New York State Route 89
Encyclopedia
New York State Route 89 (NY 89) is a north–south state highway
in central New York
in the United States. It extends for 62.35 miles (100.34 km) from an intersection with NY 13
, NY 34
, and NY 96
in the Tompkins County
city of Ithaca
to an interchange with NY 104
in the Wayne County
town of town of Wolcott
. The route spans a total of three counties, connecting the heart of the Finger Lakes Region to a point 6 miles (10 km) south of Lake Ontario
. Along the way, NY 89 intersects two regionally important highways: the conjoined
routes of U.S. Route 20
(US 20) and NY 5
in Seneca Falls
and NY 31
in Savannah
. NY 89 runs along the western edge of Cayuga Lake
from Ithaca to Seneca Falls.
NY 89 was assigned as part of the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York to a significantly different alignment than it follows today. At the time, the route began in Varick
and passed through Seneca Falls and Clyde
before ending near North Rose. It was extended south to Ithaca ca. 1933 and rerouted north of Seneca Falls in the late 1950s to serve Savannah
and Wolcott instead. The latter change supplanted part of NY 414
, which was subsequently moved onto NY 89's original routing from Seneca Falls to North Rose. NY 89 originally extended into the village of Wolcott
; however, it was cut back to its current northern terminus after the NY 104 super two
was constructed in the early 1970s.
(NYSDOT) and the city of Ithaca. Most of NY 89 is state-maintained; however, it is locally maintained in Ithaca from the Cayuga Lake
inlet crossing to the northern city line. The portion of NY 89 along the west shore of Cayuga Lake
from Ithaca to the intersection with US 20 and NY 5 near the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge
is part of the Cayuga Lake Scenic Byway, a loop route
passing through Ithaca, Seneca Falls
, and Union Springs
.
and NY 34
) in the West End of the city of Ithaca. Here, NY 96
exits North Meadow Street and overlaps NY 89 westward along Buffalo Street. The two routes intersect North Fulton Street (NY 13 and NY 34 southbound) and cross over a branch of the Cayuga Lake inlet before separating at Taughannock Boulevard. While NY 96 continues west on Buffalo Street, NY 89 heads north on Taughannock Boulevard, crossing over the inlet and running along the western shore of Cayuga Lake as it exits the city.
Outside of Ithaca, NY 89 heads generally northwestward along the western side of a valley surrounding Cayuga Lake. Due to the steep terrain of the surrounding area, this portion of the route passes through sparsely populated and mostly forested areas. In Ulysses
, the northernmost town that NY 89 passes through in Tompkins County
, the highway serves Taughannock Falls State Park
, a mostly linear park that follows Taughannock Creek west to the village of Trumansburg
. NY 89 crosses the northernmost portion of the park on its way into Seneca County
.
, NY 89 heads across largely unpopulated areas of the towns of Covert
and Ovid
and traverses little more than farmland. The routes diverge at the Romulus
town line, where NY 96 turns west toward the village of Ovid
.
NY 89, meanwhile, continues northward into Romulus, where it gradually moves closer to the western lake shore as it descends back into the lake valley. It reaches the shoreline near the hamlet of Elm Beach, from where the route continues along Cayuga Lake for 7 miles (11 km) into the town of Varick
. Along the way, NY 89 serves dozens of lakeside homes and several small communities, including East Varick. The 7-mile stretch ends at the Fayette
town line, where the route leaves the lake to take a slightly more inland routing through the town. As a result, the lakeside homes give way to farmland once again, and the rolling terrain follows NY 89 northward into the town of Seneca Falls
.
