U.S. Route 20 in New York
Encyclopedia
U.S. Route 20 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from Newport, Oregon
, to Boston, Massachusetts. In the U.S. state
of New York
, US 20 extends 372.32 miles (599.19 km) from the Pennsylvania state line at Ripley
to the Massachusetts
state line in the Berkshire Mountains. US 20 is the longest surface road in New York. It runs near the Lake Erie
shore from Ripley to Buffalo and passes through the southern suburbs of Buffalo, the Finger Lakes
, the glacial moraines of Central New York
, and the city of Albany
before crossing into Massachusetts. US 20 connects to all three major north–south Interstate Highways in Upstate New York: Interstate 390 (I-390) near Avon
, I-81
south of Syracuse
, and I-87
in Albany
by way of Fuller Road Alternate.
With the exception of Albany, it passes directly through no major cities of the state, bypassing Syracuse
and Utica
by great distances to the south while the New York State Thruway
and New York State Route 5 (NY 5), which share its corridor, pass right through or close to them. It is, however, a major artery in many of the outlying areas it passes through in the hilly fringes of the Allegheny Plateau
, often expanding to four lanes (it has no limited-access sections, although many intersecting roads are grade-separated
) with extensive commercial strip development. One of these sections, the easterly of two concurrencies
with NY 5 across the northern Finger Lakes, is the longest concurrency in the state, extending 67 miles (108 km) from Avon to Auburn
.
From Oneida County
to Albany, the road follows the historic Cherry Valley Turnpike, built at the beginning of the 19th century to connect Albany and, at the time, the important villages of Duanesburg
, Cherry Valley
, Cazenovia
, and Skaneateles
. US 20 itself was assigned in 1926 and was the state's main east–west route from that time until the Thruway was completed in the 1950s.
closely paralleling the Lake Erie
shoreline, the Thruway and NY 5. Passing through the southeastern suburbs of Buffalo, it assumes a due-east heading at Depew
, taking it to the NY 5 overlap in Avon
. The two roads pass through many of the communities at the north ends of the larger Finger Lakes
, splitting in Auburn
. Through Central New York
and the Central New York Region
to its east, US 20 drifts south into the rugged upper reaches of the Allegheny Plateau
, distancing itself from the Thruway and NY 5 by as much as 20 miles (32 km) at some points.
In the Capital District
, the three routes all converge again, and US 20 goes right through downtown Albany
, the largest city along its route in New York. Just before crossing the Hudson River
, US 20 is joined again by US 9 for its second-longest concurrency, which ends just before the Thruway's Berkshire section in Schodack Center. From there it drifts southward into the Berkshires, crossing the Massachusetts
state line west of Pittsfield
.
All but 5.6 miles (9 km) of US 20's 372 miles (599 km) alignment in New York is maintained by the New York State Department of Transportation
(NYSDOT). In Cayuga County
, the 1.21 miles (1.95 km) section of US 20 in Auburn between NY 38A
and the eastern city line is maintained by the city of Auburn. To the east in Albany County
, the 4.39 miles (7.07 km) of US 20 in Albany from the western city line to the north end of the NY 32
overlap is also city-maintained.
suburbs, US 20 is largely a two-lane through road on the same northeastern heading it has followed most of the way from Cleveland. It serves as the main street of the few communities it passes directly through. In the Buffalo area, US 20 begins to head more east, widening to four lanes and becoming a busy regional artery that intersects many other roads of major and minor importance. For the five miles (9 km) leading into Depew
, it runs due north along with NY 78
as part of Transit Road, a busy commercial strip east of the city. At Depew, US 20 leaves Transit Road and begins its journey east across the state. The surrounding countryside returns to farmland by the Genesee County
line.
. It remains on the northeasterly course it has been following as I-90
, now the New York State Thruway
, veers between it and what is now NY 5
in order to remain on level ground. This section of US 20 hugs the foot of the beach ridge
to the south of the Lake Erie
, which is sometimes visible from sections of the highway here in Chautauqua County
. A mile and a half east of the state line, Shortman Road (unsigned NY 950D) leaves to the left for exit 61, the westernmost interchange on the Thruway. Shortly afterward, US 20 reaches its first settlement in New York, the hamlet of Ripley
, where it intersects NY 76
, the first touring route along US 20 in the state.
Another eight miles (13 km) of two-lane rural road, crossed at its midpoint by the onetime New York Central Railroad
and now CSX Transportation
mainline, brings US 20 into its first incorporated community, the village of Westfield
. Here, NY 394
intersects US 20 in the middle of town on its way to the Thruway's next exit and the hamlet of Barcelona, where it encounters NY 5 and the lake. Beyond Westfield, US 20 begins to drift south, coming further inland as it heads northeast. 16 miles (26 km) to the east, it reaches Fredonia
, the largest village along its route so far. Downtown Fredonia is marked by the intersection with NY 60
, which heads north to the neighboring port of Dunkirk. Two miles (3 km) east, NY 39
becomes the first state route to end at US 20. It makes a loop of nearly 100 miles (161 km) through the interior of the state to return to US 20 in the Finger Lakes
.
Past this junction, the Thruway and US 20 begin to converge in flatter country until they cross as US 20 veers northward 1 miles (1.6 km) south of Silver Creek
. US 20 Truck splits off from US 20 in the center of town, and rejoins its parent northeast of the village. This portion of the truck route is co-signed as NY 5
, and the first of two overlaps between US 20 and NY 5 begins here. The road resumes its northeasterly course to an access road to the Thruway's exit 58 at Irving
. After crossing Cattaraugus Creek
into Erie County
, the concurrency ends, with NY 5 staying close to the lake and US 20 closely paralleling the Thruway. NY 438
leaves this junction to the east, following the creek into the Cattaraugus Nation Territory
.
Route 20 remains straight when paralleling the Thruway, intersecting only one other state highway, NY 249
, just east of the village of Farnham
, in an 18-mile (29 km) stretch that brings it to the outer fringes of the Buffalo area
at Hamburg
. After NY 75
provides access to the Thruway, US 20 becomes Southwestern Boulevard. Within 2 miles (3.2 km) of the NY 75 junction, US 20 intersects US 62
, the first U.S. Highway that it encounters in New York. Continuing on, US 20 crosses the Thruway to reach Big Tree
. This hamlet was once home to a six-way intersection featuring US 20A
, but a late 2000s reconstruction project moved the west end of US 20A to a new junction to the northeast. Like NY 39, US 20A makes a long loop through Wyoming
and Livingston
counties to return to US 20 in the Finger Lakes.
, home of the Buffalo Bills
. On home game days in the fall, traffic clogs the highway as it crosses over the US 219
expressway and curves northeast to reach the eastern terminus of NY 179
at Mile Strip Road. NY 179 offers access to US 219 via an interchange 0.75 miles (1.21 km) to the west. A half-mile (1 km) beyond, the four-lane US 20 intersects the concurrent routes of NY 240
and NY 277
, the main route to the village of Orchard Park
off to the south.
At the West Seneca
town line, US 20 turns due east when Reserve Road merges in from the west. After another mile, the road makes a 90-degree left turn
at NY 187
's northern terminus. It is now headed due north as Transit Road, a busy regional route that continues north as far as Lockport
. After yet another mile, NY 16
and NY 78
come in from East Aurora
to the southeast. NY 16 continues west to downtown Buffalo while NY 78 turns north to join US 20. Just north of the junction, Transit Road connects to the entrance ramps for an interchange with the NY 400
freeway, US 20's first interchange with a limited-access highway since meeting the Thruway in Irving.
Shops and stores line busy Transit Road on both sides as it divides the towns of West Seneca and Elma
. A mile north of NY 400, US 20 and NY 78 reach another state highway, NY 354
, near Ebenezer
. Not far from that intersection, Cheektowaga and Lancaster
replace West Seneca and Elma as the towns on either side of the road. Increasing development and traffic heralds Transit Road's entry into the village of Depew
, and at NY 130
, US 20 turns east, ending the overlap and taking the direction it will follow for most of the rest of its crossing of the state.
. It returns to a rural two-lane road beyond Lancaster, passing through a traffic light only at the small village of Alden
before crossing into Genesee County
. In the town of Darien
, US 20 continues straight past Darien Lakes State Park
to the junction with NY 77
at Darien Center, where much summertime traffic turns north toward the nearby Darien Lake amusement park. NY 238
forks off to the southeast towards Attica
at a junction 2 miles (3.2 km) to the east of Darien Center.
Past the junction with NY 238, which forks off to the southeast towards Attica
, the highway begins going straight up and down into the creek valleys here at the northern fringe of the Allegheny Plateau
. Passing lanes are sometimes available on the downhill sections, particularly in the next community to the east, Alexander
, where another route to Attica, NY 98
crosses via an overpass. This allows traffic to continue at a high speed through the surrounding dairy
and sod farms up the other side and into Bethany
, the next town, whose four four-way intersections offer no traffic control devices to slow down drivers.
This unbroken stretch ends with a new light shortly into the next town, Pavilion
, where NY 63
crosses at an angle. Here, traffic bound for the Southern Tier
and further turn right to eventually connect to I-390
at Mount Morris
. The four-lane US 20 straightaway continues across the town, with NY 19
also on an overpass at Pavilion Center. US 20 goes on past the Livingston County
line 2.5 miles (4 km) to the east, where it finally drops the Broadway name. After another 2 miles (3.2 km), the route enters the hamlet of Fraser, where the north–south NY 36
crosses US 20 on its way from Mount Morris to Caledonia
. US 20 continues on to the community of Canawaugus 6 miles (9.7 km) to the east, where NY 5 enters from the village of Caledonia to the northwest and rejoins US 20. The two routes continue east from here to the village of Avon
.
region, a section of the plateau where glacier
s carved deep valleys only to fill them with their meltwater. The land around the road is gently hilly, often wide open and heavily farmed, on the outermost fringes of the Rochester
area. NY 39
is the first highway that intersects the concurrency, ending its loop just west of the traffic circle
at Avon's center. About 2 miles (3.2 km) east of Avon, Routes 5 and 20 intersect NY 15
, followed shortly by I-390, a north–south highway connecting US 20 and NY 5 to Rochester
in the north and Corning
in the south. In the village of Lima
5 miles (8 km) ahead, Routes 5 and 20 meet NY 15A
, the eastern alternate route of NY 15. Just east of the village, the road crosses Honeoye Creek
and enters Ontario County
.
