New York State Route 28A
Encyclopedia
New York State Route 28A (NY 28A) is an east–west state highway
in Ulster County, New York
, in the United States. It extends for 19.82 miles (31.9 km) along the south side of Ashokan Reservoir
in Catskill Park, serving as a southerly alternate route of NY 28
through the area. Many of the communities along its length, such as West Shokan and Olivebridge
, are the remnants or recreations of those condemned for the reservoir's construction. Near Olivebridge, NY 28A intersects NY 213
, the only other state route that NY 28A intersects aside from its parent, NY 28.
NY 28A was built during the Ashokan Reservoir's construction in the early 20th century. The highway was built and subsequently maintained by New York City
as the result of a 1909 court order, which mandated that the city maintain the reservoir perimeter roads in perpetuity. In the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York, the portion of the southern loop road between Boiceville
and Olivebridge became part of NY 213. The entire southern loop road was redesignated as NY 28A ca. 1933. In the 1970s, New York City sought to transfer control of its upstate roads to the New York State Department of Transportation
(NYSDOT); however, no action was ever taken.
(NYCDOT) and Ulster County
. NYCDOT maintenance begins at the western junction with NY 28 and ends at a point near Shady Lane, a local street near the eastern end of the reservoir in Hurley. The remaining 1.63 miles (2.62 km) of the highway is county-maintained and signed as part of CR 50.
just south of the hamlet of Boiceville
. From there, it heads to the west as a narrow two-lane road, crossing Esopus Creek
just above where it empties into the nearby Ashokan Reservoir
. The highway subsequently turns southward, loosely paralleling the reservoir shoreline as it heads through the town of Olive
. The shoreline itself is a short distance from NY 28A, buffered by woods and posted and fenced by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection
. About 1 miles (1.6 km) south of Boiceville, the highway crosses Traver Hollow Brook by way of a large bridge that leads the road to the lower slopes of Samuels Point, where houses begin to break the woods on the western side of the road. NY 28A closely follows the base of the hill, winding back and forth as it heads southward toward the hamlet of West Shokan.
After 1 miles (1.6 km) of continuous curves, the road straightens out just north of West Shokan, where it crosses Bush Kill on another long bridge. Immediately beyond the river is an intersection with Peekamoose Road (County Route 42 or CR 42) and the center of West Shokan. Olive's town hall and highway garage are a short distance to the west on Peekamoose Road, which leads through the deep mountains to Sundown
and ultimately to Sullivan County
. South of the junction, the houses dwindle again and the road continues through some undeveloped stretches where both sides of the road are posted as city land. The road closely follows the shoreline here, going east, south, or southeast to match turns in the reservoir's perimeter. Only a handful of homes are located along this stretch, situated at intersections between NY 28A and other local roads.
road, now closed to automobile traffic. The junction has been converted into a small parking area. A quarter-mile (0.4 km) further on is the western terminus of NY 213
, the only other state route that NY 28A intersects aside from its parent. Although NY 213 is an east–west route, it actually heads due south from this junction to the nearby hamlet of Olivebridge
on its way to Stone Ridge
and High Falls
. Continuing east, NY 28A descends to cross Esopus Creek again before climbing back up to the city's watershed visitor center. Across from the center is Beaverkill Road, a local highway leading southeastward to SUNY New Paltz
's outdoor environmental education center and Ashokan Bridge
, a covered bridge
over Esopus Creek.
Not far from Beaverkill Road is the east end of the closed spillway road, which led to another highway that crossed the reservoir at a point known as the "Lemon Squeeze". Like the spillway road, it was closed as a security precaution following the September 11, 2001 attacks. Past the closed spillway road, NY 28A continues almost due east, briefly crossing the Blue Line
and leaving Catskill Park as it passes another spillway. At the spillway's southeastern tip is a junction with Stone Church Road, where the route turns back to the north and reenters the park. Now in the town of Hurley
, it continues to follow the irregular reservoir shoreline to the northeast, but on a slightly further inland alignment than before. The land here remains wooded, but more frequently broken by houses on the southern side.
The route reaches the eastern end of the reservoir roughly 5 miles (8 km) from Stone Church Road, at which point it winds back to a northerly heading through some areas where the land slopes down from the road rather than up. The route eventually turns due east, leaving the reservoir behind and crossing into the town of Kingston
. Here, it runs parallel with NY 28 for just under 1 miles (1.6 km) before ending at an intersection with the route just east of the hamlet of Stony Hollow. The junction is roughly 2 miles (3.2 km) west of the city of Kingston, where NY 28 connects to U.S. Route 209 and the Interstate 87 portion of the New York State Thruway
.
