New York State Route 3
Encyclopedia
New York State Route 3 (NY 3) is a major east–west state highway
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...

 in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, that connects central New York
Central New York
Central New York is a term used to broadly describe the central region of New York State, roughly including the following counties and cities:...

 to the North Country
North Country, New York
The North Country is a region of the U.S. state of New York that encompasses the state's extreme northern frontier, bordering Lake Ontario on the west, the Saint Lawrence River and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec on the north and northwest, and Lake Champlain and Vermont on the east...

 region near the Canadian border via Adirondack Park. The route extends for 246.05 miles (395.98 km) between its western terminus at an intersection with NY 104A
New York State Route 104A
New York State Route 104A is an east–west state highway in the central portion of New York in the United States. It serves as a northerly alternate route of NY 104, to which it connects at each end...

 in the Cayuga County
Cayuga County, New York
Cayuga County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It was named for one of the tribes of Indians in the Iroquois Confederation. Its county seat is Auburn.- History :...

 town of Sterling
Sterling, New York
Sterling is a town in Cayuga County, New York, United States. The population was 3,040 at the 2010 census. The town is named after "Lord Stirling", a general of the Revolutionary War. Sterling is the most northerly town in the county...

 and its eastern terminus at a junction with U.S. Route 9 (US 9) in the Clinton County
Clinton County, New York
Clinton County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 82,128. Its name is in honor of the first Governor of New York as a state, George Clinton. Its county seat is Plattsburgh.-History:...

 city of Plattsburgh
Plattsburgh (city), New York
Plattsburgh is a city in and county seat of Clinton County, New York, United States. The population was 19,989 at the 2010 census. The population of the unincorporated areas within the Town of Plattsburgh was 11,870 as of the 2010 census; making the population for the immediate, urban Plattsburgh,...

. NY 3 traverses eight counties and is a lakeside roadway from Mexico
Mexico (town), New York
Mexico is a town in the northeast part of Oswego County, New York, United States. The population was 5,181 at the 2000 census. The town contains a village, also called Mexico. NY 104/Main Street passes through the village. NY 69 passes through the town of Mexico and comes to an end in the village,...

 to Sackets Harbor
Sackets Harbor, New York
Sackets Harbor is a village in Jefferson County, New York, United States. The population was 1,386 at the 2000 census. The village was named after land developer and owner Augustus Sackett, who founded it in the early 19th century.The Village of Sackets Harbor is within the western part of the...

, a mountainous route in Adirondack Park, and an urban arterial in Fulton
Fulton, Oswego County, New York
Fulton is a small city in Oswego County, New York, United States. The population was 11,855 at the 2000 census. The city is named after Robert Fulton, inventor of the steamboat.The city of Fulton is located in the western part of the county....

, Watertown, and Plattsburgh
Plattsburgh (city), New York
Plattsburgh is a city in and county seat of Clinton County, New York, United States. The population was 19,989 at the 2010 census. The population of the unincorporated areas within the Town of Plattsburgh was 11,870 as of the 2010 census; making the population for the immediate, urban Plattsburgh,...

.

In 1924, the segment of the Theodore Roosevelt International Highway
Theodore Roosevelt International Highway
The Theodore Roosevelt International Highway was a transcontinental North American highway through the United States and Canada that ran from Portland, Maine, to Portland, Oregon. Its length was about .-Route description:...

 within New York was designated NY 3. At that time, it spanned the full east–west length of the state, extending from the eastern bank of the Niagara River
Niagara River
The Niagara River flows north from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario. It forms part of the border between the Province of Ontario in Canada and New York State in the United States. There are differing theories as to the origin of the name of the river...

 in North Tonawanda
North Tonawanda, New York
North Tonawanda is a city in Niagara County, New York, United States. The population was 31,568 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is named after Tonawanda Creek, its south border...

 to the western edge of Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain is a natural, freshwater lake in North America, located mainly within the borders of the United States but partially situated across the Canada—United States border in the Canadian province of Quebec.The New York portion of the Champlain Valley includes the eastern portions of...

 in Plattsburgh; however, the routing through the North Country was significantly different at that time from its modern alignment. The route was moved onto its modern routing east of Watertown as part of the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York; it was truncated to Sterling on its western end and rerouted to follow its current alignment from Sterling to Watertown roughly five years later.

Since 1924, there have been 14 suffixed routes of NY 3, all designated between NY 3A and NY 3G. Of these, all but one only existed during the 1930s. The only active designation is NY 3A, which was assigned in the 1950s to an alternate route of NY 3 in Jefferson County
Jefferson County, New York
Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 116,229. It is named after Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States of America, and president at the time the county was created in 1805...

.

Route description

A substantial portion of NY 3 travels east–west across northern 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...

 and passes through the northern part of the Adirondack Mountain Range
Adirondack Mountains
The Adirondack Mountains are a mountain range located in the northeastern part of New York, that runs through Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Lewis, Saint Lawrence, Saratoga, Warren, and Washington counties....

. Much of this section of the highway is named as part of the Olympic Trail Scenic Byway.
Most of the route is maintained 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...

. Exceptions are in the cities of Watertown
Watertown (city), New York
Watertown is a city in the state of New York and the county seat of Jefferson County. It is situated approximately south of the Thousand Islands. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 27,023, an increase of 1.2% since 2000. The U.S...

 and Plattsburgh
Plattsburgh (city), New York
Plattsburgh is a city in and county seat of Clinton County, New York, United States. The population was 19,989 at the 2010 census. The population of the unincorporated areas within the Town of Plattsburgh was 11,870 as of the 2010 census; making the population for the immediate, urban Plattsburgh,...

, where the roadway is maintained by the city government in Watertown from Massey Street (southbound US 11 junction) to the end of the NY 3/NY 12 overlap, while it is entirely city-maintained in Plattsburgh. The areas NY 3 passes through alternate between long stretches of rural area, consisting of a mix of open terrain and dispersed residences, and compact settlements containing concentrations of houses and businesses. NY 3 is classified mainly as a minor arterial road, the major exception being the section that is concurrent with NY 812, which is a principal arterial road.

Sterling to Watertown

NY 3 begins at an intersection with NY 104A
New York State Route 104A
New York State Route 104A is an east–west state highway in the central portion of New York in the United States. It serves as a northerly alternate route of NY 104, to which it connects at each end...

 in Sterling. NY 3 continues east to meet Route 104
New York State Route 104
New York State Route 104 is a long east–west state highway in Upstate New York, United States. It spans six counties and enters the vicinity of four cities—Niagara Falls, Lockport, Rochester, and Oswego—as it follows a routing largely parallel to that of the southern shoreline of Lake...

 in the center of Hannibal
Hannibal (village), New York
Hannibal is a village in Oswego County, New York, USA. The population was 542 at the 2000 census. The village is named after Hannibal, the hero of ancient Carthage....

