U.S. Route 219 in New York
Encyclopedia
U.S. Route 219 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from Rich Creek, Virginia
, to West Seneca, New York
. In the U.S. state of New York
, US 219 extends 67.54 miles (108.69 km) from the Pennsylvania state line at Carrollton
to an interchange with the New York State Thruway
(Interstate 90
or I-90) at exit 55 in West Seneca
, southeast of downtown Buffalo
. In Cattaraugus County
, the area surrounding US 219 is predominantly rural. However, in northern Cattaraugus County, US 219 becomes an expressway leading through Erie County
and into the heart of Buffalo. The route serves the villages of Ellicottville
and Springville
, where it meets New York State Route 242 (NY 242) and NY 39
, respectively, and indirectly serves Hamburg
via NY 391
.
The path of US 219 in New York mostly follows that of New York State Route 62, a route assigned in the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York that extended from Great Valley
north to Buffalo via Ellicottville, the hamlet of Ashford
, Springville, and Hamburg. From Ellicottville to Springville, NY 62 utilized modern NY 242 and NY 240
. It was renumbered to NY 75
ca. 1932, and became part of US 219 from Hamburg south when the U.S. Highway was extended into New York ca. 1935. The section north of Ellicottville has been realigned in the years since to follow a two-lane road from Ellicottville to Springville and the Southern Expressway from Springville to West Seneca. Long-term plans for the expressway call for it to extend from West Seneca south to Salamanca
.
. The road begins by heading northward towards the Southern Tier Expressway, paralleling Tunungwant Creek. Just after the Pennsylvania border, East Main Street becomes Hillside Drive and soon after Old U.S. Route 219 as it parallels US 219 for a short time. The road quickly merges into the current alignment as the U.S. route enters the village of Limestone
. A second incarnation of Old Route 219 parallels the U.S. route throughout Limestone. The road merges in just north of the village and US 219 continues northward. South Nine Mile Road (County Route 30 or CR 30) leaves to the right just before the road merges into the Southern Tier Expressway (I-86
and NY 17
). Also present at this intersection is US 219 Business. The three roads overlap for six miles (10 km) until exit 21, where US 219 leaves the Southern Tier Expressway in Salamanca
.
US 219 crosses through the city of Salamanca and heads north towards Ellicottville
. While in Salamanca, NY 417
and US 219 become concurrent for about one mile (1.6 km). At the end of the concurrency comes the end of the business route. CR 49 terminates just north of Salamanca as US 219 enters Peth. In Peth, CR 67 leaves to the right. In Great Valley
, NY 98
leaves to the north. US 219 enters Ellicottville and intersects with NY 242
. The two roads become concurrent for a short distance when US 219 turns to the north. Several Cattaraugus County roads intersect in the distance from Ellicottville to the Erie County
border. The first is CR 75, the second is a concurrency between CR 53 and CR 85, and the third is CR 12, which has a brief concurrency with US 219 before leaving to the east. After an intersection with CR 77, US 219 has a brief concurrency with CR 85 before it becomes a limited-access highway and crosses Cattaraugus Creek
as it enters Erie County.
at an interchange west of the village of Springville
. The highway continues to the northwest, connecting to CR 49 (Genesee Road) 3 miles (5 km) later and CR 233 (Rice Road) after another 6 miles (10 km). Five miles later, US 219 encounters NY 391
in Creekside
.
The route continues, connecting to CR 44 (New Armor Duells Road), a highway leading to NY 240
in the village of Orchard Park
. Not far to the north is the next interchange with US 20A
, which provides access to nearby Ralph Wilson Stadium
. North of the village but still in the town of Orchard Park
, US 219 crosses over US 20
prior to meeting NY 179
at an interchange just north of the US 20 overpass. The highway continues, curving to the northwest as it enters West Seneca
and approaches the New York State Thruway
(I-90). Instead of immediately merging with the Thruway, US 219 runs parallel to the Thruway for roughly 1 miles (1.6 km), with the northbound lanes running alongside the east side of the Thruway and the southbound lanes running alongside the west side. The two highways share an interchange with Ridge Road before US 219 finally merges into the Thruway.
were assigned in 1924, NY 18
was assigned to an alignment extending from the Pennsylvania state line north of Bradford
to downtown Buffalo
. NY 18 went north from the state line to Bradford Junction, where it intersected NY 17
(now NY 417
), another route assigned in 1924. The two routes converged here and overlapped each other northwest to Salamanca
, where NY 17 continued westward toward Jamestown
while NY 18 proceeded northwestward toward Little Valley
. NY 18 originally connected to PA 6 at the state line; however, by 1929, it connected to US 219 instead. In the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York, the highway connecting NY 17 and NY 18 in Salamanca to Great Valley
was designated as part of NY 98
. Assigned at the same time was NY 62, a route extending from Great Valley to NY 18 in downtown Buffalo
by way of Ellicottville
, Ashford
, Springville
, and Hamburg
.
