The
Taconic State Parkway (often called
the Taconic or the
TSP) is a part of the
New YorkNew York is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous. The state is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
highway system. For most of its route, the TSP is four lanes. All of the parkway in
Westchester CountyWestchester County is a primarily suburban county located in the U.S. state of New York. Westchester covers an area of 450 square miles and has a diverse population of approximately 950,000, residing in 45 municipalities...
north of the
Sprain Brook ParkwayThe Sprain Brook Parkway is a long north-south parkway in Westchester County, New York. It is one of the newest and most modern parkways in Westchester County, adopting many ideas and improvements developed during decades of statewide highway construction. The southern terminus is at the Bronx...
is now a six lane limited-access freeway. At its southern terminus, in
ValhallaValhalla is a hamlet and census-designated place located in the town of Mount Pleasant in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 5,379 at the 2000 census...
, it reaches a traffic circle with the northern end of the
Bronx River ParkwayThe Bronx River Parkway is a long parkway in downstate New York. It is named for the nearby Bronx River, which it parallels. The southern terminus of the parkway is at Story Avenue near Bruckner Expressway in the Bronx neighborhood of Soundview...
and a connection to
New York State Route 22New York State Route 22 is a New York state highway running north–south parallel to the state's eastern edge from the outskirts of New York City to a short distance south of the Canadian border. At over , it is the state's longest north–south route and the third longest overall,...
. As with many parkways in the Hudson Valley and Long Island, the character of this highway is largely scenic and winding. It was originally intended for Sunday drivers headed up from New York City to
Bear MountainBear Mountain State Park is located on the west side of the Hudson River in Orange and Rockland counties of New York. The park offers biking, hiking, boating, picnicking, swimming, cross-country skiing, cross-country running, sledding and ice skating as well as a zoo, trailside museums, a hotel...
for a picnic, as opposed to commuting purposes. Other than
Interstate 87Interstate 87 is a long intrastate Interstate Highway located entirely within New York, United States. It is the longest intrastate Interstate Highway in the Interstate Highway System. Its southern end is at the The Bronx approach to the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge in New York City...
(also the
New York State ThruwayThe New York State Thruway is a limited-access toll highway in the U.S. state of New York...
) to the west of the state, this is an alternate route for travelers heading north to upstate New York State.
The road is designated
New York State Reference Route 987G, an unsigned reference route. Freeway exit numbers are no longer signed, though boulevard intersections are, where the signs still exist.
Today, the Taconic stretches from the Bronx River Parkway in
ValhallaValhalla is a hamlet and census-designated place located in the town of Mount Pleasant in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 5,379 at the 2000 census...
in the Town of
Mount PleasantMount Pleasant is a town in Westchester County, New York, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 43,221.-Geography:...
, Westchester County northwards to
East ChathamEast Chatham is a hamlet in the town of Chatham, New York. It lies near the eastern boundary of the town, east of Old Chatham. It is located on a railroad....
in Columbia County. The Taconic then ends at the toll plaza preceding the
New York State ThruwayThe New York State Thruway is a limited-access toll highway in the U.S. state of New York...
Berkshire Section (Interstate 90 exit B2). Unpaved alignments can be seen where the parkway was, at one time, planned to continue north. The Taconic built before
the NorthwayInterstate 87 is a long intrastate Interstate Highway located entirely within New York, United States. It is the longest intrastate Interstate Highway in the Interstate Highway System. Its southern end is at the The Bronx approach to the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge in New York City...
was opened in the 1960s was to be planned to extend to the Canadian border. However, there MAY be a plan to continue the parkway further north in the next 15-20 years, which all depends on how the economy is between now and then.
Like many New York
parkwayIn the United States, Parkways are defined as follows:#A type of road##A broad landscaped thoroughfare; especially : one from which trucks and other heavy vehicles are excluded.##A roadway in a park : a landscaped thoroughfare connecting parks...
s, the Taconic is restricted to passenger vehicles only; commercial vehicles are prohibited. Given the state's vehicle-licensing rules, this prohibition became a problem as truck sales increased. In January 2000, the laws were changed such that
pickup truckA pickup truck is a light motor vehicle with an open-top rear cargo area which is almost always separated from the cab to allow for chassis flex when carrying or pulling heavy loads....
s licensed in New York could obtain passenger plates and be driven on the Taconic.
The Taconic also has a reputation among motorists, particularly as it courses through Dutchess County, as having numerous police speed traps.
Conception
The Taconic was built over a number of years in four sections by two different agencies.
The first was the Westchester County Parks Commission (WCPC), which built an extension of its very successful
Bronx River ParkwayThe Bronx River Parkway is a long parkway in downstate New York. It is named for the nearby Bronx River, which it parallels. The southern terminus of the parkway is at Story Avenue near Bruckner Expressway in the Bronx neighborhood of Soundview...
. Proposed by
Robert MosesRobert Moses was the "master builder" of mid-20th century New York City, Long Island, and Westchester County, New York. As the shaper of a modern city, he is sometimes compared to Baron Haussmann of Second Empire Paris, and is one of the most polarizing figures in the history of urban planning in...
, the new highway was intended to provide a direct scenic route from the Bronx to the
Bear Mountain BridgeThe Bear Mountain Bridge is a toll suspension bridge in New York State, carrying U.S. Highways 202 and 6 across the Hudson River between Orange and Westchester counties...
, at the time a rare crossing over the
Hudson RiverThe Hudson River is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. It rises at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains, flows past Albany, and finally forms the border between New York City and New Jersey at its mouth before emptying into...
. The parkway design was largely the work of landscape architect
Gilmore ClarkeGilmore David Clarke was an American civil engineer and landscape architect who designed many parks and public spaces in New York City....
.
The second was a project by the Taconic State Park Commission (TSPC). The TSPC was formed in 1925 to oversee two tasks, develop the proposed
Taconic State ParkTaconic State Park is located in Columbia and Dutchess County, New York abutting Massachusetts and Connecticut within the Taconic Mountains. The state park is located off New York State Route 344 south of Interstate 90 and north of New York City...
, and a parkway to the park. Franklin Delano Roosevelt first chaired the TSPC, and quickly focused on the parkway presenting a proposal for the path of the parkway at the commissions third meeting:
"approximately mid-way between Albany Post Road and the Harlem River Valley and coming out on the west side of Shenandoah Valley, passing thence east of East Fishkill, east of Hopewell, east of Arthursburg, east of Billings, east of Moores Mill, east of Washington Hollow, east of Stanfordville, west of Bangall to the south end of Stissing Mountain, thence over the top of Stissing Mountain through Silvermalls and past Charlotte Lake, thence approximately in a straight line to Philmont and past Chatham, with the idea that at some point north of Chatham would be divide and one fork would lead northeast to Williamstown and the Mohawk Trail and the other fork northwest passing east of Troy, to the Saratoga Battlefield."
Since Roosevelt's statement, Lake Charlotte has been renamed Lake Taghkanic and became the centerpiece of
Lake Taghkanic State ParkLake Taghkanic State Park is a state park located in the southern part of Columbia County, New York in the USA. The park is on the town line between the Towns of Gallatin and Taghkanic....