. From there, Route 3 progresses across Oswego County
Oswego County, New York
Oswego County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 Census, the estimated population was 122,109. The City of Oswego and the Village of Pulaski serve as the dual county seats in a two shire system of government...

 and passes Lake Neatahwanta
Lake Neatahwanta
Lake Neatahwanta is located in and near the city of Fulton in Oswego County, New York. It covers and is used for recreational swimming. About one-half of the lake is located within the city, while the other half is located in the town of Granby....

 prior to entering Fulton
Fulton, Oswego County, New York
Fulton is a small city in Oswego County, New York, United States. The population was 11,855 at the 2000 census. The city is named after Robert Fulton, inventor of the steamboat.The city of Fulton is located in the western part of the county....

. Within Fulton, NY 3 intersects NY 48
New York State Route 48
New York State Route 48 is a north–south state highway in Central New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is located at Interstate 690 exit 3 near the interchange between I-690 and the New York State Thruway in Van Buren, northwest of Syracuse...

 on the west bank of the Oswego River
Oswego River (New York)
The Oswego River is a river in upstate New York in the United States. This river is the second-largest river flowing into Lake Ontario. James Fenimore Cooper’s novel The Pathfinder, or The Inland Sea is set in the Oswego River valley...

 before crossing the river and meeting NY 481
New York State Route 481
New York State Route 481 is a state highway in Central New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an interchange with Interstate 81 in North Syracuse, where the highway continues southeastward as I-481. Its northern terminus is located at an intersection...

 at the eastern bank. East of the city, NY 3 passes south of the Oswego County Airport
Oswego County Airport
Oswego County Airport is a county-owned, public-use airport three nautical miles northeast of the central business district of Fulton, in Oswego County, New York, United States. The airport is located in Volney, New York...

 as it heads to the northeast through Palermo. Upon intersecting NY 264
New York State Route 264
New York State Route 264 is a north–south state highway in Oswego County, New York, United States. It runs from an intersection with County Route 57 in the village of Phoenix north to a junction with NY 3 in the town of Palermo...

, NY 3 becomes signed as a north–south highway instead of as an east–west route. It proceeds north to the village of Mexico
Mexico (village), New York
Mexico is a village in Oswego County, New York, USA. The population was 1,572 at the 2000 census.The Village of Mexico is located in the Town of Mexico at New York State Routes 3, 69, and 104.Mexico is called "Mother of Towns"...

, where it meets NY 104 once again. NY 3 and NY 104 overlap briefly through the western portion of the village before separating at the center of Mexico. While NY 104 heads east toward Williamstown
Williamstown, New York
Williamstown is a town in Oswego County, New York, United States. The population was 1,350 at the 2000 census.The Town of Williamstown is on the county's east border.- History :The Town of Williamstown was created in 1804 from the Town of Mexico....

, NY 3 heads north toward the hamlet of Texas
Texas, New York
Texas is a hamlet in Oswego County, New York, USA, near the southeastern corner of Lake Ontario. It is officially part of the town of Mexico.- Geography :...

.

East of Texas, NY 3 meets NY 104B
New York State Route 104B
New York State Route 104B is a east–west state highway located in central Oswego County, New York, in the United States. This highway provides a connection between NY 104, the principal highway along the southern shore of Lake Ontario, in New Haven and NY 3, the principal highway...

 near the Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south by the American state of New York. Ontario, Canada's most populous province, was named for the lake. In the Wyandot language, ontarío means...

 shoreline. Past NY 104B, Route 3 parallels both Interstate 81 (I-81) and US 11 as it heads along the shore of Lake Ontario. Near the Selkirk Shores State Park
Selkirk Shores State Park
Selkirk Shores State Park is located on Lake Ontario. This park is in the Town of Richland in Oswego County, New York.-External links:*...

 west of Pulaski
Pulaski, New York
Pulaski is a village in Oswego County, New York, United States. The population was 2,365 at the 2010 census.The Village of Pulaski is within the Town of Richland, and lies between the eastern shore of Lake Ontario and the Tug Hill region. The village is located on US Route 11 and is adjacent to...

, NY 3 intersects NY 13
New York State Route 13
New York State Route 13 is a state highway that runs mainly north–south for between NY 14 in Horseheads and NY 3 west of Pulaski in Central New York in the United States. In between, NY 13 intersects with Interstate 81 in Cortland and Pulaski and meets the New York...

 adjacent to the mouth of the Salmon River
Salmon River (New York)
The Salmon River arises in north central New York State on the Tug Hill Plateau to the east of Lake Ontario. It flows westward off the plateau and there is a hydroelectric dam near Little America to create the Salmon River Reservoir. Both the Salmon River and Salmon River Reservoir are heavily...

. After crossing the Salmon River, NY 3 passes the Sandy Island Beach State Park before entering Jefferson County
Jefferson County, New York
Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 116,229. It is named after Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States of America, and president at the time the county was created in 1805...

. At the county line, NY 3 becomes signed as an east–west highway once again. The route continues northward toward Ellisburg
Ellisburg (village), New York
Ellisburg is a village in Jefferson County, New York, United States. The population was 269 at the 2000 census. The village is named after two brothers who were the original landowners....

 where it meets NY 193
New York State Route 193
New York State Route 193 is a short state highway located entirely within the Town of Ellisburg in the southwest part of Jefferson County in northern New York, USA. The western terminus of NY 193 is at NY 3 at Southwick Beach State Park, just east of Lake Ontario. The eastern...

 at the entrance to Southwick Beach State Park
Southwick Beach State Park
Southwick Beach State Park is a New York State park that lies along an unusual stretch of sandy beach on the eastern shore of Lake Ontario. The park is in size with a length of beach, and is visited annually by about 100,000 people. Immediately to the south is the Lakeview Wildlife Management...

 northwest of the community. Past NY 193, NY 3 passes the lakeside at Westcott Beach State Park
Westcott Beach State Park
Westcott Beach State Park is a state park in Jefferson County, New York in the USA. The park is located at the eastern end of Lake Ontario in the Town of Henderson....

 prior to entering the vicinity of Sackets Harbor
Sackets Harbor, New York
Sackets Harbor is a village in Jefferson County, New York, United States. The population was 1,386 at the 2000 census. The village was named after land developer and owner Augustus Sackett, who founded it in the early 19th century.The Village of Sackets Harbor is within the western part of the...

