New York State Route 33
Encyclopedia
New York State Route 33 (NY 33) is an east–west state highway
in western New York
in the United States. The route extends for just under 70 miles (113 km) from NY 5
in Buffalo
in the west to NY 31
in Rochester
in the east. It is, in fact, the only state highway that directly connects both cities, although it is rarely used today for that purpose. The westernmost 10 miles (16 km) of NY 33 in Buffalo and the neighboring town of Cheektowaga have been upgraded into the Kensington Expressway. This section of NY 33 is one of several expressway
s leading out of downtown and serves as a main route to the Buffalo Niagara International Airport
.
On the Rochester end, NY 33 primarily serves as a paralleling local route to Interstate 490
(I-490), of less importance to the area's traffic patterns. Between the two cities, it is mostly a rural two-lane highway. The largest location on this stretch is the Genesee County
city of Batavia
, where NY 33 reconnects to NY 5 and crosses NY 63
and NY 98
, two regionally important north–south highways. NY 33 overlaps with all three routes at one point or another as it traverses Batavia. A southerly alternate route, designated NY 33A
, leaves NY 33 northeast of Batavia in Bergen
and rejoins its parent in Rochester.
NY 33 was assigned in the mid-1920s, but only to the portion of its modern routing between Batavia
and Rochester. It was extended on both ends—to Buffalo in the west and Marion
in the east—as part of the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York; however, the eastern extension was eliminated in the late 1940s. In Buffalo, NY 33 was moved onto the Kensington Expressway in the mid-1960s, and its former surface routing along Genesee Street subsequently became the short-lived New York State Route 33B. Smaller realignments in the years since have moved NY 33's western terminus from the heart of downtown Buffalo to the northern fringe of the city's center.
, is state-maintained; however, two sections—from NY 5
to the eastern Batavia city line and all of NY 33 within the city of Rochester
—are maintained by the cities of Batavia and Rochester, respectively.
, from where they serve as a one-way couplet for three blocks before they merge to become the Kensington Expressway, a limited-access highway. It initially travels through dense urban areas by way of a cut
, in which both roadways are separated only by a Jersey barrier
. The expressway runs past the Buffalo Museum of Science
, located at Martin Luther King, Jr. Park
, and through the middle of Humboldt Parkway in Buffalo, where the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198
) leaves at the former exit for Main Street. The section of the expressway between the Scajaquada and Harlem Road (NY 240
) just outside the city limit is the busiest on all of NY 33, handling in excess of 100,000 vehicles per day in areas.
East of NY 198, the road becomes more open as it passes through neighborhoods with a more suburban residential feel to them. Along this stretch, NY 33 connects to several streets, including Bailey Avenue (U.S. Route 62
or US 62) and Harlem Road (NY 240). Past Harlem Road, the expressway makes a slight curve to the south as it prepares to meet a toll-free section of the New York State Thruway
(I-90
) at a cloverleaf interchange
. Beyond I-90, the expressway veers to the south again, traversing an S-curve before connecting to Union Road (NY 277
) by way of a partial interchange. After another 0.5 mile (0.80467 km), NY 33 curves south under Genesee Street before joining it at a traffic light
in front of the Buffalo Niagara International Airport
.
s and fast food
restaurants on the other. The large aerospace
contractor Calspan has its headquarters here, and Westinghouse once operated a large industrial lathe
plant on the airport side of the road (it was torn down
when the airport was rebuilt in the late 1990s). Beyond the airport, the divider ends and, after a short curve and minimal descent, NY 33 intersects Transit Road (NY 78
) and enters the town of Lancaster
. After this junction, the highway becomes a two-lane route once again through the small hamlet of Bowmansville
, where it crosses Ellicott Creek
near some rapid
s.
For the next several miles, NY 33 runs parallel to the Thruway and very close to it, with both roads visible from the other. Much of this section of Lancaster has remained rural in character; however, that began to change in the mid-1990s when Tops Friendly Markets, the regional supermarket
chain headquartered in nearby Williamsville
, chose a site near the Gunnville Road intersection for a major distribution
center. It necessitated the widening of the highway and construction of a traffic light and turn lanes at its entrance.
Route 33 becomes a two-lane route once again as it heads out into Alden
and eventually joins another state-maintained street radiating out from the city, Walden Avenue, unsigned NY 952Q
. Route 33 and the Genesee Street name take over Walden's straight, slightly north-trending course as it leaves Erie County
for Genesee County
. In the latter, it intersects with NY 77
in the center of the first community it encounters, the small village of Corfu
. At the Batavia
town line, it becomes Pearl Street, a name it keeps until it reaches NY 98
within the city of Batavia
.
, NY 33 crosses and briefly overlaps with not only NY 5
, the other east–west route in town, but both north–south routes, NY 63
and NY 98
. While concurrent with NY 98 on Oak Street Extension, NY 33 passes over Tonawanda Creek
, which travels through Batavia on a roughly northwest–southeast alignment. The brief overlap with NY 98 ends at Main Street, which carries NY 5 and NY 63 through the western portion of the city. NY 33 turns east here, overlapping with NY 5 and NY 63 for five blocks along the four-lane, mostly commercial Main Street. NY 63 leaves in downtown Batavia at Ellicott Street; however, NY 5 and NY 33 continue to follow Main Street through much of the city's eastern half.
At the eastern fringe of Batavia, NY 33 splits in a northeast direction from NY 5, becoming Clinton Street, and, once outside the city limits, Clinton Street Road. In the town of Batavia, the highway passes through a residential area on its way to a junction with Batavia–Stafford Town Line Road, a county road providing access to Genesee Community College
, located about 1 miles (1.6 km) to the north of NY 33. The route continues on a northeastward course into the town of Stafford
, where it crosses over the CSX Transportation
-owned Rochester Subdivision
railroad line and the Thruway by way of overpasses less than 1 miles (1.6 km) apart. Unlike in Buffalo, there is no connection between NY 33 and the Thruway at this point.
It remains close to the Interstate Highway for about 4 miles (6 km), intersecting NY 237
less than a mile (1.6 km) north of the overpass taking that highway over the Thruway, but leaves it behind for good shortly thereafter as it turns even more to the north, taking it into the town of Bergen
and the small village of the same name
in the county's northeast corner. Here, NY 33 crosses NY 19
, a long north–south route. Shortly afterward, NY 33A
begins to the east while the main route turns to the north yet again and becomes Buffalo Road. Just east of this point, NY 33A connects to I-490
, which briefly runs along the Monroe County
line through this area. From the west end of NY 33A to the county line, NY 33 and I-490 follow virtually identical northeasterly alignments.
and I-490—both located a short distance to the south of NY 33—into the village of Churchville
, where the route has a brief concurrency with NY 36
. Farther east, NY 33 intersects NY 259
at North Chili and picks up another short concurrency with NY 386
as the suburbs begin at Gates
. Here, NY 33 finally has a direct exit with I-490. Also directly accessible from this junction is NY 531
, which begins about 0.75 miles (1.21 km) to the north. At this point, I-490 trades positions with NY 33 as it continues to parallel the latter, but now to the north instead.