, a water body built by New York City
to increase its water supply. In the initial stages of construction, seven villages in the reservoir's path were destroyed and 64 miles (103 km) of roads were taken out of service. The latter was to be replaced with 40 miles of new roads and 10 bridges carrying the highways around the reservoir's perimeter. According to a 1909 court order, the roads and bridges would be built and maintained by New York City in perpetuity to ensure that the residents displaced by the new reservoir would not be permanently isolated. The city's Board of Estimate
initially balked at the measure, citing the mandate as their primary reason for rejecting a June 20, 1913, request by the city's Board of Water Supply for $1.3 million (equivalent to $ in ) to pave the perimeter roads.
In order to fill the reservoir, the perimeter of the water body—and thus, the roads built along it—had to be completed. Even so, the Board of Estimate sought to have the 1909 court order dropped before allocating the necessary funds toward the roadways. The order was never lifted, and the roads were eventually paved by the state of New York instead. Most of the perimeter road was finished by October 11, 1913, the day that water first began to be added to the reservoir. The entire highway was completed by 1917. While the northern loop road was designated as NY 19 in 1924, the southern loop road went unnumbered until 1930. In the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York, the Margaretville
–Kingston segment of NY 19 became part of an extended NY 28
while the portion of the southern perimeter road west of Olivebridge
became part of NY 213
. Ca. 1933, NY 213 was truncated to begin in Olivebridge while the entirety of the southern loop road was designated as NY 28A.
over economic hardship caused by the closure. In October 1975, New York City Environmental Protection Administrator Robert Low requested that NYSDOT
assume maintenance of the city's upstate roads, claiming that the state could maintain them in a more efficient and effective manner. The plan was never implemented.
As part of the reservoir's construction, a north–south road was built across the water body, linking Olivebridge on the south bank to Shokan
on the northern side. This highway was closed to automotive traffic by New York City in early 2002 following the September 11, 2001 attacks, citing a potential security vulnerability. The traffic that the highway once carried is now forced to utilize NY 28 and NY 28A as a result. In the late 2000s, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection
began work on a project to eliminate a sharp S-curve in NY 28A between NY 213 and the now-closed cross-reservoir road. The impetus for the project came from residents who wanted the narrow NY 28A improved in lieu of reopening the road. Work on the realignment began in January 2009, but was halted just one month later over environmental and easement issues. Construction resumed on August 12, 2010, after the issues were resolved, and is expected to be completed in December 2011.
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 Ulster County, New York
Ulster County, New York
Ulster County is a county located in the state of New York, USA. It sits in the state's Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 182,493. Recent population estimates completed by the United States Census Bureau for the 12-month period ending July 1 are at...
, in the United States. It extends for 19.82 miles (31.9 km) along the south side of Ashokan Reservoir
Ashokan Reservoir
The Ashokan Reservoir is a reservoir in Ulster County, New York, USA. The reservoir is in the eastern end of the Catskill Park, and is one of several reservoirs created to provide the City of New York with water. However, it is one of only two reservoirs in the Catskill Watershed. It is also New...
in Catskill Park, serving as a southerly alternate route of NY 28
New York State Route 28
New York State Route 28 is a state highway extending for in the shape of a "C" between the Hudson Valley city of Kingston and southern Warren County in the U.S. state of New York. Along the way, it intersects several major routes, including Interstate 88 , U.S. Route 20 , and the...
through the area. Many of the communities along its length, such as West Shokan and Olivebridge
Olivebridge, New York
Olivebridge is a hamlet in Ulster County, New York, United States, within Catskill Park and the Catskill Mountains.The community's name is sometimes written Olive Bridge, but the United States Board on Geographic Names gives the name as Olivebridge...
, are the remnants or recreations of those condemned for the reservoir's construction. Near Olivebridge, NY 28A intersects NY 213
New York State Route 213
New York State Route 213 is a state highway located entirely in Ulster County. It runs from the eastern Catskills to downtown Kingston....
, the only other state route that NY 28A intersects aside from its parent, NY 28.
NY 28A was built during the Ashokan Reservoir's construction in the early 20th century. The highway was built and subsequently maintained by New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
as the result of a 1909 court order, which mandated that the city maintain the reservoir perimeter roads in perpetuity. In the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York, the portion of the southern loop road between Boiceville
Boiceville, New York
Boiceville is a community in Ulster County, New York, USA. Boiceville is located at the intersection with New York State Route 28 and New York State Route 28A, within Catskill State Park. The community is located at .-Education:...
and Olivebridge became part of NY 213. The entire southern loop road was redesignated as NY 28A ca. 1933. In the 1970s, New York City sought to transfer control of its upstate roads to the New York State Department of Transportation
New York State Department of Transportation
The New York State Department of Transportation is responsible for the development and operation of highways, railroads, mass transit systems, ports, waterways and aviation facilities in the U.S...