. The route bypasses both Sackets Harbor and the Sackets Harbor Battlefield State Historic Site
Sackets Harbor Battlefield State Historic Site
Sackets Harbor Battlefield State Historic Site is a historically important location in Jefferson County, New York, USA. The historic site is south of the Village of Sackets Harbor in the Town of Hounsfield...

 to the east before separating from Lake Ontario and proceeding eastward toward Watertown.

West of the city of Watertown, NY 3 intersects NY 180
New York State Route 180
New York State Route 180 is a north–south state highway in the northwestern part of Jefferson County in the U.S. state of New York. The southern terminus of the route is at NY 3 in the Hounsfield hamlet of Baggs Corner, located west of downtown Watertown. The northern terminus is...

 southwest of the Watertown International Airport
Watertown International Airport
Watertown International Airport is a public airport located in the town of Hounsfield, five miles west of the central business district of Watertown, a city in Jefferson County, New York, USA...

 before connecting to I-81 by way of an interchange at the city line. NY 3 heads east into Watertown, intersecting with both US 11 and NY 12
New York State Route 12
New York State Route 12 is a state highway extending for through central and northern New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 11 in the town of Chenango in the Southern Tier. The northern terminus is at NY 37 near the village of...

 at Massey Street. At this point, maintenance of NY 3 shifts from the state to the city of Watertown. The route overlaps NY 12 southbound and a short piece of US 11 northbound through downtown to Public Square
Public Square (Watertown, New York)
Public Square is an open mall that lies in the center of Watertown, New York. The square is listed as Public Square Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places. The district encompasses 58 contributing buildings, 1 contributing site, and 3 contributing objects.-Description:The...

, where NY 3 meets northbound NY 12. US 11 northbound leaves NY 3 here while the overlap between NY 3 and NY 12 continues eastward through Watertown. The concurrency ends near the eastern fringe of the city, where NY 3 leaves NY 12 and becomes state-maintained once more as it departs the city to the northeast.

Watertown to Plattsburgh

In Black River
Black River, New York
Black River is a village in Jefferson County, New York, United States. The population was 1,285 at the 2000 census.The Village of Black River is on the border of the Town of Le Ray and the Town of Rutland...

, northeast of Watertown, NY 3 intersects NY 342
New York State Route 342
New York State Route 342 is a short east–west state highway in Jefferson County, New York, United States. The western terminus of NY 342 is at an intersection with NY 12 near the hamlet of Scoville Corners in the town of Pamelia. The eastern terminus is at a junction with...

 at the southwestern tip of the Fort Drum Military Reservation
Fort Drum
Fort Drum is a United States Army base in New York near the Canadian border.Fort Drum may also refer to:*Fort Drum, Florida, a nearly-uninhabited town in the United States*Fort Drum , Philippines...

. NY 3 follows the southern edge of the base to Deferiet
Deferiet, New York
Deferiet is a village in Jefferson County, New York, United States. The population was 309 at the 2000 census. The village is named after settler Jenika de Ferriet....

, where NY 3 turns south to follow the Black River
Black River (New York)
The Black River is a blackwater river that empties into the eastern end of Lake Ontario on the shore of Jefferson County, New York in the United States of America...

 while NY 3A continues along the border of Fort Drum. NY 3 follows the river to Carthage
Carthage, New York
Carthage is a village located in the Town of Wilna in Jefferson County, New York. The population was 3,721 at the 2000 census. The village is named after the historic Carthage in North Africa....

, where it overlaps NY 126
New York State Route 126
New York State Route 126 is a state highway in the North Country of New York in the United States. It proceeds in a roughly northwest to southeast direction between NY 12 at the eastern city line of Watertown in central Jefferson County and NY 812 in the village of Croghan in...

 briefly before heading northeast to rejoin NY 3A at Fargo. NY 3 forms the southern boundary of the base from NY 3A east to just west of the Jefferson-Lewis County
Lewis County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 26,944 people, 10,040 households, and 7,309 families residing in the county. The population density was 21 people per square mile . There were 15,134 housing units at an average density of 12 per square mile...

 line; however, near Natural Bridge
Natural Bridge, New York
Natural Bridge is a hamlet in Jefferson County, New York, United States. The population was 392 at the 2000 census...

, the Fort Drum boundary heads due north before becoming delimited by the Indian River. NY 3, meanwhile, traverses the river and enters Lewis County.
Midway between Natural Bridge and Harrisville
Harrisville, New York
Harrisville is a village in Lewis County, New York, United States. The population was 653 at the 2000 census.The Village of Harrisville is in the northeast part of the Town of Diana and is south of Ogdensburg, New York.-Geography:...

, Route 3 intersects Route 812
New York State Route 812
New York State Route 812 is a state highway in the North Country of New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 12 and NY 26 in the Lewis County village of Lowville...

. NY 812 turns east onto NY 3, following NY 3 northeast into St. Lawrence County
St. Lawrence County, New York
St. Lawrence County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 111,944. The county seat is Canton. The county is named for the Saint Lawrence River, which in turn was named for the Catholic saint on whose Feast day the river was discovered by...

 before splitting to the northwest between Harrisville and Pitcairn
Pitcairn, New York
Pitcairn is a town in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. The population was 783 at the 2000 census. The name is from that of Joseph Pitcairn, an early landowner and diplomat....

. Shortly after departing NY 812, NY 3 enters Adirondack Park. The route follows a largely east–west routing from its entry point to Tupper Lake, where it merges with Route 30
New York State Route 30
New York State Route 30 is a state highway in the central part of New York in the United States. It extends for from an interchange with NY 17 in the Southern Tier to the Canadian border in the state's North Country, where it continues into Quebec as Route 138. On a regional level,...

. Near Upper Saranac Lake
Upper Saranac Lake
Upper Saranac Lake is one of three connected lakes, part of the Saranac River, in the towns of Santa Clara and Harrietstown, near the village of Saranac Lake in the Adirondacks in northern New York. Upper Saranac Lake is the sixth largest lake in the Adirondacks. With Middle Saranac Lake and...

, NY 30 heads north toward Malone
Malone (village), New York
-Notable natives:Notable natives include:*William Almon Wheeler served as Vice President of the United States under Rutherford Hayes. Is buried at Morningside Cemetery in Malone....

 as NY 3 continues northeast through nearby Saranac Lake
Saranac Lake, New York
Saranac Lake is a village located in the state of New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 5,406. The village is named after Upper, Middle, and Lower Saranac Lakes, which are nearby....

 toward Plattsburgh
Plattsburgh (city), New York
Plattsburgh is a city in and county seat of Clinton County, New York, United States. The population was 19,989 at the 2010 census. The population of the unincorporated areas within the Town of Plattsburgh was 11,870 as of the 2010 census; making the population for the immediate, urban Plattsburgh,...

.