The route continues another 1.5 miles (2.4 km) to Gates Center
, meeting Howard Road (formerly part of NY 47
and still state-maintained as unsigned NY 940L) and crossing over, but not connecting to I-390
. A crossing of the Erie Canal
soon follows, bringing the route into the city of Rochester
. Across the city line, NY 33 runs along the Rochester Subdivision rail line for about 1 miles (1.6 km), serving an industrial area built up along the north side of the railroad. It connects to Mount Read Boulevard by way of a signalized traffic circle
before abruptly turning southward to pass under the tracks and meet up with West Avenue.
At West Avenue, NY 33 turns east into the densely populated western portion of the city, taking on the West Avenue name for 0.75 miles (1.21 km) to a junction with Chili Avenue, which carries NY 33A into the city. Here, NY 33A completes its southern loop and NY 33 picks up its final designation as West Main Street. NY 33 travels east–northeast along Main Street to the junction of West Main and West Broad Streets adjacent to where I-490 passes over the former. NY 33 ends here, giving way to NY 31
, which enters from the north on Broad Street and continues to the east on Main Street. Nick Tahou Hots
, a local restaurant, is located on the northwest corner of the junction.
in Batavia
. West of Batavia, what is now NY 33 was unnumbered and only partially state-maintained. At the time, state maintenance of this segment began at the Buffalo
city line and ended at current NY 77
in Corfu
. The Corfu–Batavia segment was taken over by the state of New York in the late 1920s, and NY 33 was extended west over the now entirely state-maintained Genesee Street to Main Street (NY 5) in downtown Buffalo as part of the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York.
At the same time, the route was extended east through Rochester to the Wayne County
town of Marion
20 miles (32 km) to the east. It was routed along West Main Street and East Avenue from NY 31
in Rochester to Penfield Road in Brighton
, overlapping NY 15 (now NY 96
) from downtown Rochester
to Brighton. NY 33 broke from NY 15 at Penfield Road and continued generally eastward on Penfield, Walworth–Penfield, and Walworth–Marion Roads through Brighton, Penfield
and Walworth
to Marion, where it ended at an intersection with NY 21
. The route was cut back to its current eastern terminus at NY 31 in downtown Rochester in the late 1940s, at which time the portion of NY 33's former routing between Brighton and Walworth was redesignated as NY 441
.
. The first section of the expressway was completed between 1962 and 1964 and extended from Michigan Avenue (Harriet Tubman Way) to Best Street. The remainder of the highway was completed ca. 1965, at which time NY 33 was realigned to follow the new expressway from Michigan Avenue to the airport. Its former routing on Genesee Street became NY 33B. There were once plans to extend the Kensington Expressway west to I-190
at exit 8; however, this extension was never built.
The western end of NY 33 has been located in downtown Buffalo since 1930; however, the exact location of its terminus has varied over time. In the mid-1970s, the northbound and southbound directions of NY 5 were split and rerouted to follow a series of streets through downtown Buffalo. Northbound NY 5 left the southbound direction at the north end of the Skyway and followed Church, South Division, Ellicott, and Chippewa Streets around downtown to Main Street, where both directions converged and continued north on Main Street. As a result, NY 33 was truncated eastward to the junction of Genesee and Ellicott Streets. At some point between 1979 and 1985, a pair of ramps were constructed between the west end of the Kensington Expressway and Oak and Elm Streets, a pre-existing one-way couplet one block to the west of Michigan Avenue. NY 33 initially followed the new ramps to Genesee Street; however, the route was altered in the latter half of the 1980s to connect to Ellicott Street (by this point part of NY 5 north) by way of Goodell and East Tupper Streets, another pre-existing one-way couplet.
NY 33 has one current alternate route and one former spur designation that has been reused multiple times.
|rowspan=19|Erie
|rowspan=11|Buffalo
|0.00
|
|At-grade intersection
|-
|0.20
|Elm Street / Oak Street
|Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
|-
|0.87
|Jefferson Avenue
|Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
|-
|1.50
|Best Street – Buffalo Museum of Science
|
|-
|2.52
|Humboldt Parkway
|
|-
|2.81
|
|Eastern terminus of NY 198
|-
|3.72
|Grider Street / Deerfield Avenue
|
|-
|4.30
|Olympic Avenue
|Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
|-
|4.57
|
|Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
|-
|4.74
|Suffolk Street
|
|-
|5.32
|Eggert Road
|
|-
|rowspan=7|Cheektowaga
|6.07
|
|
|-
|6.97
|
|Exits 51E-W (I-90 / Thruway)
|-
|7.64
|
|Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
|-
|8.18
|Dick Road / Cayuga Road
|Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
|-
|colspan=3 align="center"|East end of freeway section
|-
|8.52
|Genesee Street – Buffalo Niagara International Airport
|Former eastern terminus of NY 33B
|-
|10.73
|
|
|-
|Alden
|19.52
|Walden Avenue (NY 952Q
)
|Eastern terminus of unsigned NY 952Q
|-
|rowspan=8|Genesee
|Corfu
|25.88
|
|
|-
|rowspan=4|Batavia
|37.05
|
|Southern terminus of NY 33 / NY 98 overlap
|-
|37.13
|
|Western terminus of NY 5 / NY 33 and NY 33 / NY 63 overlaps; northern terminus of NY 33 / NY 98 overlap
|-
|37.40
|
|Eastern terminus of NY 33 / NY 63 overlap
|-
|38.60
|
|Eastern terminus of NY 5 / NY 33 overlap
|-
|Stafford
|44.14
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2|Bergen
|50.97
|
|
|-
|51.34
|
|Western terminus of NY 33A
|-
|rowspan=8|Monroe
|rowspan=2|Churchville
|55.00
|
|Western terminus of NY 33 / NY 36 overlap
|-
|55.83
|
|Eastern terminus of NY 33 / NY 36 overlap
|-
|Chili
|59.20
|
|
|-
|rowspan=3|Gates
|63.14
|
|Western terminus of NY 33 / NY 386 overlap
|-
|63.34
|
|Eastern terminus of NY 33 / NY 386 overlap
|-
|64.09
|
|Exit 7 (I-490)
|-
|rowspan=2|Rochester
|68.34
|
|Eastern terminus of NY 33A
|-
|69.26
|
|
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 western New York
Western New York
Western New York is the westernmost region of the state of New York. It includes the cities of Buffalo, Rochester, Niagara Falls, the surrounding suburbs, as well as the outlying rural areas of the Great Lakes lowlands, the Genesee Valley, and the Southern Tier. Some historians, scholars and others...