Across the county line, US 20 and NY 5 pass through the town and hamlet of West Bloomfield
, where NY 65
comes to an end from the left. Next, in neighboring East Bloomfield
, NY 444
leaves to the north for Victor
and NY 64
joins the concurrency. Route 64 leaves 3 miles (5 km) later at the eastern end of US 20A in South Bloomfield. The highway continues through the open, rolling lake country to a junction with West Avenue west of the city of Canandaigua
. At this point, Routes 5 and 20 turn southward to follow a bypass
around the western and southern edge of the city. At Bristol Road, the first highway that the bypass crosses, NY 21
joins US 20 and NY 5 and follows both routes to Canandaigua, where a hill west of downtown offers a view to Canandaigua Lake
, the first of the lakes it passes in this region.
In downtown Canandaigua, NY 21 leaves to join NY 332
, a prime route from Canandaigua and the lake region to the eastern suburbs of Rochester via I-490
. Past NY 332, the highway runs past the lowlands abutting the lakes to a junction with NY 364
, which heads south down the east side of the lake. Now named Eastern Boulevard, the routes continue past Finger Lakes Community College
to the next southbound highway, NY 247
. Roughly 10 miles (16 km) of open road climb the gentle rise dividing Canandaigua Lake and Seneca Lake, the latter of which is the largest of the Finger Lakes. This ascent is subsequently met by a descent as the highway heads toward Geneva.
Just outside the city in the Lenox Park neighborhood of the town of Geneva
, another pair of routes, NY 14A
and NY 245
, come to their northern end. After entering the city and passing the campus of Hobart and William Smith Colleges
, Routes 5 and 20 cross under NY 14A's parent route, NY 14
, just before the lake shore. US 20 and NY 5 continue along the water as a four-lane road with a median and cross into Seneca County
at the lake's outlet. As at Canandaigua, a southbound route, NY 96A
, leaves just past the lake. Routes 5 and 20 continue on, following the northern edge of the Cayuga–Seneca Canal toward Waterloo
.
About 3 miles (5 km) east of NY 96A, US 20 and NY 5 reach that route's parent route, NY 96
, in the center of Waterloo. Just outside the village, NY 414
, a major north–south highway, creates another three-route concurrency when it joins from the north. It lasts for just 2 miles (3.2 km) to the center of Seneca Falls
, home to Women's Rights National Historical Park
and the National Women's Hall of Fame
. Here, NY 414 departs to the south to follow the lake down to Watkins Glen
while Routes 5 and 20 turn to the northeast at Van Cleef Lake.
This heading lasts for 3 miles (5 km) until NY 318
ends to the west right before a four-way intersection at NY 89
. From here, the road runs straight in a slightly more easterly direction south of Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge
, where the Thruway is briefly visible to the north, before entering Cayuga County
as it crosses over the Cayuga–Seneca Canal. In Cayuga County, the highway briefly returns to the east before a junction with NY 90
. The highway subsequently turns southeast and back east over the next 8 miles (13 km) as it approaches Auburn
. NY 326
departs to the south at the western city limits. Roughly 1 miles (1.6 km) into the city, the roadway briefly splits as NY 34
and NY 38
briefly join. At NY 38A
, the overlap between NY 5 and US 20 comes to an end as the two routes go their separate ways.
and the Thruway, US 20 keeps to its easterly heading, following East Genesee Street out of the city, proceeding past Auburn Correctional Facility to the Onondaga County
line. Here, NY 41A
comes in from the south at the western end of the village of Skaneateles
, a community at the north end of the eponymous lake
, the last Finger Lake along US 20. NY 321
leaves to the north in the center of town, and NY 41A's parent route, NY 41
, begins its long journey to the Southern Tier
on the other side of Skaneateles. US 20 continues east for another 1.25 miles (2.01 km) out of the village to the south end of NY 175
, after which it starts trending southward, returning to two lanes.
The landscape starts to grow hillier as it begins to cross the glacial moraine
s of the less populated reaches of southern Onondaga County. About 3 miles (5 km) east of NY 175, US 20 is briefly joined by NY 174
, which goes to Otisco Lake
, the easternmost Finger Lake. The southward trend continues for another 6 miles (10 km) to an intersection with NY 80
, a signed east–west route running north–south at this point. East of NY 80, it drops into the Onondaga Creek
valley to connect to the northern terminus of NY 11A
4 miles (6 km) to the east before climbing the next ridge to LaFayette
, where it intersects I-81
at exit 15 and meets its paralleling surface route, US 11
at junctions 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) apart. At this point, US 20 is 15 miles (24 km) south of the Thruway.
From LaFayette, it drops into another deep moraine, curving around an area known as Big Bend, prior to climbing back up 5 miles (8 km) towards the crest of the ridge at Pompey
. Here, US 20 and NY 91
intersect at an elevation of 1700 feet (518 m) above sea level. After another 2 miles (3.2 km), the road drops down into the Limestone Creek valley and crosses into Madison County
as it curves back up into higher ground. Another 2 miles (3.2 km) brings US 20 to the eastern terminus of NY 92
, the south end of Cazenovia Lake
and the village of Cazenovia
itself. Its main street is marked by a brief concurrency with NY 13
, a long, curving north–south route that comes from the cities of Ithaca
and Cortland
to the south.
East of Cazenovia, US 20 resumes its southward drift as it climbs into the high ground again and expands to four lanes, passing the small village of Morrisville
in the process. It descends from there to its next state highway, NY 46
, where it reverts to two lanes for a brief concurrency, after which NY 46 leaves for isolated Hamilton
. The southern trend reverses itself after this junction, with first NY 26
and later NY 12B
joining US 20 to create another three-route overlap. This persists for three very straight miles until both leave to the north in the town of Madison
. After another 2 miles (3.2 km), the highway crosses into Oneida County
.
The major intersection here is NY 12
, another long north–south route, 3 miles (5 km) into the county at Sangerfield
, 1 miles (1.6 km) south of Waterville
. From this intersection, US 20 takes the name Cherry Valley Turnpike from the historic road it follows towards Albany. US 20 climbs back into the high ground afterward and veers further southward to the next intersection with a major north–south highway, NY 8
, at Bridgewater
. Like NY 12, it leads northward to the city of Utica
. After NY 8, the road crosses the headwaters of the Unadilla River
into Otsego County
.
next to the point where Herkimer, Otsego, and Oneida counties converge. This brings it into the Central New York Region
, where James Fenimore Cooper
set his Leatherstocking Tales
. This section of the highway keeps trending south as it skirts the northern edge of the Catskill Plateau
, offering scenic valley vistas to the south. To the north the land levels to the Mohawk Valley
. Through much of this stretch the road expands to four lanes as the region's main east–west artery.
A half-mile into the new county, NY 51
comes in from the south at West Winfield
. This overlap lasts for 3 miles (5 km) to Birmingham Corners, after which the highway re-enters Otsego County. Trending southeast in the town of Richfield
, 6 miles (10 km) pass before NY 28
briefly overlaps US 20 just west of Richfield Springs
, a popular local shopping destination, on its long curve across the state from the Catskills to the Adirondacks
. NY 167
begins a few blocks further east, and US 20 returns to Herkimer County 1 miles (1.6 km) beyond that, intersecting only county roads over the next several miles.
A mile after returning to Otsego County, NY 80 again intersects on its way from Cooperstown
and Otsego Lake to the south to Fort Plain
to the north. The next 7 miles (11 km) of US 20 swing around the north end of the east ridge of Cherry Valley into the town of that name
, where NY 166
leaves at a partial interchange to follow the valley south to Milford
. After another swing around the valley's other ridge, US 20 crosses into Schoharie County
. About 2 miles (3.2 km) from the county line, the highway intersects another long north–south route, NY 10
, south of Sharon Springs
. US 20 proceeds for another 5 miles (8 km) to Sharon
, where NY 145
provides a route to Cobleskill
to the south. Shortly after this junction, US 20 straightens out and follows an almost due-east heading for 11 miles (18 km) to its intersection with NY 30A
and the southern terminus of NY 162
at Sloansville. The route continues east to Esperance
, where it crosses Schoharie Creek
to enter Schenectady County
.
area. Here, development along the road increases and the road itself is often four lanes. The region is divided by the Hudson River
, where US 20 begins its second-longest concurrency with US 9, the state's longest north–south US route.
, intersects with US 20. About 3 miles (5 km) beyond that is the northern terminus of short NY 395
, which runs south to the ever-closer NY 7
. US 20 veers closer to NY 7 before finally intersecting the highway 3 miles (5 km) from NY 395. Not far to the east is an interchange with I-88, NY 7's paralleling freeway between Binghamton
and Schenectady
. Access to I-88 is via a shared access road from both routes due to the oblique angle of the intersection. From here the highway, now known as Western Turnpike, continues to trend to the south for another 4 miles (6 km) to the southern terminus of NY 406
at the hamlet of Gifford. Shortly afterwards, US 20 enters Albany County
as the Helderberg Escarpment
looms to the south.
It stays straight to its first major intersection, the northern terminus of NY 397
a mile later, which is followed 2 miles (3.2 km) later by a junction with NY 158
just east of Watervliet Reservoir. After another 1.5 miles (2.4 km), CSX's main line
crosses over the highway again. Development begins to pick up where NY 146
comes in from the north for a short overlap that ends at Hartmans Corners and Tawasentha Park. The road reaches the Albany suburbs two miles (3 km) to the east, where NY 155
intersects US 20 in Westmere
. Just beyond the community is Crossgates Mall
, a major Albany-area destination. Immediately east of the mall is US 20's first crossing of the Thruway, now I-87
, since the southern Buffalo suburbs, and the southern end of Fuller Road Alternate, an extension of the Adirondack Northway, in an area known as McKownville
.
A half-mile later, the busy four-lane route passes the south side of the State University of New York at Albany
's highly modernistic
campus. It continues into the city of Albany itself as Western Avenue. Commercial developments line both sides of US 20 to the interchange with NY 85
, a truncated freeway that connects to US 20 via the adjacent Dayton and Ormond streets. The neighborhoods around the road become primarily residential at this point. Roughly 1 miles (1.6 km) from NY 85, US 20 forks right onto Madison Avenue and passes the The College of Saint Rose
.
After Washington Park on the north side, downtown Albany draws nearer, with Erastus Corning Tower
, the tallest building in the state outside of New York City, rising ahead. US 9W
crosses Madison from Delaware Avenue to Lark Street
, with its concurrent NY 443
terminating on the southern side of the intersection where Delaware ends at Madison. Shortly afterward, US 20 runs along the south side of Empire State Plaza
, the modern complex that houses the offices of state legislators and many executive branch agencies. A few blocks further is South Pearl Street, also NY 32
, a long route from the lower Hudson Valley to Glens Falls
. US 20 follows two blocks of South Pearl Street and NY 32 to reach an interchange with the South Mall Arterial
. US 20 leaves NY 32 here, following an eastern extension of the arterial to the complex interchange connecting I-787
with US 9 and US 20. US 9 joins US 20 amidst the junction, and both routes crosses the Hudson via the Dunn Memorial Bridge
, the southernmost free crossing of the Hudson.
and county
of Rensselaer, follow the offramps past the stubs built for the canceled South Mall Expressway and assume a southeastern course along a busy four-lane strip containing a center turn lane. Near the city limit, NY 9J
leaves to the south to follow the river's east bank down to Stockport
. The road subsequently goes up a hill with a panoramic view of the Albany skyline behind it and proceeds into the town of East Greenbush, where NY 151
heads off to the northeast. After 2 miles (3.2 km) with heavy commercial development on either side of the road, US 4
begins and leaves to the north at a busy intersection. The center of town
follows, after which the concurrency enters Schodack
.