.
This was the plan adopted by the TSPC and approved by the State Parks Council, although Roosevelt is reported to have said later the parkway would extend north to the
CanadianCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
border.
The WCPC project got off to a quick start and finished just two years later, despite delays due to soil conditions north of Mohansic Park (since renamed
Franklin D. Roosevelt State ParkFranklin D. Roosevelt State Park is a state park in Westchester County, New York. It was formerly known as Mohansic Park and Mohansic State Park and is situated in Yorktown, about 40 miles from New York City...
). The TSPC project had a much slower start. At the time, Moses was chair of the State Parks Council, which controlled TSPC funding, most of which went to the Long Island Parks Commission, which Moses chaired. Funding to acquire land or even hire TSPC staff was minimal, which Roosevelt frequently complained about.
Although some progress was made acquiring land for a right-of-way through much of Putnam and into Dutchess, primarily through land donations, two of the largest being the Fahnestock and Lake Charlotte donations. It was not until the 1930-31 budget that significant funds became available. Assisted greatly by Roosevelt who by then was governor of New York, and was so fond of the project that he continued to influence it for years after leaving the TSPC.
Construction
- 1929 - 1932: Construction began on the Bronx River Parkway extension in 1929 by the Westchester County Park Commission and was completed two years later with the parkway opening to traffic Sunday, November 14, 1931. The 42' wide undivided roadway featuring stone arch bridges and a 750' triple hinged steel truss arch bridge over the Croton Lake
The New Croton Reservoir is a narrow reservoir in Westchester County, New York, lying approximately north of New York City, for which the reservoir supplies water. It is the collecting point for water from all reservoirs in the Croton Watershed...
, at the time, the longest bridge of its type in the world. This original section included a branch north to the Westchester County line intended to meet the state's planned Eastern State Parkway.
- 1932 - 1938: Starting on April 28, 1931, the TSPC began construction extending the northern branch of the extension in Westchester
Westchester County is a primarily suburban county located in the U.S. state of New York. Westchester covers an area of 450 square miles and has a diverse population of approximately 950,000, residing in 45 municipalities...
northward into PutnamPutnam County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, in the lower Hudson River Valley. Putnam county formed in 1812, when it detached from Dutchess County. , the population was 100,570. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. The county seat is Carmel...
County through the Hudson HighlandsThe Hudson Highlands are the mountains on both sides of the Hudson River in the U.S. state of New York, between Newburgh Bay and Haverstraw Bay which form the northern region of the New York - New Jersey Highlands...
and into DutchessDutchess County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, in the state's Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley. The 2000 census lists the population as 280,150, but the United States Census Bureau gives an estimate of 292,706 residents for the 12-month period ending July 1, 2007...
county. Reaching Peekskill Hollow Road in 1933, FahnestockClarence Fahnestock Memorial State Park a 14,086 acre New York state park, in Putnam and Dutchess counties. The park has hiking trails, an environmental center, a beach on Canopus Lake, and fishing on four ponds and two lakes...
/NY 301New York State Route 301 is an intra-county state highway stretching across three-quarters of Putnam County. The western terminus of NY 301 is at NY 9D in Cold Spring. The eastern terminus is at NY 52...
in July 1935, NY 52New York State Route 52 is a long state highway in the southeastern part of New York, United States. It generally runs from west to east, beginning at the Pennsylvania state line in the Delaware River near Narrowsburg, crossing the Hudson River on the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge, and ending in Carmel...
in September 1936 and finally NY 55New York State Route 55 is a state highway in southern New York, running from the Pennsylvania state line at the Delaware River in Barryville to the Connecticut state line at Wingdale. It is the only other state highway beside NY 7 to completely cross the state, from border to border, in an...
in December 1938. This section featured three overlooks, one near Bullet Hole Road (former crossing north of Bryant Pond Road) and two on Hosner Mountain. Also a service station on the west side, south of NY 301New York State Route 301 is an intra-county state highway stretching across three-quarters of Putnam County. The western terminus of NY 301 is at NY 9D in Cold Spring. The eastern terminus is at NY 52...
(now a NYSDOT maintenance shed). As the parkway neared NY 52New York State Route 52 is a long state highway in the southeastern part of New York, United States. It generally runs from west to east, beginning at the Pennsylvania state line in the Delaware River near Narrowsburg, crossing the Hudson River on the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge, and ending in Carmel...
, the increased safety of medians became known and was incorporated into the design. When first opened, the parkway in Putnam County included bridle pathA bridle path, also called a bridle road or bridleway, is a trail originally made for horses, but which these days serves a wide range of interests...
s in the medianOn divided roads, including expressways, motorways, or autobahns, the central reservation , median , median strip or central nature strip is the area which separates opposing lanes of traffic.-Physical attributes:Some medians function secondarily as "green...
. Concern over maintenance costs led to their closure in 1940.
As traffic volume increased, two median service stations were built, the Shenandoah station near Hosner Mountain Road and Todd Hill near Todd Hill Road in 1942. Both sold gas and could do minor repairs, quite modest, unlike the full-service Briarcliff Wells station with a garage, restaurant and bar.
- 1938 - 1955: The next section extending the parkway through the remainder of Dutchess county and into southern Columbia County
Columbia County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2000 census, the population was 63,094. The county seat is Hudson. The name comes from the Latin feminine form of the name of Christopher Columbus, which was at the time of the formation of the county a popular proposal...
was constructed. Construction deferred due to WWII, funding being redirected to the then new Interstate system and controversy over the planned route near Lake TaghkanicLake Taghkanic State Park is a state park located in the southern part of Columbia County, New York in the USA. The park is on the town line between the Towns of Gallatin and Taghkanic....
, meant that NY 199New York State Route 199 is a state highway located in the Hudson Valley of New York, United States. It extends for from an interchange with U.S. Route 9W and U.S. Route 209 north of Kingston to an intersection with U.S. Route 44 and NY 22 southwest of Millerton...
was not reached until September 1949. NY 82New York State Route 82 is a state highway in the eastern Hudson Valley of New York, United States. It begins at an intersection with NY 52 northeast of the village of Fishkill, bends eastward towards Millbrook, and then returns westward to end at a junction with U.S. Route 9,...
was reached in October 1954 and NY 23New York State Route 23 is a state highway in eastern New York. It runs from Central New York through the Catskills to the Massachusetts state line in the Berkshires. The western terminus of the route is at NY 26 in the town of Cincinnatus. The eastern terminus is at the Massachusetts state line in...
in December 1958. During the construction of this section another large land donation allowed for the creation of James Baird State ParkJames Baird State Park is a state park in Dutchess County, New York, USA. The park is located in the northern part of the Town of LaGrange, east of City of Poughkeepsie.The park is named after the donor of the land, James Baird. Baird, who held a Ph.D...
. This section included a median service station in Clinton Corners and the only east facing overlook at the border of ClintonClinton is a town in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 4,010 at the 2000 census. The town is named after George Clinton, an early governor of New York....
and StanfordStanford is a town in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 3,544 at the 2000 census.The Town of Stanford is in the north-central part of the county.- History :Stanford was first settled around 1750...