in the United States. The route extends for just under 70 miles (113 km) from NY 5
New York State Route 5
New York State Route 5 is a state highway that extends for across the state of New York in the United States. It begins at the Pennsylvania state line in the Chautauqua County town of Ripley and passes through Buffalo, Syracuse, Utica, Schenectady, and several other smaller cities and...
in Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
in the west to NY 31
New York State Route 31
New York State Route 31 is a state highway that extends for across western and central New York in the United States. The western terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 104 in the city of Niagara Falls. Its eastern terminus is at a traffic circle with NY 26 in Vernon...
in Rochester
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
in the east. It is, in fact, the only state highway that directly connects both cities, although it is rarely used today for that purpose. The westernmost 10 miles (16 km) of NY 33 in Buffalo and the neighboring town of Cheektowaga have been upgraded into the Kensington Expressway. This section of NY 33 is one of several expressway
Limited-access road
A limited-access road known by various terms worldwide, including limited-access highway, dual-carriageway and expressway, is a highway or arterial road for high-speed traffic which has many or most characteristics of a controlled-access highway , including limited or no access to adjacent...
s leading out of downtown and serves as a main route to the Buffalo Niagara International Airport
Buffalo Niagara International Airport
Buffalo Niagara International Airport is an airport located in Cheektowaga CDP, Town of Cheektowaga, in Erie County, New York, USA. It is named after the Buffalo – Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The airport serves Buffalo, New York as well as Southern Ontario, Canada...
.
On the Rochester end, NY 33 primarily serves as a paralleling local route to Interstate 490
Interstate 490 (New York)
Interstate 490 is an auxiliary Interstate Highway that serves the city of Rochester, New York, in the United States. It acts as a northerly alternate route to the New York State Thruway , leaving it at exit 47 in the town of Le Roy and rejoining the highway at exit 45 in the town of...
(I-490), of less importance to the area's traffic patterns. Between the two cities, it is mostly a rural two-lane highway. The largest location on this stretch is the Genesee County
Genesee County, New York
Genesee County is a county located in Western New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 60,079. Its name is from the Seneca Indian word Gen-nis'-hee-yo meaning "The Beautiful Valley." Its county seat is Batavia.- History :...
city of Batavia
Batavia (city), New York
Batavia is a city in Genesee County, Western New York, USA, located near the middle of Genesee County, entirely within the Town of Batavia. Its population as of the 2000 census was 16,256...
, where NY 33 reconnects to NY 5 and crosses NY 63
New York State Route 63
New York State Route 63 is a state highway in the western part of New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 15 and NY 21 in the village of Wayland in Steuben County. Its northern end is at a junction with NY 18 in the town...
and NY 98
New York State Route 98
New York State Route 98 is a state highway in the western part of New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an intersection with U.S. Route 219 in the town of Great Valley in Cattaraugus County...
, two regionally important north–south highways. NY 33 overlaps with all three routes at one point or another as it traverses Batavia. A southerly alternate route, designated NY 33A
New York State Route 33A
New York State Route 33A is an east–west state highway mostly located in Monroe County, New York, in the United States. The route is just over long and serves as an alternate route of NY 33 between the town of Bergen in Genesee County and the city of Rochester in Monroe County...
, leaves NY 33 northeast of Batavia in Bergen
Bergen (village), New York
Bergen is a village in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 1,240 at the 2000 census.The village lies on the eastern edge of the Town of Bergen. The village is north of the junction of Routes 19 and 33.-History:...
and rejoins its parent in Rochester.
NY 33 was assigned in the mid-1920s, but only to the portion of its modern routing between Batavia
Batavia (city), New York
Batavia is a city in Genesee County, Western New York, USA, located near the middle of Genesee County, entirely within the Town of Batavia. Its population as of the 2000 census was 16,256...
and Rochester. It was extended on both ends—to Buffalo in the west and Marion
Marion, New York
Marion is a town in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 4,974 as of the 2000 census. It is named after Revolutionary War hero Francis Marion. It is an interior town near the center of the county, about 20 miles east of Rochester, New York and 50 miles west of Syracuse, New...
in the east—as part of the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York; however, the eastern extension was eliminated in the late 1940s. In Buffalo, NY 33 was moved onto the Kensington Expressway in the mid-1960s, and its former surface routing along Genesee Street subsequently became the short-lived New York State Route 33B. Smaller realignments in the years since have moved NY 33's western terminus from the heart of downtown Buffalo to the northern fringe of the city's center.
Route description
Most of NY 33, including the entirety of the highway in Erie CountyErie County, New York
Erie County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 919,040. The county seat is Buffalo. The county's name comes from Lake Erie, which in turn comes from the Erie tribe of American Indians who lived south and east of the lake before 1654.Erie...
, is state-maintained; however, two sections—from NY 5
New York State Route 5
New York State Route 5 is a state highway that extends for across the state of New York in the United States. It begins at the Pennsylvania state line in the Chautauqua County town of Ripley and passes through Buffalo, Syracuse, Utica, Schenectady, and several other smaller cities and...
to the eastern Batavia city line and all of NY 33 within the city of Rochester
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
—are maintained by the cities of Batavia and Rochester, respectively.
Kensington Expressway
The highway begins as two one-way streets, Goodell Street (traveling west) and East Tupper Street (traveling east). Both intersect with NY 5 (Ellicott Street) in BuffaloBuffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, from where they serve as a one-way couplet for three blocks before they merge to become the Kensington Expressway, a limited-access highway. It initially travels through dense urban areas by way of a cut
Cut (earthmoving)
In civil engineering, a cut or cutting is where soil or rock material from a hill or mountain is cut out to make way for a canal, road or railway line....
, in which both roadways are separated only by a Jersey barrier
Jersey barrier
A Jersey barrier or Jersey wall is a modular concrete barrier employed to separate lanes of traffic. It is designed to both minimize vehicle damage in cases of incidental contact while still preventing crossover in the case of head-on accidents....
