County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 154,727. It is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county seat is Schenectady. The name is from a Mohawk Indian word meaning "on the other side of the...
|rowspan=2|Rotterdam
|158.82
|158
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|162.22
|162
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|rowspan=3|Montgomery
Montgomery County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 49,708 people, 20,038 households, and 13,104 families residing in the county. The population density was 123 people per square mile . There were 22,522 housing units at an average density of 56 per square mile...
|Amsterdam
|173.59
|173
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|Glen
Glen, New York
Glen is a town in Montgomery County, New York, United States. The population was 2,507 at the 2010 census. The town was named after Jacob S.Glen, an early landowner....
|182.17
|182
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|Canajoharie
Canajoharie (town), New York
Canajoharie is a town in Montgomery County, New York, United States. The population was 3,730 at the 2010 census. Canajoharie is located south of the Mohawk River on the south border of the county. The Erie Canal passes along the north town line. There is a village of Canajoharie in the town...
|194.10
|194
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|rowspan=2|Herkimer
Herkimer County, New York
Herkimer County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It was created in 1791 north of the Mohawk River out of part of Montgomery County. As of the 2010 census, the population was 64,519. It is named after General Nicholas Herkimer, who died from battle wounds in 1777 after taking part...
|Danube
Danube, New York
Danube is a town in Herkimer County, New York, United States. The population was 1,098 at the 2000 census. Early Palatine German immigrants in the eighteenth century named the town after the Danube River in Europe....
|210.62
|210
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|Herkimer
|219.70
|219
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|rowspan=3|Oneida
Oneida County, New York
Oneida County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 234,878. The county seat is Utica. The name is in honor of the Oneida, an Iroquoian tribe that formerly occupied the region....
|Utica
Utica, New York
Utica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
|232.85
|232
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|Westmoreland
Westmoreland, New York
Westmoreland is a town in Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 6,207 at the 2000 census.The Town of Westmoreland is in the west-central part of the county. The New York State Thruway passes across the town. Westmoreland is west of Utica, New York.The Westmoreland Central...
|243.37
|243
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|Verona
Verona, New York
Verona is a town in Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 6,425 at the 2000 census. The source of the town name is unknown, though it's possibly named after Verona, Italy....
|252.71
|252
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|Madison
Madison County, New York
Madison County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 73,442. It is named after James Madison, fourth President of the United States of America...
|Canastota
Canastota, New York
Canastota is a village located inside the Town of Lenox in Madison County, New York, United States. The population was 4,425 at the 2000 census.The Village of Canastota is in the south part of the Town of Lenox.- History :...
|261.5
|261
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|rowspan=6|Onondaga
Onondaga County, New York
Onondaga County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 467,026. The county seat is Syracuse.Onondaga County is part of the Syracuse, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area....
|rowspan=2|DeWitt
|276.58
|276
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|278.93
|278
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|rowspan=3|Salina
Salina, New York
Salina is a town in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 33,290 at the 2000 census. The name of the town is derived from the Latin word for "salt."...
|282.93
|282
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|283.79
|283
|Electronics Parkway – Liverpool
Liverpool, New York
Liverpool is a village located in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 2,505 at the 2000 census. The name was adopted from the city of Liverpool in the United Kingdom...
, Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
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|285.95
|285
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|Van Buren
Van Buren, New York
Van Buren is a town located in Onondaga County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town had a population of 12,667. The town is named after future President Martin van Buren, who was then governor of the state....
|289.53
|289
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|Cayuga
Cayuga County, New York
Cayuga County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It was named for one of the tribes of Indians in the Iroquois Confederation. Its county seat is Auburn.- History :...
|Brutus
Brutus, New York
Brutus is a town in Cayuga County, New York, USA. The population was 4,464 at the 2010 census. The name was assigned by a clerk interested in the classics.The Town of Brutus is located in the east part of the county and is west of Syracuse....
|304.19
|304
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|Seneca
Seneca County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 33,342 people, 12,630 households, and 8,626 families residing in the county. The population density was 103 people per square mile . There were 14,794 housing units at an average density of 46 per square mile...
|Tyre
Tyre, New York
Tyre is a town in Seneca County, New York, United States. The population was 899 at the 2000 census. The town is named after the Lebanese city of Tyre.The Town of Tyre is located in the northeastern part of the county, northeast of Geneva, New York....
|320.41
|320
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|rowspan="4"|Ontario
Ontario County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 100,224 people, 38,370 households, and 26,360 families residing in the county. The population density was 156 people per square mile . There were 42,647 housing units at an average density of 66 per square mile...
