U.S. Route 15 in New York
Encyclopedia
U.S. Route 15 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from Walterboro, South Carolina
, to Painted Post, New York
. In the U.S. state
of New York
, US 15 extends 12.59 miles (20.26 km) through the Southern Tier
from the Pennsylvania state line at Lindley
north to an interchange with the Southern Tier Expressway (Interstate 86
and NY 17
) just outside of Painted Post. US 15 originally continued north to Rochester
before being truncated to its present northern terminus. Future plans call for US 15 to be redesignated as Interstate 99.
. Less than a quarter of a mile from Pennsylvania in the town of Lindley
, US 15 crosses the Cowanesque River
just west of where the waterway merges with the Tioga River
. US 15 continues north as a two-lane roadway through the Tioga River valley, paralleling the waterway through the hamlet of Lindley to Presho, a small community near the Lindley-Erwin
town line. South of Presho, US 15 expands to four lanes and becomes a limited-access highway, with the pre-freeway routing of US 15 visible to the immediate east on the western bank of the Tioga. US 15 continues north, bypassing Presho to the west and meets Smith Road (County Route 5) west of the community by way of an interchange.
US 15, its pre-freeway alignment, and the Tioga River head north into the Erwin hamlet of Erwins, located at the convergence of the Canisteo
and Tioga Rivers. Here, US 15 connects to NY 417
, the former alignment of NY 17
, for the first time. East of the exit, NY 417 intersects the former alignment of US 15 and follows old US 15 northward to Gang Mills
in the shadow of the modern US 15 freeway. At the southern edge of the village, US 15 meets NY 417 again at exit 3, the first exit with a displayed number. Due to the construction at the northern terminus of US 15, NY 417 terminates at the interchange, with the roadway continuing onward in the vicinity of current US 15 as South Hamilton Street.
Near the northern edge of the village, US 15 connects to Robert Dann Drive at exit 4; however, due to construction on the new interchange with I-86, as well as a reconstruction of the approach to US 15 from Robert Dann Drive, the exit is currently closed to traffic. Immediately after the ramps from exit 4, US 15 encounters a recently reconfigured interchange with I-86 and NY 17. Instead of the previous diamond interchange
between the two, where US 15 intersected a series of ramps from the Southern Tier Expressway at-grade, the interchange now utilizes a series of flyovers, creating a freeway-to-freeway connection between US 15 and I-86/NY 17. US 15 terminates at the interchange.
The current interchange, located adjacent to where the Cohocton River
merges with the Tioga River to form the Chemung River
in Painted Post
, is the third design used at the site and the first not providing access to North Hamilton Street from US 15.
The first set of posted routes in New York
were assigned in 1924. One route assigned at this time was NY 4, a highway extending from the Pennsylvania state line in Lindley
to downtown Rochester
. NY 4 roughly followed the modern alignment of US 15 from Pennsylvania
to Presho, Indian Hill Road from Presho to Erwins, NY 417
from Erwins to Gang Mills
, and Hamilton Street from Gang Mills to Painted Post
. From Painted Post northward, NY 4 was routed along modern NY 415
to Wayland
, from where it continued to Rochester on what is now NY 15
. At the state line, NY 4 connected to Pennsylvania Route 4 (PA 4). In 1927, U.S. Route 4 was first signed in New York. As a result, NY 4 was renumbered to NY 2 to eliminate numerical duplication with the new U.S. Highway.
By 1929, U.S. Route 111 was assigned, following what had been PA 4 northward from Williamsport, Pennsylvania
, to the New York state line at Lawrenceville
, where it ended. At some point between 1935 and 1937, US 15 was extended northward from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
, to the New York state line by way of an overlap with US 111. The overlap between US 15 and US 111 was eliminated ca. 1938 when US 111 was truncated southward to Harrisburg. US 15 was extended northward to Rochester by the following year, replacing all of NY 2.
and US 15 in the vicinity of Corning (modern exit 45) and Painted Post (exit 43). The entirety of the highway, plus an extension northwest to Campbell
(exit 41), was completed between 1964 and 1968. US 15 and NY 17 were rerouted to follow the new highway, and their former routings between Campbell and Corning were redesignated as NY 415
. The portion of the US 15 / NY 17 freeway between Campbell and Avoca (exit 36) was completed by 1973. In 1974, US 15 was truncated to its current northern terminus in Painted Post and replaced with NY 15 from Painted Post to Rochester.
