New York State Route 427
Encyclopedia
New York State Route 427 (NY 427) is an east–west state highway
in Chemung County
, New York
, United States
. It extends for 11.5 miles (18.5 km) from its western terminus at an intersection with NY 14
in the town of Southport
, south of the city of Elmira
, to its eastern terminus at an interchange with NY 17
in the town of Chemung
. Between those two towns, the highway passes through the town of Ashland
and serves the village of Wellsburg
. Much of NY 427 follows the Chemung River
.
The route was assigned in the early 1940s, replacing New York State Route 17D, a route established as part of the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York. It originally began in downtown Elmira and ended at the Pennsylvania state line in Chemung. NY 427 was realigned on its east end in 1967 to meet the newly-constructed exit 59 on NY 17 and on its west end in 1978 to follow what had been New York State Route 379 through the town of Southport. Other minor realignments have occurred over the years as well.
NY 427 begins at an intersection with NY 14
(the Clemens Center Parkway) in Southport
, a town located south of the city of Elmira
. It heads east, following Cedar Street and paralleling Seeley Creek through the southern suburbs of Elmira to an intersection with Maple Avenue near Notre Dame High School. Here, NY 427 turns south to follow Maple Avenue into the adjacent town of Ashland
and across Seeley Creek.
As the route heads through Ashland, it generally turns to the southeast to match the curvature of the Chemung River
valley, which contains the river, NY 427, and the Southern Tier Expressway (NY 17
). NY 427 parallels both the river and the expressway into Wellsburg
, a small village sandwiched between the Chemung River and the Pennsylvania state line. In the center of the village, NY 427, named Front Street, intersects with the northern end of NY 367
, a short highway linking NY 427 to the Pennsylvania border. Just east of NY 367, NY 427 intersects County Route 8 (CR 8), a highway that crosses the Chemung River and links Wellsburg to NY 17 at exit 58.
Outside of Wellsburg, NY 427 becomes Wilawana Road and heads eastward, paralleling both the Chemung River and the Norfolk Southern Railway
-owned Southern Tier Line
through the town of Chemung
toward the Pennsylvania state line. Less than 300 yards (274.3 m) from the Pennsylvania border, NY 427 departs Wilawana Road and turns northeast onto Wyncoop Creek Road. NY 427 crosses the Chemung River before coming to an end at an interchange with NY 17 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) later. Although NY 427 comes to an end at this interchange, the road continues onward through the interchange as NY 961A, an unsigned reference route.
) and Madison Avenue (NY 14
and NY 17) in downtown Elmira
. NY 17D headed west, overlapping NY 14 along Water Street to Lake Street, where NY 17D turned south and followed Lake Street and Pennsylvania Avenue over the Chemung River
to Maple Avenue. Here, NY 17D turned to the southeast to follow Maple Avenue through southern Elmira. At Cedar Street, NY 17D joined the modern alignment of NY 427. From this point east, NY 17D followed what is now NY 427 to Wyncoop Creek Road in Chemung, where it continued on Wilawana Road to the Pennsylvania border.
In the months immediately following the 1930 renumbering, NY 14 was routed on Pennsylvania Avenue and South Main Street through southern Elmira. By 1935, NY 14 was rerouted to follow Pennsylvania Avenue into downtown. As a result, all of NY 17D north of the junction of Pennsylvania and Maple Avenues became concurrent with NY 14. The overlap was eliminated in the early 1940s when NY 17D was pulled back to the intersection of Pennsylvania and Maple Avenues and renumbered as NY 427.
) in downtown Elmira. This alignment remained in place until October 23, 1978, when NY 427 was rerouted to bypass Elmira entirely. Instead of continuing north into downtown, NY 427 turned west at Cedar Street and followed it through Southport
to a new terminus at Pennsylvania Avenue (NY 14). The realignment of NY 427 through Southport supplanted NY 379, which had been assigned to the portion of Cedar Street between Pennsylvania and Maple Avenues since ca. 1931. The west end of NY 427 was shifted 0.25 mile (0.402335 km) east to its present location in late 2001 following the completion of the Clemens Center Parkway, a four-lane arterial carrying NY 14 through the center of Elmira.