. The expressway runs past the Buffalo Museum of Science
Buffalo Museum of Science
Buffalo Museum of Science is a science museum located at Martin Luther King, Jr. Park in Buffalo, New York USA, northeast of the downtown district, near the Kensington Expressway. The historic building was designed by August Esenwein and James A. Johnson and opened in 1929...
, located at Martin Luther King, Jr. Park
Martin Luther King, Jr. Park
Martin Luther King, Jr. Park, originally "The Parade" and after 1896, Humboldt Park, is a historic park located at Buffalo in Erie County, New York. Located in east Buffalo and bisected by Fillmore Avenue, it is an individual park designed in 1874 by Frederick Law Olmsted and originally connected...
, and through the middle of Humboldt Parkway in Buffalo, where the Scajaquada Expressway (NY 198
New York State Route 198
New York State Route 198 is a state highway located entirely within the city of Buffalo, New York, in the United States. It is named the Scajaquada Expressway for Scajaquada Creek, which it parallels as it heads across northern Buffalo...
) leaves at the former exit for Main Street. The section of the expressway between the Scajaquada and Harlem Road (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...
) just outside the city limit is the busiest on all of NY 33, handling in excess of 100,000 vehicles per day in areas.
East of NY 198, the road becomes more open as it passes through neighborhoods with a more suburban residential feel to them. Along this stretch, NY 33 connects to several streets, including Bailey Avenue (U.S. Route 62
U.S. Route 62 in New York
U.S. Route 62 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from the United States – Mexico border at El Paso, Texas, to Niagara Falls, New York. In the U.S. state of New York, US 62 extends from the New York – Pennsylvania border south of Jamestown to an intersection with...
or US 62) and Harlem Road (NY 240). Past Harlem Road, the expressway makes a slight curve to the south as it prepares to meet a toll-free section 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...
(I-90
Interstate 90 in New York
Interstate 90 is a part of the Interstate Highway System that runs from Seattle, Washington, to Boston, Massachusetts. In the U.S. state of New York, I-90 extends from the Pennsylvania state line at Ripley to the Massachusetts state line at Canaan...
) at a cloverleaf interchange
Cloverleaf interchange
A cloverleaf interchange is a two-level interchange in which left turns, reverse direction in left-driving regions, are handled by ramp roads...
. Beyond I-90, the expressway veers to the south again, traversing an S-curve before connecting to Union Road (NY 277
New York State Route 277
New York State Route 277 is a state highway in New York, USA. This highway is also called Union Road, along with other names. NY 277 is a major north–south road east of Buffalo, New York, through the middle of Erie County...
) by way of a partial interchange. After another 0.5 mile (0.80467 km), NY 33 curves south under Genesee Street before joining it at a traffic light
Traffic light
Traffic lights, which may also be known as stoplights, traffic lamps, traffic signals, signal lights, robots or semaphore, are signalling devices positioned at road intersections, pedestrian crossings and other locations to control competing flows of traffic...
in front of the Buffalo Niagara International Airport
Buffalo Niagara International Airport
Buffalo Niagara International Airport is an airport located in Cheektowaga CDP, Town of Cheektowaga, in Erie County, New York, USA. It is named after the Buffalo – Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The airport serves Buffalo, New York as well as Southern Ontario, Canada...
.
Buffalo Airport to Batavia
Now returning to its pre-Kensington route, NY 33 follows a four-lane, divided Genesee Street past the airport on one side and numerous associated businesses such as hotelHotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
s and fast food
Fast food
Fast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly. While any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food, typically the term refers to food sold in a restaurant or store with preheated or precooked ingredients, and served to the customer in a...
restaurants on the other. The large aerospace
Aerospace
Aerospace comprises the atmosphere of Earth and surrounding space. Typically the term is used to refer to the industry that researches, designs, manufactures, operates, and maintains vehicles moving through air and space...
contractor Calspan has its headquarters here, and Westinghouse once operated a large industrial lathe
Lathe
A lathe is a machine tool which rotates the workpiece on its axis to perform various operations such as cutting, sanding, knurling, drilling, or deformation with tools that are applied to the workpiece to create an object which has symmetry about an axis of rotation.Lathes are used in woodturning,...
plant on the airport side of the road (it was torn down
Demolition
Demolition is the tearing-down of buildings and other structures, the opposite of construction. Demolition contrasts with deconstruction, which involves taking a building apart while carefully preserving valuable elements for re-use....
when the airport was rebuilt in the late 1990s). Beyond the airport, the divider ends and, after a short curve and minimal descent, NY 33 intersects Transit Road (NY 78
New York State Route 78
New York State Route 78 , most commonly known as Transit Road, is a state highway in Western New York, USA. While it is signed north–south, the lower portion runs in an east–west direction across Wyoming County, from its beginning north of the Village of Gainesville.NY 78 is...
) and enters the town of Lancaster
Lancaster (town), New York
Lancaster is a town in Erie County, New York, USA. As of the 2000 census, the town population has 39,019 residents.The Town of Lancaster has a village also called Lancaster. The Town and Village are currently exploring consolidation of governmental functions. Both town and village are east of...
. After this junction, the highway becomes a two-lane route once again through the small hamlet of Bowmansville
Bowmansville, New York
Bowmansville is a hamlet located in the Town of Lancaster in Erie County, New York, United States. The hamlet is named after Benjamin Bowman, the owner of sawmills on Ellicott Creek in the center of the hamlet.-Geography:...
, where it crosses Ellicott Creek
Ellicott Creek
Ellicott Creek is a stream in Western New York, United States. It is a tributary of Tonawanda Creek, which in turn into the Niagara River.-Course:...
near some rapid
Rapid
A rapid is a section of a river where the river bed has a relatively steep gradient causing an increase in water velocity and turbulence. A rapid is a hydrological feature between a run and a cascade. A rapid is characterised by the river becoming shallower and having some rocks exposed above the...
s.
For the next several miles, NY 33 runs parallel to the Thruway and very close to it, with both roads visible from the other. Much of this section of Lancaster has remained rural in character; however, that began to change in the mid-1990s when Tops Friendly Markets, the regional supermarket
Supermarket
A supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments...
chain headquartered in nearby Williamsville
Williamsville, New York
Williamsville is a village in Erie County, New York in the United States. The population was 5,573 at the 2000 census. The village is named after Jonas Williams, an early settler...
, chose a site near the Gunnville Road intersection for a major distribution
Distribution (business)
Product distribution is one of the four elements of the marketing mix. An organization or set of organizations involved in the process of making a product or service available for use or consumption by a consumer or business user.The other three parts of the marketing mix are product, pricing,...
center. It necessitated the widening of the highway and construction of a traffic light and turn lanes at its entrance.