West of Plattsburgh, NY 3 exits the park and encounters NY 374
New York State Route 374
New York State Route 374 is a state highway in the North Country of New York in the United States. The route follows a generally northwest to southeast progression; however, the portion of the route within Franklin County runs north–south and is signed in the same manner...

 via an interchange. Past the exit, the two routes follow parallel routings before separating outside of Plattsburgh. NY 3 curves to the southeast toward the Clinton County Airport
Clinton County Airport
Clinton County Airport is a former county-owned public-use airport in Clinton County, New York, United States. It is located three nautical miles west of the central business district of the city of Plattsburgh...

, where it meets NY 22B just west of the main entrance to the airport. From NY 22B, NY 3 continues east on Blake Road to the outskirts of Plattsburgh, where it meets the Adirondack Northway (I-87
Interstate 87
Interstate 87 is a Interstate Highway located entirely within New York State in the United States of America. I-87 is the longest intrastate Interstate highway in the Interstate Highway System. Its southern end is at the Bronx approaches of the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge in New York City...

). Past I-87, NY 3 follows Cornelia Street into the city, where it becomes city-maintained. Within Plattsburgh, NY 3 intersects NY 22
New York State Route 22
New York State Route 22 is a north–south state highway in eastern New York in the United States. It runs parallel to the state's eastern edge from the outskirts of New York City to a short distance south of the Canadian border. At , it is the state's longest north–south route and...

 before terminating at US 9 just west of Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain is a natural, freshwater lake in North America, located mainly within the borders of the United States but partially situated across the Canada—United States border in the Canadian province of Quebec.The New York portion of the Champlain Valley includes the eastern portions of...

.

Original alignment

NY 3 originally followed a vastly different alignment than it does today. In 1924, it was assigned to the New York portion of the Theodore Roosevelt International Highway
Theodore Roosevelt International Highway
The Theodore Roosevelt International Highway was a transcontinental North American highway through the United States and Canada that ran from Portland, Maine, to Portland, Oregon. Its length was about .-Route description:...

, an auto trail
Auto trail
The system of auto trails was an informal network of marked routes that existed in the United States and Canada in the early part of the 20th century. Marked with colored bands on telephone poles, the trails were intended to help travellers in the early days of the automobile.Auto trails were...

 that extended from Portland, Maine
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...

, to Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...

. In New York, it connected North Tonawanda
North Tonawanda, New York
North Tonawanda is a city in Niagara County, New York, United States. The population was 31,568 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is named after Tonawanda Creek, its south border...

 (near Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls, New York
Niagara Falls is a city in Niagara County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 50,193, down from the 55,593 recorded in the 2000 census. It is across the Niagara River from Niagara Falls, Ontario , both named after the famed Niagara Falls which they...

) in the west to Plattsburgh
Plattsburgh (city), New York
Plattsburgh is a city in and county seat of Clinton County, New York, United States. The population was 19,989 at the 2010 census. The population of the unincorporated areas within the Town of Plattsburgh was 11,870 as of the 2010 census; making the population for the immediate, urban Plattsburgh,...

 in the east via 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...

 and Watertown
Watertown (city), New York
Watertown is a city in the state of New York and the county seat of Jefferson County. It is situated approximately south of the Thousand Islands. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 27,023, an increase of 1.2% since 2000. The U.S...

. NY 3 began at what is now the intersection of US 62 and NY 425
New York State Route 425
New York State Route 425 is a New York state highway that runs from NY 18 in Wilson, New York on the shore of Lake Ontario to a connection with Interstate 290 in the Town of Tonawanda...

 and followed modern NY 425 north through Cambria Station to Cambria Center, from where the highway continued to Lockport
Lockport (city), New York
Lockport is a city in Niagara County, New York, United States. The population was 21,165 at the 2010 census. The name is derived from a set of Erie canal locks within the city. Lockport is the county seat of Niagara County and is surrounded by the town of Lockport...

 on Lower Mountain, Gothic Hill, and Upper Mountain Roads and modern NY 31
New York State Route 31
New York State Route 31 is a state highway that extends for across western and central New York in the United States. The western terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 104 in the city of Niagara Falls. Its eastern terminus is at a traffic circle with NY 26 in Vernon...

. It remained on current NY 31 through the city and mostly followed that route's modern alignment across western New York
Western New York
Western New York is the westernmost region of the state of New York. It includes the cities of Buffalo, Rochester, Niagara Falls, the surrounding suburbs, as well as the outlying rural areas of the Great Lakes lowlands, the Genesee Valley, and the Southern Tier. Some historians, scholars and others...

 to the city of 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...

. The most significant exception to this was between Lockport and Gasport
Gasport, New York
Gasport is a hamlet located in the Town of Royalton in Niagara County, New York, United States. The population was 1,248 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from observed natural gas and the historic Erie Canal port at that location...

, where NY 3 veered south by way of modern NY 77
New York State Route 77
New York State Route 77 is a north–south state highway in the western part of New York in the United States. The highway runs for across mostly rural areas from an intersection with NY 78 and NY 98 in the Wyoming County town of Java to a junction with NY 31 near the city of...

 and County Route 10 (CR 10) to serve the hamlet of McNalls.
Within Rochester, NY 3 remained on the current alignment of NY 31 to what is now the intersection of Lyell Avenue and Broad Street. Here, NY 3 broke from modern NY 31 and continued east on Lyell Avenue to State Street. NY 3 then followed State Street, Main Street, and East Avenue (modern NY 96
New York State Route 96
New York State Route 96 is a northwest–southeast state highway in the Finger Lakes region of New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an interchange with NY 17 in the Southern Tier village of Owego, Tioga County. Its northern terminus is at a junction with...

) through downtown before turning north onto Culver Road in the eastern portion of the city. The route remained on Culver Road to Empire Boulevard, where it turned east toward Irondequoit
Irondequoit, New York
Irondequoit is a town in Monroe County, New York, USA. As of the 2010 census, the coterminous town-CDP had a total population of 51,692...

. Once in Irondequoit, it followed what is now NY 404
New York State Route 404
New York State Route 404 is an east–west state highway located in eastern Monroe County, New York, in the United States. It extends for just over from an interchange with NY 590 in Irondequoit to an intersection with NY 104 on the Monroe–Wayne County line in the town of Webster...

 around the southern extent of Irondequoit Bay
Irondequoit Bay
Irondequoit Bay is a large body of water located in northeastern Monroe County, New York. The bay, roughly wide and in length, is fed by Irondequoit Creek to the south and flows into Lake Ontario at its northern end...

 to Webster
Webster (village), New York
Webster is a village in Monroe County, New York, United States. The population was 5,216 at the 2000 census. The village and town are named after orator and statesman Daniel Webster....

