New York State Route 242
Encyclopedia
New York State Route 242 (NY 242) is a state highway
that runs across Cattaraugus County, New York
, in the United States
. Although signed as an east–west route, it takes a more northeast–southwest course across the county from NY 394
near the village of Randolph
to NY 16
in Machias
. The western end between Randolph and Little Valley
was the western half of the short-lived New York State Route 17H. The eastern half of NY 17H was the southern end of NY 353
from Little Valley to Salamanca
.
Its western end is a junction with NY 394
at Stillson Pond east of Randolph
. From there it crosses Napoli
en route to the village of Little Valley
, the county seat
, where it merges
briefly downtown with NY 353
.
Continuing northeast through the towns of Little Valley
and Mansfield
, it takes a circuitous course through valleys and over a ridge to Ellicottville
, where it is also called Washington Street and again overlaps through the village, this time with U.S. Route 219
(US 219), and intersects Elizabeth Street twice. By turning onto Elizabeth Street at the first intersection and returning to NY 242 at the second intersection, cars traveling in either direction can reduce their travel distance slightly, and avoid congestion at the intersection of Jefferson Street and NY 242; however, through trucks are prohibited from using Elizabeth Street. After Ellicottville, it follows the Great Valley Creek northeast to Ashford, where NY 240
leaves to the north. It continues from there up into the swamp
y headwaters of the creek, until finally reaching its eastern terminus at NY 16
in Machias
.
was originally part of NY 17A, an alternate route of NY 17
between Randolph
and Salamanca
that was assigned in the mid-1920s. Between Little Valley and Salamanca, NY 17A overlapped with NY 18
on modern NY 353
. In the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York, NY 17A was renumbered to NY 17H while NY 242 was assigned to a new roadway under construction between Little Valley and Ellicottville
. The NY 242 designation also continued northeast of Ellicottville to Machias
as it does today; however, it initially followed what is now NY 240
and County Route 16 between Ashford
and Machias. It was rerouted by the following year to follow its current alignment between Ashford and Machias. The NY 17H designation ceased to exist ca. 1937. The former routing of NY 17H west of Little Valley became an extension of NY 242 while the remainder of the route remained part of NY 18.
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...
that runs across Cattaraugus County, New York
Cattaraugus County, New York
Cattaraugus County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 80,317. The county seat is Little Valley.-History:...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Although signed as an east–west route, it takes a more northeast–southwest course across the county from NY 394
New York State Route 394
New York State Route 394 is a state highway located within Cattaraugus and Chautauqua Counties in southwestern New York, United States. Its western terminus is located on the shore of Lake Erie at an intersection with NY 5 in the Westfield hamlet of Barcelona...
near the village of Randolph
Randolph (village), New York
Randolph is currently a village in Cattaraugus County, New York, USA. The population was 1,316 at the 2000 census.The Village of Randolph is within the Town of Randolph...
to NY 16
New York State Route 16
New York State Route 16 is a state highway in western New York, United States. It runs from the Pennsylvania state line, where it is one of the highest highways in the state in elevation, to downtown Buffalo. NY 16 is a major route through Erie County, despite the construction of the...
in Machias
Machias, New York
Machias is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 2,482 at the 2000 census.The Town of Machias is an interior town in the northeast quadrant of the county. It is northeast of the city of Salamanca.-History:...
. The western end between Randolph and Little Valley
Little Valley (village), New York
Little Valley is a village in Cattaraugus County, New York, USA. The population was 1,130 at the 2000 census.The Village of Little Valley is in the northwest corner of the Town of Little Valley....
was the western half of the short-lived New York State Route 17H. The eastern half of NY 17H was the southern end of NY 353
New York State Route 353
New York State Route 353 is a north–south state highway located within Cattaraugus County, New York, in the United States. It extends for from an intersection with NY 417 in the city of Salamanca to a junction with U.S. Route 62 in the hamlet of Dayton...
from Little Valley to Salamanca
Salamanca (city), New York
Salamanca is a city in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States, located inside the Allegany Indian Reservation. The population was 6,097 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
.
Route description
New York State Route 394
New York State Route 394 is a state highway located within Cattaraugus and Chautauqua Counties in southwestern New York, United States. Its western terminus is located on the shore of Lake Erie at an intersection with NY 5 in the Westfield hamlet of Barcelona...
at Stillson Pond east of Randolph
Randolph (village), New York
Randolph is currently a village in Cattaraugus County, New York, USA. The population was 1,316 at the 2000 census.The Village of Randolph is within the Town of Randolph...
. From there it crosses Napoli
Napoli, New York
Napoli is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. It is located in the western half of the county, northwest of Salamanca. The only permanent community in the town is Napoli village, formerly "Napoli Corners." The population was 1,159 at the 2000 census.The town's name presumably...
en route to the village of Little Valley
Little Valley (village), New York
Little Valley is a village in Cattaraugus County, New York, USA. The population was 1,130 at the 2000 census.The Village of Little Valley is in the northwest corner of the Town of Little Valley....