(NYSDOT); however, no action was ever taken.
Route description
Maintenance of NY 28A is split between the New York City Department of TransportationNew York City Department of Transportation
The New York City Department of Transportation is responsible for the management of much of New York City's transportation infrastructure...
(NYCDOT) and Ulster County
Ulster County, New York
Ulster County is a county located in the state of New York, USA. It sits in the state's Mid-Hudson Region of the Hudson Valley. As of the 2010 census, the population was 182,493. Recent population estimates completed by the United States Census Bureau for the 12-month period ending July 1 are at...
. NYCDOT maintenance begins at the western junction with NY 28 and ends at a point near Shady Lane, a local street near the eastern end of the reservoir in Hurley. The remaining 1.63 miles (2.62 km) of the highway is county-maintained and signed as part of CR 50.
Boiceville to Olivebridge
NY 28A's western terminus is at a large trinagular intersection with NY 28New York State Route 28
New York State Route 28 is a state highway extending for in the shape of a "C" between the Hudson Valley city of Kingston and southern Warren County in the U.S. state of New York. Along the way, it intersects several major routes, including Interstate 88 , U.S. Route 20 , and the...
just south of the hamlet of Boiceville
Boiceville, New York
Boiceville is a community in Ulster County, New York, USA. Boiceville is located at the intersection with New York State Route 28 and New York State Route 28A, within Catskill State Park. The community is located at .-Education:...
. From there, it heads to the west as a narrow two-lane road, crossing Esopus Creek
Esopus Creek
Esopus Creek is a tributary of the Hudson River that drains the east-central Catskill Mountains of the U.S. state of New York. From its source at Winnisook Lake on the slopes of Slide Mountain, the Catskills' highest peak, it flows across Ulster County to the Hudson at Saugerties. Many tributaries...
just above where it empties into the nearby Ashokan Reservoir
Ashokan Reservoir
The Ashokan Reservoir is a reservoir in Ulster County, New York, USA. The reservoir is in the eastern end of the Catskill Park, and is one of several reservoirs created to provide the City of New York with water. However, it is one of only two reservoirs in the Catskill Watershed. It is also New...
. The highway subsequently turns southward, loosely paralleling the reservoir shoreline as it heads through the town of Olive
Olive, New York
Olive is a town in Ulster County, New York, United States. The population was 4,579 at the 2000 census.The Town of Olive is an interior town of Ulster County. The town is west of Kingston, New York and is inside the Catskill Park.- History :...
. The shoreline itself is a short distance from NY 28A, buffered by woods and posted and fenced by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection
New York City Department of Environmental Protection
The New York City Department of Environmental Protection is a City agency of nearly 6,000 employees that manages and conserves the City’s water supply; distributes more than one billion gallons of clean drinking water each day to nine million New Yorkers and collects wastewater through a vast...
. About 1 miles (1.6 km) south of Boiceville, the highway crosses Traver Hollow Brook by way of a large bridge that leads the road to the lower slopes of Samuels Point, where houses begin to break the woods on the western side of the road. NY 28A closely follows the base of the hill, winding back and forth as it heads southward toward the hamlet of West Shokan.
After 1 miles (1.6 km) of continuous curves, the road straightens out just north of West Shokan, where it crosses Bush Kill on another long bridge. Immediately beyond the river is an intersection with Peekamoose Road (County Route 42 or CR 42) and the center of West Shokan. Olive's town hall and highway garage are a short distance to the west on Peekamoose Road, which leads through the deep mountains to Sundown
Sundown, New York
Sundown is a hamlet located within Denning, New York, in Ulster County, New York, United States. It is 34.6 miles from the city of Kingston, New York and 119 miles from New York City. Sundown is near the south town line of Denning on Route 46....
and ultimately to Sullivan County
Sullivan County, New York
Sullivan County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 77,547. The county seat is Monticello. The name is in honor of Major General John Sullivan, who was a hero in the American Revolutionary War...
. South of the junction, the houses dwindle again and the road continues through some undeveloped stretches where both sides of the road are posted as city land. The road closely follows the shoreline here, going east, south, or southeast to match turns in the reservoir's perimeter. Only a handful of homes are located along this stretch, situated at intersections between NY 28A and other local roads.