The route proceeds generally northward through Seneca Falls, serving Cayuga Lake State Park
and the small hamlet of Bridgeport prior to crossing over the Cayuga–Seneca Canal (part of the Seneca River
) near the northern tip of Cayuga Lake. Past the canal, NY 89 begins to run along the west side of the Montezuma Marsh
, the main component of the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge
. Not far from the canal is an intersection with US 20
and NY 5
, which connect NY 89 to the nearby village of Seneca Falls
. NY 318
is also present at this junction. NY 89 continues on, passing over the New York State Thruway
and traversing part of the refuge before crossing the Erie Canal
and entering Wayne County
.
at a commercialized intersection in an otherwise rural area of the town of Savannah
. While NY 31 eastbound travels southeast into Seneca County and the nearby Montezuma Marsh, NY 31 westbound joins NY 89 northbound through Savannah. The routes initially pass by farmland; however, the open fields gradually give way to homes and businesses as the road approaches the hamlet of Savannah.
NY 31 and NY 89 enter Savannah on High Street, which carries both routes northeastward over the CSX Transportation
-owned Rochester Subdivision
. North of the overpass, the routes pass by two blocks of homes before turning west onto East Church Street. The overlap ends one block later in Savannah's central business district, where NY 89 splits from NY 31 to follow North Main Street out of the hamlet. The open fields return 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) from the hamlet's center, and NY 89 heads north across a mixture of open fields and marshland for roughly 10 miles (16 km) to the town of Wolcott
. Here, the route ends just south of the village of Wolcott
at a partial diamond interchange
with NY 104
. The junction provides access to NY 104 westbound and from NY 104 eastbound; the other connections are made by way of Countryman Road, an east–west highway located just north of the interchange.
) and Ernsberger Road in the town of Varick
and followed the latter eastward to Cayuga Lake
, where NY 89 turned north onto its modern alignment. At Seneca Falls
, the route broke from its current routing and proceeded westward on what is now NY 318
to Magee. Here, NY 89 turned back to the north, following modern NY 414
and Lake Bluff Road to Ridge Road
(then-US 104) north of North Rose. At the time, the current routing of NY 89 north of Seneca Falls and the continuation of NY 89 along Auburn Street to Ridge Road in Wolcott
was part of NY 44 while the section from Ithaca
to Varick had yet to be constructed.
The lakeside highway was completed from Varick to Ovid
ca. 1932. Around the same time, construction began on the segment from Ithaca to Taughannock Falls State Park
near Trumansburg
. The Varick–Ovid portion became part of an extended NY 89, which connected to then-NY 15 (now NY 96
) at its south end via Blew, Potter, and Footes Corners Roads. The segment south of Trumansburg was initially designated as NY 325; it became part of NY 89 when the remainder of the lakeside highway south of Ovid was completed ca. 1933.
US 44
was assigned in the Hudson Valley
ca. 1935; as a result, NY 44 was renumbered to NY 414 to eliminate numerical duplication with the new U.S. Highway. Both NY 89 and NY 414 went unchanged until the late 1950s when the alignments of both routes north of Seneca Falls were swapped, placing NY 89 on its current alignment from Seneca Falls to Wolcott. NY 89 was truncated southward to its current northern terminus in the early 1970s following the construction of the US 104 super two
highway south of Wolcott. The former routing of NY 89 along Auburn Street is now maintained by the village.
. It began at an intersection with US 20
and NY 5
west of the village of Seneca Falls
and went north to the hamlet of Magee, where it ended at a junction with NY 89. NY 89A was assigned in the early 1950s and replaced by a realigned NY 414
in the late 1950s.
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 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:...
in the United States. It extends for 62.35 miles (100.34 km) from an intersection with 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...
, NY 34
New York State Route 34
New York State Route 34 is a north–south New York state route located in Central New York. Its southern terminus is at the Pennsylvania state line in the village of Waverly, where it connects to Pennsylvania Route 199 and meets NY 17...