. Roadway design during construction of this section saw the introduction of mountable curbs. Contracts also allowed for paving with asphaltAsphalt concrete, normally known simply as asphalt or AC , is a composite material commonly used for construction of pavement, highways and parking lots...
, but concrete bids where lower until after reaching NY 82New York State Route 82 is a state highway in the eastern Hudson Valley of New York, United States. It begins at an intersection with NY 52 northeast of the village of Fishkill, bends eastward towards Millbrook, and then returns westward to end at a junction with U.S. Route 9,...
.
- 1955 - 1963: Construction on the final section began in 1955 reaching NY 203
New York State Route 203 is a state highway in New York State. It begins at NY 22 in the Columbia County hamlet of Austerlitz and ends at US 20 in the Rensselaer County village of Nassau.-Route description:...
in 1961 and was completed in November 1963 with the parkway's northern terminus at the Berkshire Connector of the New York State ThruwayThe New York State Thruway is a limited-access toll highway in the U.S. state of New York...
. This is the only section originally paved with asphaltAsphalt concrete, normally known simply as asphalt or AC , is a composite material commonly used for construction of pavement, highways and parking lots...
. A median service station was built at Lake Taghkonic and overlooks near CR 8 and between NY 217New York State Route 217 is a long state highway in Columbia County, New York, United States. It connects NY 23 in Claverack to the Taconic State Parkway in Ghent by way of the village of Philmont...
and NY 203New York State Route 203 is a state highway in New York State. It begins at NY 22 in the Columbia County hamlet of Austerlitz and ends at US 20 in the Rensselaer County village of Nassau.-Route description:...
. The original terminus was planned to be at the west end of the NY 22New York State Route 22 is a New York state highway running north–south parallel to the state's eastern edge from the outskirts of New York City to a short distance south of the Canadian border. At over , it is the state's longest north–south route and the third longest overall,...
/67New York State Route 67 is a state highway in Eastern New York, running west to east from St. Johnsville to the Vermont state line in the town of Hoosick, where it continues into Vermont as Vermont Route 67.-New Turnpike Extension:...
concurrency in Buskirk, rather than the toll trap that it is.
After the parkway was completed, an opening ceremony planned for November 25, 1963, was cancelled due to the assassination of then-U.S. president
John F. KennedyJohn Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
and never rescheduled.
Improvements and reconstruction
Even as construction of the final section in Columbia County was nearing completion, increasing traffic volume on the Westchester section was straining the roadway there. While originally built to modern standards of the time, a narrow undivided roadway with an abundance of at-grade crossings proved to be a less-than-ideal design as traffic volume increased.
Pressure grew to improve the safety of the aging roadway, as it was rapidly becoming a major commuter route. Furthermore, a new parkway, the
Sprain BrookThe Sprain Brook Parkway is a long north-south parkway in Westchester County, New York. It is one of the newest and most modern parkways in Westchester County, adopting many ideas and improvements developed during decades of statewide highway construction. The southern terminus is at the Bronx...
, was being planned to connect to the Taconic. The TSPC started investigating its options to modernize the parkway, including grade-separating crossings, additional traffic lanes between Hawthorne and Yorktown, and removing the
Hawthorne CircleThe Hawthorne Circle was a notably dangerous traffic circle located in Hawthorne, New York in Westchester County until 1972 when it was replaced with a three-level interchange. The circle once connected three busy highways, the Bronx River Parkway, the Taconic State Parkway, and the Saw Mill River...
, which had become a known problem as early as 1941. In 1954 the cost of such improvements was estimated at more than $25 million, much more than the thinly spread TSPC could afford.
In 1954, the hazardous at-grade crossing of Underhill Avenue in
YorktownYorktown is a town in Westchester County, New York, in the suburbs of New York City about 38 miles north of midtown Manhattan. The town lies on the north border of Westchester county...
was grade separated with a stone-faced concrete arch bridge designed by
Gilmore ClarkeGilmore David Clarke was an American civil engineer and landscape architect who designed many parks and public spaces in New York City....
, faithful to the parkway's original character.
Funding problems were eventually mitigated in 1960 with the creation of the East Hudson Parkway Authority (EHPA). The EHPA assumed control of the parkway the next year. Unlike the TSPC's recreational vision, the EHPA concentrated on larger scale projects to increase the capacity of the southern end of the parkway.
Between 1965 and 1971, an additional three-lane alignment was added between Campfire Road in
MillwoodMillwood is a hamlet located in the town of New Castle, New York in Westchester County. It was originally settled as Sarlesville. The area now known as Millwood appears on 19th century maps as Merritt's Corners and Rockdale Mills...
and Crompond Road (US 202/
NY 35New York State Route 35 is the principal east-west highway in the northern part of Westchester County, New York, carrying average daily volumes of around 16,500 vehicles...
) in
YorktownYorktown is a town in Westchester County, New York, in the suburbs of New York City about 38 miles north of midtown Manhattan. The town lies on the north border of Westchester county...
. The original alignment was then reconfigured for 3 lanes in a single direction. This project was completed when the final section between Kitchawan (
NY 134New York State Route 134 is a long state highway in the western part of Westchester County, New York. It connects the village of Ossining with the hamlet of Kitchawan-Route description:...
) and Baldwin roads was finished in 1971. Along with the additional alignment, a new steel truss bridge was built over the
Croton ReservoirThe New Croton Reservoir is a narrow reservoir in Westchester County, New York, lying approximately north of New York City, for which the reservoir supplies water. It is the collecting point for water from all reservoirs in the Croton Watershed...
to carry southbound traffic. In addition, the Hawthorne traffic circle at the
Saw Mill River ParkwayThe Saw Mill River Parkway is a , north-south parkway running diagonally through Westchester County, New York. Named for the Saw Mill River, which the highway parallels, the Saw Mill Parkway begins at the Westchester-Bronx border, where it continues into New York City as the Henry Hudson Parkway...
was replaced with a three-level interchange that only provides parallel connections (north–north, south–south).
While reconstruction in Westchester county was welcomed, plans to enlarge the parkway in Putnam where not as well received. The parkway through Putnam, with its steep terrain and sharp corners, was especially hazardous, and development had increased the at grade crossing problems, notably at Bryant Pond Road. To help improve the parkway safety, in 1967 a median box beam barrier was installed between Bullet Hole Road (north of Bryant Pond Road) and Pudding Street.
The plan favored by the EHPA would have had a new southbound alignment going through the Wiccopee Valley and Bryant Pond areas of Putnam Valley, creating alignments as much as apart. Not only would this have cut through
Fahnestock State ParkClarence Fahnestock Memorial State Park a 14,086 acre New York state park, in Putnam and Dutchess counties. The park has hiking trails, an environmental center, a beach on Canopus Lake, and fishing on four ponds and two lakes...
, but it also would have isolated a large portion of Putnam Valley and left the Tompkins Corners hamlet marooned in the median. Ultimately, the potential effects on Fahnestock doomed the plan and smaller improvements having less impact on the original character of the parkway were done, such as replacing the not very effective timber guide rails with steel box beam guide rails.