Route 33 becomes a two-lane route once again as it heads out into Alden
Alden (town), New York
Alden is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 10,470 at the 2000 census. The town is derived from a family name known to early settlers....
and eventually joins another state-maintained street radiating out from the city, Walden Avenue, unsigned NY 952Q
New York State Route 952Q
New York State Route 952Q is an unsigned reference route designation for the portion of Walden Avenue outside of the Buffalo city limits in Erie County, New York, in the United States. The western terminus of the route is at the Buffalo city line in Cheektowaga, where Walden Avenue continues...
. Route 33 and the Genesee Street name take over Walden's straight, slightly north-trending course as it leaves Erie County
Erie County, New York
Erie County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 919,040. The county seat is Buffalo. The county's name comes from Lake Erie, which in turn comes from the Erie tribe of American Indians who lived south and east of the lake before 1654.Erie...
for Genesee County
Genesee County, New York
Genesee County is a county located in Western New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 60,079. Its name is from the Seneca Indian word Gen-nis'-hee-yo meaning "The Beautiful Valley." Its county seat is Batavia.- History :...
. In the latter, it intersects with NY 77
New York State Route 77
New York State Route 77 is a north–south state highway in the western part of New York in the United States. The highway runs for across mostly rural areas from an intersection with NY 78 and NY 98 in the Wyoming County town of Java to a junction with NY 31 near the city of...
in the center of the first community it encounters, the small village of Corfu
Corfu, New York
Corfu is a village in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 795 at the 2000 census. It is named after the Island of Corfu....
. At the Batavia
Batavia (town), New York
Batavia is a town in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 5,915 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from the Roman name for part of the Netherlands....
town line, it becomes Pearl Street, a name it keeps until it reaches NY 98
New York State Route 98
New York State Route 98 is a state highway in the western part of New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an intersection with U.S. Route 219 in the town of Great Valley in Cattaraugus County...
within the city of Batavia
Batavia (city), New York
Batavia is a city in Genesee County, Western New York, USA, located near the middle of Genesee County, entirely within the Town of Batavia. Its population as of the 2000 census was 16,256...
.
Batavia to Bergen
In the knot of highways that is the Genesee County seatCounty 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....
, NY 33 crosses and briefly overlaps with not only NY 5
New York State Route 5
New York State Route 5 is a state highway that extends for across the state of New York in the United States. It begins at the Pennsylvania state line in the Chautauqua County town of Ripley and passes through Buffalo, Syracuse, Utica, Schenectady, and several other smaller cities and...
, the other east–west route in town, but both north–south routes, NY 63
New York State Route 63
New York State Route 63 is a state highway in the western part of New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 15 and NY 21 in the village of Wayland in Steuben County. Its northern end is at a junction with NY 18 in the town...
and NY 98
New York State Route 98
New York State Route 98 is a state highway in the western part of New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an intersection with U.S. Route 219 in the town of Great Valley in Cattaraugus County...
. While concurrent with NY 98 on Oak Street Extension, NY 33 passes over Tonawanda Creek
Tonawanda Creek
Tonawanda Creek is a small river in Western New York, in the United States. William Bright says the best that can be said of the name is that it is "probably from an Iroquoian source, but of unclear derivation".-Description:...
, which travels through Batavia on a roughly northwest–southeast alignment. The brief overlap with NY 98 ends at Main Street, which carries NY 5 and NY 63 through the western portion of the city. NY 33 turns east here, overlapping with NY 5 and NY 63 for five blocks along the four-lane, mostly commercial Main Street. NY 63 leaves in downtown Batavia at Ellicott Street; however, NY 5 and NY 33 continue to follow Main Street through much of the city's eastern half.
At the eastern fringe of Batavia, NY 33 splits in a northeast direction from NY 5, becoming Clinton Street, and, once outside the city limits, Clinton Street Road. In the town of Batavia, the highway passes through a residential area on its way to a junction with Batavia–Stafford Town Line Road, a county road providing access to Genesee Community College
Genesee Community College
Genesee Community College is a public community college with its main campus in Town of Batavia, New York, USA . It has branch campuses in Albion, Medina, Warsaw, Dansville, Arcade, Lima, and previously Lakeville, New York. Thus, the college covers areas outside of Genesee County...
, located about 1 miles (1.6 km) to the north of NY 33. The route continues on a northeastward course into the town of Stafford
Stafford, New York
Stafford is a town in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 2,409 at the 2000 census. The town was named after a the town of the same name in England....
, where it crosses over the CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
-owned Rochester Subdivision
Rochester Subdivision
The Rochester Subdivision is a railroad line owned by CSX Transportation in the U.S. state of New York. The line runs from Syracuse west to Buffalo along the former New York Central Railroad main line. At its east end, west of downtown Syracuse, the line becomes the Mohawk Subdivision...
railroad line and the Thruway by way of overpasses less than 1 miles (1.6 km) apart. Unlike in Buffalo, there is no connection between NY 33 and the Thruway at this point.
It remains close to the Interstate Highway for about 4 miles (6 km), intersecting NY 237
New York State Route 237
New York State Route 237 is a north–south state highway located in the western part of New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 5 in Stafford. Its northern terminus is at an interchange with the Lake Ontario State Parkway...
less than a mile (1.6 km) north of the overpass taking that highway over the Thruway, but leaves it behind for good shortly thereafter as it turns even more to the north, taking it into the town of Bergen
Bergen (town), New York
Bergen is a town in Genesee County, New York, United States. The town is in the northeast corner of the county. There is also a village of Bergen in the town...
and the small village of the same name
Bergen (village), New York
Bergen is a village in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 1,240 at the 2000 census.The village lies on the eastern edge of the Town of Bergen. The village is north of the junction of Routes 19 and 33.-History:...
in the county's northeast corner. Here, NY 33 crosses NY 19
New York State Route 19
New York State Route 19 is a north–south state highway in Western New York in the United States. It is the longest state highway in that region, and the only other one besides NY 14 to completely transect the state from the Pennsylvania state line to the shore of Lake Ontario...
, a long north–south route. Shortly afterward, NY 33A
New York State Route 33A
New York State Route 33A is an east–west state highway mostly located in Monroe County, New York, in the United States. The route is just over long and serves as an alternate route of NY 33 between the town of Bergen in Genesee County and the city of Rochester in Monroe County...
begins to the east while the main route turns to the north yet again and becomes Buffalo Road. Just east of this point, NY 33A connects to I-490
Interstate 490 (New York)
Interstate 490 is an auxiliary Interstate Highway that serves the city of Rochester, New York, in the United States. It acts as a northerly alternate route to the New York State Thruway , leaving it at exit 47 in the town of Le Roy and rejoining the highway at exit 45 in the town of...