. NY 3 was realigned by 1930 to stay on East Avenue to Winton Road near the eastern edge of the city. Here, the route turned north, following Winton Road through eastern Rochester to Irondequoit, where it rejoined its previous routing at Empire Boulevard.

Past Webster, NY 3 followed Ridge Road
Ridge Road (Western New York)
Ridge Road is a east–west road that traverses four counties in Upstate New York in the United States. It is named for the rise atop which the road was built, a mound of sand and gravel that was formed when it was the shoreline of ancient Glacial Lake Iroquois...

 through Wayne County
Wayne County, New York
Wayne County is a county located in the US state of New York. It is part of the Rochester, New York Metropolitan Statistical Area and lies on the south shore of Lake Ontario, forming part of the northern border of the United States with Canada. The name honors General Anthony Wayne, an American...

 to Red Creek
Red Creek, New York
Red Creek is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 521 at the 2000 census.The Village of Red Creek is in the eastern part of the Town of Wolcott. The village is west of Syracuse, New York.- History :...

, where it continued northeast on what is now NY 370
New York State Route 370
New York State Route 370 is an east–west state highway in central New York in the United States. It extends for from an intersection with NY 104 and NY 104A south of the Wayne County village of Red Creek to a junction with U.S. Route 11 in the Onondaga County city of Syracuse...

 and NY 104A
New York State Route 104A
New York State Route 104A is an east–west state highway in the central portion of New York in the United States. It serves as a northerly alternate route of NY 104, to which it connects at each end...

 through Red Creek, Fair Haven
Fair Haven, New York
Fair Haven is a village in Cayuga County, New York, United States. The population was 884 at the 2000 census.The Village of Fair Haven is within the Town of Sterling and is northwest of Syracuse, New York...

, and Sterling
Sterling, New York
Sterling is a town in Cayuga County, New York, United States. The population was 3,040 at the 2010 census. The town is named after "Lord Stirling", a general of the Revolutionary War. Sterling is the most northerly town in the county...

 to western Oswego County
Oswego County, New York
Oswego County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 Census, the estimated population was 122,109. The City of Oswego and the Village of Pulaski serve as the dual county seats in a two shire system of government...

. At Southwest Oswego, NY 3 joined the routing of modern NY 104
New York State Route 104
New York State Route 104 is a long east–west state highway in Upstate New York, United States. It spans six counties and enters the vicinity of four cities—Niagara Falls, Lockport, Rochester, and Oswego—as it follows a routing largely parallel to that of the southern shoreline of Lake...

 through Oswego
Oswego, New York
Oswego is a city in Oswego County, New York, United States. The population was 18,142 at the 2010 census. Oswego is located on Lake Ontario in north-central New York and promotes itself as "The Port City of Central New York"...

 and Mexico
Mexico (village), New York
Mexico is a village in Oswego County, New York, USA. The population was 1,572 at the 2000 census.The Village of Mexico is located in the Town of Mexico at New York State Routes 3, 69, and 104.Mexico is called "Mother of Towns"...

 to Maple View. Between Maple View and Watertown
Watertown (city), New York
Watertown is a city in the state of New York and the county seat of Jefferson County. It is situated approximately south of the Thousand Islands. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 27,023, an increase of 1.2% since 2000. The U.S...

, NY 3 overlapped NY 2 along what is now US 11. Past Watertown, NY 3 was routed along today's NY 12F
New York State Route 12F
New York State Route 12F is an east–west state highway in Jefferson County, New York, in the United States. It extends for from an intersection with NY 180 in the town of Hounsfield to a junction with U.S. Route 11 and NY 12 in the city of Watertown...

 and NY 180
New York State Route 180
New York State Route 180 is a north–south state highway in the northwestern part of Jefferson County in the U.S. state of New York. The southern terminus of the route is at NY 3 in the Hounsfield hamlet of Baggs Corner, located west of downtown Watertown. The northern terminus is...

 to Limerick, where it continued north to Clayton
Clayton (village), New York
Clayton is a village located in the Town of Clayton in Jefferson County, New York, USA. The population was 1,821 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from the name of the town....

 by way of modern NY 12E
New York State Route 12E
New York State Route 12E is a state highway located entirely within the northwestern part of Jefferson County in northern New York, USA. Officially, the southern terminus of NY 12E is at NY 12 in the city of Watertown; however, its signed terminus is at NY 12F in the village of...

. East of Clayton, it followed modern NY 12
New York State Route 12
New York State Route 12 is a state highway extending for through central and northern New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 11 in the town of Chenango in the Southern Tier. The northern terminus is at NY 37 near the village of...

, NY 26
New York State Route 26
New York State Route 26 is a north–south state highway that runs for through Central New York in the United States. Its southern terminus is located at the Pennsylvania state line south of the town of Vestal in Broome County, where it becomes Pennsylvania Route 267...

 and CR 192 through Alexandria Bay
Alexandria Bay, New York
Alexandria Bay is a village in Jefferson County, New York, United States. The population was 1,080 at the 2010 census.The Village of Alexandria Bay is in the Town of Alexandria.Keewaydin State Park is southeast of the village...

 to Redwood
Redwood, New York
Redwood is a census-designated place in Jefferson County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the area population was 584.Redwood is in the eastern part of the Town of Alexandria The community is near the southeast town line.-Geography:...

. From there, it utilized the current alignment of NY 37
New York State Route 37
New York State Route 37 is a state highway in the North Country of New York in the United States, extending for on a west–east axis. The western terminus of the route is at an intersection with U.S. Route 11 in Watertown, Jefferson County...

 up through Ogdensburg
Ogdensburg, New York
Ogdensburg is a city in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. The population was 11,128 at the 2010 census. In the late 18th century, European-American settlers named the community after American land owner and developer Samuel Ogden....

 (by way of Main and Ford Streets in the city) before continuing to Waddington
Waddington (village), New York
Waddington is a village located in the Town of Waddington in St. Lawrence County, New York. The population was 923 at the 2000 census. The village is named after Joshua Waddington....

 on Van Rensselaer Road. NY 3 went east from here along a now-dismantled riverside highway and Town Line Road to Massena
Massena (village), New York
Massena is a village in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. The population was 13,589 at the 2000 census. The village is named after Andre Massena, one of Napoleon's generals....

, where it was routed on modern NY 37B
New York State Route 37B
New York State Route 37B is an east–west state highway located in St. Lawrence County, New York, United States. It serves as a business route of NY 37 through the village of Massena. While NY 37B enters the village, NY 37 bypasses it to the south. The western terminus of the...

.