Olivebridge to Stony Hollow
Five miles (8 km) past West Shokan, NY 28A intersects the reservoir's spillwaySpillway
A spillway is a structure used to provide the controlled release of flows from a dam or levee into a downstream area, typically being the river that was dammed. In the UK they may be known as overflow channels. Spillways release floods so that the water does not overtop and damage or even destroy...
road, now closed to automobile traffic. The junction has been converted into a small parking area. A quarter-mile (0.4 km) further on is the western terminus of NY 213
New York State Route 213
New York State Route 213 is a state highway located entirely in Ulster County. It runs from the eastern Catskills to downtown Kingston....
, the only other state route that NY 28A intersects aside from its parent. Although NY 213 is an east–west route, it actually heads due south from this junction to the nearby hamlet of Olivebridge
Olivebridge, New York
Olivebridge is a hamlet in Ulster County, New York, United States, within Catskill Park and the Catskill Mountains.The community's name is sometimes written Olive Bridge, but the United States Board on Geographic Names gives the name as Olivebridge...
on its way to Stone Ridge
Stone Ridge, New York
Stone Ridge is a hamlet in Ulster County, New York, United States. The population was 1,173 at the 2000 census.Stone Ridge is located in the Town of Marbletown, along US 209 where it overlaps NY 213.-Geography:...
and High Falls
High Falls, New York
High Falls is a hamlet in Ulster County, New York, United States. The population was 627 at the 2000 census.High Falls is located in Marbletown, near the town boundary with Rosendale.-Geography:...
. Continuing east, NY 28A descends to cross Esopus Creek again before climbing back up to the city's watershed visitor center. Across from the center is Beaverkill Road, a local highway leading southeastward to SUNY New Paltz
State University of New York at New Paltz
The State University of New York at New Paltz, known as SUNY New Paltz for short, is a public university in New Paltz, New York. It was founded in 1828 as the School for teaching of classics. In 1885, the New Paltz Normal and Training School was established as a school to prepare teachers for the...
's outdoor environmental education center and Ashokan Bridge
Ashokan Bridge
Ashokan Bridge, also known as New Paltz Campus Bridge, is a wooden covered bridge over Esopus Creek on the Ashokan Field campus of New Paltz University, in Ulster County.It is one of 29 covered bridges in New York State.-External links:*...
, a covered bridge
Covered bridge
A covered bridge is a bridge with enclosed sides and a roof, often accommodating only a single lane of traffic. Most covered bridges are wooden; some newer ones are concrete or metal with glass sides...
over Esopus Creek.
Not far from Beaverkill Road is the east end of the closed spillway road, which led to another highway that crossed the reservoir at a point known as the "Lemon Squeeze". Like the spillway road, it was closed as a security precaution following the September 11, 2001 attacks. Past the closed spillway road, NY 28A continues almost due east, briefly crossing the Blue Line
Blue Line (New York State)
The Blue Line is the term used in New York state for the boundaries of the Adirondack and Catskill parks, within which can be found the state's Forest Preserve...
and leaving Catskill Park as it passes another spillway. At the spillway's southeastern tip is a junction with Stone Church Road, where the route turns back to the north and reenters the park. Now in the town of Hurley
Hurley (town), New York
Hurley is a town in Ulster County, New York, USA. The population was 6,314 at the 2010 census.The Town of Hurley is in the northeast part of the county, west of the City of Kingston...
, it continues to follow the irregular reservoir shoreline to the northeast, but on a slightly further inland alignment than before. The land here remains wooded, but more frequently broken by houses on the southern side.
The route reaches the eastern end of the reservoir roughly 5 miles (8 km) from Stone Church Road, at which point it winds back to a northerly heading through some areas where the land slopes down from the road rather than up. The route eventually turns due east, leaving the reservoir behind and crossing into the town of Kingston
Kingston (town), New York
Kingston is a town in Ulster County, New York, USA. The Town of Kingston is in the northeast part of Ulster County, north of the City of Kingston. Kingston is inside the Catskill Park...
. Here, it runs parallel with NY 28 for just under 1 miles (1.6 km) before ending at an intersection with the route just east of the hamlet of Stony Hollow. The junction is roughly 2 miles (3.2 km) west of the city of Kingston, where NY 28 connects to U.S. Route 209 and the Interstate 87 portion of 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...
.
Origins and designation
The origins of NY 28A date back to 1907 when construction began on one of several dams that would eventually create the Ashokan ReservoirAshokan Reservoir
The Ashokan Reservoir is a reservoir in Ulster County, New York, USA. The reservoir is in the eastern end of the Catskill Park, and is one of several reservoirs created to provide the City of New York with water. However, it is one of only two reservoirs in the Catskill Watershed. It is also New...