, which briefly runs along the Monroe County
Monroe County, New York
Monroe County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 744,344. It is named after James Monroe, fifth President of the United States of America. Its county seat is the city of Rochester....
line through this area. From the west end of NY 33A to the county line, NY 33 and I-490 follow virtually identical northeasterly alignments.
Monroe County
Once across the county line, NY 33 crosses over the Rochester Subdivision rail line for a second time before returning to a more easterly orientation. It parallels the CSX main lineMain line (railway)
The Mainline or Main line of a railway is a track that is used for through trains or is the principal artery of the system from which branch lines, yards, sidings and spurs are connected....
and I-490—both located a short distance to the south of NY 33—into the village of Churchville
Churchville, New York
Churchville is a village in Monroe County, New York, United States. According to the 2000 census, the population is 1,887. The village is named after Samuel Church, an early settler....
, where the route has a brief concurrency with NY 36
New York State Route 36
New York State Route 36 is a north–south state highway in the western part of New York in the United States. The highway extends for from the Pennsylvania state line at Troupsburg, Steuben County northward to Ogden, Monroe County, where it ends at an intersection with NY 31...
. Farther east, NY 33 intersects NY 259
New York State Route 259
New York State Route 259 is a north–south state highway located west of Rochester in Monroe County, New York, United States. The southern terminus of the route is at NY 33A in the hamlet of West Chili within the town of Chili. Its northern terminus is at the Lake Ontario State Parkway in...
at North Chili and picks up another short concurrency with NY 386
New York State Route 386
New York State Route 386 is a north–south state highway located in the western suburbs of the city of Rochester in Monroe County, New York, in the United States. Its southern terminus is at an intersection with NY 383 in the village of Scottsville. The northern end of the highway is...
as the suburbs begin at Gates
Gates, New York
Gates is a town in Monroe County, New York. The town is named after General Horatio Gates. The population was 28,400 at the 2010 census. Gates-North Gates census-designated place is located within the town's boundaries....
. Here, NY 33 finally has a direct exit with I-490. Also directly accessible from this junction is NY 531
New York State Route 531
New York State Route 531 is a limited-access, east–west state highway located in Monroe County, New York, in the United States. The route extends for from the far northwestern suburbs of Rochester to the town of Gates located just west of the city...
, which begins about 0.75 miles (1.21 km) to the north. At this point, I-490 trades positions with NY 33 as it continues to parallel the latter, but now to the north instead.
The route continues another 1.5 miles (2.4 km) to Gates Center
Gates Center, New York
Gates Center is a hamlet within the town of Gates in Monroe County, New York, United States. It is located south of the census-designated place of Gates-North Gates. The ZIP code for the community is 14624.-Geography:...
, meeting Howard Road (formerly part of NY 47
New York State Route 47
New York State Route 47 was a long state highway around Rochester in New York, United States. It formed a semicircle through the inner suburbs of Rochester, following expressways west and east of the city and surface streets south of Rochester. The western terminus of the route was at an...
and still state-maintained as unsigned NY 940L) and crossing over, but not connecting to I-390
Interstate 390
Interstate 390 is a north–south auxiliary Interstate Highway located entirely within New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at the Southern Tier Expressway in the town of Avoca. Its northern terminus is at I-490 in Rochester...
. A crossing of the Erie Canal
Erie Canal
The Erie Canal is a waterway in New York that runs about from Albany, New York, on the Hudson River to Buffalo, New York, at Lake Erie, completing a navigable water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. The canal contains 36 locks and encompasses a total elevation differential of...
soon follows, bringing the route into the city of Rochester
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
. Across the city line, NY 33 runs along the Rochester Subdivision rail line for about 1 miles (1.6 km), serving an industrial area built up along the north side of the railroad. It connects to Mount Read Boulevard by way of a signalized traffic circle
Traffic circle
A traffic circle or rotary is a type of circular intersection in which traffic must travel in one direction around a central island. In some countries, traffic entering the circle has the right-of-way and drivers in the circle must yield. In many other countries, traffic entering the circle must...
before abruptly turning southward to pass under the tracks and meet up with West Avenue.
At West Avenue, NY 33 turns east into the densely populated western portion of the city, taking on the West Avenue name for 0.75 miles (1.21 km) to a junction with Chili Avenue, which carries NY 33A into the city. Here, NY 33A completes its southern loop and NY 33 picks up its final designation as West Main Street. NY 33 travels east–northeast along Main Street to the junction of West Main and West Broad Streets adjacent to where I-490 passes over the former. NY 33 ends here, giving way to NY 31
New York State Route 31
New York State Route 31 is a state highway that extends for across western and central New York in the United States. The western terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 104 in the city of Niagara Falls. Its eastern terminus is at a traffic circle with NY 26 in Vernon...
, which enters from the north on Broad Street and continues to the east on Main Street. Nick Tahou Hots
Nick Tahou Hots
Nick Tahou Hots, originally known as Hots and Potatoes, is a Rochester, New York, landmark restaurant featuring a dish called the Garbage Plate. The restaurant was founded in 1918 by Alex Tahou, the grandfather of the current owner , and named for Nick Tahou, the founder's son, who operated the...
, a local restaurant, is located on the northwest corner of the junction.
Designation
NY 33 was assigned in the mid-1920s to the portion of its modern alignment east of NY 5New York State Route 5
New York State Route 5 is a state highway that extends for across the state of New York in the United States. It begins at the Pennsylvania state line in the Chautauqua County town of Ripley and passes through Buffalo, Syracuse, Utica, Schenectady, and several other smaller cities and...
in Batavia
Batavia (city), New York
Batavia is a city in Genesee County, Western New York, USA, located near the middle of Genesee County, entirely within the Town of Batavia. Its population as of the 2000 census was 16,256...
. West of Batavia, what is now NY 33 was unnumbered and only partially state-maintained. At the time, state maintenance of this segment began at the Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
city line and ended at current NY 77
New York State Route 77
New York State Route 77 is a north–south state highway in the western part of New York in the United States. The highway runs for across mostly rural areas from an intersection with NY 78 and NY 98 in the Wyoming County town of Java to a junction with NY 31 near the city of...
in Corfu
Corfu, New York
Corfu is a village in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 795 at the 2000 census. It is named after the Island of Corfu....