In Schodack, development along the road begins to ease as the center turn lane gives way to a double yellow line. At Schodack Center, located 4 miles (6 km) from East Greenbush, I-90 and US 20 meet again for the first time in 300 miles (483 km). Just after the interchange, NY 150
comes to its southern end and Routes 9 and 20 split at junctions less than 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) apart. While US 9 heads south for Poughkeepsie and the city of New York
, US 20 reverts to two lanes and maintains its southeastern course for another 2 miles (3.2 km) before turns more to the east for another two miles. In Nassau
, it connects to the north end of NY 203
. East of the village, the terrain becomes hillier, indicating that Route 20 has reached the edge of The Berkshires
.
About 2 miles (3.2 km) outside of the village of Nassau, NY 66
joins the road. This overlap ends just before the Columbia County
line, with NY 66 following a southerly course towards Chatham
. US 20, meanwhile follows Kinderhook Creek
and Wyomanock Creek, through narrow, wooded valleys to New Lebanon
, passing the Mount Lebanon Shaker Society
, a National Historic Landmark
as the second-oldest Shaker settlement in the country. In the center of this small town, US 20 meets NY 22
, the longest north–south route in the state, and the two form a 1 miles (1.6 km) overlap, US 20's last concurrency in New York. After the split, US 20 makes a wide turn and heads almost south up a mountainside, climbing into Massachusetts near Pittsfield State Forest a mile later.
heading west was first constructed as a toll road or turnpike
at the end of the 18th century. The First Great Western Turnpike Corporation was chartered in 1799 to build a road from Albany, the capital of New York, to the Revolutionary War frontier town of Cherry Valley
. In 1803, a second corporation, the Third Great Western Turnpike, was chartered to further extend the road to Cazenovia
. The Third Great Western Turnpike was completed as planned by 1811 and was heavily used by people trying to establish new settlements in central New York. The two turnpikes, collectively known as the Cherry Valley Turnpike, became a stagecoach route in 1816. The Cherry Valley Turnpike name was also later applied to an untolled extension of the road west to Skaneateles
.
The establishment of the Erie Canal
and the Utica and Schenectady Railroad slowly ate away at the revenues of the Cherry Valley Turnpike. The turnpike stopped being a toll road in 1857. A similar turnpike east of the Hudson River
, connecting Rensselaer
to the Massachusetts
state line was also established in 1799 as the Rensselaer and Columbia Turnpike. This turnpike remained in operation as late as 1896, but it eventually folded around the turn of the 20th century. The state took over the maintenance of highways at the beginning of the 20th century and began paving many roads across the state. In 1908, the legislature created a statewide system of unsigned legislative route
s that used these new state highways and other, yet-to-be improved roads.
to Rensselaer and part of Route 21 from Nassau
east to the Massachusetts state line. West of Albany, the Cherry Valley Turnpike was designated as part of Route 9 from Cazenovia to Bouckville and as part of Route 8 from there to a point south of Oriskany Falls
. Another section, from Bridgewater
to East Winfield, was included in Route 23. In 1912, the segment of the turnpike between Sharon
and Sharon Springs
became part of the new Route 38-a.
Farther west, Route 6 and Route 18 were assigned in 1908 to two major east–west roads connecting Buffalo
to Albany and the Pennsylvania state line, respectively. West of modern-day Utica
, Route 6 followed the old Genesee Road, a highway that passed through Auburn
, Geneva, Avon
, and Batavia
on its way to Buffalo. The easternmost leg of Route 6 in Guilderland
and Albany used a portion of the Cherry Valley Turnpike. Route 18, meanwhile, utilized a series of highways that ran either along or slightly inland from Lake Erie
. All of Route 18 and most of Route 6—including all of the route west of Auburn—later became part of the Yellowstone Trail
, an early cross-country auto trail
established in 1912. East of Albany, the trail utilized the old Rensselaer and Columbia Turnpike.
On March 1, 1921, the legislature redefined the legislative route system, altering or removing several routes and adding others. Routes 6 and 18 were left virtually unchanged, as was the portion of Route 1 north of Schodack Center. Route 21, however, was altered to follow modern NY 66
between Averill Park
and East Nassau. In the Central New York Region
, Route 38-a was redesignated as Route 39 and extended west along the Cherry Valley Turnpike to meet Route 8 near Oriskany Falls. From Bridgewater to Oriskany Falls, Route 39 overlapped with Route 23. The legislative route system remained New York's primary route numbering system until the mid-1920s.
, a cross-state route that extended from the Pennsylvania line in the west to the Massachusetts line in the east. From Auburn west, it initially utilized all of legislative Route 18 and the portion of Route 6 east of Avon. In between Buffalo and Avon, NY 5 used a linear, previously unnumbered east–west road to the south that bypassed the communities along Route 6. Continuing east from Auburn, NY 5 followed the Cherry Valley Turnpike (partially Routes 6, 8, 9, 23, and 39) to Albany and the Rensselaer and Columbia Turnpike (partially Routes 1 and 21) to Massachusetts.
One or two years later, however, the portion of NY 5 from Buffalo to Albany was shifted north to its modern alignment—mostly old legislative Route 6—and the former, more southerly route was designated as NY 7. Around the same time, a parallel route to the south, from Buffalo through East Aurora
and Geneseo to near Avon, was designated as NY 35. NY 7 and NY 35 were both short-lived designations as US 20 was assigned on November 11, 1926, as part of the establishment of the U.S. Highway System. When the U.S. Highway was first posted in New York in 1927, it was assigned to then-NY 5 from the Pennsylvania line to near Hamburg
, a previously unnumbered but state-maintained highway between Hamburg and East Aurora, NY 35 from East Aurora to Geneseo, NY 7 between Skaneateles and Albany, and NY 5 from Albany to the Massachusetts line. US 20 overlapped with NY 5 between Avon and Skaneateles. The old NY 7 from Buffalo to Avon was renumbered to NY 35
.
and Hamburg became NY 20B. While US 20 ran along the shore of Lake Erie between the two locations, NY 20B followed a more inland alignment that took it east of Angola
. Ca. 1932, US 20 was realigned to follow NY 20B between the two locations. The former lakeside routing of US 20 became part of an extended NY 5. Around the same time, the portion of Southwestern Boulevard between US 20 and NY 78
(now NY 187
) in the towns of Hamburg
and Orchard Park
was designated as part of NY 18C. This segment of NY 18C was renumbered to NY 278 ca. 1935. Farther east, US 20 was realigned ca. 1931 to pass through Lakeville on its way from Geneseo to East Avon.
The most substantial realignment in US 20's New York history occurred ca. 1938 when it was shifted north onto its current alignment between Hamburg and East Avon, replacing NY 278 and NY 35. Most of the previous route via East Aurora and Geneseo initially became NY 20A; however, that route was partially redesignated as US 20A
by the following year. In the mid-1950s, a new four-lane roadway, Eastern Boulevard, was built north of Lake Shore Drive between South Main Street in Canandaigua
and the modern-day intersection of Lake Shore and Eastern Boulevard in Hopewell
. US 20 and NY 5 were moved from Lake Shore Drive to the new highway upon completion. The remainder of the bypass around the southwestern extents of the city was built in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
In Canandaigua, the former routing of US 20 on South Main Street remains state maintained as NY 942T; until 1996, the portion of West Avenue between the west end of the bypass and the Canandaigua city line (also old US 20) was also maintained by NYSDOT
as NY 942W. Even though maintenance of the road was transferred to the town of Canandaigua
on September 1, 1996, the designation remained in NYSDOT documents until 2007. In Hamburg, the section of old US 20 between Athol Springs and Big Tree
that did not become part of NY 5 ca. 1932 is now CR 576 from NY 5 to Bayview Road and NY 951E, an unsigned reference route, from US 62 to US 20A.
In Geneva, US 20 was initially routed on East North Street and Border City Road, overlapping with NY 14
through the city and rejoining its modern routing in East Geneva. The overlap was eliminated ca. 1931 when US 20 was moved onto a new roadway located along the edge of Seneca Lake. US 20 was realigned again in the 1960s to use a new divided highway
built midway between the lake shore road and Border City Road. Border City Road is now maintained by Seneca County as CR 110.
(NY 98
) to Avon and from Auburn to Cazenovia—were unimproved or unbuilt as late as 1926. The portion from Auburn to Skaneateles was brought up to state highway standards ca. 1930 while the section connecting LaFayette
(US 11
) to Pompey
(NY 91
) was built by the following year. The last section of the Skaneateles–Cazenovia segment to open was the piece between Pompey and Cazenovia, which opened to traffic in mid-September 1934. Meanwhile, the highway was brought up to standards from Alexander to Bethany
ca. 1934, from Bethany to Pavilion
(NY 19
) ca. 1935, between Pavilion and NY 36
ca. 1936, and from NY 36 to Avon ca. 1937.
The now-complete US 20 was the major thoroughfare across New York for several decades. During the early days, there were no motels around and only major cities—such as Auburn and Albany—had hotels. Around the late 1940s, automobiles became much more reliable and US 20 grew into a strong touring road. The road was one of the most traveled up until the New York State Thruway
was created in the 1950s. Much of traffic and progress along US 20 were halted as a result. The 372 miles (599 km) US 20 is lined with historical places, including Sharon Springs
, Cherry Valley
, Bouckville, Cazenovia, Skaneateles, Auburn, Geneva and East Aurora. The length of US 20 from LaFayette to Duanesburg
was designated as a 108 miles (174 km) New York State Scenic Byway on August 10, 2005.
. The road begins at an intersection with US 20 in Silver Creek, goes along Central Avenue for a short time and merges in with NY 5. The two become concurrent for another mile on Howard Street where US 20 Truck ends at an intersection with US 20.
In the village of Silver Creek, commercial truck traffic is not allowed to use US 20 east unless said traffic is making deliveries to local businesses in either the village or the South Dayton, Perrysburg, and Cherry Creek areas southeast of Silver Creek. All other commercial truck traffic per New York state vehicle and traffic laws must use US 20 Truck through the village.