In the mid-1960s, work began on a limited-access highway paralleling US 15 from Presho to the Southern Tier Expressway at Painted Post. The highway was completed and opened to traffic ca. 1969 as a realignment of US 15. The interchange between US 15 and NY 17 (now concurrent with Interstate 86
) in Painted Post has been redesigned twice. The original configuration of the interchange featured a loop centered around the point where US 15 met NY 17, with ramps providing access to and from the loop from US 15, NY 17, and North Hamilton Street. The second design, in place until 2003, was a semi-diamond interchange
, with US 15 intersecting ramps from I-86 and NY 17 at-grade. One connection, I-86 / NY 17 east to North Hamilton Street, was lost in this version due to the ramp setup of the southern half of the interchange. North of the ramps leading to and from I-86 / NY 17 westbound, the right of way of US 15 continued north into Painted Post as North Hamilton Street. The current setup is a directional-T interchange, which creates a freeway-to-freeway connection between US 15 and I-86 / NY 17. Separate ramps for North Hamilton Street from I-86 / NY 17 were retained; however, for the first time, there was no direct connection between US 15 and North Hamilton Street. Work on the interchange began in late 2003 and was completed in mid-2008.
, and Corning to Interstate Highway standards
. In June 2007, work began on a new freeway alignment for US 15 between the Pennsylvania state line and Watson Creek Road in Lindley. The highway was opened to traffic on October 1, 2008. Ownership and maintenance of the former surface alignment of US 15 was transferred to Steuben County
, which designated the highway as County Route 115.
Ground was broken September 21, 2009, on the final section of the freeway between Watson Creek Road and Presho. The $45 million roadbed is expected to be completed by 2012; however, construction of the bridges along the highway—projected to cost another $32.5 million—is not expected to begin until 2012. As a result, the highway is tentatively scheduled to be completed in 2014 or 2015. The bridge portion of the project is receiving $9 million in annual Appalachian Development Highway System
(ADHS) funding from 2010 to 2012 and $5.7 million from the state of New York. Local officials have called on state and federal officials to expedite the construction process by paying for the project up front and using ADHS grants in the years to come to pay off the debt later on. The highway was nominated for a Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery
grant, but was rejected.
|rowspan=4|Lindley
|0.00
|
|
|New York – Pennsylvania border
|-
|
|
|Watson Creek Road
|Temporary northern end of freeway
|-
|colspan=4 align="center"|South end of freeway section
|-
|6.36
|1
|Presho (CR 5)
|
|-
|rowspan=4|Erwin
|8.16
|2
|
|
|-
|
|3
|
|
|-
|11.69
|4
|
|No northbound exit; eastern terminus of NY 417
|-
|12.68
|4A-B
|
|Exit 44 (I-86 / NY 17); northbound exit and southbound entrance
Walterboro, South Carolina
Walterboro is a city in Colleton County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 5,153 at the 2000 census . It is the county seat of Colleton County.-History:...
, to Painted Post, New York
Painted Post, New York
Painted Post is a village in Steuben County, New York, United States. The village is in the town of Erwin, west of the city of Corning. The population was 1,842 at the 2000 census. The name comes from a painted and carved post found by explorers at the junction of three local rivers...
. In the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, US 15 extends 12.59 miles (20.26 km) through the Southern Tier
Southern Tier
The Southern Tier is a geographical term that refers to the counties of New York State west of the Catskill Mountains along the northern border of Pennsylvania. It is a loosely defined term that generally includes the counties that border Pennsylvania west of Delaware County inclusive...
from the Pennsylvania state line at Lindley
Lindley, New York
Lindley is a town in southern Steuben County, New York, United States. The population was 1,913 at the 2000 census. The town was named after the early settler Eleazer Lindsley.The town is situated south of the city of Corning.-Geography:...
north to an interchange with the Southern Tier Expressway (Interstate 86
Interstate 86 (east)
Interstate 86 is an Interstate Highway that extends for through northwestern Pennsylvania and southern New York in the United States...
and 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...
) just outside of Painted Post. US 15 originally continued north 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...
before being truncated to its present northern terminus. Future plans call for US 15 to be redesignated as Interstate 99.