East of Massena, NY 3 followed a series of local roads that parallel the modern divided highway
Divided Highway
Divided Highway is a compilation album by American rock band The Doobie Brothers, released in 2003. . All tracks are taken from the albums Cycles and Brotherhood .-Track listing:...

 section of NY 37 to Rooseveltown
Rooseveltown, New York
Rooseveltown, New York is a hamlet in the town of Massena, New York, United States located in St. Lawrence County, New York. It is near the eastern town line by the Raquette River....

, at which point it rejoined current NY 37. The highway remained on today's NY 37 up to CR 51 northwest of Malone
Malone (village), New York
-Notable natives:Notable natives include:*William Almon Wheeler served as Vice President of the United States under Rutherford Hayes. Is buried at Morningside Cemetery in Malone....

, where NY 3 continued south on CR 51 to modern US 11 (then NY 2) west of the village. After briefly overlapping NY 2 (current US 11) into Malone, NY 3 turned south onto what is now NY 30
New York State Route 30
New York State Route 30 is a state highway in the central part of New York in the United States. It extends for from an interchange with NY 17 in the Southern Tier to the Canadian border in the state's North Country, where it continues into Quebec as Route 138. On a regional level,...

, following the route to Paul Smiths
Paul Smiths, New York
Paul Smiths is a hamlet in the Town of Brighton in Franklin County, New York, on Lower Saint Regis Lake, in the Adirondacks, 10 miles north of Saranac Lake, located at 44°26' North 74°15' West....

. Past Paul Smiths, NY 3 continued east along the length of modern NY 86
New York State Route 86
New York State Route 86 is a long state highway located within Adirondack Park in northern New York, United States, linking Franklin County to Essex County. The western terminus of the route is at NY 30 in the hamlet of Paul Smiths. The eastern terminus is at NY 9N in Jay...

 to Jay
Jay, New York
Jay is a town in Essex County, New York, United States. The population was 2,306 at the 2000 census. The town is named after John Jay, governor of New York when the town was formed....

, overlapping then-NY 10
New York State Route 10
New York State Route 10 is a north–south state highway in the Central New York and North Country regions of New York in the United States. It extends for from the Quickway in Deposit, Delaware County to NY 8 at Higgins Bay, a hamlet in the Hamilton County town of Arietta...

 from Harrietstown
Harrietstown, New York
Harrietstown is a town in Franklin County, New York, United States. The population was 5,575 at the 2000 census, much of it concentrated in the village of Saranac Lake....

 to Saranac Lake
Saranac Lake, New York
Saranac Lake is a village located in the state of New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 5,406. The village is named after Upper, Middle, and Lower Saranac Lakes, which are nearby....

 in between. Lastly, from Jay to Plattsburgh, NY 3 overlapped then-NY 6 along what is now NY 9N
New York State Route 9N
New York State Route 9N is a north–south state highway in northeastern New York, United States. It extends from an intersection with U.S. Route 9 , NY 29, and NY 50 in the city of Saratoga Springs to a junction with US 9 and NY 22 in the Clinton County village of...

 and US 9.

Early realignments

In the late 1920s, NY 3 was rerouted near Malone to follow modern NY 37 into the village, largely eliminating the overlap with US 11. Additionally, NY 3 was truncated to Jay on its eastern end. The former alignment to Plattsburgh became part of NY 9W from Jay to Keeseville
Keeseville, New York
Keeseville is a village in both Clinton County, New York and in Essex County, New York in the United States. The population was 1,815 at the 2010 census. The village is named after the Keese family....

 and US 9 from Keeseville to Plattsburgh. A more substantial realignment of NY 3 took place as part of the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York. NY 3 now began concurrent with NY 31A at then-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...

 (now NY 104) in Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls, New York
Niagara Falls is a city in Niagara County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 50,193, down from the 55,593 recorded in the 2000 census. It is across the Niagara River from Niagara Falls, Ontario , both named after the famed Niagara Falls which they...

. The routes proceeded eastward along modern NY 31 to Sanborn
Sanborn, New York
Sanborn is a hamlet in the Towns of Cambria Wheatfield, New York and Lewiston, New York, USA, on the southeast corner of the intersection of New York State Route 429 and New York State Route 31. Originally called South Pekin after the formerly thriving hamlet of Pekin to the north, Sanborn was...

, where NY 31A turned north to follow what is now NY 429
New York State Route 429
New York State Route 429 is a north–south state highway located entirely within Niagara County, New York, in the United States. It extends for from an intersection with NY 265 and NY 384 in North Tonawanda to a junction with NY 104 on the border between the towns of Cambria...

 back to then-NY 31. NY 3 continued on current NY 31 for another two miles to Shawnee, where it met its original alignment to North Tonawanda, which became part of NY 425 in the renumbering. At this point, NY 3 rejoined its previous alignment, overlapping NY 425 up to Cambria–Wilson Road, where that route split off and continued to the north.

NY 3 was realigned in two locations between Lockport and Rochester. One was just east of Lockport, where it was straightened out to go directly from Lockport to Gasport on modern NY 31, bypassing McNalls. The other was between Middleport
Middleport, New York
Middleport is a village in Niagara County, New York, United States. The population was 1,917 at the 2000 census. The mail ZIP code is 14105. It is part of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area....

 and Medina
Medina, New York
Medina is a village in the towns of Shelby and Ridgeway in Orleans County, New York, United States. The population was 6,415 at the 2000 census, making it the second most populous municipality in the county after Albion, the county seat. The village was named by its surveyor...

, where it was realigned to use modern NY 31E
New York State Route 31E
New York State Route 31E is a state highway located in Western New York in the United States. It serves as a northerly alternate route of NY 31 between the village of Middleport in eastern Niagara County and the nearby village of Medina in Orleans County...

 instead. NY 3's old alignment from Lockport to Gasport via McNalls became part of NY 77 west of McNalls and NY 359 north of the community. Its former routing between Middleport and Medina became NY 3A.
The most significant realignment that occurred at this time was in the North Country
North Country, New York
The North Country is a region of the U.S. state of New York that encompasses the state's extreme northern frontier, bordering Lake Ontario on the west, the Saint Lawrence River and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec on the north and northwest, and Lake Champlain and Vermont on the east...

, where NY 3 was shifted onto its current alignment between Watertown and Plattsburgh. From Tupper Lake east to Plattsburgh, most of what became NY 3 was previously part of NY 10. The NY 10 designation remained in place from Tupper Lake east to Upper Saranac Lake
Upper Saranac Lake
Upper Saranac Lake is one of three connected lakes, part of the Saranac River, in the towns of Santa Clara and Harrietstown, near the village of Saranac Lake in the Adirondacks in northern New York. Upper Saranac Lake is the sixth largest lake in the Adirondacks. With Middle Saranac Lake and...