In 1980, the
Sprain Brook ParkwayThe Sprain Brook Parkway is a long north-south parkway in Westchester County, New York. It is one of the newest and most modern parkways in Westchester County, adopting many ideas and improvements developed during decades of statewide highway construction. The southern terminus is at the Bronx...
was completed, providing a higher-speed, signal-free means of reaching the state-maintained freeway portion of the
Bronx River ParkwayThe Bronx River Parkway is a long parkway in downstate New York. It is named for the nearby Bronx River, which it parallels. The southern terminus of the parkway is at Story Avenue near Bruckner Expressway in the Bronx neighborhood of Soundview...
. Until the completion, it was possible to travel south on the Sprain to the
NY 100New York State Route 100 is a major north–south state highway in Westchester County, New York. It begins parallel to Interstate 87 at a junction with the Cross County Parkway in the city of Yonkers and runs through most of the length of the county via the city of White Plains up to US 202 in the...
/Bradhurst Ave exit.
The early 1990s saw the completion of the parkway between
NY 100New York State Route 100 is a major north–south state highway in Westchester County, New York. It begins parallel to Interstate 87 at a junction with the Cross County Parkway in the city of Yonkers and runs through most of the length of the county via the city of White Plains up to US 202 in the...
/
NY 133New York State Route 133 is a state highway in Westchester County, New York. It begins at US 9 in the village of Ossining, goes through several hamlets in the town of New Castle , and ends at NY 117 in the village of Mount Kisco....
in Millwood and the Saw Mill River Parkway in
HawthorneHawthorne is an unincorporated hamlet and census-designated place located in the town of Mount Pleasant in Westchester County, New York. The population was 5,083 at the 2000 census.-History:...
being widened to six lanes with a median, in the process removing one of the original stone construction gas stations (examples of which can still be seen farther north) and the infamous "Pleasantville hump" (the bridge over Pleasantville Road had steep ramps on both sides). During this project, the at-grade crossings of Washburn Road, Chappaqua Road, and Campfire Road where removed. The eastern part of Washburn Road became a
cul-de-sacA cul-de-sac is a french word for dead end, close, no through road or court meaning dead-end street with only one inlet/outlet...
, the western part was extended south to Pleasantville Road. A bridge was built over Chappaqua Road, and the eastern part of Campfire Road was extended north to what had been the northbound NY 100/NY 133 exit, while the short western part between the parkway and NY 100 was abandoned. Today it is a parking area for, and what remains is now under, the
North County TrailwayThe North County Trailway is a paved bicycle and pedestrian path located primarily on right-of-way lands of the former Putnam Division of the New York Central Railroad...
. The NY 100/NY 133 exit was then reconfigured to exit onto what is now Campfire Road.
In 2000, reconstruction began to widen the parkway between US 202/
NY 35New York State Route 35 is the principal east-west highway in the northern part of Westchester County, New York, carrying average daily volumes of around 16,500 vehicles...
and US 6 from four lanes to six lanes. At the time this project was expected to be completed in 2001. In 2003, the original contractor was replaced and the project is now complete.
In 2001, the grade crossings at Bogardus Lane, Carpenter Road, Arthursburg Road, Todd Hill Road, and Stormville Road were closed to cross traffic as part of a comprehensive safety improvement project, recommendations of which also included closing the Hibernia Road, Hollow Road, Willow Lane, Pumpkin Lane, Nine Partners Road, Willowbrook Road, and Cold Spring Road crossings.
During 2007, work was completed on Ramp X. Located just south of Ramp W, this ramp connecting southbound
NY 9ANew York State Route 9A is a state highway in the vicinity of New York City, New York, United States. Its southern terminus is at the northern end of the Brooklyn–Battery Tunnel in New York City, where it intersects with both Interstate 478 and FDR Drive. The northern terminus of NY 9A is...
/
NY 100New York State Route 100 is a major north–south state highway in Westchester County, New York. It begins parallel to Interstate 87 at a junction with the Cross County Parkway in the city of Yonkers and runs through most of the length of the county via the city of White Plains up to US 202 in the...
to the southbound parkway in
Mount PleasantMount Pleasant is a town in Westchester County, New York, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 43,221.-Geography:...
was originally part of the earlier widening project, but was postponed to reduce costs.
To this day work continues to remove the remaining at-grade crossings that still exist. Some, like Bryant Pond Road and Miller Hill Road, have been replaced with a bridge and interchange. Others have been closed off to cross traffic. The next at-grade crossing likely to be replaced with an interchange is Pudding Street.
An earlier dream of extending the parkway to the
CanadianCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
border died with the
Interstate systemThe Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly called the Interstate Highway System , is a network of limited-access highways in the United States that is named for President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who championed its formation...
. Designed for all traffic, the
ThruwayThe New York State Thruway is a limited-access toll highway in the U.S. state of New York...
diverted funding from the extension project; the eventual construction of the Adirondack Northway ultimately removed the need.
Notable dates
- 1924: New York State authorizes the Westchester County Parks Commission to begin planning and construction of the Bronx River Parkway Extension.
- 1925: New York State voters authorize a $15 million bond act to fund state parks.
- 1941: the Westchester County Parks Commission transfers jurisdiction of its Bronx River extension to the Taconic State Park Commission. The north-south section of the Bronx River Parkway extension was then merged with the Eastern State Parkway and named The Taconic State Parkway. The east-west section of the extension going to the Bear Mountain Bridge
The Bear Mountain Bridge is a toll suspension bridge in New York State, carrying U.S. Highways 202 and 6 across the Hudson River between Orange and Westchester counties...
became the Bear Mountain State ParkwayThe Bear Mountain State Parkway is a part of the New York State highway system. It was built in 1932 but, unlike most other parkways in Westchester County, New York, it has barely been constructed upon since. It currently stands as an incomplete highway, with a western portion of and an eastern...
.
- 1961: The East Hudson Parkway Authority took over jurisdiction of the parkway under contract to the Taconic State Park Commission. The next year jurisdiction was officially transferred.
- November 1, 1979: Jurisdiction of the Taconic was transferred to the 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. state of New York...
as the EHPA was dissolved.
- 1992: The Taconic State Parkway was designated as a New York State Scenic Byway.
- December 8, 2005: The Taconic was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
- July 26, 2009: The 2009 Taconic State Parkway crash
The 2009 Taconic State Parkway crash was a motor vehicle collision that occurred shortly after 1:30 PM on Sunday, July 26, 2009, on the Taconic State Parkway near Briarcliff Manor, New York. Eight people were killed when a minivan, after travelling 1.7 miles in the wrong direction on the parkway,...
- A passenger van traveling southbound in the northbound roadway crashed head-on into an oncoming sport utility vehicle (SUV) approximately 1.7 miles north of the Pleasantville Road exit near Briarcliff Manor. Diane Schuler, the van's driver, and four children in the van were killed as were all three men in the SUV. There were no fatalities in a third vehicle that was involved. It was the worst motor vehicle accident in Westchester County since 1934 when 20 were killed in a bus accident in Ossining. Schuler was determined to have been impaired, driving under the influence of both alcohol and marijuana.
