Storm King Highway
Encyclopedia
The Storm King Highway is a three-mile (4.8 km) segment of NY 218
between Lee Road in the Town of Highlands
at the south end and the Cornwall-on-Hudson village line in Orange County
, New York
, United States
. It was built in 1916 and added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1982 in recognition of its accomplishment in civil engineering
.
It is so named because it winds around the steep slopes of Storm King Mountain near its north end of the Hudson Highlands
on the west bank of the Hudson River
. Here it reaches heights of up to 420 feet (128 m) above the water, with panoramic views of the river and surrounding mountains such as Breakneck Ridge
and Bull Hill
.
Several small pullouts allow drivers to stop and enjoy the view. When originally built it took 22 miles(34 km) off the trip betweem Cornwall and Newburgh
to its north with Highland Falls
and West Point
to its south. It remains used by commuters today.
-paved road with double-yellow line
s forbidding passing
along its entire 21000 feet (6,400.8 m) length. Its grade never exceeds 7%, and it is bounded along the river side with a rubblestone wall. No buildings of any type are located along the road, nor is there any intersection save those for state park trailheads. There are chainlink gates at either end.
Maintenance responsibilities are divided. The southern section is kept up by the New York State Department of Transportation
as it is a state highway
, while the Palisades Interstate Park Commission
(PIPC) takes care of the northern section as it runs through Storm King State Park
.
Due to hazards of rockfall as well as avalanches and falling ice, the road is closed by the state Department of Transportation during periods of heavy rain or snow. In 1934, a landslide on Storm King Mountain crossed the highway and resulted in three fatalities and the destruction of three automobiles.
At least one motorist has died on the highway due to a snow avalanche. The incident occurred at roughly the hour in which DOT workers closed the road during a 1993 snowstorm. The victim's estate and a survivor was later awarded damages in a lawsuit against the state.
by local business and community groups. The idea he ultimately decided on, a road along the side of Storm King Mountain, was estimated to cost $400,000
($ in 2008 dollars), far more than his department had funds available for, so the legislature had to make a special appropriation
.
After three years, during which surveyors
sometimes had to rappel
down the mountain's cliffs to mark the route, construction began in 1916. The original idea to build a tunnel
was changed to a road cut into the side as lighting it would have been too expensive and it would have missed the most scenic aspects of the road. Accordingly, the specifications
for the project were changed. The planned road was widened from 16 to 18 ft (4.9 to 5.5 m), with a three-foot (1 m) concrete
gutter
.
The difficulties of building one of New York's first public roads designed for automotive use were compounded by having to make sure that debris
did not hamper the operations of the New York Central Railroad
's West Shore Line
, which ran along the river's edge below. Dislodged boulder
s sometimes blocked the tracks or landed on cars, damaging them and their contents. The first contractor
hired for the job soon went bankrupt; they were replaced by the John L. Hayes Company of Yonkers
. Hayes, too, found the going tough, especially when U.S. entry into World War I
dried up the labor supply. The PIPC soon stepped in and renegotiated the contract to account for the difficulties caused to Hayes by the unforeseen circumstance of war. It also blunted opposition to the road by developing the state park around it.
When it was opened in 1922 it shortened the distance required to travel by automobile from Newburgh
to West Point, which are 10 miles (16 km) apart as the crow flies
, by 22 miles (34 km). In 1940 this distance was further cut by the four-lane US 9W
, which travels west of Storm King. It remains a well-used commuter route for employees of the United States Military Academy
who live in Cornwall. They must use alternate routes when the gates are closed, as they were for over a year following 1999 forest fires on Storm King and its vicinity.
In summer of 2011 New York's Department of Transportation
(DOT) closed the highway to vehicular traffic for four hours on Sundays to allow pedestrians and bicyclists to enjoy it freely. Up to 600 people took advantage of the closures on some of those days. Citing that success, DOT announced in September that it was extending the closures through November.
New York State Route 218
New York State Route 218 is a state highway located within Orange County, New York, in the United States. It loops off U.S. Route 9W to run closer to the Hudson River between Highland Falls and Cornwall-on-Hudson. North of Highland Falls, it is briefly concurrent with...
between Lee Road in the Town of Highlands
Highlands, New York
Highlands is a town in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 12,484 at the 2000 census.The Town of Highlands is on the eastern border of the county....
at the south end and the Cornwall-on-Hudson village line in Orange County
Orange County, New York
Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area and is located at the northern reaches of the New York metropolitan area. The county sits in the state's scenic Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was built in 1916 and added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1982 in recognition of its accomplishment in civil engineering
Civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
.