, and 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...
in the Tompkins County
Tompkins County, New York
Tompkins County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, and comprises the whole of the Ithaca metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 101,564. The county seat is Ithaca, and the county is home to Cornell University, Ithaca College and Tompkins Cortland Community...
city of Ithaca
Ithaca, New York
The city of Ithaca, is a city in upstate New York and the county seat of Tompkins County, as well as the largest community in the Ithaca-Tompkins County metropolitan area...
to an interchange with 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...
in the 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...
town of town of Wolcott
Wolcott (town), New York
Wolcott is a town in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 4,692 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Governor Oliver Wolcott of Connecticut....
. The route spans a total of three counties, connecting the heart of the Finger Lakes Region to a point 6 miles (10 km) south of 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...
. Along the way, NY 89 intersects two regionally important highways: the conjoined
Concurrency (road)
A concurrency, overlap, or coincidence in a road network is an instance of one physical road bearing two or more different highway, motorway, or other route numbers...
routes of U.S. Route 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...
(US 20) and 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...
in Seneca Falls
Seneca Falls (town), New York
Seneca Falls is a town in Seneca County, New York, United States. The population was 9,347 at the 2000 census.The Town of Seneca Falls contains a village also called Seneca Falls...
and 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...
in Savannah
Savannah, New York
Savannah is a town in the southeast portion of Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 1,838 at the 2000 census. Savannah is west of Syracuse, New York...
. NY 89 runs along the western edge of Cayuga Lake
Cayuga Lake
Cayuga Lake is the longest of central New York's glacial Finger Lakes, and is the second largest in surface area and second largest in volume. It is just under 40 miles long. Its average width is 1.7 miles , and it is at its widest point near Aurora...
from Ithaca to Seneca Falls.
NY 89 was assigned as part of the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York to a significantly different alignment than it follows today. At the time, the route began in Varick
Varick, New York
Varick is a town in Seneca County, New York, United States. The population was 1,729 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Richard Varick, an officer in the American Revolution, mayor of New York City, and uncle of the first Town Supervisor, Anthony Dey.The Town of Varick is located in the...
and passed through Seneca Falls and Clyde
Clyde, New York
Clyde is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 2,269 at the 2000 census.The Village of Clyde is in the Town of Galen and is northeast of Geneva, NY...
before ending near North Rose. It was extended south to Ithaca ca. 1933 and rerouted north of Seneca Falls in the late 1950s to serve Savannah
Savannah, New York
Savannah is a town in the southeast portion of Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 1,838 at the 2000 census. Savannah is west of Syracuse, New York...
and Wolcott instead. The latter change supplanted part of NY 414
New York State Route 414
New York State Route 414 is a north–south state highway in the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions of New York in the United States. It extends for from an intersection with NY 352 in the Steuben County city of Corning to a junction with NY 104 in the Wayne County town of Huron...
, which was subsequently moved onto NY 89's original routing from Seneca Falls to North Rose. NY 89 originally extended into the village of Wolcott
Wolcott (village), New York
Wolcott is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 1,712 at the 2000 census. The name is from a former governor of Connecticut....
; however, it was cut back to its current northern terminus after the NY 104 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...
was constructed in the early 1970s.
Route description
Maintenance of NY 89 is split between the New York State Department of TransportationNew 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) and the city of Ithaca. Most of NY 89 is state-maintained; however, it is locally maintained in Ithaca from the Cayuga Lake
Cayuga Lake
Cayuga Lake is the longest of central New York's glacial Finger Lakes, and is the second largest in surface area and second largest in volume. It is just under 40 miles long. Its average width is 1.7 miles , and it is at its widest point near Aurora...
inlet crossing to the northern city line. The portion of NY 89 along the west shore of Cayuga Lake
Cayuga Lake
Cayuga Lake is the longest of central New York's glacial Finger Lakes, and is the second largest in surface area and second largest in volume. It is just under 40 miles long. Its average width is 1.7 miles , and it is at its widest point near Aurora...
from Ithaca to the intersection with US 20 and NY 5 near the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge
Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge
Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge is a wildlife preserve operated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, encompassing part of the Montezuma Swamp at the north end of Cayuga Lake...
is part of the Cayuga Lake Scenic Byway, a loop route
Loop route
A loop route is a highway or other major road that extends out from a typically longer, more important parents road to enter and circle a large city. A loop can function as a bypass for through traffic and also to service outlying suburbs....
passing through Ithaca, Seneca Falls
Seneca Falls (town), New York
Seneca Falls is a town in Seneca County, New York, United States. The population was 9,347 at the 2000 census.The Town of Seneca Falls contains a village also called Seneca Falls...
