New York State Route 55

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NY Route 55

Length:

122.45 mi^[1] (197.06 km)

Formed:

1930

West end:

NY 97/PA 434 in Barryville

Major
junctions:

US 209 in Napanoch and Kerhonkson

US 44 in Kerhonkson

US 9W in Highland

US 9 in Poughkeepsie

US 44 in Poughkeepsie

Taconic in Lagrangeville

East end:

CT 55 in Wingdale

Counties:

Sullivan, Ulster, Dutchess

Numbered highways in New York
< NY 54A		NY 55A >
Interstates - U.S. Routes - State Routes

New York State Route 55 is a state highway in southern New York, running from the Pennsylvania state line at the Delaware River in Barryville to the Connecticut state line at Wingdale. It is the only other state highway beside NY 7 to completely cross the state, from border to border, in an east-west direction. It also forms the state's second-longest double-route concurrency after the Finger Lakes US 20-NY 5 pairing, when it joins US 44 for 33 miles (53 km).^{[citation needed]}

Together with NY 52, which it closely parallels and briefly joins in downtown Liberty, it forms the latitudinal backbone of the Hudson Valley region for non-interstate traffic. It offers the traveler a wide variety of landscapes, from farmlands, mountains and forests to the urban center of Poughkeepsie. Sights along the way include two of New York City's major reservoirs in the Catskills, a dramatic crossing of the Shawangunk Ridge, and the Mid-Hudson Bridge.

1 Route description
2 Communities along the route
3 History
4 Major intersections
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Route description

[edit] Delaware River to Liberty

55 begins when PA 434 crosses the bridge from Shohola, Pennsylvania into the southern Sullivan County hamlet of Barryville. Almost immediately upon reaching the New York side, it intersects the river-paralleling NY 97. From there it heads mostly due north, despite its east-west signage, through Sullivan's heavily wooded southwest corner. In this area, the road follows older routes, and sometimes signage reflects it, with a small "NY" visible atop the shields.

After passing Toronto Reservoir, which serves local communities, it finally reaches its next junction NY 17B, at White Lake, more than 15 miles (24 km) from its start. 55 joins 17B eastward for 0.8 mile (1.4 km) around the south end of the lake, then returns to its northerly bearing. Once past the lake, it begins to trend more to the northeast, taking it through another quiet vacation hamlet, Swan Lake and finally to the village of Liberty after 11 miles (17.6 km).

In Liberty it meets NY 52, joining it for two blocks, then leaves town finally oriented more directly east and exchanging places with 52 as the northern regional trunk route. Access to NY 17, the future Interstate 86, was until recently provided via either 52 or another nearby street. In 2000 a limited exit, 100A, was constructed near a state police barracks to provide direct access from 55 to 17 eastbound.

[edit] Catskills

Route 55 at Neversink Reservoir

Beyond Liberty 55 enters a less populous region of the county, climbing to Neversink Reservoir, where it becomes the only state highway to run across the top of a New York City watershed dam. Descending from this, it crosses the Blue Line to enter the Catskill Park.

42-55 concurrency sign

Shortly after this point, Sullivan County Route 19 intersects from the north. This route was once the middle segment of NY 42, and indeed 42 shields can be seen along the route immediately following the junction, and its reference markers displace those of 55 alongside the road. In the next settlement of consequence, the hamlet of Grahamsville, 13 miles (21 km) east of Liberty, the current southern segment of 42 intersects from the south and the signage returns to 55.

Rondout Reservoir spillway, from Route 55.

Immediately upon taking leave of Grahamsville and passing the single building of the Tri-Valley Central School District, the road drops slightly and Rondout Reservoir recedes into the distance ahead. NY 55A splits off to follow the northern shore, while 55 remains along the south side, crossing into Ulster County. Over the next 9 miles (14.4 km) until 55A rejoins, there are many beautiful views of the reservoir available from alongside the road.

Shortly after Merriman Dam at Rondout's east end, the two roads descend and rejoin near the southern tip of Catskill Park. 55 slowly descends and bends to a more southeasterly route as it winds 5 miles (9 km) alongside Rondout Creek to the hamlet of Napanoch, where it joins US 209 in its due northeast course up the Rondout Valley.

[edit] US 44 and Shawangunks

At the Exxon station that marks downtown Kerhonkson, 4 miles (6.4 km) north of Napanoch, 55 turns eastward once again, as US 44 begins. The two highways, which will remain joined for long enough that they are known locally by both numbers, immediately begin a gentle climb into the Shawangunks (known colloquially as the "Gunks"), crossing the aqua blazes of the Long Path hiking trail as they do so.

Two miles further on, a wide open section bordered by just a stone wall on one side offers a sweeping panorama to the northwest, taking in much of the Catskills. Slide Mountain, the highest peak in the range, can be seen amid the lower peaks around it, and more to the north Greene County's Devil's Path is visible in all its splendor. This section takes up an entire mile, with parking areas available at either end for those drivers who wish to stop and take it in.

The highway continues on through the scrubby forests and rock outcrops that characterize the northern Shawangunks. A mile of winding past trailheads and woods brings on the main entrance to the first of two highly popular recreation spots in this area, Minnewaska State Park Preserve, which features many miles of hiking trails, picnic grounds and a popular glacial lake. The forests alongside the highway grow a bit taller as it passes several scenic waterfalls, where cars often defy local parking regulations so their occupants can stop and look, as it descends to reach the parking areas for the Mohonk Preserve roughly another mile past Minnewaska.

Here, at the eastern edge of the Gunks, are located the white cliffs that have long attracted climbers to Mohonk, and many of them are likely to be parked here on good days. Another parking area allows views of not only these cliffs but the sprawling central Hudson Valley below.