Westchester County
Starting from its southern terminus, Kensico Circle, at the end of the
Bronx River ParkwayThe Bronx River Parkway is a long parkway in downstate New York. It is named for the nearby Bronx River, which it parallels. The southern terminus of the parkway is at Story Avenue near Bruckner Expressway in the Bronx neighborhood of Soundview...
, and located near the base of the Kensico Dam, the Taconic gets off to a start much as it was originally built early in the 20th century. The narrow 4 lane roadway with nothing but a box beam median barrier feels confined and tight, yet the feeling of a country drive is there thanks to the clever use of terrain and vegetation to hide the surrounding urbanized environment. For the first few miles the parkway is very much a surface arterial, complete with traffic lights at nearly every intersection, following the path of the Bronx River.
Just after Stevens Avenue, things begin to change. After passing over a steeply ramped bridge over the Metro-North's
Harlem lineMetro-North's Harlem Line, originally chartered as the New York & Harlem Railroad, is an 82-mile commuter rail line running north from New York City into eastern Dutchess County...
, one might notice the remains of a small paved circle in the median, the remains of what was once was a turn-around at the end of the parkway. Just past the turn-around, the roadway heads north and takes on the feel of a highway entrance ramp. This tends to prepare one for the dramatic change about to occur, as soon the Taconic widens to a 3 south-4 north lane
freewayA freeway is a type of road designed for safer high-speed operation of motor vehicles through the elimination of at-grade intersections. This is accomplished by preventing access to and from adjacent properties and eliminating all cross traffic through the use of grade separations and...
at the merge with traffic from the northern terminus of the
Sprain Brook ParkwayThe Sprain Brook Parkway is a long north-south parkway in Westchester County, New York. It is one of the newest and most modern parkways in Westchester County, adopting many ideas and improvements developed during decades of statewide highway construction. The southern terminus is at the Bronx...
. The two-lane exit to the Saw Mill Parkway quickly takes away the 4th lane.
Southbound travelers might have a difficult time following the Taconic at this junction. Although there is the usual small parkway sign, the Taconic narrows to just two lanes just before the 2 lane NY 141/SMP entrance ramp. The much larger overhead sign has the exit labeled as "Bronx (River) Pkwy", and the parkway sign is all the way over along the other side of the ramp.
After Hawthorne, where a dangerous
traffic circleThe Hawthorne Circle was a notably dangerous traffic circle located in Hawthorne, New York in Westchester County until 1972 when it was replaced with a three-level interchange. The circle once connected three busy highways, the Bronx River Parkway, the Taconic State Parkway, and the Saw Mill River...
once existed, the parkway is very much a freeway and one might get the feeling they are traveling on just another
InterstateThe Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly called the Interstate Highway System , is a network of limited-access highways in the United States that is named for President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who championed its formation...
—a rather curvy one—until reaching Croton Lake where an intimidating bridge entrance seems to appear from nowhere. The bridge, known as AMVETS Memorial Bridge (formerly New Croton Reservoir Bridge until 2003), crosses the
Croton ReservoirCroton Reservoir can refer to:* Croton Distributing Reservoir: completed in 1842 and demolished in 1899.* New Croton Reservoir: completed in 1905 and still in service....
. After crossing Croton Lake one might start to notice uncommon details of the road and its structures, all designed to blend into the landscape.
Just south of the Baldwin Road exit, there is a plaque on the East side of the roadway set in stone paying tribute to William D. Baldwin, who donated of land to help with the building of the Taconic Parkway back in 1928. Mr. Baldwin was the Westchester Parks Commissioner at the time and his family owned a estate in French Hill at the time.
After US 6, the parkway starts its climb into the start of the
Hudson HighlandsThe Hudson Highlands are the mountains on both sides of the Hudson River in the U.S. state of New York, between Newburgh Bay and Haverstraw Bay which form the northern region of the New York - New Jersey Highlands...
, preparing one for what is about to come.
Putnam County
Upon entering Putnam county, the climb into the
Hudson HighlandsThe Hudson Highlands are the mountains on both sides of the Hudson River in the U.S. state of New York, between Newburgh Bay and Haverstraw Bay which form the northern region of the New York - New Jersey Highlands...
has begun and the character of the parkway as FDR envisioned starts to become evident. The twisty roadway, narrow and confined with only a box beam median is much like the Westchester boulevard segment but lacking the traffic lights. Tighter curves are noticeable as it passes through the rugged terrain. The former overlooks are long gone, but glimpses of the views to appear later still exist.
After a steep climb, it levels off a bit before plunging down into Peekskill Hollow and crossing Peekskill Hollow road. Then the parkway makes another steep ascent up toward
Fahnestock State ParkClarence Fahnestock Memorial State Park a 14,086 acre New York state park, in Putnam and Dutchess counties. The park has hiking trails, an environmental center, a beach on Canopus Lake, and fishing on four ponds and two lakes...
following the path of Roaring Brook as it makes a dramatic sweeping 180-degree turn, quickly followed by a 90-degree turn in the opposite direction. It passes between two large lakes as it enters Fahnestock and reaches its highest point. The parkway continues its journey, skirting across the top of the Highlands toward the Dutchess County line.
Dutchess County
As the Taconic enters
Dutchess CountyDutchess County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, in the state's Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley. The 2000 census lists the population as 280,150, but the United States Census Bureau gives an estimate of 292,706 residents for the 12-month period ending July 1, 2007...
, it steeply descends the western side of Hosner Mountain and moves into the rolling hills of the Hudson Highlands. Major cross routes within the county include
Interstate 84Interstate 84 is a part of the Interstate Highway System that runs from Dunmore, Pennsylvania, to Sturbridge, Massachusetts, in the Eastern United States. In New York, I-84 extends from the Pennsylvania state line at Port Jervis to the Connecticut state line east of Brewster...
,
New York State Route 55New York State Route 55 is a state highway in southern New York, running from the Pennsylvania state line at the Delaware River in Barryville to the Connecticut state line at Wingdale. It is the only other state highway beside NY 7 to completely cross the state, from border to border, in an...
,
U.S. Route 44U.S. Route 44 is an east-west United States highway that runs for 237 miles through four states in the Northeastern region of the United States. The western terminus is at U.S. Route 209 and New York State Route 55 in Kerhonkson, a hamlet in the Hudson Valley region of New York...
, and
New York State Route 82New York State Route 82 is a state highway in the eastern Hudson Valley of New York, United States. It begins at an intersection with NY 52 northeast of the village of Fishkill, bends eastward towards Millbrook, and then returns westward to end at a junction with U.S. Route 9,...
, with which the Taconic first intersects in Southern Dutchess. There is a second exit for Route 82 in Columbia County, which causes much confusion for those traveling north, as the Taconic's exits are not numbered.
At-grade crossings were eliminated for most of the Taconic's run though Dutchess County because of high traffic volume and a history of accidents. So far, one overpass has been built, and an exit has been added (northbound at Noxon Road in the Town of Lagrange) to complement the closures.