, and Union Springs
Union Springs, New York
Union Springs is a village in Cayuga County, New York, United States. The population was at 1,074 people at the 2000 census. The name is derived from the mineral springs near the village....
.
Tompkins County
NY 89 begins at the intersection of North Meadow and West Buffalo Streets (the latter carrying northbound NY 13New 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...
and NY 34
New York State Route 34
New York State Route 34 is a north–south New York state route located in Central New York. Its southern terminus is at the Pennsylvania state line in the village of Waverly, where it connects to Pennsylvania Route 199 and meets NY 17...
) in the West End of the city of Ithaca. Here, 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...
exits North Meadow Street and overlaps NY 89 westward along Buffalo Street. The two routes intersect North Fulton Street (NY 13 and NY 34 southbound) and cross over a branch of the Cayuga Lake inlet before separating at Taughannock Boulevard. While NY 96 continues west on Buffalo Street, NY 89 heads north on Taughannock Boulevard, crossing over the inlet and running along the western shore of Cayuga Lake as it exits the city.
Outside of Ithaca, NY 89 heads generally northwestward along the western side of a valley surrounding Cayuga Lake. Due to the steep terrain of the surrounding area, this portion of the route passes through sparsely populated and mostly forested areas. In Ulysses
Ulysses, New York
Ulysses is a town located in northwest Tompkins County, New York, U.S.. The population was 4,900 at the 2010 census. The town was named after the hero of the Odyssey....
, the northernmost town that NY 89 passes through in Tompkins County
Tompkins County, New York
Tompkins County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, and comprises the whole of the Ithaca metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 101,564. The county seat is Ithaca, and the county is home to Cornell University, Ithaca College and Tompkins Cortland Community...
, the highway serves Taughannock Falls State Park
Taughannock Falls State Park
Taughannock Falls State Park is located in the Town of Ulysses in Tompkins County, New York, in the United States. The park is northwest of Ithaca near Trumansburg, New York...
, a mostly linear park that follows Taughannock Creek west to the village of Trumansburg
Trumansburg, New York
Trumansburg is a village in Tompkins County, New York, United States. The population was 1,581 at the 2000 census. The name is a variant spelling of the surname of the founder, Abner Treman...
. NY 89 crosses the northernmost portion of the park on its way into Seneca County
Seneca County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 33,342 people, 12,630 households, and 8,626 families residing in the county. The population density was 103 people per square mile . There were 14,794 housing units at an average density of 46 per square mile...
.
Seneca County
In Seneca County, NY 89 remains relatively isolated in relation to other state routes, even though it leaves the lake valley at the southern county line for an alignment that takes it along the western lip of the gully. For its first 11 miles (18 km) in the county, NY 89 closely parallels NY 96, the latter of which is located on slightly higher ground a short distance to the west. While NY 96 serves several hamlets and the village of InterlakenInterlaken, New York
Interlaken is a village in Seneca County, New York, United States. The population was 674 at the 2000 census. The name is related to the village's position between two lakes....