Route description
US 15 enters New York adjacent to the state line borough of Lawrenceville, PennsylvaniaLawrenceville, Pennsylvania
Lawrenceville is a borough in Tioga County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The population was 627 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Lawrenceville is located at . It is at the intersection of Pennsylvania Route 287 and Pennsylvania Route 49. The only traffic light in town can be found at this...
. Less than a quarter of a mile from Pennsylvania in the town of Lindley
Lindley, New York
Lindley is a town in southern Steuben County, New York, United States. The population was 1,913 at the 2000 census. The town was named after the early settler Eleazer Lindsley.The town is situated south of the city of Corning.-Geography:...
, US 15 crosses the Cowanesque River
Cowanesque River
The Cowanesque River is a tributary of the Tioga River in Potter and Tioga counties, Pennsylvania, and Steuben County, New York, in the United States....
just west of where the waterway merges with the Tioga River
Tioga River (Chemung River)
The Tioga River is a tributary of the Chemung River, approximately long, in northern Pennsylvania and western New York in the United States...
. US 15 continues north as a two-lane roadway through the Tioga River valley, paralleling the waterway through the hamlet of Lindley to Presho, a small community near the Lindley-Erwin
Erwin, New York
Erwin is a town in Steuben County, New York, United States. The population was 7,227 at the 2000 census. The name is that of an early settler, who became the first Town Supervisor....
town line. South of Presho, US 15 expands to four lanes and becomes a limited-access highway, with the pre-freeway routing of US 15 visible to the immediate east on the western bank of the Tioga. US 15 continues north, bypassing Presho to the west and meets Smith Road (County Route 5) west of the community by way of an interchange.
US 15, its pre-freeway alignment, and the Tioga River head north into the Erwin hamlet of Erwins, located at the convergence of the Canisteo
Canisteo River
The Canisteo River is a tributary of the Tioga River in western New York in the United States. It drains a dissected plateau, a portion of the northern Allegheny Plateau southwest of the Finger Lakes region, in the far northwestern reaches of the watershed of the Susquehanna River.It rises in the...
and Tioga Rivers. Here, US 15 connects to NY 417
New York State Route 417
New York State Route 417 is an east–west state highway located in the Southern Tier of New York in the United States. It begins at exit 20 of the Southern Tier Expressway in the city of Salamanca and ends at a junction with NY 415 in Painted Post, west of the city of Corning...
, the former alignment of 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...
, for the first time. East of the exit, NY 417 intersects the former alignment of US 15 and follows old US 15 northward to Gang Mills
Gang Mills, New York
Gang Mills is a hamlet in Steuben County, New York, United States. The population was 3,304 at the 2000 census.Gang Mills is in located in the town of Erwin, southwest of Corning.-Geography:...
in the shadow of the modern US 15 freeway. At the southern edge of the village, US 15 meets NY 417 again at exit 3, the first exit with a displayed number. Due to the construction at the northern terminus of US 15, NY 417 terminates at the interchange, with the roadway continuing onward in the vicinity of current US 15 as South Hamilton Street.
Near the northern edge of the village, US 15 connects to Robert Dann Drive at exit 4; however, due to construction on the new interchange with I-86, as well as a reconstruction of the approach to US 15 from Robert Dann Drive, the exit is currently closed to traffic. Immediately after the ramps from exit 4, US 15 encounters a recently reconfigured interchange with I-86 and NY 17. Instead of the previous 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...
between the two, where US 15 intersected a series of ramps from the Southern Tier Expressway at-grade, the interchange now utilizes a series of flyovers, creating a freeway-to-freeway connection between US 15 and I-86/NY 17. US 15 terminates at the interchange.
The current interchange, located adjacent to where the Cohocton River
Cohocton River
The Cohocton River is a tributary of the Chemung River in western New York in the United States. Via the Chemung River, it is part of the Susquehanna River watershed, flowing to Chesapeake Bay...
merges with the Tioga River to form the Chemung River
Chemung River
The Chemung River is a tributary of the Susquehanna River, approximately long, in south central New York and northern Pennsylvania in the United States. It drains a mountainous region of the northern Allegheny Plateau in the Southern Tier of New York...
in Painted Post
Painted Post, New York
Painted Post is a village in Steuben County, New York, United States. The village is in the town of Erwin, west of the city of Corning. The population was 1,842 at the 2000 census. The name comes from a painted and carved post found by explorers at the junction of three local rivers...