It is so named because it winds around the steep slopes of Storm King Mountain near its north end of the Hudson Highlands
Hudson Highlands
The Hudson Highlands are mountains on both sides of the Hudson River in the U.S. state of New York, between Newburgh Bay and Haverstraw Bay, which form the northern region of the New York - New Jersey Highlands....
on the west bank of the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
. Here it reaches heights of up to 420 feet (128 m) above the water, with panoramic views of the river and surrounding mountains such as Breakneck Ridge
Breakneck Ridge
Breakneck Ridge is a mountain along the Hudson River between Beacon and Cold Spring, New York, straddling the boundary between Dutchess and Putnam counties...
and Bull Hill
Bull Hill
Bull Hill, also known as Mount Taurus, is a mountain north of the village of Cold Spring on the Hudson River in Putnam County in the State of New York. It is part of the river-straddling range known as the Hudson Highlands. The original name came after a bull that used to terrorize the mountain was...
.
Several small pullouts allow drivers to stop and enjoy the view. When originally built it took 22 miles(34 km) off the trip betweem Cornwall 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...
to its north with Highland Falls
Highland Falls, New York
Highland Falls, formerly named Buttermilk Falls, is a village in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 3,678 at the 2000 census. The village was founded in 1906...
and West Point
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
to its south. It remains used by commuters today.
Route description
Storm King Highway is a two-lane 22 feet (6.7 m) wide asphaltAsphalt
Asphalt or , also known as bitumen, is a sticky, black and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid that is present in most crude petroleums and in some natural deposits, it is a substance classed as a pitch...
-paved road with double-yellow line
Double-yellow line
A double-yellow line is a common road marking meaning different things in many parts of the world.- United Kingdom :Double yellow lines along the edge of the carriageway indicate that parking restrictions apply to the road...
s forbidding passing
Overtaking
Overtaking or passing is the act of one vehicle going past another slower moving vehicle, travelling in the same direction, on a road. The lane used for overtaking another vehicle is almost always a lane further from the road shoulder — that is, to the left in places that drive on the right,...
along its entire 21000 feet (6,400.8 m) length. Its grade never exceeds 7%, and it is bounded along the river side with a rubblestone wall. No buildings of any type are located along the road, nor is there any intersection save those for state park trailheads. There are chainlink gates at either end.
Maintenance responsibilities are divided. The southern section is kept up by 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...
as it is a state highway
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
, while the Palisades Interstate Park Commission
Palisades Interstate Park Commission
Palisades Interstate Park and its creator, the Palisades Interstate Park Commission, was formed in 1900 by governors Theodore Roosevelt of New York and Foster M. Voorhees of New Jersey in response to the destruction of the Palisades by quarry operators in the late 19th century...
(PIPC) takes care of the northern section as it runs through Storm King State Park
Storm King State Park
Storm King State Park is a state park in Orange County, New York in the USA. The park is in the southeast part of the Town of Cornwall, next to the Hudson River.The park is undeveloped, with limited parking, and offers hiking, and seasonal deer hunting....
.
Due to hazards of rockfall as well as avalanches and falling ice, the road is closed by the state Department of Transportation during periods of heavy rain or snow. In 1934, a landslide on Storm King Mountain crossed the highway and resulted in three fatalities and the destruction of three automobiles.
At least one motorist has died on the highway due to a snow avalanche. The incident occurred at roughly the hour in which DOT workers closed the road during a 1993 snowstorm. The victim's estate and a survivor was later awarded damages in a lawsuit against the state.
History
Since the early days of settlement, the Highlands had long been a major obstacle to travel between Cornwall and the communities to its south. In 1913 state highway commissioner Gordon Reel began to think seriously about building a new road to connect them after heavy lobbyingLobbying
Lobbying is the act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in the government, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying is done by various people or groups, from private-sector individuals or corporations, fellow legislators or government officials, or...
by local business and community groups. The idea he ultimately decided on, a road along the side of Storm King Mountain, was estimated to cost $400,000
($ in 2008 dollars), far more than his department had funds available for, so the legislature had to make a special appropriation
Appropriation (law)
In law and government, appropriation is the act of setting apart something for its application to a particular usage, to the exclusion of all other uses....