, the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
, where it merges
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...
briefly downtown with NY 353
New York State Route 353
New York State Route 353 is a north–south state highway located within Cattaraugus County, New York, in the United States. It extends for from an intersection with NY 417 in the city of Salamanca to a junction with U.S. Route 62 in the hamlet of Dayton...
.
Continuing northeast through the towns of Little Valley
Little Valley (town), New York
Little Valley is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 1,788 at the 2000 census. The town is named after its local geographical setting, a relative comparison of two tributaries of the Allegheny River.The Town of Little Valley is centrally located in the county...
and Mansfield
Mansfield, New York
Mansfield is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 800 at the 2000 census. The name was thought to be that of a noble family in England....
, it takes a circuitous course through valleys and over a ridge to Ellicottville
Ellicottville (village), New York
Ellicottville is a village in Cattaraugus County, New York, USA. The population was 472 at the 2000 census. The village is named after Joseph Ellicott, principal land agent of the Holland Land Company...
, where it is also called Washington Street and again overlaps through the village, this time with U.S. Route 219
U.S. Route 219 in New York
U.S. Route 219 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from Rich Creek, Virginia, to West Seneca, New York. In the U.S. state of New York, US 219 extends from the Pennsylvania state line at Carrollton to an interchange with the New York State Thruway at exit 55 in West...
(US 219), and intersects Elizabeth Street twice. By turning onto Elizabeth Street at the first intersection and returning to NY 242 at the second intersection, cars traveling in either direction can reduce their travel distance slightly, and avoid congestion at the intersection of Jefferson Street and NY 242; however, through trucks are prohibited from using Elizabeth Street. After Ellicottville, it follows the Great Valley Creek northeast to Ashford, where NY 240
New York State Route 240
New York State Route 240 is a state highway in western New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 242 in the Ellicottville community of Ashford in northern Cattaraugus County. Its northern terminus is at a junction with NY 324...
leaves to the north. It continues from there up into the swamp
Swamp
A swamp is a wetland with some flooding of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water. A swamp generally has a large number of hammocks, or dry-land protrusions, covered by aquatic vegetation, or vegetation that tolerates periodical inundation. The two main types of swamp are "true" or swamp...
y headwaters of the creek, until finally reaching its eastern terminus at NY 16
New York State Route 16
New York State Route 16 is a state highway in western New York, United States. It runs from the Pennsylvania state line, where it is one of the highest highways in the state in elevation, to downtown Buffalo. NY 16 is a major route through Erie County, despite the construction of the...
in Machias
Machias, New York
Machias is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 2,482 at the 2000 census.The Town of Machias is an interior town in the northeast quadrant of the county. It is northeast of the city of Salamanca.-History:...
.
History
What is now NY 242 west of Little ValleyLittle Valley (village), New York
Little Valley is a village in Cattaraugus County, New York, USA. The population was 1,130 at the 2000 census.The Village of Little Valley is in the northwest corner of the Town of Little Valley....
was originally part of NY 17A, an alternate route of NY 17
New York State Route 17
New York State Route 17 is a state highway that extends for through the Southern Tier and Downstate regions of New York in the United States...
between Randolph
Randolph (village), New York
Randolph is currently a village in Cattaraugus County, New York, USA. The population was 1,316 at the 2000 census.The Village of Randolph is within the Town of Randolph...
and Salamanca
Salamanca (city), New York
Salamanca is a city in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States, located inside the Allegany Indian Reservation. The population was 6,097 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
that was assigned in the mid-1920s. Between Little Valley and Salamanca, NY 17A overlapped with NY 18
New York State Route 18
New York State Route 18 is an east–west state highway in western New York in the United States. It runs parallel to the south shore of Lake Ontario for most of its length between Niagara County and Monroe County...
on modern NY 353
New York State Route 353
New York State Route 353 is a north–south state highway located within Cattaraugus County, New York, in the United States. It extends for from an intersection with NY 417 in the city of Salamanca to a junction with U.S. Route 62 in the hamlet of Dayton...
. In the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York, NY 17A was renumbered to NY 17H while NY 242 was assigned to a new roadway under construction between Little Valley and Ellicottville
Ellicottville (village), New York
Ellicottville is a village in Cattaraugus County, New York, USA. The population was 472 at the 2000 census. The village is named after Joseph Ellicott, principal land agent of the Holland Land Company...
. The NY 242 designation also continued northeast of Ellicottville to Machias
Machias, New York
Machias is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 2,482 at the 2000 census.The Town of Machias is an interior town in the northeast quadrant of the county. It is northeast of the city of Salamanca.-History:...
as it does today; however, it initially followed what is now NY 240
New York State Route 240
New York State Route 240 is a state highway in western New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 242 in the Ellicottville community of Ashford in northern Cattaraugus County. Its northern terminus is at a junction with NY 324...
and County Route 16 between Ashford
Ashford, New York
Ashford is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 2,223 at the 2000 census.The Town of Ashford is on the county's northern border.- History :...
and Machias. It was rerouted by the following year to follow its current alignment between Ashford and Machias. The NY 17H designation ceased to exist ca. 1937. The former routing of NY 17H west of Little Valley became an extension of NY 242 while the remainder of the route remained part of NY 18.