, forming an overlap with NY 3; however, it was completely replaced by NY 3 from Saranac Lake east. Between Upper Saranac Lake and Saranac Lake, the routing of NY 3 was previously unnumbered, as was the routing from Watertown to Tupper Lake.

Spur routes and US 104

At least four suffixed routes of NY 3 were created as part of the 1930 renumbering. The longest of the four initial routes was NY 3C, an alternate route of NY 3 that generally followed NY 3's current alignment between Sterling and Watertown. Another was assigned ca. 1931 when NY 3 was rerouted between Deferiet
Deferiet, New York
Deferiet is a village in Jefferson County, New York, United States. The population was 309 at the 2000 census. The village is named after settler Jenika de Ferriet....

 and Wilna
Wilna, New York
Wilna is a town in Jefferson County, New York, United States. The population was 6,427 at the 2010 census.The Town of Wilna is in the eastern corner of the county and is east of Watertown.- History :...

 to bypass Carthage
Carthage, New York
Carthage is a village located in the Town of Wilna in Jefferson County, New York. The population was 3,721 at the 2000 census. The village is named after the historic Carthage in North Africa....

 to the north on modern NY 3A. The portion of NY 3's former routing from Deferiet to Carthage became NY 3F. Ca. 1932, NY 3 was shifted southward onto modern NY 31 between Shawnee and Lockport. The realignment eliminated overlaps with NY 425 and NY 93
New York State Route 93
New York State Route 93 is a state highway in western New York in the United States. It runs in a northwest–southeast direction between NY 18F near the Niagara River in the village of Youngstown and NY 5 just south of the village of Akron...

, the latter of which had used NY 3's former routing east of Cambria–Wilson Road since it was assigned as part of the 1930 renumbering. Even though all of the former routing had a designation, it was also designated as NY 3A anyway. As a result, the designations of all of NY 3's spur routes were increased by one letter, meaning the existing NY 3A became NY 3B, NY 3C became NY 3D, and so forth.
US 104 was assigned ca. 1935, extending from Niagara Falls to Maple View mostly by way of then-NY 31
New York State Route 31
New York State Route 31 is a state highway that extends for across western and central New York in the United States. The western terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 104 in the city of Niagara Falls. Its eastern terminus is at a traffic circle with NY 26 in Vernon...

 west of Rochester and NY 3 from Rochester to Maple View. As a result, NY 31 was shifted southward onto the alignment of NY 3 from Niagara Falls to Rochester while NY 3 was realigned south of Watertown to follow the routing of NY 3D to a new terminus in Sterling
Sterling, New York
Sterling is a town in Cayuga County, New York, United States. The population was 3,040 at the 2010 census. The town is named after "Lord Stirling", a general of the Revolutionary War. Sterling is the most northerly town in the county...

. Every spur route of NY 3 was eliminated at this time except for NY 3G. The alignments of NY 3 and NY 3G between Deferiet and Wilna were flipped ca. 1938.

Other alignment changes

At some point between 1935 and 1938, NY 3 was truncated further to end at its junction with US 104 in Hannibal
Hannibal (village), New York
Hannibal is a village in Oswego County, New York, USA. The population was 542 at the 2000 census. The village is named after Hannibal, the hero of ancient Carthage....

. It was moved another half-mile (0.8 km) to the east in the early 1960s following the completion of the super two
Super two
A super two, super two-lane highway or wide two lane is a two-lane surface road built to high standards, typically including partial control of access, occasional passing lanes and hard shoulders...

 bypass carrying US 104 around the eastern edge of the village. NY 3 continued to end at the super two until the early 1980s. On April 1, 1980, ownership and maintenance of NY 3's former routing between the Cayuga County
Cayuga County, New York
Cayuga County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It was named for one of the tribes of Indians in the Iroquois Confederation. Its county seat is Auburn.- History :...

 line and NY 104 was transferred from Oswego County
Oswego County, New York
Oswego County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 Census, the estimated population was 122,109. The City of Oswego and the Village of Pulaski serve as the dual county seats in a two shire system of government...

 to the 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...

. One year later, on April 1, 1981, the state assumed ownership and maintenance of the Cayuga County portion from that county. Both transactions were part of larger highway maintenance swaps between the state and the two counties. NY 3 was reextended westward to NY 104A following the second swap.

From Sandy Creek
Sandy Creek (town), New York
Sandy Creek is a town in Oswego County, New York, USA. The population was 3,863 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from a stream in the area.The Town of Sandy Creek is in the northwest part of the county...

 to Henderson
Henderson, New York
Henderson is a town in Jefferson County, New York, United States. The population was 1,360 at the 2010 census. The town is named after William Henderson, the original land owner....

, NY 3C (later NY 3D) was routed on Weaver Road, CR 121, NY 193
New York State Route 193
New York State Route 193 is a short state highway located entirely within the Town of Ellisburg in the southwest part of Jefferson County in northern New York, USA. The western terminus of NY 193 is at NY 3 at Southwick Beach State Park, just east of Lake Ontario. The eastern...

, CR 78, NY 178
New York State Route 178
New York State Route 178 is an east–west state highway in Jefferson County, New York, in the United States. The western terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 3 by Aspinwell Corners in the town of Henderson. Its eastern terminus is at a junction with U.S. Route 11 in...

, and CR 123. A new lakeside highway between Sandy Creek and the modern junction of NY 3 and NY 193 was opened to traffic ca. 1932 as a realignment of NY 3D. An extension of the roadway north to Henderson was completed by the following year. To the southwest in Oswego County, NY 3 was originally routed on modern CR 3 between Hannibal and Fulton
Fulton, Oswego County, New York
Fulton is a small city in Oswego County, New York, United States. The population was 11,855 at the 2000 census. The city is named after Robert Fulton, inventor of the steamboat.The city of Fulton is located in the western part of the county....

 and on Hannibal and Oneida Streets through the city of Fulton. The modern arterial through the city was constructed ca. 1962 while the Hannibal–Fulton highway was built in the mid-1960s.

Suffixed routes

NY 3 has had 14 suffixed routes over the years; however, all of them except for one only existed during the 1930s. The only active designation is NY 3A, which is currently assigned to an alternate route of NY 3 in Jefferson County
Jefferson County, New York
Jefferson County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 116,229. It is named after Thomas Jefferson, third President of the United States of America, and president at the time the county was created in 1805...

.