Like the western terminus of NY 427, the eastern terminus of the route has changed over the years. In 1967, NY 17 exit 59 in Chemung
opened to traffic. NY 427 was subsequently rerouted along Wyncoop Creek Road to meet the Southern Tier Expressway at the new interchange.
The former routing of NY 427 along Wilawana Road between Wyncoop Creek Road and the Pennsylvania state line was designated as NY 961B while the portion of former NY 427 along Maple Avenue from Cedar Street north to the Elmira city line was designated as NY 961K, both unsigned reference route designations. NY 961B still exists today; however, NY 961K ceased to exist at some point between 2004 and 2006. The portion of Maple Avenue between NY 427 and the Elmira city limits is now maintained by Chemung County
and designated as CR 85, although it is still listed as a state highway in the New York State Highway Law. The portion of Cedar Street between Pennsylvania Avenue and NY 14 is now CR 84.
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 Chemung County
Chemung County, New York
Chemung County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the 'Elmira, New York Metropolitan Statistical Area' which encompasses all of Chemung County. As of the 2010 census, the population was 88,830. Its name is derived from the name of a Delaware Indian village . Its...
, 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...
. It extends for 11.5 miles (18.5 km) from its western terminus at an intersection with NY 14
New York State Route 14
New York State Route 14 is a state highway located in western New York in the United States. Along with NY 19, it is one of two routes to transect the state in a north–south fashion between the Pennsylvania border and Lake Ontario...
in the town of Southport
Southport, New York
Southport is a town in Chemung County, New York, United States. The population was 11,185 at the 2000 census.The Town of Southport is located in the southwest corner of Chemung County and is southwest of the City of Elmira...
, south of the city of Elmira
Elmira, New York
Elmira is a city in Chemung County, New York, USA. It is the principal city of the 'Elmira, New York Metropolitan Statistical Area' which encompasses Chemung County, New York. The population was 29,200 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Chemung County.The City of Elmira is located in...
, to its eastern terminus at an interchange with NY 17
New York State Route 17
New York State Route 17 is a state highway that extends for through the Southern Tier and Downstate regions of New York in the United States...
in the town of Chemung
Chemung, New York
Chemung is a town in Chemung County, New York, USA. The population was 2,665 at the 2000 census. The town name is derived from the river flowing through it, which means in the native dialect, "Big Horn."...
. Between those two towns, the highway passes through the town of Ashland
Ashland, Chemung County, New York
Ashland is a town in Chemung County, New York, USA. The population was 1,951 at the 2000 census. The town is named after the home of Henry Clay.The Town of Ashland is on the south border of the county, south of Elmira, New York...
and serves the village of Wellsburg
Wellsburg, New York
Wellsburg is a village in Chemung County, New York, United States. The population was 631 at the 2000 census. The village is named after a pioneer family....
. Much of NY 427 follows the Chemung River
Chemung River
The Chemung River is a tributary of the Susquehanna River, approximately long, in south central New York and northern Pennsylvania in the United States. It drains a mountainous region of the northern Allegheny Plateau in the Southern Tier of New York...
.
The route was assigned in the early 1940s, replacing New York State Route 17D, a route established as part of the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York. It originally began in downtown Elmira and ended at the Pennsylvania state line in Chemung. NY 427 was realigned on its east end in 1967 to meet the newly-constructed exit 59 on NY 17 and on its west end in 1978 to follow what had been New York State Route 379 through the town of Southport. Other minor realignments have occurred over the years as well.
Route description
New York State Route 14
New York State Route 14 is a state highway located in western New York in the United States. Along with NY 19, it is one of two routes to transect the state in a north–south fashion between the Pennsylvania border and Lake Ontario...