. The Corfu–Batavia segment was taken over by the state of New York in the late 1920s, and NY 33 was extended west over the now entirely state-maintained Genesee Street to Main Street (NY 5) in downtown Buffalo as part of the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York.
At the same time, the route was extended east through Rochester to the Wayne County
Wayne County, New York
Wayne County is a county located in the US state of New York. It is part of the Rochester, New York Metropolitan Statistical Area and lies on the south shore of Lake Ontario, forming part of the northern border of the United States with Canada. The name honors General Anthony Wayne, an American...
town of Marion
Marion, New York
Marion is a town in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 4,974 as of the 2000 census. It is named after Revolutionary War hero Francis Marion. It is an interior town near the center of the county, about 20 miles east of Rochester, New York and 50 miles west of Syracuse, New...
20 miles (32 km) to the east. It was routed along West Main Street and East Avenue from NY 31
New York State Route 31
New York State Route 31 is a state highway that extends for across western and central New York in the United States. The western terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 104 in the city of Niagara Falls. Its eastern terminus is at a traffic circle with NY 26 in Vernon...
in Rochester to Penfield Road in Brighton
Brighton, Monroe County, New York
Brighton is a town in Monroe County, New York, USA. The population was 36,609 at the 2010 census.-History:The Town of Brighton, located on the southeast border of the city of Rochester, was originally settled approximately 1790, and formally established in 1814—earning it recognition as one...
, overlapping NY 15 (now NY 96
New York State Route 96
New York State Route 96 is a northwest–southeast state highway in the Finger Lakes region of New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an interchange with NY 17 in the Southern Tier village of Owego, Tioga County. Its northern terminus is at a junction with...
) from downtown Rochester
Downtown Rochester
Downtown Rochester is the economic center of Rochester, New York, and the largest in Upstate New York, employing over 50,000 people, and housing close to 5,000...
to Brighton. NY 33 broke from NY 15 at Penfield Road and continued generally eastward on Penfield, Walworth–Penfield, and Walworth–Marion Roads through Brighton, Penfield
Penfield, New York
Penfield is a town in Monroe County, New York, United States. The population was 36,242 at the 2010 census.The town was incorporated in 1810 by the proprietor, Daniel Penfield, who purchased the town lands in 1795 and moved to the area in 1809. Penfield is a suburb of Rochester, New York...
and Walworth
Walworth, New York
Walworth is a town in Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 8,402 at the 2000 census. The name comes from Reuben Walworth, a state official.The Town of Walworth is on the west border of the county and is east of Rochester, NY....
to Marion, where it ended at an intersection with NY 21
New York State Route 21
New York State Route 21 is a state highway extending for through the western part of New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at NY 417 in Andover. The northern terminus is at NY 104 in Williamson...
. The route was cut back to its current eastern terminus at NY 31 in downtown Rochester in the late 1940s, at which time the portion of NY 33's former routing between Brighton and Walworth was redesignated as NY 441
New York State Route 441
New York State Route 441 is an east–west state highway in the eastern suburbs of Rochester, New York, United States. Its western terminus is at NY 96 in Brighton, and its eastern terminus is at NY 350 in Walworth. The portion of NY 441 in Brighton and western Penfield is a...
.
Buffalo area
Ca. 1961, construction began on the Kensington Expressway, a limited-access highway connecting downtown Buffalo to the Buffalo Niagara International AirportBuffalo Niagara International Airport
Buffalo Niagara International Airport is an airport located in Cheektowaga CDP, Town of Cheektowaga, in Erie County, New York, USA. It is named after the Buffalo – Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The airport serves Buffalo, New York as well as Southern Ontario, Canada...
. The first section of the expressway was completed between 1962 and 1964 and extended from Michigan Avenue (Harriet Tubman Way) to Best Street. The remainder of the highway was completed ca. 1965, at which time NY 33 was realigned to follow the new expressway from Michigan Avenue to the airport. Its former routing on Genesee Street became NY 33B. There were once plans to extend the Kensington Expressway west to I-190
Interstate 190 (New York)
Interstate 190 runs 28.34 miles from Interstate 90 near Buffalo, New York to Lewiston, New York via Niagara Falls. Parts of this highway were built on the former rights-of-way of the Lehigh Valley Railroad and the Erie Canal. It is referred to by locals as The One-Ninety...
at exit 8; however, this extension was never built.
The western end of NY 33 has been located in downtown Buffalo since 1930; however, the exact location of its terminus has varied over time. In the mid-1970s, the northbound and southbound directions of NY 5 were split and rerouted to follow a series of streets through downtown Buffalo. Northbound NY 5 left the southbound direction at the north end of the Skyway and followed Church, South Division, Ellicott, and Chippewa Streets around downtown to Main Street, where both directions converged and continued north on Main Street. As a result, NY 33 was truncated eastward to the junction of Genesee and Ellicott Streets. At some point between 1979 and 1985, a pair of ramps were constructed between the west end of the Kensington Expressway and Oak and Elm Streets, a pre-existing one-way couplet one block to the west of Michigan Avenue. NY 33 initially followed the new ramps to Genesee Street; however, the route was altered in the latter half of the 1980s to connect to Ellicott Street (by this point part of NY 5 north) by way of Goodell and East Tupper Streets, another pre-existing one-way couplet.
Suffixed routes
- NY 33ANew York State Route 33ANew York State Route 33A is an east–west state highway mostly located in Monroe County, New York, in the United States. The route is just over long and serves as an alternate route of NY 33 between the town of Bergen in Genesee County and the city of Rochester in Monroe County...
(17.15 miles or 27.6 km) is an alternate route in the RochesterRochester, New YorkRochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
area that was assigned as part of the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York. - NY 33B is a designation that has been used for three different routes since the 1930s.
- The original NY 33B was an alternate route of NY 33 through eastern MonroeMonroe County, New YorkMonroe County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 744,344. It is named after James Monroe, fifth President of the United States of America. Its county seat is the city of Rochester....
and western WayneWayne County, New YorkWayne County is a county located in the US state of New York. It is part of the Rochester, New York Metropolitan Statistical Area and lies on the south shore of Lake Ontario, forming part of the northern border of the United States with Canada. The name honors General Anthony Wayne, an American...