Newport, Oregon
Newport is a city in Lincoln County, Oregon, United States. It was incorporated in 1882, though the name dates back to the establishment of a post office in 1868...
, to Boston, Massachusetts. In the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
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...
, US 20 extends 372.32 miles (599.19 km) from the Pennsylvania state line at Ripley
Ripley, New York
Ripley is a town on Lake Erie in the westernmost part of Chautauqua County, New York, USA. The population was 2,636 at the 2000 census. The town was named after General Eleazer Wheelock Ripley. There are no incorporated villages in the town, but there is one CDP: Ripley.- History :Ripley was...
to the Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
state line in the Berkshire Mountains. US 20 is the longest surface road in New York. It runs near the Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
shore from Ripley to Buffalo and passes through the southern suburbs of Buffalo, the Finger Lakes
Finger Lakes
The Finger Lakes are a pattern of lakes in the west-central section of Upstate New York in the United States. They are a popular tourist destination. The lakes are long and thin , each oriented roughly on a north-south axis. The two longest, Cayuga Lake and Seneca Lake, are among the deepest in...
, the glacial moraines of Central New York
Central New York
Central New York is a term used to broadly describe the central region of New York State, roughly including the following counties and cities:...
, and the city of Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
before crossing into Massachusetts. US 20 connects to all three major north–south Interstate Highways in Upstate New York: Interstate 390 (I-390) near Avon
Avon (village), New York
Avon is a village in Livingston County, New York, USA. The population was 2,977 at the 2000 census. The village is named after the River Avon. ....
, I-81
Interstate 81 in New York
Interstate 81 is a part of the Interstate Highway System that runs from Dandridge, Tennessee, to the Canada – United States border at Wellesley Island in New York. In the U.S. state of New York, I-81 extends from the Pennsylvania state line southeast of Binghamton to the Canadian border...
south of Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
, and I-87
Interstate 87
Interstate 87 is a Interstate Highway located entirely within New York State in the United States of America. I-87 is the longest intrastate Interstate highway in the Interstate Highway System. Its southern end is at the Bronx approaches of the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge in New York City...
in Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
by way of Fuller Road Alternate.
With the exception of Albany, it passes directly through no major cities of the state, bypassing Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
and Utica
Utica, New York
Utica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
by great distances to the south while 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...
and New York State Route 5 (NY 5), which share its corridor, pass right through or close to them. It is, however, a major artery in many of the outlying areas it passes through in the hilly fringes of the Allegheny Plateau
Allegheny Plateau
The Allegheny Plateau is a large dissected plateau area in western and central New York, northern and western Pennsylvania, northern and western West Virginia, and eastern Ohio...
, often expanding to four lanes (it has no limited-access sections, although many intersecting roads are grade-separated
Grade separation
Grade separation is the method of aligning a junction of two or more transport axes at different heights so that they will not disrupt the traffic flow on other transit routes when they cross each other. The composition of such transport axes does not have to be uniform; it can consist of a...
) with extensive commercial strip development. One of these sections, the easterly of two concurrencies
Concurrency (road)
A concurrency, overlap, or coincidence in a road network is an instance of one physical road bearing two or more different highway, motorway, or other route numbers...
with NY 5 across the northern Finger Lakes, is the longest concurrency in the state, extending 67 miles (108 km) from Avon to Auburn
Auburn, New York
Auburn is a city in Cayuga County, New York, United States of America. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 27,687...
.
From Oneida County
Oneida County, New York
Oneida County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 234,878. The county seat is Utica. The name is in honor of the Oneida, an Iroquoian tribe that formerly occupied the region....
to Albany, the road follows the historic Cherry Valley Turnpike, built at the beginning of the 19th century to connect Albany and, at the time, the important villages of Duanesburg
Duanesburg, New York
Duanesburg is a town in Schenectady County, New York, USA. The population was 5,808 at the 2000 census. Duanesburg is named for James Duane, who held most of it as an original land grant. The town is in the western part of the county.-History:...
, Cherry Valley
Cherry Valley (village), New York
Cherry Valley is a village in Otsego County, New York, United States. The population was 592 at the 2000 census.The Village of Cherry Valley is in the Town of Cherry Valley...
, Cazenovia
Cazenovia (village), New York
Cazenovia is a village located in the Town of Cazenovia in Madison County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village had a population of 2,614. The village lies on the southeast shore of Cazenovia Lake, which is approximately long and .5 miles across...
, and Skaneateles
Skaneateles (village), New York
Skaneateles is a village in the town of Skaneateles, Onondaga County, New York, United States. The village is named from and located on the shores of Skaneateles Lake, one of the Finger Lakes. The village, as of the 2000 census, has a population of 2,616 residents. The main highway through the...
. US 20 itself was assigned in 1926 and was the state's main east–west route from that time until the Thruway was completed in the 1950s.
Route description
US 20 enters Western New YorkWestern 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...
closely paralleling the Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
shoreline, the Thruway and NY 5. Passing through the southeastern suburbs of Buffalo, it assumes a due-east heading at Depew
Depew, New York
Depew is a village in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 16,629 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, taking it to the NY 5 overlap in Avon
Avon (village), New York
Avon is a village in Livingston County, New York, USA. The population was 2,977 at the 2000 census. The village is named after the River Avon. ....
. The two roads pass through many of the communities at the north ends of the larger Finger Lakes
Finger Lakes
The Finger Lakes are a pattern of lakes in the west-central section of Upstate New York in the United States. They are a popular tourist destination. The lakes are long and thin , each oriented roughly on a north-south axis. The two longest, Cayuga Lake and Seneca Lake, are among the deepest in...
, splitting in Auburn
Auburn, New York
Auburn is a city in Cayuga County, New York, United States of America. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 27,687...
. Through Central New York
Central New York
Central New York is a term used to broadly describe the central region of New York State, roughly including the following counties and cities:...
and the Central New York Region
Central New York Region
The Central New York Region is a term used by the New York State Department of Economic Development to broadly describe the central region of New York State for tourism purposes. The region roughly corresponds to the upper Susquehanna and Mohawk Valleys...
to its east, US 20 drifts south into the rugged upper reaches of the Allegheny Plateau
Allegheny Plateau
The Allegheny Plateau is a large dissected plateau area in western and central New York, northern and western Pennsylvania, northern and western West Virginia, and eastern Ohio...
, distancing itself from the Thruway and NY 5 by as much as 20 miles (32 km) at some points.
In the Capital District
Capital District
New York's Capital District, also known as the Capital Region, is a region in upstate New York that generally refers to the four counties surrounding Albany, the capital of the state: Albany County, Schenectady County, Rensselaer County, and Saratoga County...
, the three routes all converge again, and US 20 goes right through downtown Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, the largest city along its route in New York. Just before crossing the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
, US 20 is joined again by US 9 for its second-longest concurrency, which ends just before the Thruway's Berkshire section in Schodack Center. From there it drifts southward into the Berkshires, crossing the Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
state line west of Pittsfield
Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Pittsfield is the largest city and the county seat of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the principal city of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Berkshire County. Its area code is 413. Its ZIP code is 01201...
.
All but 5.6 miles (9 km) of US 20's 372 miles (599 km) alignment in New York is maintained 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...
(NYSDOT). In Cayuga County
Cayuga County, New York
Cayuga County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It was named for one of the tribes of Indians in the Iroquois Confederation. Its county seat is Auburn.- History :...
, the 1.21 miles (1.95 km) section of US 20 in Auburn between NY 38A
New York State Route 38A
New York State Route 38A is a north–south state highway located within Onondaga and Cayuga Counties in central New York, United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 38 in the village of Moravia. Its northern terminus is at a junction with U.S....
and the eastern city line is maintained by the city of Auburn. To the east in Albany County
Albany County, New York
Albany County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, and is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area. The name is from the title of the Duke of York and Albany, who became James II of England . As of the 2010 census, the population was 304,204...
, the 4.39 miles (7.07 km) of US 20 in Albany from the western city line to the north end of the NY 32
New York State Route 32
New York State Route 32 is a north–south state highway that extends for through the Hudson Valley and Capital District regions of the U.S. state of New York. It is a two-lane surface road for nearly its entire length, with few divided and no limited-access sections. From Harriman to Albany,...
overlap is also city-maintained.
Western New York
From the state line to the 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...
suburbs, US 20 is largely a two-lane through road on the same northeastern heading it has followed most of the way from Cleveland. It serves as the main street of the few communities it passes directly through. In the Buffalo area, US 20 begins to head more east, widening to four lanes and becoming a busy regional artery that intersects many other roads of major and minor importance. For the five miles (9 km) leading into Depew
Depew, New York
Depew is a village in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 16,629 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, it runs due north along with 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...
as part of Transit Road, a busy commercial strip east of the city. At Depew, US 20 leaves Transit Road and begins its journey east across the state. The surrounding countryside returns to farmland by 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 :...
line.
Lake Erie
US 20 enters New York immediately after passing through State Line, PennsylvaniaState Line, Erie County, Pennsylvania
State Line is an unincorporated community in Erie County, Pennsylvania, located just to the west of the New York border....
. It remains on the northeasterly course it has been following as 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...
, now 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...
, veers between it and what is now 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 order to remain on level ground. This section of US 20 hugs the foot of the beach ridge
Beach ridge
A beach ridge is a wave-swept or wave-deposited ridge running parallel to a shoreline. It is commonly composed of sand as well as sediment worked from underlying beach material. The movement of sediment by wave action is called littoral transport. Movement of material parallel to the shoreline is...
to the south of the Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
, which is sometimes visible from sections of the highway here in 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...
. A mile and a half east of the state line, Shortman Road (unsigned NY 950D) leaves to the left for exit 61, the westernmost interchange on the Thruway. Shortly afterward, US 20 reaches its first settlement in New York, the hamlet of Ripley
Ripley, New York
Ripley is a town on Lake Erie in the westernmost part of Chautauqua County, New York, USA. The population was 2,636 at the 2000 census. The town was named after General Eleazer Wheelock Ripley. There are no incorporated villages in the town, but there is one CDP: Ripley.- History :Ripley was...
, where it intersects NY 76
New York State Route 76
New York State Route 76 is located entirely within Chautauqua County, New York, United States. It runs north–south from NY 474 in the hamlet of North Clymer in the town of Clymer at its southern end to NY 5 along the Lake Erie shoreline in the town of Ripley...
, the first touring route along US 20 in the state.
Another eight miles (13 km) of two-lane rural road, crossed at its midpoint by the onetime New York Central Railroad
New York Central Railroad
The New York Central Railroad , known simply as the New York Central in its publicity, was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States...
and now 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...
mainline, brings US 20 into its first incorporated community, the village of Westfield
Westfield (village), New York
Westfield is a village in Chautauqua County, New York, United States. USA. The population was 3,481 at the 2010 census.The Village of Westfield lies within the Town of Westfield in the northern part of the county...