|Phelps
Phelps (town), New York
Phelps is a town in Ontario County, New York, USA. The population was 7,017 at the 2000 census. The town is named after one of the original proprietors.The Town of Phelps contains a village called Phelps. Both are north of Geneva, New York....
|327.10
|327
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|
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|Manchester
Manchester (town), New York
Manchester is a town in Ontario County, New York, USA. The population was 9,258 at the 2000 census. The town was named after one of its villages, which in turn was named after the original Manchester in Greater Manchester, England....
|340.15
|340
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|Farmington
Farmington, New York
Farmington is a town located in the northern part of Ontario County, New York, United States. The population was 10,585 at the 2000 census. Farmington is about twenty-five miles southeast of Rochester, New York...
|347.13
|347
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|Victor
Victor (town), New York
Victor is a town in Ontario County, New York, USA. The population was 9,977 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Claudius Victor Boughton, a hero of the War of 1812.The Town of Victor contains a village, also called Victor...
|350.99
|350
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|
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|Monroe
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....
|Henrietta
Henrietta, New York
Henrietta is a town in Monroe County, New York, United States. It is a suburb of Rochester. The population was 42,581 at the 2010 census. Established in 1818, the town is named after Henrietta Laura Pulteney, Countess of Bath, daughter of Sir William Pulteney, 5th Baronet, a major British...
|362.44
|362
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|
|-
|rowspan="3"|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 :...
|Le Roy
Le Roy (town), New York
Le Roy, or more commonly LeRoy, is a town in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 7,790 at the 2000 census. The town is named after one of the original land owners, Herman Le Roy....
|378.56
|378
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|
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|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....
|390.13
|390
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|
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|Pembroke
Pembroke, New York
Pembroke is a town in Genesee County, Western New York, United States. The population was 4,530 at the 2000 census. The town is named for a town in west Wales.The town of Pembroke lies on the west border of Genesee County, west of Batavia, NY.- History :...
|401.72
|401
|
|
|-
|rowspan=14|Erie
Erie County, New York
Erie County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 919,040. The county seat is Buffalo. The county's name comes from Lake Erie, which in turn comes from the Erie tribe of American Indians who lived south and east of the lake before 1654.Erie...
|Cheektowaga
|417.27
|417
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2|Amherst
Amherst, New York
Amherst is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 122,366. This represents an increase of 5.0% from the 2000 census. The town is named for Jeffrey Amherst, a British Army officer of the colonial period...
|419.69
|colspan=3 align="center"|Williamsville
Williamsville, New York
Williamsville is a village in Erie County, New York in the United States. The population was 5,573 at the 2000 census. The village is named after Jonas Williams, an early settler...
toll barrier
|-
|420.34
|420A
|
|Signed as exit 420 westbound
|-
|rowspan=5|Cheektowaga
|420.70
|420B
|Cleveland Drive
|Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
|-
|421.57
|421
|
|Signed as exits 421A (west) and 421B (east)
|-
|423.19
|423
|Walden Avenue (NY 952Q
New York State Route 952Q
New York State Route 952Q is an unsigned reference route designation for the portion of Walden Avenue outside of the Buffalo city limits in Erie County, New York, in the United States. The western terminus of the route is at the Buffalo city line in Cheektowaga, where Walden Avenue continues...
) – Buffalo, Cheektowaga
|Signed as exits 423A (west) and 423B (east)
|-
|424.92
|424
|William Street
|
|-
|426.17
|426
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|rowspan=3|West Seneca
West Seneca, New York
West Seneca is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 44,711 at the 2010 census. West Seneca is a centrally-located interior town of the county, and a suburb of Buffalo...
|427.94
|427
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|429.47
|429
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|430.51
|colspan=3 align="center"|Lackawanna
Lackawanna, New York
Lackawanna is a city in Erie County, New York, U.S., located just south of the city of Buffalo in the western part of New York state. The population was 18,141 at the 2010 census. The name derives from the Lackawanna Steel Company...
toll barrier
|-
|rowspan=2|Hamburg
Hamburg (town), New York
Hamburg is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 56,259.The Town of Hamburg is on the western border of the county and is south of Buffalo, New York. Hamburg is one of the "Southtowns" in Erie County...
|432.45
|432
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|436.22
|436
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|
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|Evans
Evans, New York
Evans is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 17,594 at the 2000 census. The town derives its name from David E. Evans, an agent of the Holland Land Company and nephew of land agent Joseph Ellicott....
|444.87
|444
|Eden
Eden, New York
Eden is a town located south of Buffalo, in Erie County, New York, USA. The population was 8,076 at the 2000 census. The basis for choosing the town's name is unknown....