, NY 89 heads across largely unpopulated areas of the towns of Covert
Covert, New York
Covert is a town in Seneca County, New York, USA. The population was 2,227 at the 2000 census. The current Town Supervisor is Michael Reynolds .The Town of Covert is located in the southeast corner of the county and is northwest of Ithaca, New York....
and Ovid
Ovid (town), New York
Ovid is a town in Seneca County, New York, United States. The population was 2,757 at the 2000 census. The town is named after the Roman poet Ovid, a name assigned by a clerk interested in the classics....
and traverses little more than farmland. The routes diverge at the Romulus
Romulus, New York
Romulus is a town in Seneca County, New York, United States. The population was 2,036 at the 2000 census. The town is named after the mythical founder of Rome, Romulus, a name assigned by a clerk with an interest in the classics...
town line, where NY 96 turns west toward the village of Ovid
Ovid (village), New York
Ovid is a village in and one of the two county seats of Seneca County, New York, United States. The population was 612 at the 2000 census. The town was named by a clerk interested in the classics ....
.
NY 89, meanwhile, continues northward into Romulus, where it gradually moves closer to the western lake shore as it descends back into the lake valley. It reaches the shoreline near the hamlet of Elm Beach, from where the route continues along Cayuga Lake for 7 miles (11 km) into the town of Varick
Varick, New York
Varick is a town in Seneca County, New York, United States. The population was 1,729 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Richard Varick, an officer in the American Revolution, mayor of New York City, and uncle of the first Town Supervisor, Anthony Dey.The Town of Varick is located in the...
. Along the way, NY 89 serves dozens of lakeside homes and several small communities, including East Varick. The 7-mile stretch ends at the Fayette
Fayette, New York
Fayette is a town in Seneca County, New York, United States. The population was 3,643 at the 2000 census.The Town of Fayette is on the western border of the county and is southeast of Geneva, New York.- History :...
town line, where the route leaves the lake to take a slightly more inland routing through the town. As a result, the lakeside homes give way to farmland once again, and the rolling terrain follows NY 89 northward into the town of Seneca Falls
Seneca Falls (town), New York
Seneca Falls is a town in Seneca County, New York, United States. The population was 9,347 at the 2000 census.The Town of Seneca Falls contains a village also called Seneca Falls...
.
The route proceeds generally northward through Seneca Falls, serving Cayuga Lake State Park
Cayuga Lake State Park
Cayuga Lake State Park is located on the north end of Cayuga Lake in the US state of New York, east of Seneca Falls on the west side of lake, along New York State Route 89....
and the small hamlet of Bridgeport prior to crossing over the Cayuga–Seneca Canal (part of the Seneca River
Seneca River (New York)
The Seneca River in central New York flows from west to east, from Seneca Lake, through the Montezuma Marsh at the north end of Cayuga Lake to the Seneca's confluence with the Oneida and Oswego rivers at the Three Rivers area north of Syracuse. Much of the river has been channelized to form part...
) near the northern tip of Cayuga Lake. Past the canal, NY 89 begins to run along the west side of the Montezuma Marsh
Montezuma Marsh
Montezuma Marsh is a marsh at the northern end of Cayuga Lake in the Finger Lakes region of New York. Much of the marsh is part of the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, which is a major point on the route of many migratory birds, such as Canada geese and mallard ducks.The Cayuga valley is an old...
, the main component of the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge
Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge
Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge is a wildlife preserve operated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, encompassing part of the Montezuma Swamp at the north end of Cayuga Lake...
. Not far from the canal is an intersection with 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...
and 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...
, which connect NY 89 to the nearby village of Seneca Falls
Seneca Falls (village), New York
Seneca Falls is a village in Seneca County, New York, United States. The population was 6,861 at the 2000 census. The village is in the Town of Seneca Falls, east of Geneva, New York. On March 16, 2010, village residents voted to dissolve the village, a move that would take effect at the end of 2011...
. NY 318
New York State Route 318
New York State Route 318 is an east–west state highway in the Finger Lakes region of New York, United States. The western terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 14 at New York State Thruway exit 42 in the town of Phelps. The eastern terminus is at an intersection that...
is also present at this junction. NY 89 continues on, passing over 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...
and traversing part of the refuge before crossing the Erie Canal
Erie Canal
The Erie Canal is a waterway in New York that runs about from Albany, New York, on the Hudson River to Buffalo, New York, at Lake Erie, completing a navigable water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. The canal contains 36 locks and encompasses a total elevation differential of...
and entering 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...