.
Surveying
See Also: Public Land Survey SystemSurveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them...
sometimes had to rappel
Abseiling
Abseiling , rappelling in American English, is the controlled descent down a rock face using a rope; climbers use this technique when a cliff or slope is too steep and/or dangerous to descend without protection.- Slang terms :...
down the mountain's cliffs to mark the route, construction began in 1916. The original idea to build a tunnel
Tunnel
A tunnel is an underground passageway, completely enclosed except for openings for egress, commonly at each end.A tunnel may be for foot or vehicular road traffic, for rail traffic, or for a canal. Some tunnels are aqueducts to supply water for consumption or for hydroelectric stations or are sewers...
was changed to a road cut into the side as lighting it would have been too expensive and it would have missed the most scenic aspects of the road. Accordingly, the specifications
Specification (technical standard)
A specification is an explicit set of requirements to be satisfied by a material, product, or service. Should a material, product or service fail to meet one or more of the applicable specifications, it may be referred to as being out of specification;the abbreviation OOS may also be used...
for the project were changed. The planned road was widened from 16 to 18 ft (4.9 to 5.5 m), with a three-foot (1 m) concrete
Concrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
gutter
Gutter
panels of a comic strip or comic book page*Gutter , the space between panes of postage stamps that creates configurations of "gutter pairs" or "gutter blocks"*Gutter, in interface design, the blank spaces that separate rows and columns in screen...
.
The difficulties of building one of New York's first public roads designed for automotive use were compounded by having to make sure that debris
Debris
Debris is rubble, wreckage, ruins, litter and discarded garbage/refuse/trash, scattered remains of something destroyed, or, in geology, large rock fragments left by a melting glacier etc. The singular form of debris is debris...
did not hamper the operations of the New York Central Railroad
New York Central Railroad
The New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States...
's West Shore Line
West Shore Railroad
The West Shore Railroad was the final name of a railroad from Weehawken, New Jersey, across the Hudson River from New York City, north along the west shore of the river to Albany, New York and then west to Buffalo...
, which ran along the river's edge below. Dislodged boulder
Boulder
In geology, a boulder is a rock with grain size of usually no less than 256 mm diameter. While a boulder may be small enough to move or roll manually, others are extremely massive....
s sometimes blocked the tracks or landed on cars, damaging them and their contents. The first contractor
General contractor
A general contractor is responsible for the day-to-day oversight of a construction site, management of vendors and trades, and communication of information to involved parties throughout the course of a building project.-Description:...
hired for the job soon went bankrupt; they were replaced by the John L. Hayes Company 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...
. Hayes, too, found the going tough, especially when U.S. entry into World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
dried up the labor supply. The PIPC soon stepped in and renegotiated the contract to account for the difficulties caused to Hayes by the unforeseen circumstance of war. It also blunted opposition to the road by developing the state park around it.
When it was opened in 1922 it shortened the distance required to travel by automobile from 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...
to West Point, which are 10 miles (16 km) apart as the crow flies
As the crow flies
"As the crow flies" or beelining is an idiom for the shortest route between two points; the geodesic distance.An example is the great-circle distance between Key West and Pensacola, at either end of the U.S...
, by 22 miles (34 km). In 1940 this distance was further cut by the four-lane US 9W
U.S. Route 9W
U.S. Route 9W is a north–south U.S. Highway in the states of New Jersey and New York. It begins on Fletcher Avenue in Fort Lee, New Jersey as it crosses the US 1 & 9, US 46, and the Interstate 95 approaches to the George Washington Bridge, where it heads north up the west...
, which travels west of Storm King. It remains a well-used commuter route for employees of the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
who live in Cornwall. They must use alternate routes when the gates are closed, as they were for over a year following 1999 forest fires on Storm King and its vicinity.
In summer of 2011 New York's 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...
(DOT) closed the highway to vehicular traffic for four hours on Sundays to allow pedestrians and bicyclists to enjoy it freely. Up to 600 people took advantage of the closures on some of those days. Citing that success, DOT announced in September that it was extending the closures through November.