. Here, NY 394
New York State Route 394
New York State Route 394 is a state highway located within Cattaraugus and Chautauqua Counties in southwestern New York, United States. Its western terminus is located on the shore of Lake Erie at an intersection with NY 5 in the Westfield hamlet of Barcelona...
intersects US 20 in the middle of town on its way to the Thruway's next exit and the hamlet of Barcelona, where it encounters NY 5 and the lake. Beyond Westfield, US 20 begins to drift south, coming further inland as it heads northeast. 16 miles (26 km) to the east, it reaches Fredonia
Fredonia, New York
Fredonia is a village in Chautauqua County, New York, United States. The population was 11,068 as of 2009.The Village of Fredonia is in the Town of Pomfret south of Lake Erie...
, the largest village along its route so far. Downtown Fredonia is marked by the intersection with NY 60
New York State Route 60
New York State Route 60 is a north–south state highway in Chautauqua County, New York, United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an intersection with U.S. Route 62 south of the city of Jamestown in the town of Kiantone. Its northern terminus is at a junction with NY 5...
, which heads north to the neighboring port of Dunkirk. Two miles (3 km) east, NY 39
New York State Route 39
New York State Route 39 is an east–west state highway in the western portion of New York in the United States. It begins and ends at intersections with U.S. Route 20 apart...
becomes the first state route to end at US 20. It makes a loop of nearly 100 miles (161 km) through the interior of the state to return to US 20 in the Finger Lakes
Finger Lakes
The Finger Lakes are a pattern of lakes in the west-central section of Upstate New York in the United States. They are a popular tourist destination. The lakes are long and thin , each oriented roughly on a north-south axis. The two longest, Cayuga Lake and Seneca Lake, are among the deepest in...
.
Past this junction, the Thruway and US 20 begin to converge in flatter country until they cross as US 20 veers northward 1 miles (1.6 km) south of Silver Creek
Silver Creek, New York
- Demographics :At the 2010 census there were 2,656 people, 1,048 households and 718 families residing in the village. The population density was 2,213.3 people per square mile . There were 1,174 housing units, with an average density of 978.3 per square mile...
. US 20 Truck splits off from US 20 in the center of town, and rejoins its parent northeast of the village. This portion of the truck route is co-signed as 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...
, and the first of two overlaps between US 20 and NY 5 begins here. The road resumes its northeasterly course to an access road to the Thruway's exit 58 at Irving
Irving, New York
Irving is a hamlet located in Chautauqua County, New York, USA. It is located near the east town line and the eastern county line in the Town of Hanover. US Route 20 and New York State Route 5 pass through the hamlet, which is also next to Cattaraugus Creek; New York State Route 438 terminates just...
. After crossing Cattaraugus Creek
Cattaraugus Creek
Cattaraugus Creek is a stream, approximately 68 miles long, in western New York in the United States. The creek drains a wooded rural portion of western New York southwest of Buffalo into Lake Erie. In its lower course it flows primarily through the Cattaraugus Reservation of the Seneca tribe...
into 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...
, the concurrency ends, with NY 5 staying close to the lake and US 20 closely paralleling the Thruway. NY 438
New York State Route 438
New York State Route 438 is a north–south state highway located entirely in Erie County, New York, in the United States. Though signed as north–south, the route runs in an almost east–west direction for between Gowanda and Irving through the Cattaraugus Indian Reservation. The...
leaves this junction to the east, following the creek into the Cattaraugus Nation Territory
Cattaraugus Reservation, Erie County, New York
Cattaraugus Reservation is an Indian reservation located partly in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 2,001 at the 2000 census....
.
Route 20 remains straight when paralleling the Thruway, intersecting only one other state highway, NY 249
New York State Route 249
New York State Route 249 is a state highway located within Erie County, New York, in the United States. It runs east–west across southwestern Erie County from the shores of Lake Erie in the town of Farnham to the hamlet of Langford in the town of North Collins.-Route...
, just east of the village of Farnham
Farnham, New York
Farnham is a village located in the Town of Brant, Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 322 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, in an 18-mile (29 km) stretch that brings it to the outer fringes of the Buffalo area
Buffalo-Niagara Falls metropolitan area
The Buffalo-Niagara Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area is a metropolitan area, designated by the United States Census Bureau, encompassing two counties – Erie and Niagara – in Western New York, with a population, as of the 2010 census, of 1,135,509 inhabitants...
at Hamburg
Hamburg (town), New York
Hamburg is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 56,259.The Town of Hamburg is on the western border of the county and is south of Buffalo, New York. Hamburg is one of the "Southtowns" in Erie County...
. After NY 75
New York State Route 75
New York State Route 75 is a north–south state highway in Erie County, New York, in the United States. It extends for from an intersection with NY 39 in the Collins hamlet of Collins Center to an interchange with NY 5 in the town of Hamburg...
provides access to the Thruway, US 20 becomes Southwestern Boulevard. Within 2 miles (3.2 km) of the NY 75 junction, US 20 intersects US 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...
, the first U.S. Highway that it encounters in New York. Continuing on, US 20 crosses the Thruway to reach Big Tree
Big Tree, New York
Big Tree, New York is an unincorporated hamlet in the town of Hamburg in Erie County, New York, USA.-References:...
. This hamlet was once home to a six-way intersection featuring US 20A
U.S. Route 20A (New York)
U.S. Route 20A is an east–west alternate route of US 20 that extends for across the western portion of New York in the United States. It leaves US 20 in Hamburg, a suburb of Buffalo, and rejoins it in East Bloomfield about five miles west of Canandaigua, the county seat of...
, but a late 2000s reconstruction project moved the west end of US 20A to a new junction to the northeast. Like NY 39, US 20A makes a long loop through Wyoming
Wyoming County, New York
Wyoming County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. At the 2010 census, the population was 42,155. The county seat is Warsaw. The name is from a modified Delaware Indian word meaning "broad bottom lands"...
and Livingston
Livingston County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 64,328 people, 22,150 households, and 15,349 families residing in the county. The population density was 102 people per square mile . There were 24,023 housing units at an average density of 38 per square mile...
counties to return to US 20 in the Finger Lakes.
Buffalo area
After the US 20A split, US 20 begins moving away from the lake and trends more to the east-northeast. The road becomes more developed, and 1 miles (1.6 km) ahead a major Buffalo landmark looms to the south—Ralph Wilson StadiumRalph Wilson Stadium
Ralph Wilson Stadium is a football stadium, located in the town of Orchard Park, a suburb of Buffalo, New York. It is the home for the Buffalo Bills, of the NFL...
, home of the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. On home game days in the fall, traffic clogs the highway as it crosses over the US 219
U.S. Route 219 in New York
U.S. Route 219 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from Rich Creek, Virginia, to West Seneca, New York. In the U.S. state of New York, US 219 extends from the Pennsylvania state line at Carrollton to an interchange with the New York State Thruway at exit 55 in West...
expressway and curves northeast to reach the eastern terminus of NY 179
New York State Route 179
New York State Route 179 is a short state highway located south of Buffalo in Erie County, New York, in the United States. It is a four-lane divided road for most of its length. It is known as Mile Strip Road. A small section between U.S...
at Mile Strip Road. NY 179 offers access to US 219 via an interchange 0.75 miles (1.21 km) to the west. A half-mile (1 km) beyond, the four-lane US 20 intersects the concurrent routes of NY 240
New York State Route 240
New York State Route 240 is a state highway in western New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 242 in the Ellicottville community of Ashford in northern Cattaraugus County. Its northern terminus is at a junction with NY 324...
and 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...
, the main route to the village of Orchard Park
Orchard Park (village), New York
Orchard Park is a village in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 3,294 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from a description of the local landscape, which abounded with orchards...
off to the south.
At the West Seneca
West Seneca, New York
West Seneca is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 44,711 at the 2010 census. West Seneca is a centrally-located interior town of the county, and a suburb of Buffalo...
town line, US 20 turns due east when Reserve Road merges in from the west. After another mile, the road makes a 90-degree left turn
Right angle
In geometry and trigonometry, a right angle is an angle that bisects the angle formed by two halves of a straight line. More precisely, if a ray is placed so that its endpoint is on a line and the adjacent angles are equal, then they are right angles...
at NY 187
New York State Route 187
New York State Route 187 is a short state highway located entirely in Erie County, New York, United States. It serves as the southern end of the busy Transit Road in the town of Elma. Its southern terminus is at Quaker Road and its northern terminus at US 20 where that highway becomes...
's northern terminus. It is now headed due north as Transit Road, a busy regional route that continues north as far as Lockport
Lockport (city), New York
Lockport is a city in Niagara County, New York, United States. The population was 21,165 at the 2010 census. The name is derived from a set of Erie canal locks within the city. Lockport is the county seat of Niagara County and is surrounded by the town of Lockport...
. After yet another mile, NY 16
New York State Route 16
New York State Route 16 is a state highway in western New York, United States. It runs from the Pennsylvania state line, where it is one of the highest highways in the state in elevation, to downtown Buffalo. NY 16 is a major route through Erie County, despite the construction of the...
and 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...
come in from East Aurora
East Aurora, New York
East Aurora is a village in Erie County, New York, United States, southeast of Buffalo. The Village of East Aurora lies in the eastern half of the Town of Aurora.The population was 6,673 at the 2000 census...
to the southeast. NY 16 continues west to downtown Buffalo while NY 78 turns north to join US 20. Just north of the junction, Transit Road connects to the entrance ramps for an interchange with the NY 400
New York State Route 400
New York State Route 400 is a state highway located within Erie County, New York, in the United States. The northwest end is connected to the New York State Thruway and the southeast end terminates at NY 16 in the town of Aurora. NY 400, a limited-access highway, roughly parallels...
freeway, US 20's first interchange with a limited-access highway since meeting the Thruway in Irving.
Shops and stores line busy Transit Road on both sides as it divides the towns of West Seneca and Elma
Elma, New York
Elma is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 11,304 at the 2000 census. The town is named after a type of tree.The Town of Elma is located in the north-central part of the county, east of Buffalo, New York. Because of its location, Elma likes to refer to itself as the...
. A mile north of NY 400, US 20 and NY 78 reach another state highway, NY 354
New York State Route 354
New York State Route 354 is a state highway in New York, USA. NY 354 is one of several highways radiating eastward from its western terminus in downtown Buffalo, New York. The east terminus of NY 354 is in the Village of Attica, where it ends at NY 98 and NY 238 as West...
, near Ebenezer
Ebenezer, New York
Ebenezer, New York is an unincorporated hamlet in the town of West Seneca in Erie County, New York, USA.-References:...