.
Wayne County
Just inside the Wayne County limits, NY 89 leaves its northern alignment and turns east onto Armitage Road, which runs along the Seneca–Wayne county line. Just over 1 miles (1.6 km) to the east, NY 89 intersects NY 31New 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...
at a commercialized intersection in an otherwise rural area of the town of Savannah
Savannah, New York
Savannah is a town in the southeast portion of Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 1,838 at the 2000 census. Savannah is west of Syracuse, New York...
. While NY 31 eastbound travels southeast into Seneca County and the nearby Montezuma Marsh, NY 31 westbound joins NY 89 northbound through Savannah. The routes initially pass by farmland; however, the open fields gradually give way to homes and businesses as the road approaches the hamlet of Savannah.
NY 31 and NY 89 enter Savannah on High Street, which carries both routes northeastward over the CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
-owned Rochester Subdivision
Rochester Subdivision
The Rochester Subdivision is a railroad line owned by CSX Transportation in the U.S. state of New York. The line runs from Syracuse west to Buffalo along the former New York Central Railroad main line. At its east end, west of downtown Syracuse, the line becomes the Mohawk Subdivision...
. North of the overpass, the routes pass by two blocks of homes before turning west onto East Church Street. The overlap ends one block later in Savannah's central business district, where NY 89 splits from NY 31 to follow North Main Street out of the hamlet. The open fields return 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) from the hamlet's center, and NY 89 heads north across a mixture of open fields and marshland for roughly 10 miles (16 km) to the town of Wolcott
Wolcott (town), New York
Wolcott is a town in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 4,692 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Governor Oliver Wolcott of Connecticut....
. Here, the route ends just south of the village of Wolcott
Wolcott (village), New York
Wolcott is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 1,712 at the 2000 census. The name is from a former governor of Connecticut....
at a partial diamond interchange
Diamond interchange
A diamond interchange is a common type of road junction, used where a freeway crosses a minor road. The freeway itself is grade-separated from the minor road, one crossing the other over a bridge...
with 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...
. The junction provides access to NY 104 westbound and from NY 104 eastbound; the other connections are made by way of Countryman Road, an east–west highway located just north of the interchange.
History
NY 89 was assigned as part of the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York. It initially began at the junction of NY 44 (modern NY 414New York State Route 414
New York State Route 414 is a north–south state highway in the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions of New York in the United States. It extends for from an intersection with NY 352 in the Steuben County city of Corning to a junction with NY 104 in the Wayne County town of Huron...
) and Ernsberger Road in the town of Varick
Varick, New York
Varick is a town in Seneca County, New York, United States. The population was 1,729 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Richard Varick, an officer in the American Revolution, mayor of New York City, and uncle of the first Town Supervisor, Anthony Dey.The Town of Varick is located in the...
and followed the latter eastward to Cayuga Lake
Cayuga Lake
Cayuga Lake is the longest of central New York's glacial Finger Lakes, and is the second largest in surface area and second largest in volume. It is just under 40 miles long. Its average width is 1.7 miles , and it is at its widest point near Aurora...
, where NY 89 turned north onto its modern alignment. At Seneca Falls
Seneca Falls (town), New York
Seneca Falls is a town in Seneca County, New York, United States. The population was 9,347 at the 2000 census.The Town of Seneca Falls contains a village also called Seneca Falls...
, the route broke from its current routing and proceeded westward on what is now NY 318
New York State Route 318
New York State Route 318 is an east–west state highway in the Finger Lakes region of New York, United States. The western terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 14 at New York State Thruway exit 42 in the town of Phelps. The eastern terminus is at an intersection that...
to Magee. Here, NY 89 turned back to the north, following modern NY 414
New York State Route 414
New York State Route 414 is a north–south state highway in the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions of New York in the United States. It extends for from an intersection with NY 352 in the Steuben County city of Corning to a junction with NY 104 in the Wayne County town of Huron...
and Lake Bluff Road to 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...