Columbia County
The parkway terrain in Columbia is similar to that in Dutchess, with some additional features. First, the larger green mile markers disappear at the county line (the highest one is Mile 72.6). There are also many more at-grade crossings, which lack exit and entry ramps. Unlike
Interstate 87Interstate 87 is a long intrastate Interstate Highway located entirely within New York, United States. It is the longest intrastate Interstate Highway in the Interstate Highway System. Its southern end is at the The Bronx approach to the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge in New York City...
to the west, there are no commercialized rest stops. However, there are at least two scenic overlooks (parking area)in both directions, that provides a view for miles on a clear day. Plus, at an at-grade intersection with Rigor Hill Road (between
New York State Route 217New York State Route 217 is a long state highway in Columbia County, New York, United States. It connects NY 23 in Claverack to the Taconic State Parkway in Ghent by way of the village of Philmont...
and
New York State Route 203New York State Route 203 is a state highway in New York State. It begins at NY 22 in the Columbia County hamlet of Austerlitz and ends at US 20 in the Rensselaer County village of Nassau.-Route description:...
), a
DinerA diner is a prefabricated restaurant building characteristic of North America, especially on Long Island, in New York City, in New Jersey, and in other areas of the Northeastern United States, although examples can be found throughout the US and in Canada...
, and a
MobilMobil was a major American oil company which merged with Exxon in 1999 to form ExxonMobil. Today Mobil continues as a major brand name within the combined company. Its former headquarters in Fairfax, Virginia, are currently used as ExxonMobil's downstream headquarters...
gas/fuel station are available for travelers to stop and eat, get gas, or go to the restroom. It is clearly seen if the traveler is traveling southbound, and may be difficult for people to see it northbound. This is considered a
rest areaA rest area, travel plaza, rest stop, or service area is a public facility, located next to a large thoroughfare such as a highway, expressway, or freeway at which drivers and passengers can rest, eat, or refuel without exiting on to secondary roads...
to the travelers. It is not uncommon to see deer, wild turkey, groundhogs, or other wildlife along the grassy sides of the parkway. Towards the end of the parkway, one can see the Albany city lights in the distance at the Ghent overlook.
The parkway terminates at a three-lane tollbooth to the Berkshire Extension of the New York State Thruway, which enters at exit B2.
Exit list
Intersections (as opposed to freeway-style exits) were numbered; however, most are no longer posted. Numbering is not necessarily sequential; many exits have been removed, and some have been added.
| County |
Location |
Mile |
#An exit number is a number assigned to a road junction, usually an exit from a freeway. It is usually marked on the same sign as the destinations of the exit, as well as a sign in the gore....
|
Destinations |
Notes |
WestchesterWestchester County is a primarily suburban county located in the U.S. state of New York. Westchester covers an area of 450 square miles and has a diverse population of approximately 950,000, residing in 45 municipalities...
|
Valhalla Valhalla is a hamlet and census-designated place located in the town of Mount Pleasant in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 5,379 at the 2000 census...
|
0.00 |
|
| Southbound exit and northbound entrance |
|
|
Broadway |
|
|
W1 |
South Kensico Avenue |
|
|
W2 |
Legion Dr |
No longer accessible from the TSP |
|
W3 |
Lakeview Avenue |
|
|
W5 |
Commerce Avenue |
|
| Hawthorne Hawthorne is an unincorporated hamlet and census-designated place located in the town of Mount Pleasant in Westchester County, New York. The population was 5,083 at the 2000 census.-History:...
|
|
W6 |
Stevens Avenue |
|
| Southern terminus of freeway section |
| 2.85 |
|
| Southbound exit and northbound entrance |
|
|
| Northbound exit and southbound entrance |
| 3.30 |
|
| Northbound exit and southbound entrance |
| 3.30 |
|
| Southbound exit and northbound entrance |
| Mount Pleasant Mount Pleasant is a town in Westchester County, New York, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 43,221.-Geography:...
|
4.00 |
|
| Northbound exit and entrance |
| Briarcliff Manor Briarcliff Manor is a village in Westchester County in the state of New York. It is shared between the towns of Mount Pleasant and Ossining, and lies entirely within the ZIP code of 10510...
|
4.67 |
|
| Northbound exit and southbound entrance |
| 5.63 |
W10 |
Pleasantville Road (CR 401) - PleasantvillePleasantville is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 7,172 at the 2000 census. As a village, it is located in the Town of Mount Pleasant. Pleasantville is home to a campus of Pace University, and the Jacob Burns film center...
|
|
| New Castle New Castle is a town in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 17,491 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 23.5 square miles , of which, 23.2 square miles of it is land and 0.3 square miles ...
|
8.50 |
|
| |
|
W11 |
Pines Bridge Road (CR 1323) |
Northbound exit and southbound entrance |
| Yorktown Yorktown is a town in Westchester County, New York, in the suburbs of New York City about 38 miles north of midtown Manhattan. The town lies on the north border of Westchester county...
|
10.84 |
|
Ossining Ossining is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 24,010 at the 2000 census. As a village, it is located in the Town of Ossining.-Geography:Ossining borders the eastern shores of the widest part of the Hudson River....
|
|
| Bridges over the New Croton Reservoir The New Croton Reservoir is a narrow reservoir in Westchester County, New York, lying approximately north of New York City, for which the reservoir supplies water. It is the collecting point for water from all reservoirs in the Croton Watershed...
|
|
|
Underhill Avenue (CR 131) - Croton-on-Hudson Croton-on-Hudson is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 7,606 at the 2000 census. As a village, it is located in the Town of Cortlandt, in New York City's Northern suburbs. The village was incorporated in 1898....
, Yorktown HeightsYorktown Heights is a census-designated place in the town of Yorktown in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 7,972 people at the 2000 census.-Geography:Yorktown Heights is located at ....
|
Former NY 131 |
|
|
Baldwin Road |
Former NY 132A |
|
|
Mohansic Avenue |
Southbound entrance only; no exit from Taconic |
|
|
Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park is a state park in Westchester County, New York. It was formerly known as Mohansic Park and Mohansic State Park and is situated in Yorktown, about 40 miles from New York City...
|
|
| 17.14 |
|
| |
| 17.36 |
|
| No northbound entrance |
| 19.76 |
|
| Northbound exit and southbound entrance |
| 20.13 |
|
| |
| Northern terminus of freeway section |
PutnamPutnam County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, in the lower Hudson River Valley. Putnam county formed in 1812, when it detached from Dutchess County. , the population was 100,570. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. The county seat is Carmel...
|
Putnam Valley Putnam Valley is a town in Putnam County, New York, United States. The population was 10,686 at the 2000 census. Its location is northeast of New York City.The Town of Putnam Valley is in the southwest part of Putnam County...
|
|
|
Artery to Dring Road |
Southbound-only at-grade intersection, signed only at intersection. |
| 23.2 |
P1 |
Bryant Pond Road |
|
|
P2 |
Bullet Hole Road |
Northbound only, closed mid-1990s |
| 25.65 |
P3 |
CR 21 (Peekskill Hollow Road) |
|
| 28.2 |
P4 |
Pudding Street |
At-grade intersection. |
|
P5 |
Wiccopee Lane |
Southbound only, closed mid-1990s. |
| Kent Kent is a town in Putnam County, New York, United States. The population was 14,009 at the 2000 census. The name is that of an early settler family. The town is the north-central part of the Putnam County. Many of the lakes are reservoirs for New York City....
|
31.14 |
P6 |
 NY 301New York State Route 301 is an intra-county state highway stretching across three-quarters of Putnam County. The western terminus of NY 301 is at NY 9D in Cold Spring. The eastern terminus is at NY 52...