, is the third design used at the site and the first not providing access to North Hamilton Street from US 15.
Origins and designation
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...
were assigned in 1924. One route assigned at this time was NY 4, a highway extending from the Pennsylvania state line in Lindley
Lindley, New York
Lindley is a town in southern Steuben County, New York, United States. The population was 1,913 at the 2000 census. The town was named after the early settler Eleazer Lindsley.The town is situated south of the city of Corning.-Geography:...
to downtown 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...
. NY 4 roughly followed the modern alignment of US 15 from 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...
to Presho, Indian Hill Road from Presho to Erwins, NY 417
New York State Route 417
New York State Route 417 is an east–west state highway located in the Southern Tier of New York in the United States. It begins at exit 20 of the Southern Tier Expressway in the city of Salamanca and ends at a junction with NY 415 in Painted Post, west of the city of Corning...
from Erwins to Gang Mills
Gang Mills, New York
Gang Mills is a hamlet in Steuben County, New York, United States. The population was 3,304 at the 2000 census.Gang Mills is in located in the town of Erwin, southwest of Corning.-Geography:...
, and Hamilton Street from Gang Mills to Painted Post
Painted Post, New York
Painted Post is a village in Steuben County, New York, United States. The village is in the town of Erwin, west of the city of Corning. The population was 1,842 at the 2000 census. The name comes from a painted and carved post found by explorers at the junction of three local rivers...
. From Painted Post northward, NY 4 was routed along modern NY 415
New York State Route 415
New York State Route 415 is a state highway located in Steuben County, New York, United States. It is a north–south trunk road that parallels in part, the Cohocton River, Interstate 86 and Interstate 390. The southern terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 414 in...
to Wayland
Wayland (village), New York
Wayland is a village in Steuben County, New York, United States. The population was 1,893 at the 2000 census.The Village of Wayland is in north part of the Town of Wayland, near the north border of Steuben County.- History :...
, from where it continued to Rochester on what is now NY 15
New York State Route 15
New York State Route 15 is a north–south state highway located in western New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is officially at Interstate 390 exit 3 south of the village of Wayland, although some signage indicating that NY 15 continues south to...
. At the state line, NY 4 connected to Pennsylvania Route 4 (PA 4). In 1927, U.S. Route 4 was first signed in New York. As a result, NY 4 was renumbered to NY 2 to eliminate numerical duplication with the new U.S. Highway.
By 1929, U.S. Route 111 was assigned, following what had been PA 4 northward from Williamsport, Pennsylvania
Williamsport, Pennsylvania
Williamsport is a city in and the county seat of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania in the United States. In 2009, the population was estimated at 29,304...
, to the New York state line at Lawrenceville
Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania
Lawrenceville is a borough in Tioga County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The population was 627 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Lawrenceville is located at . It is at the intersection of Pennsylvania Route 287 and Pennsylvania Route 49. The only traffic light in town can be found at this...
, where it ended. At some point between 1935 and 1937, US 15 was extended northward from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
, to the New York state line by way of an overlap with US 111. The overlap between US 15 and US 111 was eliminated ca. 1938 when US 111 was truncated southward to Harrisburg. US 15 was extended northward to Rochester by the following year, replacing all of NY 2.
Realignments and truncation
Construction began ca. 1962 on a bypass of NY 17New 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...
and US 15 in the vicinity of Corning (modern exit 45) and Painted Post (exit 43). The entirety of the highway, plus an extension northwest to Campbell
Campbell, New York
Campbell is a town in Steuben County, New York, United States. The population was 3,691 at the 2000 census. The name is from Robert Campbell, an early landowner.The Town of Campbell is centrally located in the county and is northwest of Corning....
(exit 41), was completed between 1964 and 1968. US 15 and NY 17 were rerouted to follow the new highway, and their former routings between Campbell and Corning were redesignated as NY 415
New York State Route 415
New York State Route 415 is a state highway located in Steuben County, New York, United States. It is a north–south trunk road that parallels in part, the Cohocton River, Interstate 86 and Interstate 390. The southern terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 414 in...
. The portion of the US 15 / NY 17 freeway between Campbell and Avoca (exit 36) was completed by 1973. In 1974, US 15 was truncated to its current northern terminus in Painted Post and replaced with NY 15 from Painted Post to Rochester.