US 62
was extended into New York ca. 1932; as a result, the portion of NY 62 south of Athol Springs
was renumbered to NY 75
to eliminate numerical duplication with the new U.S. Highway. The remainder of old NY 62 became part of an extended NY 5
. US 219 was extended into New York ca. 1935, overlapping NY 18, NY 98, and NY 75 northward to a junction with US 62 in Hamburg. The overlap with NY 75 was eliminated by 1940 when NY 75 was truncated northward to US 62 in Hamburg. The other two overlaps ceased to exist ca. 1962 when NY 18 and NY 98 were truncated to Lewiston and Great Valley, respectively.
between Ellicottville and Ashford and utilized what is now NY 240
between Ashford and Cattaraugus Street southeast of Springville. Within Springville, US 219 was routed along Cattaraugus Street and Buffalo Street and intersected NY 39
in the village center. Outside of the village, US 219 went north on Springville–Boston Road and Boston State Road to North Boston, from where US 219 continued to Hamburg by way of modern NY 391
.
In the early 1950s, construction began on a western bypass of Springville that connected US 219 just north of the village to East Otto Road 6 miles (10 km) south of Springville. The portion of the highway north of Waverly Street was completed by 1954. The remainder of the bypass was finished by 1956, at which time US 219 was realigned to follow the bypass around the village. At the south end of the bypass, US 219 continued south to Ellicottville by way of pre-existing, previously unnumbered highways. However, the segment of modern NY 240 vacated by US 219 did not become part of an extended NY 240 until the mid-1960s. In the 1990s, US 219 was rerouted to follow the Southern Tier Expressway between exit 21 in Salamanca and exit 23 just south of Bradford Junction. The old alignment of US 219 through Carrollton
and Salamanca became US 219 Business.
east of Lackawanna
and US 20A
west of Orchard Park
—opened to traffic by 1973 as a realignment of US 219. In between the end of the expressway and North Boston
, US 219 temporarily overlapped US 20A and NY 277
. The freeway was extended south to North Boston in the mid-1970s and to Springville in the early 1980s. Both segments became part of US 219 upon opening. The former surface routing of US 219 between North Boston and Hamburg was redesignated as NY 391 following the completion of the expressway's first segment in the early 1970s while the remainder of US 219's former routing south to Springville was transferred to Erie County
upon the completion of the entire Springville–Buffalo segment of the Southern Expressway.
Plans to extend the Southern Expressway southward from NY 39
in Springville
to Peters Road in Ashford
, a distance of 4.2 miles (6.8 km), had been in development for years before they were finally put into action in the mid-2000s. Project specifications called for the installation of a four-lane right-of-way (two lanes in each direction) and the construction of 11 bridges, including twin bridges over Cattaraugus Creek
. The number was later revised to nine. Areas near parts of the new freeway were to become a 41 acres (17 ha) wetland habitat. A portion of NY 39 near the current southern terminus was also reconstructed in 2007 and 2008 to accommodate for the completed interchange with US 219.
The rights to the project were awarded to Cold Spring Construction on January 26, 2007, with work commencing on June 1. Altogether, the project was initially expected to cost $86 million and be completed in late 2009. The lengthy construction time was largely due to the need to construct two bridges over the Zoar Valley gorge. As of March 2009, the projected cost of the extension had risen to $116 million. Since 2007, the project had encountered several delays due to landslides in the vicinity of Scoby Hill Road and the need to conduct a second environmental impact study on the road's impact on wetlands in the area. As a result, the $86 million in state funding that was devoted to the project was reallocated to other projects in New York, a move confirmed by the New York State Department of Transportation
(NYSDOT) in March 2009. At the same time, however, NYSDOT left open the possibility of eventually restoring the funding. It was restored sometime afterward, and the highway was completed on November 19, 2010, with a total price tag of $125 million.