- CarmelCarmel Hamlet is the seat of Putnam County, New York, United States. It is a hamlet located in the Town of Carmel. As of the 2000 census, the population was 5,650....
, Cold SpringCold Spring is a village located in the Town of Philipstown in Putnam County, New York. The population was 1,983 at the 2000 census. It borders the smaller village of Nelsonville...
|
To Fahnestock State Park Clarence Fahnestock Memorial State Park a 14,086 acre New York state park, in Putnam and Dutchess counties. The park has hiking trails, an environmental center, a beach on Canopus Lake, and fishing on four ponds and two lakes...
(east). |
|
P7 |
Hortontown Hill Road |
At-grade intersection. Median closed early 2000s. |
|
P8 |
Knapp Road |
Northbound only. Southbound closed mid 1990s, median closed early 2000s. |
DutchessDutchess County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, in the state's Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley. The 2000 census lists the population as 280,150, but the United States Census Bureau gives an estimate of 292,706 residents for the 12-month period ending July 1, 2007...
|
East Fishkill East Fishkill is a town on the southern border of Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 25,589 at the 2000 census. The town name is derived from its formation from Fishkill, NY....
|
|
D1 |
Miller Hill Road |
Location of Appalachian TrailThe Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply The A.T., is a marked hiking trail in the eastern United States, extending between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine. It is approximately long. The path is maintained by thirty trail...
crossing. |
| 36.92 |
D2 |
 I-84Interstate 84 is a part of the Interstate Highway System that runs from Dunmore, Pennsylvania, to Sturbridge, Massachusetts, in the Eastern United States. In New York, I-84 extends from the Pennsylvania state line at Port Jervis to the Connecticut state line east of Brewster...
|
Exit 16 N-S (I-84) |
|
|
Hosner Mountain Road |
Exit closed 2000s. |
| 38.39 |
|
 NY 52New York State Route 52 is a long state highway in the southeastern part of New York, United States. It generally runs from west to east, beginning at the Pennsylvania state line in the Delaware River near Narrowsburg, crossing the Hudson River on the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge, and ending in Carmel...
- FishkillFishkill is a village within the Town of Fishkill in Dutchess County, New York, USA. The village population was 1,735 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport,...
, CarmelCarmel Hamlet is the seat of Putnam County, New York, United States. It is a hamlet located in the Town of Carmel. As of the 2000 census, the population was 5,650....
|
|
|
|
CR 29 (Carpenter Road) |
At-grade intersection.
North-to-east and south-to-west connections. |
|
|
CR 9 (Beekman Road) - Hopewell Junction Hopewell Junction is a hamlet in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 2,610 at the 2000 census...
, Sylvan LakeSylvan Lake is a hamlet by the west Beekman town line. It is named after Sylvan Lake, which was formed during the ice age. The early Indians originally named it "poughquag" which means "round body of water". A smaller lake known as Hidden Lake is where Mr. Daniel Delany, in the late 1800s,...
|
|
|
|
Bogardus Lane |
Northbound only. Closed 2000s. |
| 43.69 |
|
 NY 82New York State Route 82 is a state highway in the eastern Hudson Valley of New York, United States. It begins at an intersection with NY 52 northeast of the village of Fishkill, bends eastward towards Millbrook, and then returns westward to end at a junction with U.S. Route 9,...
- Hopewell JunctionHopewell Junction is a hamlet in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 2,610 at the 2000 census...
, LaGrangeLaGrange is a town in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 14,928 at the 2000 census. The town was named after the ancestral estate of the Marquis de Lafayette.-History :...
, East FishkillEast Fishkill is a town on the southern border of Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 25,589 at the 2000 census. The town name is derived from its formation from Fishkill, NY....
|
|
| LaGrange LaGrange is a town in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 14,928 at the 2000 census. The town was named after the ancestral estate of the Marquis de Lafayette.-History :...
|
|
|
CR 42 (Arthursburg Road) |
Southbound only. Recently upgraded from an intersection. Northbound closed mid-1980s. |
|
|
CR 21County Route 21 is a county route in Dutchess County, New York. It runs from both ends at NY 55. It is known locally as Noxon Road, East Noxon Road, Bruzgul Road, and Wingdale Road as well as Pleasant Ridge Road. It runs through LaGrange, Unionvale, and Dover...
(Noxon Road) - Noxon, LaGrangeville |
Northbound exit only. To southbound Taconic, use CR 42. |
|
|
Todd Hill Road |
Median Closed. |
| 47.05 |
|
 NY 55New York State Route 55 is a state highway in southern New York, running from the Pennsylvania state line at the Delaware River in Barryville to the Connecticut state line at Wingdale. It is the only other state highway beside NY 7 to completely cross the state, from border to border, in an...
- PawlingPawling is a village in Dutchess County, New York, USA. The population was 2,233 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined Statistical Area...
, PoughkeepsiePoughkeepsie is a town in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 42,777 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from the native term, "Uppu-qui-ipis-in," which means "reed-covered hut by the water."...
|
Mid-Hudson BridgeThe Mid-Hudson Bridge is a toll bridge which carries highways US 44 and NY 55 across the Hudson River of New York between Poughkeepsie and Highland. The bridge is generally referred to only as the Mid-Hudson Bridge as opposed to by its full name, the Franklin D. Roosevelt Mid-Hudson Bridge...
- use NY 55 west. |
|
|
James Baird State Park James Baird State Park is a state park in Dutchess County, New York, USA. The park is located in the northern part of the Town of LaGrange, east of City of Poughkeepsie.The park is named after the donor of the land, James Baird. Baird, who held a Ph.D...
|
Northbound: left-hand exit. Southbound: right-hand exit. |
| Pleasant Valley Pleasant Valley is a town in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 9,066 at the 2000 census. The town is centrally located in the county, northeast of the City of Poughkeepsie. US Route 44 passes through the town.- History :...
|
54.72 |
|
 US 44 - PoughkeepsiePoughkeepsie is a town in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 42,777 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from the native term, "Uppu-qui-ipis-in," which means "reed-covered hut by the water."...
, MillbrookMillbrook is a village in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 1,429 at the 2000 census. It is considered one of the wealthiest towns in the State of New York and is often thought of as a rural and more low-key version of The Hamptons...
|
To NY 82New York State Route 82 is a state highway in the eastern Hudson Valley of New York, United States. It begins at an intersection with NY 52 northeast of the village of Fishkill, bends eastward towards Millbrook, and then returns westward to end at a junction with U.S. Route 9,...
. |
| Clinton Clinton is a town in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 4,010 at the 2000 census. The town is named after George Clinton, an early governor of New York....
|
|
|
CR 14 (Hollow Road) |
At-grade intersection, northbound only.
Median closed July 24, 2002. |
| 58.30 |
|
 NY 115New York State Route 115 is a state highway located entirely within Dutchess County, New York. For most of its length, it follows the old Salt Point Turnpike.-Route description:...