, a water body built by New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
to increase its water supply. In the initial stages of construction, seven villages in the reservoir's path were destroyed and 64 miles (103 km) of roads were taken out of service. The latter was to be replaced with 40 miles of new roads and 10 bridges carrying the highways around the reservoir's perimeter. According to a 1909 court order, the roads and bridges would be built and maintained by New York City in perpetuity to ensure that the residents displaced by the new reservoir would not be permanently isolated. The city's Board of Estimate
New York City Board of Estimate
The New York City Board of Estimate was a governmental body in New York City, responsible for budget and land-use decisions. Under the charter of the newly amalgamated City of Greater New York the Board of Estimate and Apportionment was composed of eight ex officio members: the Mayor of New York...
initially balked at the measure, citing the mandate as their primary reason for rejecting a June 20, 1913, request by the city's Board of Water Supply for $1.3 million (equivalent to $ in ) to pave the perimeter roads.
In order to fill the reservoir, the perimeter of the water body—and thus, the roads built along it—had to be completed. Even so, the Board of Estimate sought to have the 1909 court order dropped before allocating the necessary funds toward the roadways. The order was never lifted, and the roads were eventually paved by the state of New York instead. Most of the perimeter road was finished by October 11, 1913, the day that water first began to be added to the reservoir. The entire highway was completed by 1917. While the northern loop road was designated as NY 19 in 1924, the southern loop road went unnumbered until 1930. In the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York, the Margaretville
Margaretville, New York
Margaretville is a village in Delaware County, New York, United States. The population was 643 at the 2000 census.The Village of Margaretville is in the Town of Middletown. The village is on the border of the Catskill Park...
–Kingston segment of NY 19 became part of an extended NY 28
New York State Route 28
New York State Route 28 is a state highway extending for in the shape of a "C" between the Hudson Valley city of Kingston and southern Warren County in the U.S. state of New York. Along the way, it intersects several major routes, including Interstate 88 , U.S. Route 20 , and the...
while the portion of the southern perimeter road west of Olivebridge
Olivebridge, New York
Olivebridge is a hamlet in Ulster County, New York, United States, within Catskill Park and the Catskill Mountains.The community's name is sometimes written Olive Bridge, but the United States Board on Geographic Names gives the name as Olivebridge...
became part of NY 213
New York State Route 213
New York State Route 213 is a state highway located entirely in Ulster County. It runs from the eastern Catskills to downtown Kingston....
. Ca. 1933, NY 213 was truncated to begin in Olivebridge while the entirety of the southern loop road was designated as NY 28A.
Maintenance and realignment
By the mid-1970s, New York City was struggling to maintain its upstate road network. Annual maintenance costs of the city's 82 miles (132 km) of roads and 26 bridges had grown to $310,000 (equivalent to $ in ). Additionally, one bridge along NY 28A in Traver Hollow was temporarily closed in June 1975 due to safety concerns, a move that ultimately led to a lawsuit between the city and the town of OliveOlive, New York
Olive is a town in Ulster County, New York, United States. The population was 4,579 at the 2000 census.The Town of Olive is an interior town of Ulster County. The town is west of Kingston, New York and is inside the Catskill Park.- History :...
over economic hardship caused by the closure. In October 1975, New York City Environmental Protection Administrator Robert Low requested that NYSDOT
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...
assume maintenance of the city's upstate roads, claiming that the state could maintain them in a more efficient and effective manner. The plan was never implemented.
As part of the reservoir's construction, a north–south road was built across the water body, linking Olivebridge on the south bank to Shokan
Shokan, New York
Shokan is a hamlet located in the Town of Olive in Ulster County, within the Catskill Park. The population was 1,252 at the 2000 census.-History:...
on the northern side. This highway was closed to automotive traffic by New York City in early 2002 following the September 11, 2001 attacks, citing a potential security vulnerability. The traffic that the highway once carried is now forced to utilize NY 28 and NY 28A as a result. In the late 2000s, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection
New York City Department of Environmental Protection
The New York City Department of Environmental Protection is a City agency of nearly 6,000 employees that manages and conserves the City’s water supply; distributes more than one billion gallons of clean drinking water each day to nine million New Yorkers and collects wastewater through a vast...
began work on a project to eliminate a sharp S-curve in NY 28A between NY 213 and the now-closed cross-reservoir road. The impetus for the project came from residents who wanted the narrow NY 28A improved in lieu of reopening the road. Work on the realignment began in January 2009, but was halted just one month later over environmental and easement issues. Construction resumed on August 12, 2010, after the issues were resolved, and is expected to be completed in December 2011.