. Not far from that intersection, Cheektowaga and 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...
replace West Seneca and Elma as the towns on either side of the road. Increasing development and traffic heralds Transit Road's entry into the village of Depew
Depew, New York
Depew is a village in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 16,629 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, and at NY 130
New York State Route 130
New York State Route 130 is a state highway entirely within Erie County, New York, United States. It runs east–west from U.S. Route 62 in Buffalo to the village of Depew, where it terminates at NY 78...
, US 20 turns east, ending the overlap and taking the direction it will follow for most of the rest of its crossing of the state.
East of Buffalo
Taking the name Broadway, which NY 130 had retained from the city of Buffalo, US 20 goes through downtown Depew before it proceeds into the neighboring village of LancasterLancaster (village), New York
Lancaster is a village in Erie County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 11,188. It is part of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area....
. It returns to a rural two-lane road beyond Lancaster, passing through a traffic light only at the small village of Alden
Alden (village), New York
Alden is a village in Erie County, New York, USA. The population was 2,666 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area....
before crossing into 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 town of Darien
Darien, New York
Darien is a town in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 3,061 at the 2000 census.The Town of Darien lies in the southwest part of Genesee County, southwest of Batavia.- History :...
, US 20 continues straight past Darien Lakes State Park
Darien Lakes State Park
Darien Lakes State Park is a state park located in western Genesee County, New York, United States, near Darien Center, which is at the intersection of Routes US 20 and NY 77. This road can be accessed via exit 48A on the New York State Thruway. The park entrance is on Harlow Road, north of Route...
to the junction 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...
at Darien Center, where much summertime traffic turns north toward the nearby Darien Lake amusement park. NY 238
New York State Route 238
New York State Route 238 is a state highway located in Western New York in the United States. It runs in a northwest–southeast direction roughly centered on the village of Attica. In the former direction, it connects to U.S. Route 20 in Darien and serves as a more direct route into...
forks off to the southeast towards Attica
Attica (village), New York
Attica is a village in Wyoming County, New York in the USA. The population was 2,597 at the 2000 census. It is named after a region in Greece.The Village of Attica is on the northern border of Wyoming County...
at a junction 2 miles (3.2 km) to the east of Darien Center.
Past the junction with NY 238, which forks off to the southeast towards Attica
Attica (village), New York
Attica is a village in Wyoming County, New York in the USA. The population was 2,597 at the 2000 census. It is named after a region in Greece.The Village of Attica is on the northern border of Wyoming County...
, the highway begins going straight up and down into the creek valleys here at the northern fringe of the Allegheny Plateau
Allegheny Plateau
The Allegheny Plateau is a large dissected plateau area in western and central New York, northern and western Pennsylvania, northern and western West Virginia, and eastern Ohio...
. Passing lanes are sometimes available on the downhill sections, particularly in the next community to the east, Alexander
Alexander (village), New York
Alexander is a village in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 481 at the 2000 census. The village is named after early settler, Alexander Rea.The village of Alexander is within the Town of Alexander...
, where another route to Attica, 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...
crosses via an overpass. This allows traffic to continue at a high speed through the surrounding dairy
Dairy farming
Dairy farming is a class of agricultural, or an animal husbandry, enterprise, for long-term production of milk, usually from dairy cows but also from goats and sheep, which may be either processed on-site or transported to a dairy factory for processing and eventual retail sale.Most dairy farms...
and sod farms up the other side and into Bethany
Bethany, New York
Bethany is a town in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 1,760 at the 2000 census.The Town of Bethany lies on the south border of Genesee County...
, the next town, whose four four-way intersections offer no traffic control devices to slow down drivers.
This unbroken stretch ends with a new light shortly into the next town, Pavilion
Pavilion, New York
Pavilion is a town in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 2,467 at the 2000 census. The town was named after a hotel in Saratoga, New York by an early resident.The Town of Pavilion is in the southeast corner of Genesee County...
, where 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...
crosses at an angle. Here, traffic bound for 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...
and further turn right to eventually connect 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...
at Mount Morris
Mount Morris (village), New York
Mount Morris is a village located in the Town of Mount Morris in Livingston County, New York, USA. The population was 3,266 at the 2000 census. The village and town are named after Robert Morris....
. The four-lane US 20 straightaway continues across the town, with 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...
also on an overpass at Pavilion Center. US 20 goes on past the Livingston County
Livingston County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 64,328 people, 22,150 households, and 15,349 families residing in the county. The population density was 102 people per square mile . There were 24,023 housing units at an average density of 38 per square mile...
line 2.5 miles (4 km) to the east, where it finally drops the Broadway name. After another 2 miles (3.2 km), the route enters the hamlet of Fraser, where the north–south 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...
crosses US 20 on its way from Mount Morris to Caledonia
Caledonia (village), New York
Caledonia is a village in Livingston County, New York, USA. The population was 2,327 at the 2000 census. The name refers to Scotland.The Village of Caledonia is located inside the Town of Caledonia and is southwest of Rochester, Monroe County....
. US 20 continues on to the community of Canawaugus 6 miles (9.7 km) to the east, where NY 5 enters from the village of Caledonia to the northwest and rejoins US 20. The two routes continue east from here to the village of Avon
Avon (village), New York
Avon is a village in Livingston County, New York, USA. The population was 2,977 at the 2000 census. The village is named after the River Avon. ....
.
Route 5 concurrency and Finger Lakes
The 67 miles (108 km) concurrency that begins here is the longest in the state, and it carries the two routes across the northern Finger LakesFinger Lakes
The Finger Lakes are a pattern of lakes in the west-central section of Upstate New York in the United States. They are a popular tourist destination. The lakes are long and thin , each oriented roughly on a north-south axis. The two longest, Cayuga Lake and Seneca Lake, are among the deepest in...
region, a section of the plateau where glacier
Glacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
s carved deep valleys only to fill them with their meltwater. The land around the road is gently hilly, often wide open and heavily farmed, on the outermost fringes of the 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...
area. NY 39
New York State Route 39
New York State Route 39 is an east–west state highway in the western portion of New York in the United States. It begins and ends at intersections with U.S. Route 20 apart...
is the first highway that intersects the concurrency, ending its loop just west of the 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...
at Avon's center. About 2 miles (3.2 km) east of Avon, Routes 5 and 20 intersect NY 15
New York State Route 15
New York State Route 15 is a north–south state highway located in western New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is officially at Interstate 390 exit 3 south of the village of Wayland, although some signage indicating that NY 15 continues south to...
, followed shortly by I-390, a north–south highway connecting US 20 and NY 5 to 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 north and Corning
Corning (city), New York
Corning is a city in Steuben County, New York, United States, on the Chemung River. The population was 10,842 at the 2000 census. It is named for Erastus Corning, an Albany financier and railroad executive who was an investor in the company that developed the community.- Overview :The city of...
in the south. In the village of Lima
Lima (village), New York
Lima is a village in Livingston County, New York, USA. The population was 2,459 at the 2000 census.The Village of Lima is in the Town of Lima and is nineteen miles south of the city of Rochester, NY.- History :...
5 miles (8 km) ahead, Routes 5 and 20 meet NY 15A
New York State Route 15A
New York State Route 15A is a north–south state highway located in the western portion of New York in the United States. It serves as an easterly alternate route of NY 15, beginning in the Livingston County town of Springwater and ending to the north in the Monroe County city of...
, the eastern alternate route of NY 15. Just east of the village, the road crosses Honeoye Creek
Honeoye Creek
Honeoye Creek is a tributary of the Genesee River in western New York in the United States.Honeoye Creek emerges from the north end of Honeoye Lake, one of the Finger Lakes, in Richmond, Ontario County...
and enters Ontario County
Ontario County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 100,224 people, 38,370 households, and 26,360 families residing in the county. The population density was 156 people per square mile . There were 42,647 housing units at an average density of 66 per square mile...
.
Across the county line, US 20 and NY 5 pass through the town and hamlet of West Bloomfield
West Bloomfield, New York
West Bloomfield is a town in Ontario County, New York, USA. The population was 2,549 at the 2000 census.The Town of West Bloomfield is on the county's western border and is south of the City of Rochester.- History :...
, where NY 65
New York State Route 65
New York State Route 65 is a north–south state highway located in the western portion of New York in the United States. It extends for from an intersection with U.S. Route 20 and NY 5 in the Ontario County town of West Bloomfield to a junction with NY 96 in the Monroe County...
comes to an end from the left. Next, in neighboring East Bloomfield
East Bloomfield, New York
East Bloomfield is a town in Ontario County, New York, United States. The population was 3,361 at the 2000 census.The Town of East Bloomfield is in the western part of the county, south of Rochester, NY.- History :...
, NY 444
New York State Route 444
New York State Route 444 is a north–south state highway in Ontario County, New York, in the United States. It serves as a connector between the overlapping routes of U.S. Route 20, NY 5, and NY 64 south of the village of Bloomfield and NY 96 in the village of Victor...
leaves to the north for Victor
Victor (village), New York
Victor is a village located in within the Town of Victor in Ontario County, New York, USA. The population was 2,433 at the 2000 census.The Village of Victor is in the southeast part of the town and is southeast of the City of Rochester.- History :...
and NY 64
New York State Route 64
New York State Route 64 is a north–south state highway in the Finger Lakes region of New York in the United States. Its southern terminus is at an intersection with NY 21 in the hamlet of Bristol Springs within the town of South Bristol, Ontario County...
joins the concurrency. Route 64 leaves 3 miles (5 km) later at the eastern end of US 20A in South Bloomfield. The highway continues through the open, rolling lake country to a junction with West Avenue west of the city of Canandaigua
Canandaigua (city), New York
Canandaigua is a city in Ontario County, New York, USA, of which it is the county seat. The population was 11,264 at the 2000 census...
. At this point, Routes 5 and 20 turn southward to follow a bypass
Bypass (road)
A bypass is a road or highway that avoids or "bypasses" a built-up area, town, or village, to let through traffic flow without interference from local traffic, to reduce congestion in the built-up area, and to improve road safety....
around the western and southern edge of the city. At Bristol Road, the first highway that the bypass crosses, 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...
joins US 20 and NY 5 and follows both routes to Canandaigua, where a hill west of downtown offers a view to Canandaigua Lake
Canandaigua Lake
Canandaigua Lake is the fourth largest of the Finger Lakes, in the U.S. state of New York. The city of Canandaigua is located at the northern shore of the lake and the village of Naples is just a few miles south of the southern end...
, the first of the lakes it passes in this region.
In downtown Canandaigua, NY 21 leaves to join NY 332
New York State Route 332
New York State Route 332 is a north–south state highway that extends for through Ontario County in the Finger Lakes region of New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an intersection with U.S. Route 20, NY 5, and NY 21 just south of...