In the mid-1960s, work began on a limited-access highway paralleling US 15 from Presho to the Southern Tier Expressway at Painted Post. The highway was completed and opened to traffic ca. 1969 as a realignment of US 15. The interchange between US 15 and NY 17 (now concurrent with Interstate 86
Interstate 86 (east)
Interstate 86 is an Interstate Highway that extends for through northwestern Pennsylvania and southern New York in the United States...
) in Painted Post has been redesigned twice. The original configuration of the interchange featured a loop centered around the point where US 15 met NY 17, with ramps providing access to and from the loop from US 15, NY 17, and North Hamilton Street. The second design, in place until 2003, was a semi-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...
, with US 15 intersecting ramps from I-86 and NY 17 at-grade. One connection, I-86 / NY 17 east to North Hamilton Street, was lost in this version due to the ramp setup of the southern half of the interchange. North of the ramps leading to and from I-86 / NY 17 westbound, the right of way of US 15 continued north into Painted Post as North Hamilton Street. The current setup is a directional-T interchange, which creates a freeway-to-freeway connection between US 15 and I-86 / NY 17. Separate ramps for North Hamilton Street from I-86 / NY 17 were retained; however, for the first time, there was no direct connection between US 15 and North Hamilton Street. Work on the interchange began in late 2003 and was completed in mid-2008.
Conversion to freeway
In the National Highway System Designation Act of 1995, the portion of US 15 in New York was defined as part of Interstate 99. I-99 currently ends near Interstate 80; however, construction is either underway or has been completed on projects to upgrade US 220 and US 15 between Bellefonte, PennsylvaniaBellefonte, Pennsylvania
Bellefonte is a borough in Centre County, Pennsylvania, United States. It lies about twelve miles northeast of State College and is part of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, and Corning to Interstate Highway standards
Interstate Highway standards
Standards for Interstate Highways in the United States are defined by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials in the publication A Policy on Design Standards - Interstate System...
. In June 2007, work began on a new freeway alignment for US 15 between the Pennsylvania state line and Watson Creek Road in Lindley. The highway was opened to traffic on October 1, 2008. Ownership and maintenance of the former surface alignment of US 15 was transferred to Steuben County
Steuben County, New York
Steuben County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 98,990. Its name is in honor of Baron von Steuben, a German general who fought on the American side in the American Revolutionary War, though it is not pronounced the same...
, which designated the highway as County Route 115.
Ground was broken September 21, 2009, on the final section of the freeway between Watson Creek Road and Presho. The $45 million roadbed is expected to be completed by 2012; however, construction of the bridges along the highway—projected to cost another $32.5 million—is not expected to begin until 2012. As a result, the highway is tentatively scheduled to be completed in 2014 or 2015. The bridge portion of the project is receiving $9 million in annual Appalachian Development Highway System
Appalachian Development Highway System
The Appalachian Development Highway System is part of the Appalachian Regional Commission in the United States. See: .-History:...
(ADHS) funding from 2010 to 2012 and $5.7 million from the state of New York. Local officials have called on state and federal officials to expedite the construction process by paying for the project up front and using ADHS grants in the years to come to pay off the debt later on. The highway was nominated for a Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery
Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery
Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery is a supplementary discretionary grant program included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009...
grant, but was rejected.
Exit list
|-|rowspan=4|Lindley
Lindley, New York
Lindley is a town in southern Steuben County, New York, United States. The population was 1,913 at the 2000 census. The town was named after the early settler Eleazer Lindsley.The town is situated south of the city of Corning.-Geography:...
|0.00
|
|
|New York – Pennsylvania border
|-
|
|
|Watson Creek Road
|Temporary northern end of freeway
|-
|colspan=4 align="center"|South end of freeway section
|-
|6.36
|1
|Presho (CR 5)
|
|-
|rowspan=4|Erwin
Erwin, New York
Erwin is a town in Steuben County, New York, United States. The population was 7,227 at the 2000 census. The name is that of an early settler, who became the first Town Supervisor....
|8.16
|2
|
|
|-
|
|3
|
|
|-
|11.69
|4
|
|No northbound exit; eastern terminus of NY 417
|-
|12.68
|4A-B
|
|Exit 44 (I-86 / NY 17); northbound exit and southbound entrance