The hairpin turn near the Mohonk Preserve

Immediately afterward the road bends and descends somewhat steeply into an extremely tight hairpin turn, where the posted speed limit drops to 5 miles (10 km) per hour. So notorious is this turn local lore has it (falsely) that it was the site of Bob Dylan's serious 1966 motorcycle accident.

[edit] Hudson Valley

Just below the turn, past the Mohonk Preserve Visitors' Center, NY 299 departs eastward, towards New Paltz. 44-55 continues southward, gradually returning to its eastward heading as it drops, crossing the Wallkill River, passing through quaint Gardiner and intersecting scenic NY 208 a mile east of the hamlet at a junction known as Ireland Corners.

Past 208 the road begins to wend and weave through the farms and apple orchards in this region of the county, crossing under the New York State Thruway between the hamlets of Ardonia and Modena. The latter, 6 miles (10 km) from Gardiner, is marked by a traffic light at the intersection with NY 32, the major north-south state highway west of the Hudson.

East of Modena, through Clintondale, the road begins to climb once again into the glacial ridge separating this area from the river. At the notch 44-55 passes through, sweeping views are once again possible in good weather over the orchards ahead. A short descent and two more miles brings the highway to Highland, the small unincorporated community across from Poughkeepsie. Just past it, 44-55 makes a tricky turn to join US 9W southbound. A mile-long concurrency past gas stations and fast-food restaurants ends at an overhead ramp to the Mid-Hudson Bridge's toll plazas.

[edit] Poughkeepsie

The Mid-Hudson Bridge, looking east.

The road then descends again and bends southward to the bridge approach through a deep rock cut. As it once again heads eastward to cross the river, the Poughkeepsie skyline sprawls ahead. Immediately upon entry into the city, offramps lead to the US 9 freeway along the river's edge, and the nearby train station.

In the city, where 44-55 forms the main arterial, the routes divide, with one street carrying eastbound traffic and the other westbound. They run sometimes as much as two blocks apart, with what was for many years the city's attempt at a pedestrian mall (known as the Main Mall) between them. Only in Poughkeepsie's western end, shortly after the NY 376 junction near Vassar College, does two-way traffic return. Shortly afterwards, 44 and 55 part ways after over 30 miles.

Prior to the construction of Poughkeepsie's east-west arterial in the 1970s, 44 and 55 went on Church Street from the bridge to its intersection with Main Street, then on Main Street eastward to the outskirts of the city, where it forked into the two separate routes.

[edit] Dutchess County

From the split, 55 heads at first east, through Freedom Plains and its interchange with the Taconic State Parkway. It continues due east to NY 82 at Billings, where it begins taking a more southeasterly tack.

This takes it to the northern terminus of NY 216 at Poughquag, then up into the hills of the Town of Beekman, where the Appalachian Trail (AT) crosses the road and NY 292 comes to its northern end. Descending once again into the Harlem Valley, 55 reaches NY 22 just south of Pawling.

Instead of ending at this major north-south route, 55 joins it, heading north for 7 miles (11 km) and crossing the AT once again near the Metro-North flag stop. At Webutuck, it leaves to the east, winding its way to the Connecticut state line after 3 miles (5 km). It becomes CT 55, which continues another 2.6 miles (4 km) to its own eastern terminus at US 7.

[edit] Communities along the route

[edit] History

From the intersection with Ulster County 7 west of Gardiner to US 9W, 44/55 follows the Farmers' Turnpike, built by a private company established in March 1808. Its purpose was to allow the transport of agricultural products from the Gardiner area to docks on the Hudson at Milton.^[2]

The route at that time followed the north end of Albany Post Road (Ulster County 9) over the Shawangunk Kill and then east along the kill's south bank to ford the Wallkill just south of the confluence.^[2]

[edit] Major intersections

County	Location	Mile	Road(s)	Notes
Sullivan	Barryville	0.0	NY 97 PA 434	Northern terminus of PA 434.
	White Lake	15.6	NY 17B	Western terminus of concurrency.
	White Lake	16.4	NY 17B	Eastern terminus of concurrency.
	Village of Liberty	27.0	NY 52
	Village of Liberty		NY 17	Exit 100A (NY 17). Access to eastbound 17 only.
	Grahamsville	40.2	NY 42	Northern terminus of NY 42.
	Grahamsville	40.8	NY 55A	Western terminus of NY 55A.
Ulster	Napanoch	48.8	NY 55A	Eastern terminus of NY 55A.
	Napanoch	54.1	US 209	Southern terminus of concurrency.
	Kerhonkson	58.4	US 209	Northern terminus of concurrency.
	Kerhonkson	58.4	US 44	Western terminus of concurrency.
	Mohonk Preserve	68.9	NY 299	Western terminus of NY 299.
	CDP of Gardiner	74.7	NY 208
	Modena		NY 32
	Modena		I-87/Thruway	US 44/NY 55 passes under I-87.
	Highland	86.1	US 9W	Northern terminus of concurrency.
	Highland	86.7	US 9W	Southern terminus of concurrency.
Dutchess	City of Poughkeepsie	89.0	US 9
	City of Poughkeepsie	90.5	NY 115	Southern terminus of NY 115.
	Town of Poughkeepsie	90.9	NY 376	Northern terminus of NY 376.
	Town of Poughkeepsie	91.2	US 44	Eastern terminus of concurrency.
	Lagrangeville	97.4	Taconic
	Lagrangeville	98.7	NY 82
	Poughquag	105.5	NY 216	Eastern terminus of NY 216.
	West Pawling	107.2	NY 292	Northern terminus of NY 292.
	Town of Pawling	112.4	NY 22	Southern terminus of concurrency. Just outside Pawling village line.
	Wingdale	119.2	NY 22	Northern terminus of concurrency.
	Wingdale	122.4	CT 55	Western terminus of CT 55.