Ownership and maintenance of the former surface alignment of US 219 north of Peters Road—including the two-lane, high-level bridge that currently carries it across the valley surrounding Cattaraugus Creek—is slated to be transferred from the state of New York to Erie and Cattaraugus Counties. The two sections of road leading to and from the bridge were transferred immediately while the bridge itself will not be turned over until a state-funded rehabilitation project is completed in or around 2013. The latter half of the plan has drawn criticism from Erie County officials who believe that the state should continue to maintain the bridge due to its size, importance and the resulting cost of upkeep.
and NY 17
) in Salamanca
. Planning wise, this section comprises four segments of the Southern Expressway, with the first five, completed segments reaching from south of Springville
to West Seneca
. Construction of the remainder of the freeway has been delayed by two major factors: the inability to obtain rights from the Seneca nation
that would allow the highway to go through the Allegany Reservation
, and the lack of funding due to the state's financial woes. Work on the proposed highway's environmental impact study was suspended indefinitely in June 2009 as a result of the latter. NYSDOT intends to resume work on the study when the state's financial situation improves and funding can be restored to the project.
of US 219 that extends for 7.01 miles (11.28 km) in the vicinity of Salamanca
. The southern terminus of the route is at exit 23 of the Southern Tier Expressway (I-86
and NY 17
) in Carrollton
, where US 219 departs the expressway and follows the right-of-way of US 219 Business south to Pennsylvania
. The northern terminus of US 219 Business is at an intersection with US 219 and NY 417
in downtown Salamanca.
From its northern terminus in Salamanca to the hamlet of Bradford Junction, US 219 Business is concurrent to NY 417. The 0.62 mile (0.9977908 km) segment between the I-86 / NY 17 interchange and NY 417 is designated NY 954T, an unsigned reference route. Until the 1990s, US 219 Business was the routing of US 219 through the Salamanca area.
|-
|Concord
|45.96
|Genesee Road – Concord
|
|-
|Boston
|52.21
|Rice Road – Colden
|
|-
|Hamburg
|56.97
|
|
|-
|rowspan=3|Orchard Park
|61.06
|New Armor Duells Road – Chestnut Ridge Park
|
|-
|62.09
|
|
|-
|63.90
|
|Signed as east and west
|-
|rowspan=2|West Seneca
|66.98
|Ridge Road – Lackawanna
, West Seneca
|Signed as West Seneca and Lackawanna
|-
|67.54
|
|Exit 55 (I-90 / Thruway)
Rich Creek, Virginia
Rich Creek is a town in Giles County, Virginia, United States. The population was 665 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Blacksburg–Christiansburg–Radford Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, to West Seneca, New York
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...
. In the U.S. state of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, US 219 extends 67.54 miles (108.69 km) from the Pennsylvania state line at Carrollton
Carrollton, New York
Carrollton is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 1,410 at the 2000 census. The name comes from an early settler.The Town of Carrollton is on the south border of Cattaraugus County...
to an interchange with the New York State Thruway
New York State Thruway
The New York State Thruway is a system of limited-access highways located within the state of New York in the United States. The system, known officially as the Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway for former New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey, is operated by the New York State Thruway Authority and...
(Interstate 90
Interstate 90 in New York
Interstate 90 is a part of the Interstate Highway System that runs from Seattle, Washington, to Boston, Massachusetts. In the U.S. state of New York, I-90 extends from the Pennsylvania state line at Ripley to the Massachusetts state line at Canaan...
or I-90) at exit 55 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...
, southeast of downtown 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...
. In Cattaraugus County
Cattaraugus County, New York
Cattaraugus County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 80,317. The county seat is Little Valley.-History:...
, the area surrounding US 219 is predominantly rural. However, in northern Cattaraugus County, US 219 becomes an expressway leading through 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 into the heart of Buffalo. The route serves the villages of Ellicottville
Ellicottville (village), New York
Ellicottville is a village in Cattaraugus County, New York, USA. The population was 472 at the 2000 census. The village is named after Joseph Ellicott, principal land agent of the Holland Land Company...
and Springville
Springville, New York
Springville is a village in the southeast part of the town of Concord in Erie County, New York, United States. Springville is the principal community in the town and a major business location in south Erie County. The population was 4,252 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Buffalo–Niagara...
, where it meets New York State Route 242 (NY 242) and NY 39
New York State Route 39
New York State Route 39 is an east–west state highway in the western portion of New York in the United States. It begins and ends at intersections with U.S. Route 20 apart...