, a prime route from Canandaigua and the lake region to the eastern suburbs of Rochester via 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...
. Past NY 332, the highway runs past the lowlands abutting the lakes to a junction with NY 364
New York State Route 364
New York State Route 364 is a state highway located in the Finger Lakes region of New York in the United States. It extends for from an intersection with NY 14A in Penn Yan to a junction with the concurrent routes of U.S. Route 20 and NY 5 just east of the Canandaigua city...
, which heads south down the east side of the lake. Now named Eastern Boulevard, the routes continue past Finger Lakes Community College
Finger Lakes Community College
Finger Lakes Community College, often abbreviated FLCC, is a college affiliated with the State University of New York. The college has four locations: Canandaigua , and campus centers in Victor, Geneva, and Newark, all in order to serve the needs of Ontario County, Wayne County, Yates County and...
to the next southbound highway, NY 247
New York State Route 247
New York State Route 247 is a north–south state highway located in the Finger Lakes region of New York in the United States. It extends for from an intersection with NY 364 in the Yates County town of Potter to a junction with U.S. Route 20 and NY 5 in the Ontario...
. Roughly 10 miles (16 km) of open road climb the gentle rise dividing Canandaigua Lake and Seneca Lake, the latter of which is the largest of the Finger Lakes. This ascent is subsequently met by a descent as the highway heads toward Geneva.
Just outside the city in the Lenox Park neighborhood of the town of Geneva
Geneva (town), New York
Geneva is a town in Ontario County, New York, USA. The population was 3,289 at the 2000 census. The actual source of the name is ambiguous.The Town of Geneva is in the southeastern part of the county and borders the City of Geneva.- History :...
, another pair of routes, NY 14A
New York State Route 14A
New York State Route 14A is a north–south state highway located in the Finger Lakes region of New York in the United States. It extends for from an interchange with NY 14 in the Schuyler County town of Reading to an intersection with U.S. Route 20 and NY 5 west of the Ontario...
and NY 245
New York State Route 245
New York State Route 245 is a state highway in the Finger Lakes region of New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at NY 21 in Naples. The northern terminus is at NY 5, U.S. Route 20 and NY 14A west of Geneva...
, come to their northern end. After entering the city and passing the campus of Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Hobart and William Smith Colleges, located in Geneva, New York, are together a liberal arts college offering Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts in Teaching degrees. In athletics, however, the two schools compete with separate teams, known as the Hobart Statesmen and the...
, Routes 5 and 20 cross under NY 14A's parent route, 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...
, just before the lake shore. US 20 and NY 5 continue along the water as a four-lane road with a median and cross into Seneca County
Seneca County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 33,342 people, 12,630 households, and 8,626 families residing in the county. The population density was 103 people per square mile . There were 14,794 housing units at an average density of 46 per square mile...
at the lake's outlet. As at Canandaigua, a southbound route, NY 96A
New York State Route 96A
New York State Route 96A is a state highway in Seneca County, New York, in the United States. It is a north–south road between Seneca Lake and Cayuga Lake, two of the Finger Lakes. NY 96A is two lanes wide for most of its length, with the exception of the long four-lane divided highway...
, leaves just past the lake. Routes 5 and 20 continue on, following the northern edge of the Cayuga–Seneca Canal toward Waterloo
Waterloo (village), New York
Waterloo is a village in and the county seat of Seneca County, New York, United States. The population was 5,111 at the 2000 census. The village is named after the Waterloo in Belgium, where Napoleon was defeated...
.
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...
, in the center of Waterloo. Just outside the village, NY 414
New York State Route 414
New York State Route 414 is a north–south state highway in the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions of New York in the United States. It extends for from an intersection with NY 352 in the Steuben County city of Corning to a junction with NY 104 in the Wayne County town of Huron...
, a major north–south highway, creates another three-route concurrency when it joins from the north. It lasts for just 2 miles (3.2 km) to the center of Seneca Falls
Seneca Falls (village), New York
Seneca Falls is a village in Seneca County, New York, United States. The population was 6,861 at the 2000 census. The village is in the Town of Seneca Falls, east of Geneva, New York. On March 16, 2010, village residents voted to dissolve the village, a move that would take effect at the end of 2011...
, home to Women's Rights National Historical Park
Women's Rights National Historical Park
Women's Rights National Historical Park was established in 1980, and covers a total of 6.83 acres of land in Seneca Falls and nearby Waterloo, New York....
and the National Women's Hall of Fame
National Women's Hall of Fame
The National Women's Hall of Fame is an American institution. It was created in 1969 by a group of people in Seneca Falls, New York, the location of the 1848 Women's Rights Convention...
. Here, NY 414 departs to the south to follow the lake down to Watkins Glen
Watkins Glen, New York
Watkins Glen is a village in Schuyler County, New York, United States. The population was 2,149 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Schuyler County.The Village of Watkins Glen lies on the border of the towns of Dix and Montour....
while Routes 5 and 20 turn to the northeast at Van Cleef Lake.
This heading lasts for 3 miles (5 km) until NY 318
New York State Route 318
New York State Route 318 is an east–west state highway in the Finger Lakes region of New York, United States. The western terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 14 at New York State Thruway exit 42 in the town of Phelps. The eastern terminus is at an intersection that...
ends to the west right before a four-way intersection at NY 89
New York State Route 89
New York State Route 89 is a north–south state highway in central New York in the United States. It extends for from an intersection with NY 13, NY 34, and NY 96 in the Tompkins County city of Ithaca to an interchange with NY 104 in the Wayne County town of town of Wolcott...
. From here, the road runs straight in a slightly more easterly direction south of Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge
Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge
Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge is a wildlife preserve operated by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, encompassing part of the Montezuma Swamp at the north end of Cayuga Lake...
, where the Thruway is briefly visible to the north, before entering Cayuga County
Cayuga County, New York
Cayuga County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It was named for one of the tribes of Indians in the Iroquois Confederation. Its county seat is Auburn.- History :...
as it crosses over the Cayuga–Seneca Canal. In Cayuga County, the highway briefly returns to the east before a junction with NY 90
New York State Route 90
New York State Route 90 is a north–south state highway in the Finger Lakes region of New York, United States. All but five of the route's are located in Cayuga County, with the remaining situated in Cortland County. The southern terminus of the route is at an intersection with U.S....
. The highway subsequently turns southeast and back east over the next 8 miles (13 km) as it approaches Auburn
Auburn, New York
Auburn is a city in Cayuga County, New York, United States of America. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 27,687...
. NY 326
New York State Route 326
New York State Route 326 is a state highway in Cayuga County, New York, United States. NY 326 runs in a southwest to northeast direction from the village of Union Springs to the city of Auburn. The western terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 90 near the northern...
departs to the south at the western city limits. Roughly 1 miles (1.6 km) into the city, the roadway briefly splits as NY 34
New York State Route 34
New York State Route 34 is a north–south New York state route located in Central New York. Its southern terminus is at the Pennsylvania state line in the village of Waverly, where it connects to Pennsylvania Route 199 and meets NY 17...
and NY 38
New York State Route 38
New York State Route 38 is a north–south state highway in the Finger Lakes region of New York in the United States. Its southern terminus is at an intersection with NY 96 in the town of Owego in Tioga County. The northern terminus is at a junction with NY 104A in the town of...
briefly join. At NY 38A
New York State Route 38A
New York State Route 38A is a north–south state highway located within Onondaga and Cayuga Counties in central New York, United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 38 in the village of Moravia. Its northern terminus is at a junction with U.S....
, the overlap between NY 5 and US 20 comes to an end as the two routes go their separate ways.
Central New York
While NY 5 heads north from the split towards SyracuseSyracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
and the Thruway, US 20 keeps to its easterly heading, following East Genesee Street out of the city, proceeding past Auburn Correctional Facility to the Onondaga County
Onondaga County, New York
Onondaga County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 467,026. The county seat is Syracuse.Onondaga County is part of the Syracuse, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area....
line. Here, NY 41A
New York State Route 41A
New York State Route 41A is a north–south New York State Route located within Onondaga, Cayuga, and Cortland Counties in Central New York. Its northern terminus is located at a junction with U.S. Route 20 in the village of Skaneateles in Onondaga County...
comes in from the south at the western end of the village of Skaneateles
Skaneateles (village), New York
Skaneateles is a village in the town of Skaneateles, Onondaga County, New York, United States. The village is named from and located on the shores of Skaneateles Lake, one of the Finger Lakes. The village, as of the 2000 census, has a population of 2,616 residents. The main highway through the...
, a community at the north end of the eponymous lake
Skaneateles Lake
Skaneateles Lake is one of the Finger Lakes in central New York in the United States. The name Skaneateles means long lake in one of the local Iroquoian languages. The lake is sometimes referred to as "The Roof Garden of the Lakes" because its altitude is higher than the other Finger Lakes. It...
, the last Finger Lake along US 20. NY 321
New York State Route 321
New York State Route 321 is a state highway in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an intersection with U.S. Route 20 in the village of Skaneateles. Its northern terminus is at an intersection with NY 5 in Bennetts Corners, a hamlet...
leaves to the north in the center of town, and NY 41A's parent route, NY 41
New York State Route 41
New York State Route 41 is a north–south state highway in Central New York, United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an interchange with NY 17 in the town of Sanford. Its northern terminus is at an intersection with U.S. Route 20 in the village of Skaneateles...
, begins its long journey to 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...
on the other side of Skaneateles. US 20 continues east for another 1.25 miles (2.01 km) out of the village to the south end of NY 175
New York State Route 175
New York State Route 175 is a west–east state highway located in Onondaga County, New York, in the United States. The route begins at an intersection with U.S. Route 20 east of the village of Skaneateles and passes through the village of Marcellus before ending at a junction with...
, after which it starts trending southward, returning to two lanes.
The landscape starts to grow hillier as it begins to cross the glacial moraine
Moraine
A moraine is any glacially formed accumulation of unconsolidated glacial debris which can occur in currently glaciated and formerly glaciated regions, such as those areas acted upon by a past glacial maximum. This debris may have been plucked off a valley floor as a glacier advanced or it may have...
s of the less populated reaches of southern Onondaga County. About 3 miles (5 km) east of NY 175, US 20 is briefly joined by NY 174
New York State Route 174
New York State Route 174 is a state highway in Onondaga County, located in Central New York, United States. The highway is long and passes through mostly rural regions. Route 174 begins at an intersection with NY 41 in Borodino, a hamlet of Spafford...
, which goes to Otisco Lake
Otisco Lake
Otisco Lake is one of the minor Finger Lakes, located at the eastern end of the Finger Lake District, southwest of Syracuse, New York.Otisco Lake is approximately six miles long. The outflow enters first Onondaga Lake via Nine Mile Creek and then Lake Ontario via the Seneca and Oswego Rivers...