Counties. It was assigned ca. 1931 and mostly renumbered to NY 31FNew York State Route 31FNew York State Route 31F is an east–west state highway located in the vicinity of Rochester, New York, in the United States. The western terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 96 north of the Monroe County village of Pittsford. Its eastern terminus is at a junction...
when NY 33 was truncated to Rochester in the late 1940s. - The second NY 33B was assigned to Brooks Avenue and Genesee Park Boulevard between NY 33ANew York State Route 33ANew York State Route 33A is an east–west state highway mostly located in Monroe County, New York, in the United States. The route is just over long and serves as an alternate route of NY 33 between the town of Bergen in Genesee County and the city of Rochester in Monroe County...
and NY 383New York State Route 383New York State Route 383 is an north–south state highway in Monroe County, New York, in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 36 in the hamlet of Mumford within the town of Wheatland. Its northern terminus is at a junction with NY 31 in...
in GatesGates, New YorkGates is a town in Monroe County, New York. The town is named after General Horatio Gates. The population was 28,400 at the 2010 census. Gates-North Gates census-designated place is located within the town's boundaries....
and Rochester. It was assigned ca. 1962 and removed ca. 1965. The Gates portion of its former routing is now part of NY 204New York State Route 204New York State Route 204 is an east–west state highway located just southeast of Rochester in Monroe County, New York, in the United States. The western terminus of the route is at exit 6 on Interstate 490 in Gates. Its eastern terminus is at the Rochester city line just east of...
. - The third alignment was a spur in the Buffalo area that followed NY 33's pre-Kensington Expressway routing on Genesee Street. It was assigned ca. 1965 and removed in the mid-1970s. The section of former NY 33B between current NY 33 and the Buffalo city line is now NY 952A, an unsigned reference route.
- The original NY 33B was an alternate route of NY 33 through eastern Monroe
Major intersections
|-|rowspan=19|Erie
Erie County, New York
Erie County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 919,040. The county seat is Buffalo. The county's name comes from Lake Erie, which in turn comes from the Erie tribe of American Indians who lived south and east of the lake before 1654.Erie...
|rowspan=11|Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
|0.00
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|At-grade intersection
|-
|0.20
|Elm Street / Oak Street
|Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
|-
|0.87
|Jefferson Avenue
|Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
|-
|1.50
|Best Street – Buffalo Museum of Science
Buffalo Museum of Science
Buffalo Museum of Science is a science museum located at Martin Luther King, Jr. Park in Buffalo, New York USA, northeast of the downtown district, near the Kensington Expressway. The historic building was designed by August Esenwein and James A. Johnson and opened in 1929...
|
|-
|2.52
|Humboldt Parkway
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|-
|2.81
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|Eastern terminus of NY 198
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|3.72
|Grider Street / Deerfield Avenue
|
|-
|4.30
|Olympic Avenue
|Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
|-
|4.57
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|Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
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|4.74
|Suffolk Street
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|-
|5.32
|Eggert Road
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|-
|rowspan=7|Cheektowaga
|6.07
|
|
|-
|6.97
|
|Exits 51E-W (I-90 / Thruway)
|-
|7.64
|
|Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
|-
|8.18
|Dick Road / Cayuga Road
|Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
|-
|colspan=3 align="center"|East end of freeway section
|-
|8.52
|Genesee Street – Buffalo Niagara International Airport
Buffalo Niagara International Airport
Buffalo Niagara International Airport is an airport located in Cheektowaga CDP, Town of Cheektowaga, in Erie County, New York, USA. It is named after the Buffalo – Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The airport serves Buffalo, New York as well as Southern Ontario, Canada...
|Former eastern terminus of NY 33B
|-
|10.73
|
|
|-
|Alden
Alden (town), New York
Alden is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 10,470 at the 2000 census. The town is derived from a family name known to early settlers....
|19.52
|Walden Avenue (NY 952Q
New York State Route 952Q
New York State Route 952Q is an unsigned reference route designation for the portion of Walden Avenue outside of the Buffalo city limits in Erie County, New York, in the United States. The western terminus of the route is at the Buffalo city line in Cheektowaga, where Walden Avenue continues...
)
|Eastern terminus of unsigned NY 952Q
|-
|rowspan=8|Genesee
Genesee County, New York
Genesee County is a county located in Western New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 60,079. Its name is from the Seneca Indian word Gen-nis'-hee-yo meaning "The Beautiful Valley." Its county seat is Batavia.- History :...
|Corfu
Corfu, New York
Corfu is a village in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 795 at the 2000 census. It is named after the Island of Corfu....
|25.88
|
|
|-
|rowspan=4|Batavia
Batavia (city), New York
Batavia is a city in Genesee County, Western New York, USA, located near the middle of Genesee County, entirely within the Town of Batavia. Its population as of the 2000 census was 16,256...
|37.05
|
|Southern terminus of NY 33 / NY 98 overlap
|-
|37.13
|
|Western terminus of NY 5 / NY 33 and NY 33 / NY 63 overlaps; northern terminus of NY 33 / NY 98 overlap
|-
|37.40
|
|Eastern terminus of NY 33 / NY 63 overlap
|-
|38.60
|
|Eastern terminus of NY 5 / NY 33 overlap
|-
|Stafford
Stafford, New York
Stafford is a town in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 2,409 at the 2000 census. The town was named after a the town of the same name in England....
|44.14
|
|
|-
|rowspan=2|Bergen
Bergen (town), New York
Bergen is a town in Genesee County, New York, United States. The town is in the northeast corner of the county. There is also a village of Bergen in the town...
|50.97
|
|
|-
|51.34
|
|Western terminus of NY 33A
|-
|rowspan=8|Monroe
Monroe County, New York
Monroe County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 744,344. It is named after James Monroe, fifth President of the United States of America. Its county seat is the city of Rochester....
|rowspan=2|Churchville
Churchville, New York
Churchville is a village in Monroe County, New York, United States. According to the 2000 census, the population is 1,887. The village is named after Samuel Church, an early settler....
|55.00
|
|Western terminus of NY 33 / NY 36 overlap
|-
|55.83
|
|Eastern terminus of NY 33 / NY 36 overlap
|-
|Chili
Chili, New York
Chili is a town in Monroe County, New York, USA. The population was 28,625 at the 2010 census. It is a suburb of the city of Rochester.The Town of Chili was established in 1822 from part of the Town of Riga....
|59.20
|
|
|-
|rowspan=3|Gates
Gates, New York
Gates is a town in Monroe County, New York. The town is named after General Horatio Gates. The population was 28,400 at the 2010 census. Gates-North Gates census-designated place is located within the town's boundaries....
|63.14
|
|Western terminus of NY 33 / NY 386 overlap
|-
|63.34
|
|Eastern terminus of NY 33 / NY 386 overlap
|-
|64.09
|
|Exit 7 (I-490)
|-
|rowspan=2|Rochester
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
|68.34
|
|Eastern terminus of NY 33A
|-
|69.26
|
|