, respectively, and indirectly serves Hamburg
Hamburg (village), New York
Hamburg is a village in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 10,116 at the 2000 census. The village is reportedly named after Hamburg, a city in Germany...
via NY 391
New York State Route 391
New York State Route 391 is a short state highway in Erie County, New York, United States. The route is signed as north–south; however, it follows more of a southeast–northwest alignment between NY 277 in the hamlet of North Boston and U.S. Route 62 in the village of Hamburg...
.
The path of US 219 in New York mostly follows that of New York State Route 62, a route assigned in the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York that extended from Great Valley
Great Valley, New York
Great Valley is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 2,145 at the 2000 census. The town is named after its local geographical setting, a relative comparison of two tributaries of the Allegheny River.The Town of Great Valley is centrally located in the...
north to Buffalo via Ellicottville, the hamlet of Ashford
Ashford, New York
Ashford is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 2,223 at the 2000 census.The Town of Ashford is on the county's northern border.- History :...
, Springville, and Hamburg. From Ellicottville to Springville, NY 62 utilized modern NY 242 and NY 240
New York State Route 240
New York State Route 240 is a state highway in western New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 242 in the Ellicottville community of Ashford in northern Cattaraugus County. Its northern terminus is at a junction with NY 324...
. It was renumbered to NY 75
New York State Route 75
New York State Route 75 is a north–south state highway in Erie County, New York, in the United States. It extends for from an intersection with NY 39 in the Collins hamlet of Collins Center to an interchange with NY 5 in the town of Hamburg...
ca. 1932, and became part of US 219 from Hamburg south when the U.S. Highway was extended into New York ca. 1935. The section north of Ellicottville has been realigned in the years since to follow a two-lane road from Ellicottville to Springville and the Southern Expressway from Springville to West Seneca. Long-term plans for the expressway call for it to extend from West Seneca south to Salamanca
Salamanca (town), New York
Salamanca is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 544 at the 2000 census. The name is from a major investor in a local railroad....
.
Cattaraugus County
US 219 crosses the New York – Pennsylvania border at CarrolltonCarrollton, New York
Carrollton is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 1,410 at the 2000 census. The name comes from an early settler.The Town of Carrollton is on the south border of Cattaraugus County...
. The road begins by heading northward towards the Southern Tier Expressway, paralleling Tunungwant Creek. Just after the Pennsylvania border, East Main Street becomes Hillside Drive and soon after Old U.S. Route 219 as it parallels US 219 for a short time. The road quickly merges into the current alignment as the U.S. route enters the village of Limestone
Limestone, New York
Limestone is a hamlet in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 411 at the 2000 census....
. A second incarnation of Old Route 219 parallels the U.S. route throughout Limestone. The road merges in just north of the village and US 219 continues northward. South Nine Mile Road (County Route 30 or CR 30) leaves to the right just before the road merges into the Southern Tier Expressway (I-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...
). Also present at this intersection is US 219 Business. The three roads overlap for six miles (10 km) until exit 21, where US 219 leaves the Southern Tier Expressway in Salamanca
Salamanca (city), New York
Salamanca is a city in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States, located inside the Allegany Indian Reservation. The population was 6,097 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
.
US 219 crosses through the city of Salamanca and heads north towards Ellicottville
Ellicottville (village), New York
Ellicottville is a village in Cattaraugus County, New York, USA. The population was 472 at the 2000 census. The village is named after Joseph Ellicott, principal land agent of the Holland Land Company...
. While in Salamanca, 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...
and US 219 become concurrent for about one mile (1.6 km). At the end of the concurrency comes the end of the business route. CR 49 terminates just north of Salamanca as US 219 enters Peth. In Peth, CR 67 leaves to the right. In Great Valley
Great Valley, New York
Great Valley is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 2,145 at the 2000 census. The town is named after its local geographical setting, a relative comparison of two tributaries of the Allegheny River.The Town of Great Valley is centrally located in the...
, 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...
leaves to the north. US 219 enters Ellicottville and intersects with NY 242
New York State Route 242
New York State Route 242 is a state highway that runs across Cattaraugus County, New York, in the United States. Although signed as an east–west route, it takes a more northeast–southwest course across the county from NY 394 near the village of Randolph to NY 16 in Machias...
