New York State Route 322
Encyclopedia
New York State Route 322 (NY 322) is a state highway
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...

 in the Southern Tier
Southern Tier
The Southern Tier is a geographical term that refers to the counties of New York State west of the Catskill Mountains along the northern border of Pennsylvania. It is a loosely defined term that generally includes the counties that border Pennsylvania west of Delaware County inclusive...

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

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

. The western terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 83
New York State Route 83
New York State Route 83 is a state route located entirely in Chautauqua County, New York in the United States. It extends from an intersection with U.S. Route 62 in the hamlet of Conewango Valley to NY 60 in the hamlet of Laona, near Fredonia...

 in Balcom Corners, a hamlet within the Chautauqua County
Chautauqua County, New York
-Major highways:* Interstate 86/New York State Route 17 * Interstate 90 * U.S. Route 20* U.S. Route 62* New York State Route 5* New York State Route 39* New York State Route 60* New York State Route 394...

 town of Villenova
Villenova, New York
Villenova is a town in Chautauqua County, New York, United States. The population was 1,121 at the 2000 census.The Town of Villenova is on the eastern border of the county and is southeast of Dunkirk, New York.- History :...

. Its eastern terminus is at a junction with U.S. Route 62 (US 62) in the Cattaraugus County
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:...

 town of Dayton
Dayton, New York
Dayton is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 1,945 at the 2000 census.The Town of Dayton is on the western border of Cattaraugus County.- History :...

. In between, the route passes through the village of South Dayton
South Dayton, New York
South Dayton is a village in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 662 at the 2000 census.The Village of South Dayton lies within the Town of Dayton by the southwest corner of the town and less than a mile from the county line of Chautauqua County.- History :The community...

.

NY 322 was assigned as part of the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York to its current alignment. Originally, maintenance of the Cattaraugus County portion of the route was split between the village of South Dayton and the county, the latter of which co-designated the highway as County Route 3 (CR 3). The state of New York assumed ownership and maintenance of the Cattaraugus County segment in 1980 as part of a highway maintenance swap between the state, the county, and South Dayton.

Route description

NY 322 is classified by the New York State Department of Transportation
New York State Department of Transportation
The New York State Department of Transportation is responsible for the development and operation of highways, railroads, mass transit systems, ports, waterways and aviation facilities in the U.S...

 as a rural collector road
Collector road
A collector road or distributor road is a low to moderate-capacity road which serve to move traffic from local streets to arterial roads. Unlike arterials, collectors are also designed to provide access to residential properties...

. It serves as a connector from NY 83
New York State Route 83
New York State Route 83 is a state route located entirely in Chautauqua County, New York in the United States. It extends from an intersection with U.S. Route 62 in the hamlet of Conewango Valley to NY 60 in the hamlet of Laona, near Fredonia...

 to US 62 by way of the village of South Dayton
South Dayton, New York
South Dayton is a village in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 662 at the 2000 census.The Village of South Dayton lies within the Town of Dayton by the southwest corner of the town and less than a mile from the county line of Chautauqua County.- History :The community...

. Most of the traffic along the route is made up of non-commercial vehicles; trucks account for only nine percent of all traffic along NY 322. The roadway has an asphalt
Asphalt
Asphalt or , also known as bitumen, is a sticky, black and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid that is present in most crude petroleums and in some natural deposits, it is a substance classed as a pitch...

 surface that is two lanes wide and varies in width from 21 feet (6.4 m) to 22 feet (6.7 m). NY 322 travels through flat, open land outside of South Dayton and through residential areas within the village.

The route begins at an intersection with NY 83 and CR 87 at Balcom Corners, a hamlet within the town of Villenova
Villenova, New York
Villenova is a town in Chautauqua County, New York, United States. The population was 1,121 at the 2000 census.The Town of Villenova is on the eastern border of the county and is southeast of Dunkirk, New York.- History :...

. It heads eastward, passing through open fields and a handful of homes. Roughly 0.75 miles (1.21 km) east of NY 83, the route meets the west branch of Conewango Creek
Conewango Creek
Conewango Creek is a tributary of the Allegheny River in Pennsylvania and western New York in the United States.The creek's drainage covers much of southeastern Chautauqua County, New York and southwestern Cattaraugus County, New York. The creek's most notable tributary is the Chadakoin River,...

 and turns southeastward to follow the southern bank of the waterway. NY 322 passes over the creek just before crossing into Cattaraugus County
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:...

 and the village of South Dayton that sits on the western county line.

In South Dayton, NY 322 is known as Pine Street as it proceeds through the village. The amount of development along the route rises as it approaches the center of the village at Main Street. The route continues on, traveling by four blocks of homes and businesses before curving eastward and entering another area dominated by open fields. It exits the village limits shortly afterward. East of South Dayton, NY 322 is known as Dexter Corners Road as it heads through a rural area of the town of Dayton
Dayton, New York
Dayton is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 1,945 at the 2000 census.The Town of Dayton is on the western border of Cattaraugus County.- History :...

. NY 322 continues to the community of Dexter Corners, where it ends at an intersection with US 62.

In 2008, the portion of NY 322 between NY 83 and the county line handled an estimated average
Annual average daily traffic
Average Annual daily traffic, abbreviated AADT, is a measure used primarily in transportation planning and transportation engineering. It is the total volume of vehicle traffic of a highway or road for a year divided by 365 days. AADT is a useful and simple measurement of how busy the road is...

 of 1,810 vehicles per day. The traffic volume increases to 2,300 per day from there to Main Street in the village of South Dayton. East of Main Street, traffic volume falls to 1,280 cars per day.

History

NY 322 was assigned to its modern alignment as part of the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York. Initially, NY 322 was maintained by Cattaraugus County
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:...

 between the eastern village limits of South Dayton
South Dayton, New York
South Dayton is a village in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 662 at the 2000 census.The Village of South Dayton lies within the Town of Dayton by the southwest corner of the town and less than a mile from the county line of Chautauqua County.- History :The community...

 and its junction with NY 241
New York State Route 241
New York State Route 241 is a north–south state highway in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 394 in the village of Randolph and its northern terminus is at a junction with U.S. Route 62 in the town of...

 (now US 62) in Dayton
Dayton, New York
Dayton is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. The population was 1,945 at the 2000 census.The Town of Dayton is on the western border of Cattaraugus County.- History :...

 and by the village of South Dayton within the village limits. The Cattaraugus County-maintained portion of the route was co-designated as CR 3. On April 1, 1980, ownership and maintenance of NY 322 in Cattaraugus County was transferred from the village of South Dayton and the county to the state of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

 as part of a highway maintenance swap between the three levels of government. The entirety of the route is now state-maintained.

Major intersections

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