/CR 17 (Salt Point Turnpike) |
To Hyde Park. |
| Stanford Stanford is a town in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 3,544 at the 2000 census.The Town of Stanford is in the north-central part of the county.- History :Stanford was first settled around 1750...
|
|
D19 |
Nine Partners Road (median closed in early 2000s) |
|
|
D20 |
CR 19 (Bulls Head Road) |
|
MilanMilan is a town in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The Town of Milan is in the northern part of the county.- History :...
|
|
D22 |
Cold Spring Road |
At-grade intersection.
Median closed August 15, 2002. |
| 67.75 |
D23 |
 NY 199New York State Route 199 is a state highway located in the Hudson Valley of New York, United States. It extends for from an interchange with U.S. Route 9W and U.S. Route 209 north of Kingston to an intersection with U.S. Route 44 and NY 22 southwest of Millerton...
- Pine PlainsPine Plains is a hamlet in Dutchess County, New York, USA. The population was 1,412 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined Statistical...
, Red HookRed Hook is a town in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was reported to be 10,408 during the 2000 census. The name is supposedly derived by the red foliage on trees on a small strip of land in the river. The town contains two villages, one also named Red Hook and another one...
; Milan Wilcox Recreational Park |
|
| Columbia Columbia County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2000 census, the population was 63,094. The county seat is Hudson. The name comes from the Latin feminine form of the name of Christopher Columbus, which was at the time of the formation of the county a popular proposal...
|
Gallatin Gallatin is a town in Columbia County, New York, United States. The population was 1,499 at the 2000 census.The Town of Gallatin is on the south border of Columbia County in the Albany Metropolitan Area.- History :...
|
72.24 |
|
Columbia CR 2/Dutchess CR 50 (Jackson Corners Road) |
Interchange partly straddles the county line. |
|
|
CR 8 |
At-grade intersection. |
| Taghkanic Taghkanic is a town in Columbia County, New York, United States. The town is in the south-central part of the county. The population was 1,118 at the 2000 census...
|
78.30 |
|
Lake Taghkanic State Park Lake Taghkanic State Park is a state park located in the southern part of Columbia County, New York in the USA. The park is on the town line between the Towns of Gallatin and Taghkanic....
|
Southbound: no exit, make U-turn at CR 8. |
| 79.72 |
|
NY 82New York State Route 82 is a state highway in the eastern Hudson Valley of New York, United States. It begins at an intersection with NY 52 northeast of the village of Fishkill, bends eastward towards Millbrook, and then returns westward to end at a junction with U.S. Route 9,...
- AncramAncram, New York is a town in Columbia County, New York, United States. The population was 1,513 at the 2000 census. The town was named after a location in Scotland.The Town of Ancram is in the eastern part of the county.- History :...
, HudsonHudson is a city located along the west border of Columbia County, New York, United States. The city is named after the adjacent Hudson River and ultimately after the explorer Henry Hudson.-Geography:...
|
Rip Van Winkle BridgeThe Rip Van Winkle Bridge is a cantilever bridge spanning the Hudson River between Hudson, NY and Catskill, New York. The structure carries NY 23 across the river, connecting on the west side, US 9W and NY 385 with NY 9G on the east side. The bridge was built by the newly created New York State...
- use NY 82 west. |
|
|
CR 10 |
At-grade intersection. |
|
|
Post Hill Rd |
At-grade intersection. |
|
|
Snydertown Rd |
At-grade intersection. |
| Claverack Claverack is a town in Columbia County, New York, United States. The population was 6,401 at the 2000 census. The town name is a corruption for the Dutch word for "Clover Fields" or "Clover Reach"....
|
87.77 |
|
 NY 23New York State Route 23 is a state highway in eastern New York. It runs from Central New York through the Catskills to the Massachusetts state line in the Berkshires. The western terminus of the route is at NY 26 in the town of Cincinnatus. The eastern terminus is at the Massachusetts state line in...
- ClaverackClaverack is a town in Columbia County, New York, United States. The population was 6,401 at the 2000 census. The town name is a corruption for the Dutch word for "Clover Fields" or "Clover Reach"....
, HillsdaleHillsdale is a town in Columbia County, New York, United States. The population was 1,744 at the 2000 census.The Town of Hillsdale is at the east border of Columbia County.- History :The region was taken from the Town of Claverack in 1782...
|
|
| Ghent Ghent is a town in Columbia County, New York, United States, with a ZIP code of 12075. The population was 5,276 at the 2000 census. 2004 estimates put the population at 5,316.The Town of Ghent is centrally located in the county...
|
91.34 |
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 NY 217New York State Route 217 is a long state highway in Columbia County, New York, United States. It connects NY 23 in Claverack to the Taconic State Parkway in Ghent by way of the village of Philmont...
- Harlemville, PhilmontPhilmont is a village in Columbia County, New York, USA. The population was 1,480 at the 2000 census.The Village of Philmont is located in the northeast corner of the Town of Claverack on Route 217.- History :...
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| Austerlitz Austerlitz is a town in Columbia County, New York, United States. The population was 1,453 at the 2000 census. The town was named after the Battle of Austerlitz.The Town of Austerlitz is in the east part of Columbia County.- History :Ellis, Capt...
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99.25 |
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 NY 203New York State Route 203 is a state highway in New York State. It begins at NY 22 in the Columbia County hamlet of Austerlitz and ends at US 20 in the Rensselaer County village of Nassau.-Route description:...
- AusterlitzAusterlitz is a town in Columbia County, New York, United States. The population was 1,453 at the 2000 census. The town was named after the Battle of Austerlitz.The Town of Austerlitz is in the east part of Columbia County.- History :Ellis, Capt...
, ChathamChatham is a village in Columbia County, New York, USA. The population was 1,758 at the 2000 census.The Village of Chatham is in the Town of Chatham and the Town of Ghent...
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| Chatham Chatham is a town in Columbia County, United States. New York, United States. The population was 4,249 at the 2000 census.The Town of Chatham has a village also called Chatham on its south town line...
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101.88 |
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 NY 295New York State Route 295 is a state highway in New York State, USA. It begins at NY 66 in the Village of Chatham and ends at the New York–Massachusetts border in the Town of Canaan, where the road becomes MA 295...
- ChathamChatham is a village in Columbia County, New York, USA. The population was 1,758 at the 2000 census.The Village of Chatham is in the Town of Chatham and the Town of Ghent...
, East ChathamEast Chatham is a hamlet in the town of Chatham, New York. It lies near the eastern boundary of the town, east of Old Chatham. It is located on a railroad....
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Northbound: last exit before toll. Southbound: access via Hartigan Road. |
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Rock City Road |
Northbound entrance only. |
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Upper Cady Road |
Southbound exit only. Commercial traffic must exit. |
Toll booth. Southbound: pay toll. Northbound: get ticket for the New York State ThruwayThe New York State Thruway is a limited-access toll highway in the U.S. state of New York...
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| 104.12 |
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  I-90/ThruwayThe New York State Thruway is a limited-access toll highway in the U.S. state of New York...
east |
Northbound exit only.
Exit B2 (I-90/Thruway). |
| Northbound traffic defaults onto I-90/Thruway west. |
External links