. The two roads become concurrent for a short distance when US 219 turns to the north. Several Cattaraugus County roads intersect in the distance from Ellicottville to the 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...
border. The first is CR 75, the second is a concurrency between CR 53 and CR 85, and the third is CR 12, which has a brief concurrency with US 219 before leaving to the east. After an intersection with CR 77, US 219 has a brief concurrency with CR 85 before it becomes a limited-access highway and crosses 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...
as it enters Erie County.
Erie County
US 219 is a freeway for its entire length in Erie County. About 2 miles (3 km) from the county line, US 219 connects to NY 39New York State Route 39
New York State Route 39 is an east–west state highway in the western portion of New York in the United States. It begins and ends at intersections with U.S. Route 20 apart...
at an interchange west of the village of Springville
Springville, New York
Springville is a village in the southeast part of the town of Concord in Erie County, New York, United States. Springville is the principal community in the town and a major business location in south Erie County. The population was 4,252 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Buffalo–Niagara...
. The highway continues to the northwest, connecting to CR 49 (Genesee Road) 3 miles (5 km) later and CR 233 (Rice Road) after another 6 miles (10 km). Five miles later, US 219 encounters NY 391
New York State Route 391
New York State Route 391 is a short state highway in Erie County, New York, United States. The route is signed as north–south; however, it follows more of a southeast–northwest alignment between NY 277 in the hamlet of North Boston and U.S. Route 62 in the village of Hamburg...
in Creekside
Creekside, New York
Creekside, New York is an unincorporated hamlet in the town of Boston in Erie County, New York, USA.-References:...
.
The route continues, connecting to CR 44 (New Armor Duells Road), a highway leading to NY 240
New York State Route 240
New York State Route 240 is a state highway in western New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 242 in the Ellicottville community of Ashford in northern Cattaraugus County. Its northern terminus is at a junction with NY 324...
in the village of Orchard Park
Orchard Park (village), New York
Orchard Park is a village in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 3,294 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from a description of the local landscape, which abounded with orchards...
. Not far to the north is the next interchange with US 20A
U.S. Route 20A (New York)
U.S. Route 20A is an east–west alternate route of US 20 that extends for across the western portion of New York in the United States. It leaves US 20 in Hamburg, a suburb of Buffalo, and rejoins it in East Bloomfield about five miles west of Canandaigua, the county seat of...
, which provides access to nearby Ralph Wilson Stadium
Ralph Wilson Stadium
Ralph Wilson Stadium is a football stadium, located in the town of Orchard Park, a suburb of Buffalo, New York. It is the home for the Buffalo Bills, of the NFL...
. North of the village but still in the town of Orchard Park
Orchard Park (town), New York
Orchard Park is a town in Erie County, New York, a suburb southeast of Buffalo, New York. According to the 2010 census, the population is 29,054. This represents an increase of 5.13% from the 2000 census figure. The town contains a village also named Orchard Park. Orchard Park is one of the...
, US 219 crosses over 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...
prior to meeting 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...
at an interchange just north of the US 20 overpass. The highway continues, curving to the northwest as it enters 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...
and approaches the New York State Thruway
New York State Thruway
The New York State Thruway is a system of limited-access highways located within the state of New York in the United States. The system, known officially as the Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway for former New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey, is operated by the New York State Thruway Authority and...
(I-90). Instead of immediately merging with the Thruway, US 219 runs parallel to the Thruway for roughly 1 miles (1.6 km), with the northbound lanes running alongside the east side of the Thruway and the southbound lanes running alongside the west side. The two highways share an interchange with Ridge Road before US 219 finally merges into the Thruway.
Origins and designation
When the first set of posted routes in 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...
were assigned in 1924, NY 18
New York State Route 18
New York State Route 18 is an east–west state highway in western New York in the United States. It runs parallel to the south shore of Lake Ontario for most of its length between Niagara County and Monroe County...
was assigned to an alignment extending from the Pennsylvania state line north of Bradford
Bradford, Pennsylvania
Bradford is a small city located in rural McKean County, Pennsylvania, in the United States 78 miles south of Buffalo, New York. Settled in 1823, Bradford was chartered as a city in 1879 and emerged as a wild oil boomtown in the Pennsylvanian oil rush in the late 19th century...
to downtown 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...
. NY 18 went north from the state line to Bradford Junction, where it intersected 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...
(now 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...
