State Highways in Sullivan County
The main arterial roads in Sullivan County are its state highways, which do an excellent job of covering most of the county. They are:
17
THE QUICKWAY: clearly the undisputed backbone and lifeline of Sullivan County. Within the county, it stretches from the southeast corner at the Orange County line to the northwest corner at the Delaware County line. Statewide, it goes (W-E) from Findley Lake at NY 126 and continues into NJ 17 at Hillburn. It is known as the Southern Tier Expressway west of Binghamton.
To accomodate "Borscht Belt" traffic, Route 17 was built about 1957 to 1960 next the the Old State Highway 17 corridor, which was originally State Route 4. In the early 20th Century, the route from New York to the Catskills was known as Liberty Highway, principally because Liberty was the most prestigious town along the route, with its huge hotels. It eventually stretched all the way to Binghamton, and then further, all the way to the great lakes, about 400 miles long. Currently, old Route 17 holds the State Route 17M designation in Orange County, County Roads 171-179A in Sullivan County, County Road 17 in Delaware County, State Route 17C from Binghamton to Elmira, and then State Route 417 along the rest of the route. The portion of Route 17 from the New Jersey border to Harriman, N.Y., is still on the original alignment, and is the only long stretch that is not an at-grade highway.
17B
This route follows the route of the old Newburgh-Cochecton Turnpike, which started in Cochecton, followed County Road 114, which becomes Route 17B in Fosterdale. The route ran through Monticello, the present-day terminus of Route 17B, then followed what is now Old Route 17 until Bloomingburg onto the current Route 17K. Route 17K runs the entire rest of the old Newburgh-Cochecton Turnpike until its terminus in Newburgh. Looking at a map you will see the almost straight line from Cochecton to Newburgh along this old plank route. The old turnpike was chartered on March 20, 1801 in an effort to connect both the Hudson and Delaware Rivers, and to provide access to mostly unsettled land nortwest of Newburgh. The only stretch of Route 17B that is not along the alignment of the old Turnpike is from Fosterdale to Callicoon, where the state route designation turns northwest.
42
From: Port Jervis at NY 97
To: Grahamsville at NY 55
Names:
- Port Jervis Rd, from Port Jervis to Monticello
- In the Village of Monticello, it is called Forestburgh Road. It then turns and becomes Broadway and then Pleasant Street, continuing after it exits the village signed simply as Route 42.
- Main Street in South Fallsburg, and again in Woodbourne when it merges with Route 52 for less than a mile.
- It then continues to Grahamsville signed simply as Route 42.
52
From: Narrowsburg, N.Y., at the New York-Pennsylvania border, at PA 652. PA 652 is appropriately numbered because it connects Routes 6 and 52.
To: Sullivan County terminus: Ulster County line between Woodbourne and Ellenville.
State terminus: Carmel, N.Y. at U.S. 6.
Names:
- Bridge Street, in Narrowsburg, multiplexed with County Road 24.
- Narrowsburg Road from Narrowsburg to Fosterdale (multiplexed with County Roads 111 and 112), at which point it shares the same roadbed as Route 17B for less than a mile. It then continues signed simply as Route 52.
- In the Village of Liberty, Route 52 enters as Chestnut Street and then turns onto South Main Street and then Mill Street. After it crosses over the NY 17 bridge in Liberty, it is signed as simply Route 52.
- In Woodbourne, Route 52 is called Liberty Road until it meets with Route 42. The two share the same roadbed for less than a mile, and this stretch is known as Main Street. It continues into Ulster County signed simply as Route 52, closely following the old Greenfield Road until it becomes Canal Street in Ellenville.
History/Notes:
- Parts of this route follow the old Jeffersonville-Youngsville Turnpike.
- There are also several points along Route 52 that are known as Old Route 52. Three of these include: (Cochecton Center) Old County Road 112), (Liberty) Old Route 52 [The Drive-In road], (Woodbourne) Old Route 52.
52A
From: NY 17B, near Fosterdale.
To: NY 52, near Kenoza Lake.
History/Notes:
- Follows the East Branch Callicoon Creek to the Stone Arch Bridge (historical site). Beautiful in the fall!
55
From: Barryville, N.Y., at the New York-Pennsylvania border.It then continues as PA 434 (Shohola Road).
To: Sullivan County terminus: Ulster County line after Grahamsville.
State terminus: Wingdale at Connecticut-New York State line, where it connects to CT 55.
Names:
See County Roads 11 through 17.
- 11: Brook Road
- 12: Board Road
- 13: White Lake Road
- It then shares a roadbed with NY 17B for less than a mile.
- 14: Swan Lake Road
- 15: Liberty Road
- 16-17: Neversink Road
History/Notes:
- In Sullivan County, this route was thrown together mainly from pre-existing county roads: 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, and 17. It runs rougly diagonally across the county, from the southwest to northeast. It eventually hits the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge, multiplexed with Interstate 84(!) and makes its way over the Hudson River towards Connecticut. I am convinced the state official that set up the route designation after it leaves Sullivan County was on crack.
55A
From: NY 55 at Grahamsville.
To: NY 55, near Naponach (Ulster County), just past the Sullivan-Ulster County line.
History/Notes:
- A spur off of Route 55, it follows the north side of the Rondout Reservoir. Beautiful in the fall!
97
From: Port Jervis (Orange County, just south of Sullivan) at US 209/US 6/NY 42.
To: Sullivan County terminus: Delaware County line north of Long Eddy.
State terminus: Hancock at NY 17.
Names:
- In Port Jervis (Orange County): West Main Stret, and then Park Avenue. It then becomes Hawk's Nest Road and Franklin Street.
- It then continues signed simply as Route 97 for most of its length.
- Sixth Avenue in Narrowsburg. It is called Bingham Road north of town.
- Church Street in Long Eddy.
History/Notes:
- Simply follows the Delaware River on the New York side for most of its length.
206
From: Roscoe, N.Y., at Old Route 17.
To: Sullivan County terminus: Delaware County line north of Rockland. It continues onto Delaware County Road 7.
State terminus: Walton at NY 10.
Names:
- Rockland Road. It is multiplexed with County Road 91.
History/Notes:
- In Delaware County, this is known as the Catskill Turnpike, one of the older roads in the region.
Links
An excellent resource which briefly discusses every state highway in New York can be found at Doug Kelly's site.
Other links.
This research, layout, design, and maintenance of this site is the work of Scott M. Eckers.