(the Clemens Center Parkway) in Southport
Southport, New York
Southport is a town in Chemung County, New York, United States. The population was 11,185 at the 2000 census.The Town of Southport is located in the southwest corner of Chemung County and is southwest of the City of Elmira...
, a town located south of the city of Elmira
Elmira, New York
Elmira is a city in Chemung County, New York, USA. It is the principal city of the 'Elmira, New York Metropolitan Statistical Area' which encompasses Chemung County, New York. The population was 29,200 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Chemung County.The City of Elmira is located in...
. It heads east, following Cedar Street and paralleling Seeley Creek through the southern suburbs of Elmira to an intersection with Maple Avenue near Notre Dame High School. Here, NY 427 turns south to follow Maple Avenue into the adjacent town of Ashland
Ashland, Chemung County, New York
Ashland is a town in Chemung County, New York, USA. The population was 1,951 at the 2000 census. The town is named after the home of Henry Clay.The Town of Ashland is on the south border of the county, south of Elmira, New York...
and across Seeley Creek.
As the route heads through Ashland, it generally turns to the southeast to match the curvature of the Chemung River
Chemung River
The Chemung River is a tributary of the Susquehanna River, approximately long, in south central New York and northern Pennsylvania in the United States. It drains a mountainous region of the northern Allegheny Plateau in the Southern Tier of New York...
valley, which contains the river, NY 427, and the Southern Tier Expressway (NY 17
New York State Route 17
New York State Route 17 is a state highway that extends for through the Southern Tier and Downstate regions of New York in the United States...
). NY 427 parallels both the river and the expressway into Wellsburg
Wellsburg, New York
Wellsburg is a village in Chemung County, New York, United States. The population was 631 at the 2000 census. The village is named after a pioneer family....
, a small village sandwiched between the Chemung River and the Pennsylvania state line. In the center of the village, NY 427, named Front Street, intersects with the northern end of NY 367
New York State Route 367
New York State Route 367 is one of New York's shortest state highways, located entirely within the Chemung County village of Wellsburg...
, a short highway linking NY 427 to the Pennsylvania border. Just east of NY 367, NY 427 intersects County Route 8 (CR 8), a highway that crosses the Chemung River and links Wellsburg to NY 17 at exit 58.
Norfolk Southern Railway
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I railroad in the United States, owned by the Norfolk Southern Corporation. With headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia, the company operates 21,500 route miles in 22 eastern states, the District of Columbia and the province of Ontario, Canada...
-owned Southern Tier Line
Southern Tier Line
The Southern Tier Line is a railroad line owned and operated by the Norfolk Southern Railway in the U.S. states of New York and Pennsylvania. The line runs from Suffern, New York northwest to Buffalo, New York mostly along a former Erie Railroad line. From Suffern to Sparrowbush along which...
through the town of Chemung
Chemung, New York
Chemung is a town in Chemung County, New York, USA. The population was 2,665 at the 2000 census. The town name is derived from the river flowing through it, which means in the native dialect, "Big Horn."...
toward the Pennsylvania state line. Less than 300 yards (274.3 m) from the Pennsylvania border, NY 427 departs Wilawana Road and turns northeast onto Wyncoop Creek Road. NY 427 crosses the Chemung River before coming to an end at an interchange with NY 17 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) later. Although NY 427 comes to an end at this interchange, the road continues onward through the interchange as NY 961A, an unsigned reference route.
Origins and designation
Most of what is now NY 427 was originally designated as NY 17D in the 1930 renumbering. NY 17D began at the intersection of East Water Street (NY 17New York State Route 17
New York State Route 17 is a state highway that extends for through the Southern Tier and Downstate regions of New York in the United States...
) and Madison Avenue (NY 14
New York State Route 14
New York State Route 14 is a state highway located in western New York in the United States. Along with NY 19, it is one of two routes to transect the state in a north–south fashion between the Pennsylvania border and Lake Ontario...
and NY 17) in downtown Elmira
Elmira, New York
Elmira is a city in Chemung County, New York, USA. It is the principal city of the 'Elmira, New York Metropolitan Statistical Area' which encompasses Chemung County, New York. The population was 29,200 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Chemung County.The City of Elmira is located in...