), another route assigned in 1924. The two routes converged here and overlapped each other northwest to Salamanca
Salamanca (city), New York
Salamanca is a city in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States, located inside the Allegany Indian Reservation. The population was 6,097 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
, where NY 17 continued westward toward Jamestown
Jamestown, New York
Jamestown is a city in Chautauqua County, New York in the United States. The population was 31,146 at the 2010 census.The City of Jamestown is adjacent to Town of Ellicott and is at the southern tip of Chautauqua Lake...
while NY 18 proceeded northwestward toward Little Valley
Little Valley (village), New York
Little Valley is a village in Cattaraugus County, New York, USA. The population was 1,130 at the 2000 census.The Village of Little Valley is in the northwest corner of the Town of Little Valley....
. NY 18 originally connected to PA 6 at the state line; however, by 1929, it connected to US 219 instead. In the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York, the highway connecting NY 17 and NY 18 in Salamanca to Great Valley
Great Valley, New York
Great Valley is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 2,145 at the 2000 census. The town is named after its local geographical setting, a relative comparison of two tributaries of the Allegheny River.The Town of Great Valley is centrally located in the...
was designated as part of 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...
. Assigned at the same time was NY 62, a route extending from Great Valley to NY 18 in downtown 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...
by way of Ellicottville
Ellicottville (village), New York
Ellicottville is a village in Cattaraugus County, New York, USA. The population was 472 at the 2000 census. The village is named after Joseph Ellicott, principal land agent of the Holland Land Company...
, Ashford
Ashford, New York
Ashford is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 2,223 at the 2000 census.The Town of Ashford is on the county's northern border.- History :...
, Springville
Springville, New York
Springville is a village in the southeast part of the town of Concord in Erie County, New York, United States. Springville is the principal community in the town and a major business location in south Erie County. The population was 4,252 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Buffalo–Niagara...
, and Hamburg
Hamburg (village), New York
Hamburg is a village in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 10,116 at the 2000 census. The village is reportedly named after Hamburg, a city in Germany...
.
US 62
U.S. Route 62 in New York
U.S. Route 62 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from the United States – Mexico border at El Paso, Texas, to Niagara Falls, New York. In the U.S. state of New York, US 62 extends from the New York – Pennsylvania border south of Jamestown to an intersection with...
was extended into New York ca. 1932; as a result, the portion of NY 62 south of Athol Springs
Athol Springs, New York
Athol Springs, New York is an unincorporated hamlet in the town of Hamburg in Erie County, New York, USA.-External Links:*...
was renumbered to NY 75
New York State Route 75
New York State Route 75 is a north–south state highway in Erie County, New York, in the United States. It extends for from an intersection with NY 39 in the Collins hamlet of Collins Center to an interchange with NY 5 in the town of Hamburg...
to eliminate numerical duplication with the new U.S. Highway. The remainder of old NY 62 became part of an extended NY 5
New York State Route 5
New York State Route 5 is a state highway that extends for across the state of New York in the United States. It begins at the Pennsylvania state line in the Chautauqua County town of Ripley and passes through Buffalo, Syracuse, Utica, Schenectady, and several other smaller cities and...
. US 219 was extended into New York ca. 1935, overlapping NY 18, NY 98, and NY 75 northward to a junction with US 62 in Hamburg. The overlap with NY 75 was eliminated by 1940 when NY 75 was truncated northward to US 62 in Hamburg. The other two overlaps ceased to exist ca. 1962 when NY 18 and NY 98 were truncated to Lewiston and Great Valley, respectively.
Realignments
When it was first extended into New York, US 219 continued north from Ellicottville to Springville as it does today; however, it initially overlapped NY 242New York State Route 242
New York State Route 242 is a state highway that runs across Cattaraugus County, New York, in the United States. Although signed as an east–west route, it takes a more northeast–southwest course across the county from NY 394 near the village of Randolph to NY 16 in Machias...
between Ellicottville and Ashford and utilized what is now NY 240
New York State Route 240
New York State Route 240 is a state highway in western New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 242 in the Ellicottville community of Ashford in northern Cattaraugus County. Its northern terminus is at a junction with NY 324...
between Ashford and Cattaraugus Street southeast of Springville. Within Springville, US 219 was routed along Cattaraugus Street and Buffalo Street and intersected NY 39
New York State Route 39
New York State Route 39 is an east–west state highway in the western portion of New York in the United States. It begins and ends at intersections with U.S. Route 20 apart...
in the village center. Outside of the village, US 219 went north on Springville–Boston Road and Boston State Road to North Boston, from where US 219 continued to Hamburg by way of modern NY 391
New York State Route 391
New York State Route 391 is a short state highway in Erie County, New York, United States. The route is signed as north–south; however, it follows more of a southeast–northwest alignment between NY 277 in the hamlet of North Boston and U.S. Route 62 in the village of Hamburg...