, Angola
Angola, New York
Angola is a village in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 2,266 at the 2000 census. The name is reportedly derived from the South-central African country of Angola...
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|-
|rowspan=6|Chautauqua
Chautauqua County, New York
-Major highways:* Interstate 86/New York State Route 17 * Interstate 90 * U.S. Route 20* U.S. Route 62* New York State Route 5* New York State Route 39* New York State Route 60* New York State Route 394...
|Hanover
Hanover, New York
Hanover is a town in Chautauqua County, New York, United States. The population was 7,638 at the 2000 census.The Town of Hanover lies in the northeast corner of Chautauqua County.- History :The first settler arrived in 1796....
|455.54
|455
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|Dunkirk
|467.74
|467
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|Westfield
Westfield (town), New York
Westfield is a town in the western part Chautauqua County, New York, United States. The population was 5,232 at the 2000 census. Westfield is also the name of a village within the town.- History :...
|485.00
|485
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|
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|rowspan=3|Ripley
Ripley, New York
Ripley is a town on Lake Erie in the westernmost part of Chautauqua County, New York, USA. The population was 2,636 at the 2000 census. The town was named after General Eleazer Wheelock Ripley. There are no incorporated villages in the town, but there is one CDP: Ripley.- History :Ripley was...
|494.51
|colspan=3 align="center"|Ripley toll barrier
|-
|494.92
|494
|Shortman Road (NY 950D) – Ripley
|
|-
|496.00
|
|
|Continuation into Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
Berkshire Connector
|-|rowspan=2|Albany
Albany County, New York
Albany County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, and is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area. The name is from the title of the Duke of York and Albany, who became James II of England . As of the 2010 census, the population was 304,204...
|rowspan=2|Coeymans
|0.00
|21B-1-22-61
|
|Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
|-
|rowspan=2 colspan=4 align="center"|Castleton-on-Hudson Bridge over 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...
|-
|rowspan="2"|Rensselaer
Rensselaer County, New York
Rensselaer County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 159,429. Its name is in honor of the family of Kiliaen van Rensselaer, the original Dutch owner of the land in the area. Its county seat is Troy...
|rowspan=2|Schodack
Schodack, New York
Schodack is a town in Rensselaer County, New York, United States. The population was 12,536 at the 2000 census. The town name is derived from the native word, Escotak. The town is in the southwestern part of the county. Schodack is southeast of Albany, New York.- History :Prior to the advent of...
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|6.58
|B1
|
|West end of I-90 overlap
|-
|rowspan="4"|Columbia
Columbia County, New York
Columbia County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 63,096. The county seat is Hudson. The name comes from the Latin feminine form of the name of Christopher Columbus, which was at the time of the formation of the county a popular proposal...
|Chatham
Chatham (town), New York
Chatham is a town in Columbia County, United States. New York, United States. The population was 4,249 at the 2000 census.The Town of Chatham has a village also called Chatham on its south town line...
|15.09
|B2
|
|
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|rowspan="3"|Canaan
Canaan, New York
Canaan is a town in Columbia County, New York, United States. The population was 1,820 at the 2000 census.The Town of Canaan is in the northeast part of the county.- History :The first settlers arrived around 1759....
|17.83
|colspan=3 align="center"|Canaan toll barrier
|-
|23.27
|B3
|
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|24.28
|
|
|Continuation into Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
Garden State Parkway Connector
|-|rowspan=2|0.00
|
|CR 35 - Nanuet
Nanuet, New York
Nanuet is a hamlet , in the Town of Clarkstown Rockland County, New York, United States located north of Pearl River; south of New City; east of Spring Valley and west of West Nyack. It is 19 miles north of Manhattan, and 2 miles north of the New Jersey border...
|Northbound exit only; CR 35 not signed
|-
|14B-61-14-1
|
|Northbound exit and southbound entrance
|-
|2.09
|GS1
|Red Schoolhouse Road (CR 41) – Chestnut Ridge
Chestnut Ridge, New York
Chestnut Ridge is a village in the Town of Ramapo Rockland County, New York, United States located north of the state of New Jersey; east of Monsey; south of Spring Valley and west of Nanuet. The population was 7,829 at the 2000 census....
|Signed as Schoolhouse Road; southbound exit and northbound entrance
|-
|2.40
|
|
|Continuation into New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...