Original routes

At least four suffixed routes of NY 3 were created as part of the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York. Two more were assigned by the following year. All of these were renumbered ca. 1932.
  • NY 3A was an alternate route of NY 3 between Middleport
    Middleport, New York
    Middleport is a village in Niagara County, New York, United States. The population was 1,917 at the 2000 census. The mail ZIP code is 14105. It is part of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area....

     and Medina
    Medina, New York
    Medina is a village in the towns of Shelby and Ridgeway in Orleans County, New York, United States. The population was 6,415 at the 2000 census, making it the second most populous municipality in the county after Albion, the county seat. The village was named by its surveyor...

    . It became the western half of NY 3B.
  • NY 3B was a connector between NY 237
    New York State Route 237
    New York State Route 237 is a north–south state highway located in the western part of New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 5 in Stafford. Its northern terminus is at an interchange with the Lake Ontario State Parkway...

     in Clarendon
    Clarendon, New York
    Clarendon is a town in Orleans County, New York, United States. The population was 3,392 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from Clarendon, Vermont.The Town of Clarendon is in the southeast part of the county...

     and NY 3 south of Brockport
    Brockport, New York
    Brockport is a village located in the Town of Sweden in Monroe County, New York, USA. The population was 8,103 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from Hiel Brockway, an early settler....

    . The portion of the route within Monroe County
    Monroe County, New York
    Monroe County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 744,344. It is named after James Monroe, fifth President of the United States of America. Its county seat is the city of Rochester....

     was renumbered to NY 3C.
  • NY 3C was an alternate route of NY 3 between Sterling
    Sterling, New York
    Sterling is a town in Cayuga County, New York, United States. The population was 3,040 at the 2010 census. The town is named after "Lord Stirling", a general of the Revolutionary War. Sterling is the most northerly town in the county...

     and Watertown
    Watertown (city), New York
    Watertown is a city in the state of New York and the county seat of Jefferson County. It is situated approximately south of the Thousand Islands. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 27,023, an increase of 1.2% since 2000. The U.S...

    . It was renumbered to NY 3D.
  • NY 3D was a connector between NY 3 in New Haven
    New Haven, New York
    New Haven is a town in Oswego County, New York, United States. The population was 2,930 at the 2000 census.- History :The area was originally called "Vera Cruz."...

     and NY 3C in the town of Mexico
    Mexico (town), New York
    Mexico is a town in the northeast part of Oswego County, New York, United States. The population was 5,181 at the 2000 census. The town contains a village, also called Mexico. NY 104/Main Street passes through the village. NY 69 passes through the town of Mexico and comes to an end in the village,...

    . It was assigned by 1931 and renumbered to NY 3E.
  • NY 3E was an alternate route of NY 3 between Red Creek
    Red Creek, New York
    Red Creek is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 521 at the 2000 census.The Village of Red Creek is in the eastern part of the Town of Wolcott. The village is west of Syracuse, New York.- History :...

     and Southwest Oswego. It was renumbered to NY 3F.
  • NY 3F was assigned ca. 1931 as a connector between Deferiet
    Deferiet, New York
    Deferiet is a village in Jefferson County, New York, United States. The population was 309 at the 2000 census. The village is named after settler Jenika de Ferriet....

     and Carthage
    Carthage, New York
    Carthage is a village located in the Town of Wilna in Jefferson County, New York. The population was 3,721 at the 2000 census. The village is named after the historic Carthage in North Africa....

    . It was renumbered to NY 3G.

Post-1932 routes

All the routes below except for the current NY 3A were assigned ca. 1932.
  • NY 3A has been assigned two times since 1932:
    • The second NY 3A was an alternate route of NY 3 west of Lockport
      Lockport (city), New York
      Lockport is a city in Niagara County, New York, United States. The population was 21,165 at the 2010 census. The name is derived from a set of Erie canal locks within the city. Lockport is the county seat of Niagara County and is surrounded by the town of Lockport...

       along modern NY 425
      New York State Route 425
      New York State Route 425 is a New York state highway that runs from NY 18 in Wilson, New York on the shore of Lake Ontario to a connection with Interstate 290 in the Town of Tonawanda...

       and Lower Mountain, Gothic Hill, and Upper Mountain Roads (the latter three then also part of NY 93
      New York State Route 93
      New York State Route 93 is a state highway in western New York in the United States. It runs in a northwest–southeast direction between NY 18F near the Niagara River in the village of Youngstown and NY 5 just south of the village of Akron...

      ). The designation was removed ca. 1935, leaving NY 425 and NY 93 as the sole routes on the alignment.
    • The current NY 3A
      New York State Route 3A
      New York State Route 3A is a county-maintained state highway in Jefferson County, New York, United States. The route is an alternate route of NY 3 between the village of Deferiet and Fargo, a hamlet within the town of Wilna...

       (5.19 miles or 8.35 km) is an alternate route of NY 3 east of the city of Watertown. While NY 3 dips south between Deferiet
      Deferiet, New York
      Deferiet is a village in Jefferson County, New York, United States. The population was 309 at the 2000 census. The village is named after settler Jenika de Ferriet....

       and Fargo to serve Carthage
      Carthage, New York
      Carthage is a village located in the Town of Wilna in Jefferson County, New York. The population was 3,721 at the 2000 census. The village is named after the historic Carthage in North Africa....

      , NY 3A is a direct east–west route between the two communities. It was assigned in the early 1950s.
  • NY 3B was an alternate route of NY 3 between Middleport and Knowlesville. It was renumbered to NY 31A
    New York State Route 31A
    New York State Route 31A is an east–west state highway located in the western part of New York in the United States. It serves as a southerly alternate route of NY 31 from the western part of Orleans County to the far western part of Monroe County...

     ca. 1935.
  • NY 3C was a spur leading from NY 3 south of Brockport to the Orleans County
    Orleans County, New York
    As of the census of 2000, there were 44,171 people, 15,363 households, and 10,846 families residing in the county. The population density was 113 people per square mile . There were 17,347 housing units at an average density of 44 per square mile...

     line. It was renumbered to NY 31D ca. 1935.
  • NY 3D was an alternate route of NY 3 between Sterling and Watertown. It became a realignment of NY 3 ca. 1935.
  • NY 3E was a connector between NY 3 in New Haven and NY 3D in the town of Mexico. It was renumbered to NY 104B
    New York State Route 104B
    New York State Route 104B is a east–west state highway located in central Oswego County, New York, in the United States. This highway provides a connection between NY 104, the principal highway along the southern shore of Lake Ontario, in New Haven and NY 3, the principal highway...

     ca. 1935.
  • NY 3F was an alternate route of NY 3 between Red Creek and Southwest Oswego. It became part of the new US 104 ca. 1935.
  • NY 3G was initially a connector between Deferiet and Carthage; it was later reassigned to a northerly alternate route of NY 3 between Deferiet and Fargo. The designation was removed in the mid-1940s.

Major intersections

External links

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