.
In the early 1950s, construction began on a western bypass of Springville that connected US 219 just north of the village to East Otto Road 6 miles (10 km) south of Springville. The portion of the highway north of Waverly Street was completed by 1954. The remainder of the bypass was finished by 1956, at which time US 219 was realigned to follow the bypass around the village. At the south end of the bypass, US 219 continued south to Ellicottville by way of pre-existing, previously unnumbered highways. However, the segment of modern NY 240 vacated by US 219 did not become part of an extended NY 240 until the mid-1960s. In the 1990s, US 219 was rerouted to follow the Southern Tier Expressway between exit 21 in Salamanca and exit 23 just south of Bradford Junction. The old alignment of US 219 through Carrollton
Carrollton, New York
Carrollton is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 1,410 at the 2000 census. The name comes from an early settler.The Town of Carrollton is on the south border of Cattaraugus County...
and Salamanca became US 219 Business.
Southern Expressway
Construction began in the early 1970s on the Southern Expressway, a limited-access highway connecting Buffalo to Springville. The first segment of the expressway—between the New York State ThruwayNew York State Thruway
The New York State Thruway is a system of limited-access highways located within the state of New York in the United States. The system, known officially as the Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway for former New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey, is operated by the New York State Thruway Authority and...
east of 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...
and US 20A
U.S. Route 20A (New York)
U.S. Route 20A is an east–west alternate route of US 20 that extends for across the western portion of New York in the United States. It leaves US 20 in Hamburg, a suburb of Buffalo, and rejoins it in East Bloomfield about five miles west of Canandaigua, the county seat of...
west of Orchard Park
Orchard Park (village), New York
Orchard Park is a village in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 3,294 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from a description of the local landscape, which abounded with orchards...
—opened to traffic by 1973 as a realignment of US 219. In between the end of the expressway and North Boston
North Boston, New York
North Boston is a hamlet located in the Town of Boston in Erie County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, this hamlet population was 2,680...
, US 219 temporarily overlapped US 20A 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...
. The freeway was extended south to North Boston in the mid-1970s and to Springville in the early 1980s. Both segments became part of US 219 upon opening. The former surface routing of US 219 between North Boston and Hamburg was redesignated as NY 391 following the completion of the expressway's first segment in the early 1970s while the remainder of US 219's former routing south to Springville was transferred to 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...
upon the completion of the entire Springville–Buffalo segment of the Southern Expressway.
Plans to extend the Southern Expressway southward from NY 39
New York State Route 39
New York State Route 39 is an east–west state highway in the western portion of New York in the United States. It begins and ends at intersections with U.S. Route 20 apart...
in Springville
Springville, New York
Springville is a village in the southeast part of the town of Concord in Erie County, New York, United States. Springville is the principal community in the town and a major business location in south Erie County. The population was 4,252 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Buffalo–Niagara...
to Peters Road in Ashford
Ashford, New York
Ashford is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 2,223 at the 2000 census.The Town of Ashford is on the county's northern border.- History :...
, a distance of 4.2 miles (6.8 km), had been in development for years before they were finally put into action in the mid-2000s. Project specifications called for the installation of a four-lane right-of-way (two lanes in each direction) and the construction of 11 bridges, including twin bridges over 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 number was later revised to nine. Areas near parts of the new freeway were to become a 41 acres (17 ha) wetland habitat. A portion of NY 39 near the current southern terminus was also reconstructed in 2007 and 2008 to accommodate for the completed interchange with US 219.
The rights to the project were awarded to Cold Spring Construction on January 26, 2007, with work commencing on June 1. Altogether, the project was initially expected to cost $86 million and be completed in late 2009. The lengthy construction time was largely due to the need to construct two bridges over the Zoar Valley gorge. As of March 2009, the projected cost of the extension had risen to $116 million. Since 2007, the project had encountered several delays due to landslides in the vicinity of Scoby Hill Road and the need to conduct a second environmental impact study on the road's impact on wetlands in the area. As a result, the $86 million in state funding that was devoted to the project was reallocated to other projects in New York, a move confirmed 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...
(NYSDOT) in March 2009. At the same time, however, NYSDOT left open the possibility of eventually restoring the funding. It was restored sometime afterward, and the highway was completed on November 19, 2010, with a total price tag of $125 million.