(then-US 104) north of North Rose. At the time, the current routing of NY 89 north of Seneca Falls and the continuation of NY 89 along Auburn Street to Ridge Road in Wolcott
Wolcott (village), New York
Wolcott is a village in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 1,712 at the 2000 census. The name is from a former governor of Connecticut....
was part of NY 44 while the section from Ithaca
Ithaca, New York
The city of Ithaca, is a city in upstate New York and the county seat of Tompkins County, as well as the largest community in the Ithaca-Tompkins County metropolitan area...
to Varick had yet to be constructed.
The lakeside highway was completed from Varick to Ovid
Ovid (town), New York
Ovid is a town in Seneca County, New York, United States. The population was 2,757 at the 2000 census. The town is named after the Roman poet Ovid, a name assigned by a clerk interested in the classics....
ca. 1932. Around the same time, construction began on the segment from Ithaca to Taughannock Falls State Park
Taughannock Falls State Park
Taughannock Falls State Park is located in the Town of Ulysses in Tompkins County, New York, in the United States. The park is northwest of Ithaca near Trumansburg, New York...
near Trumansburg
Trumansburg, New York
Trumansburg is a village in Tompkins County, New York, United States. The population was 1,581 at the 2000 census. The name is a variant spelling of the surname of the founder, Abner Treman...
. The Varick–Ovid portion became part of an extended NY 89, which connected to then-NY 15 (now 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...
) at its south end via Blew, Potter, and Footes Corners Roads. The segment south of Trumansburg was initially designated as NY 325; it became part of NY 89 when the remainder of the lakeside highway south of Ovid was completed ca. 1933.
US 44
U.S. Route 44 in New York
U.S. Route 44 in the state of New York is a major east–west thoroughfare in the Hudson Valley region of the state. Its entire length is maintained by the New York State Department of Transportation, with the exception of the Mid-Hudson Bridge, which is maintained by the New York State Bridge...
was assigned in the Hudson Valley
Hudson Valley
The Hudson Valley comprises the valley of the Hudson River and its adjacent communities in New York State, United States, from northern Westchester County northward to the cities of Albany and Troy.-History:...
ca. 1935; as a result, NY 44 was renumbered to NY 414 to eliminate numerical duplication with the new U.S. Highway. Both NY 89 and NY 414 went unchanged until the late 1950s when the alignments of both routes north of Seneca Falls were swapped, placing NY 89 on its current alignment from Seneca Falls to Wolcott. NY 89 was truncated southward to its current northern terminus in the early 1970s following the construction of the US 104 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...
highway south of Wolcott. The former routing of NY 89 along Auburn Street is now maintained by the village.
NY 89A
NY 89A was a spur route of NY 89 in the town of Seneca FallsSeneca Falls (town), New York
Seneca Falls is a town in Seneca County, New York, United States. The population was 9,347 at the 2000 census.The Town of Seneca Falls contains a village also called Seneca Falls...
. It began at an intersection with 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...
and 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...
west of the village of Seneca Falls
Seneca Falls (village), New York
Seneca Falls is a village in Seneca County, New York, United States. The population was 6,861 at the 2000 census. The village is in the Town of Seneca Falls, east of Geneva, New York. On March 16, 2010, village residents voted to dissolve the village, a move that would take effect at the end of 2011...
and went north to the hamlet of Magee, where it ended at a junction with NY 89. NY 89A was assigned in the early 1950s and replaced by a realigned NY 414
New York State Route 414
New York State Route 414 is a north–south state highway in the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions of New York in the United States. It extends for from an intersection with NY 352 in the Steuben County city of Corning to a junction with NY 104 in the Wayne County town of Huron...
in the late 1950s.