. NY 17D headed west, overlapping NY 14 along Water Street to Lake Street, where NY 17D turned south and followed Lake Street and Pennsylvania Avenue over the Chemung River
Chemung River
The Chemung River is a tributary of the Susquehanna River, approximately long, in south central New York and northern Pennsylvania in the United States. It drains a mountainous region of the northern Allegheny Plateau in the Southern Tier of New York...
to Maple Avenue. Here, NY 17D turned to the southeast to follow Maple Avenue through southern Elmira. At Cedar Street, NY 17D joined the modern alignment of NY 427. From this point east, NY 17D followed what is now NY 427 to Wyncoop Creek Road in Chemung, where it continued on Wilawana Road to the Pennsylvania border.
In the months immediately following the 1930 renumbering, NY 14 was routed on Pennsylvania Avenue and South Main Street through southern Elmira. By 1935, NY 14 was rerouted to follow Pennsylvania Avenue into downtown. As a result, all of NY 17D north of the junction of Pennsylvania and Maple Avenues became concurrent with NY 14. The overlap was eliminated in the early 1940s when NY 17D was pulled back to the intersection of Pennsylvania and Maple Avenues and renumbered as NY 427.
Realignments
The routing of NY 427 in the vicinity of Elmira has varied over time. Ca. 1961, NY 14 was realigned to follow South Main Street once again. NY 427 was then extended northward along Pennsylvania Avenue to a new terminus at Water Street (NY 14 and NY 17E; later NY 352New York State Route 352
New York State Route 352 is a state highway in the Southern Tier of New York, United States. It generally parallels the Southern Tier Expressway from the village of Riverside east through the city of Corning to the city of Elmira...
) in downtown Elmira. This alignment remained in place until October 23, 1978, when NY 427 was rerouted to bypass Elmira entirely. Instead of continuing north into downtown, NY 427 turned west at Cedar Street and followed it through Southport
Southport, New York
Southport is a town in Chemung County, New York, United States. The population was 11,185 at the 2000 census.The Town of Southport is located in the southwest corner of Chemung County and is southwest of the City of Elmira...
to a new terminus at Pennsylvania Avenue (NY 14). The realignment of NY 427 through Southport supplanted NY 379, which had been assigned to the portion of Cedar Street between Pennsylvania and Maple Avenues since ca. 1931. The west end of NY 427 was shifted 0.25 mile (0.402335 km) east to its present location in late 2001 following the completion of the Clemens Center Parkway, a four-lane arterial carrying NY 14 through the center of Elmira.
Like the western terminus of NY 427, the eastern terminus of the route has changed over the years. In 1967, NY 17 exit 59 in Chemung
Chemung, New York
Chemung is a town in Chemung County, New York, USA. The population was 2,665 at the 2000 census. The town name is derived from the river flowing through it, which means in the native dialect, "Big Horn."...
opened to traffic. NY 427 was subsequently rerouted along Wyncoop Creek Road to meet the Southern Tier Expressway at the new interchange.
The former routing of NY 427 along Wilawana Road between Wyncoop Creek Road and the Pennsylvania state line was designated as NY 961B while the portion of former NY 427 along Maple Avenue from Cedar Street north to the Elmira city line was designated as NY 961K, both unsigned reference route designations. NY 961B still exists today; however, NY 961K ceased to exist at some point between 2004 and 2006. The portion of Maple Avenue between NY 427 and the Elmira city limits is now maintained by Chemung County
Chemung County, New York
Chemung County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It is part of the 'Elmira, New York Metropolitan Statistical Area' which encompasses all of Chemung County. As of the 2010 census, the population was 88,830. Its name is derived from the name of a Delaware Indian village . Its...
and designated as CR 85, although it is still listed as a state highway in the New York State Highway Law. The portion of Cedar Street between Pennsylvania Avenue and NY 14 is now CR 84.