Ownership and maintenance of the former surface alignment of US 219 north of Peters Road—including the two-lane, high-level bridge that currently carries it across the valley surrounding Cattaraugus Creek—is slated to be transferred from the state of New York to Erie and Cattaraugus Counties. The two sections of road leading to and from the bridge were transferred immediately while the bridge itself will not be turned over until a state-funded rehabilitation project is completed in or around 2013. The latter half of the plan has drawn criticism from Erie County officials who believe that the state should continue to maintain the bridge due to its size, importance and the resulting cost of upkeep.
Future
Long-term plans call for the Southern Expressway to be extended southward to the Southern Tier Expressway (I-86Interstate 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...
) in Salamanca
Salamanca (town), New York
Salamanca is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 544 at the 2000 census. The name is from a major investor in a local railroad....
. Planning wise, this section comprises four segments of the Southern Expressway, with the first five, completed segments reaching from south of Springville
Springville, New York
Springville is a village in the southeast part of the town of Concord in Erie County, New York, United States. Springville is the principal community in the town and a major business location in south Erie County. The population was 4,252 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Buffalo–Niagara...
to 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...
. Construction of the remainder of the freeway has been delayed by two major factors: the inability to obtain rights from the Seneca nation
Seneca nation
The Seneca are a group of indigenous people native to North America. They were the nation located farthest to the west within the Six Nations or Iroquois League in New York before the American Revolution. While exact population figures are unknown, approximately 15,000 to 25,000 Seneca live in...
that would allow the highway to go through the Allegany Reservation
Allegany Reservation, New York
Allegany Reservation is an American Indian reservation in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 1,099 at the 2000 census. The reservation is primarily occupied by members of the Seneca of the Iroquois, but a smaller number of Cayuga, another Iroquois tribe, also reside...
, and the lack of funding due to the state's financial woes. Work on the proposed highway's environmental impact study was suspended indefinitely in June 2009 as a result of the latter. NYSDOT intends to resume work on the study when the state's financial situation improves and funding can be restored to the project.
US 219 Business
U.S. Route 219 Business is a business routeBusiness route
A business route in the United States and Canada is a short special route connected to a parent numbered highway at its beginning, then routed through the central business district of a nearby city or town, and finally reconnecting with the same parent numbered highway again at its...
of US 219 that extends for 7.01 miles (11.28 km) in the vicinity of Salamanca
Salamanca (city), New York
Salamanca is a city in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States, located inside the Allegany Indian Reservation. The population was 6,097 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
. The southern terminus of the route is at exit 23 of the Southern Tier Expressway (I-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...
) in Carrollton
Carrollton, New York
Carrollton is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 1,410 at the 2000 census. The name comes from an early settler.The Town of Carrollton is on the south border of Cattaraugus County...
, where US 219 departs the expressway and follows the right-of-way of US 219 Business south to 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...
. The northern terminus of US 219 Business is at an intersection with US 219 and 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...
in downtown Salamanca.
From its northern terminus in Salamanca to the hamlet of Bradford Junction, US 219 Business is concurrent to NY 417. The 0.62 mile (0.9977908 km) segment between the I-86 / NY 17 interchange and NY 417 is designated NY 954T, an unsigned reference route. Until the 1990s, US 219 Business was the routing of US 219 through the Salamanca area.
Major intersections
|colspan=4 align="center"|South end of freeway section|-
|Concord
Concord, New York
Concord is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 8,526 at the 2000 census. The town is believed to be named after Concord, Massachusetts by early settlers from New England....
|45.96
|Genesee Road – Concord
|
|-
|Boston
Boston, New York
Boston is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 7,897 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Boston, Massachusetts....
|52.21
|Rice Road – Colden
Colden, New York
Colden is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 3,323 at the 2000 census. The town derives its name from John Caldwalder D. Colden, a state senator.The Town of Colden is an interior town in the south part of the county...
|
|-
|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...
|56.97
|
|
|-
|rowspan=3|Orchard Park
|61.06
|New Armor Duells Road – Chestnut Ridge Park
|
|-
|62.09
|
|
|-
|63.90
|
|Signed as east and west
|-
|rowspan=2|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...
|66.98
|Ridge Road – 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...
, West Seneca
|Signed as West Seneca and Lackawanna
|-
|67.54
|
|Exit 55 (I-90 / Thruway)