, the easternmost Finger Lake. The southward trend continues for another 6 miles (10 km) to an intersection with NY 80
New York State Route 80
New York State Route 80 is a west–east New York State Route located within Onondaga, Madison, Chenango, Otsego, Herkimer, and Montgomery Counties in New York. Its western terminus is located at a junction with NY 175 in the city of Syracuse in Onondaga County, from which it...
, a signed east–west route running north–south at this point. East of NY 80, it drops into the Onondaga Creek
Onondaga Creek
Onondaga Creek is a major tributary of Onondaga Lake which is located in Onondaga County, New York. The headwaters of the creek originate south of the city of Syracuse near the hamlet of Vesper, New York...
valley to connect to the northern terminus of NY 11A
New York State Route 11A
New York State Route 11A is a state highway in Onondaga County, New York, in the United States. As its numbering implies, NY 11A is a spur of U.S. Route 11. The southern terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 80 in Tully. Its northern terminus is at a junction...
4 miles (6 km) to the east before climbing the next ridge to LaFayette
LaFayette, New York
LaFayette is a town in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 4,833 at the 2000 census. The town is named after LaFayette, a national hero of both France and the United States....
, where it intersects I-81
Interstate 81 in New York
Interstate 81 is a part of the Interstate Highway System that runs from Dandridge, Tennessee, to the Canada – United States border at Wellesley Island in New York. In the U.S. state of New York, I-81 extends from the Pennsylvania state line southeast of Binghamton to the Canadian border...
at exit 15 and meets its paralleling surface route, US 11
U.S. Route 11 in New York
U.S. Route 11 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from New Orleans, Louisiana, to the Canadian border at Rouses Point, New York...
at junctions 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) apart. At this point, US 20 is 15 miles (24 km) south of the Thruway.
From LaFayette, it drops into another deep moraine, curving around an area known as Big Bend, prior to climbing back up 5 miles (8 km) towards the crest of the ridge at Pompey
Pompey, New York
Pompey is a town in the southeast part of Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 6,159 at the 2000 census. The town was named after the Roman general and political leader Pompey by a late 18th-century clerk interested in the Classics in the new federal republic.- History :The...
. Here, US 20 and NY 91
New York State Route 91
New York State Route 91 is a north–south state highway in Central New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is located at an intersection with NY 13 in the Cortland County town of Truxton. Its northern terminus is located at a junction with NY 173 in...
intersect at an elevation of 1700 feet (518 m) above sea level. After another 2 miles (3.2 km), the road drops down into the Limestone Creek valley and crosses into Madison County
Madison County, New York
Madison County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 73,442. It is named after James Madison, fourth President of the United States of America...
as it curves back up into higher ground. Another 2 miles (3.2 km) brings US 20 to the eastern terminus of NY 92
New York State Route 92
New York State Route 92 is a state highway located in central New York in the United States. The western terminus of the route is at an intersection with U.S. Route 11 in downtown Syracuse. Its eastern terminus is at a junction with US 20 west of the village of Cazenovia...
, the south end of Cazenovia Lake
Cazenovia Lake
Cazenovia Lake is a lake in New York, United States. It is located 20 miles from Syracuse, New York. Cazenovia, New York is located southeast of the lake. The lake is roughly 4 miles long and 0.5 mile wide...
and the village of Cazenovia
Cazenovia (village), New York
Cazenovia is a village located in the Town of Cazenovia in Madison County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village had a population of 2,614. The village lies on the southeast shore of Cazenovia Lake, which is approximately long and .5 miles across...
itself. Its main street is marked by a brief concurrency with NY 13
New York State Route 13
New York State Route 13 is a state highway that runs mainly north–south for between NY 14 in Horseheads and NY 3 west of Pulaski in Central New York in the United States. In between, NY 13 intersects with Interstate 81 in Cortland and Pulaski and meets the New York...
, a long, curving north–south route that comes from the cities of Ithaca
Ithaca, New York
The city of Ithaca, is a city in upstate New York and the county seat of Tompkins County, as well as the largest community in the Ithaca-Tompkins County metropolitan area...
and Cortland
Cortland, New York
Cortland is a city in Cortland County, New York, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a population of 18,740. It is the county seat of Cortland County.The City of Cortland, near the west border of the county, is surrounded by the Town of Cortlandville....
to the south.
East of Cazenovia, US 20 resumes its southward drift as it climbs into the high ground again and expands to four lanes, passing the small village of Morrisville
Morrisville, New York
Morrisville is a village in Madison County, New York, United States. The population was 2,148 at the 2000 census. The village is named after its founder, Thomas Morris.The Village of Morrisville in the northwest part of the Town of Eaton on US Route 20....
in the process. It descends from there to its next state highway, NY 46
New York State Route 46
New York State Route 46 is a state highway in Central New York, United States. It extends from NY 12B in the Madison County town of Eaton to NY 12D in the Oneida County village of Boonville. NY 46 passes through the cities of Oneida and Rome.-Madison County:NY 46 begins at...
, where it reverts to two lanes for a brief concurrency, after which NY 46 leaves for isolated Hamilton
Hamilton (village), New York
The Village of Hamilton is a village located within the town of Hamilton in Madison County, New York, USA.-Geography and climate:The village, located at , lies in the Chenango Valley, just south of the headwaters of the Chenango River. The village is approximately southeast of Syracuse and ...
. The southern trend reverses itself after this junction, with first NY 26
New York State Route 26
New York State Route 26 is a north–south state highway that runs for through Central New York in the United States. Its southern terminus is located at the Pennsylvania state line south of the town of Vestal in Broome County, where it becomes Pennsylvania Route 267...
and later NY 12B
New York State Route 12B
New York State Route 12B is a state highway in the central part of New York, United States. NY 12B is a north–south highway connecting Oneida County in the north to Chenango County in the south, passing through Madison County in between. The southern terminus of NY 12B is at...
joining US 20 to create another three-route overlap. This persists for three very straight miles until both leave to the north in the town of Madison
Madison (town), New York
Madison is a town in Madison County, New York, United States. The population was 2,801 at the 2000 census.The Town of Madison contains a village also named Madison. The town is on the eastern border of the county.- History :...
. After another 2 miles (3.2 km), the highway crosses into Oneida County
Oneida County, New York
Oneida County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 234,878. The county seat is Utica. The name is in honor of the Oneida, an Iroquoian tribe that formerly occupied the region....
.
The major intersection here is NY 12
New York State Route 12
New York State Route 12 is a state highway extending for through central and northern New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 11 in the town of Chenango in the Southern Tier. The northern terminus is at NY 37 near the village of...
, another long north–south route, 3 miles (5 km) into the county at Sangerfield
Sangerfield, New York
Sangerfield is a town in Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 2,610 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Jedediah Sanger, an early settler.The Town of Sangerfield is on the county's south border.-Geography:...
, 1 miles (1.6 km) south of Waterville
Waterville, New York
Waterville is a village in Oneida County, New York, United States. According to the 2000 census, its population was 1,721.-Geography:Waterville is located at ....
. From this intersection, US 20 takes the name Cherry Valley Turnpike from the historic road it follows towards Albany. US 20 climbs back into the high ground afterward and veers further southward to the next intersection with a major north–south highway, NY 8
New York State Route 8
New York State Route 8 is a state highway in the central part of New York in the United States. It runs in a southwest-to-northeast direction from the Southern Tier to the northern part of Lake George. The southern terminus of the route is at an interchange with NY 17 in the town of...
, at Bridgewater
Bridgewater (village), New York
Bridgewater is a village in Oneida County, New York, USA. The population was 579 at the 2000 census.The Village of Bridgewater is within the Town of Bridgewater at the junction of US Route 20 and Route 8.- History :...
. Like NY 12, it leads northward to the city of Utica
Utica, New York
Utica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
. After NY 8, the road crosses the headwaters of the Unadilla River
Unadilla River
The Unadilla River in New York State flows from south of Utica to the village of Sidney, where it flows into the Susquehanna River, which eventually empties into the Chesapeake Bay, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean....
into Otsego County
Otsego County, New York
Otsego County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. The 2010 population was 62,259. The county seat is Cooperstown. The name Otsego is from a Mohawk word meaning "place of the rock."-History:...
.
Central New York Region
US 20 enters Otsego County only for a mile with no intersections, then enters Herkimer CountyHerkimer County, New York
Herkimer County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. It was created in 1791 north of the Mohawk River out of part of Montgomery County. As of the 2010 census, the population was 64,519. It is named after General Nicholas Herkimer, who died from battle wounds in 1777 after taking part...
next to the point where Herkimer, Otsego, and Oneida counties converge. This brings it into the Central New York Region
Central New York Region
The Central New York Region is a term used by the New York State Department of Economic Development to broadly describe the central region of New York State for tourism purposes. The region roughly corresponds to the upper Susquehanna and Mohawk Valleys...
, where James Fenimore Cooper
James Fenimore Cooper
James Fenimore Cooper was a prolific and popular American writer of the early 19th century. He is best remembered as a novelist who wrote numerous sea-stories and the historical novels known as the Leatherstocking Tales, featuring frontiersman Natty Bumppo...
set his Leatherstocking Tales
Leatherstocking Tales
The Leatherstocking Tales is a series of novels by American writer James Fenimore Cooper, each featuring the main hero Natty Bumppo, known by European settlers as "Leatherstocking," 'The Pathfinder", and "the trapper" and by the Native Americans as "Deerslayer," "La Longue Carabine" and...
. This section of the highway keeps trending south as it skirts the northern edge of the Catskill Plateau
Catskill Mountains
The Catskill Mountains, an area in New York State northwest of New York City and southwest of Albany, are a mature dissected plateau, an uplifted region that was subsequently eroded into sharp relief. They are an eastward continuation, and the highest representation, of the Allegheny Plateau...
, offering scenic valley vistas to the south. To the north the land levels to the Mohawk Valley
Mohawk Valley
The Mohawk Valley region of the U.S. state of New York is the area surrounding the Mohawk River, sandwiched between the Adirondack Mountains and Catskill Mountains....
. Through much of this stretch the road expands to four lanes as the region's main east–west artery.
A half-mile into the new county, NY 51
New York State Route 51
New York State Route 51 is a state highway in the central part of New York state. The highway runs generally in a southwest to northeast direction from the hamlet of Mount Upton to the village of Ilion...
comes in from the south at West Winfield
West Winfield, New York
West Winfield is a village in the town of Winfield in Herkimer County, New York, United States. The population was 862 at the 2000 census. The village is indirectly named after General Winfield Scott, for whom the town is named...
. This overlap lasts for 3 miles (5 km) to Birmingham Corners, after which the highway re-enters Otsego County. Trending southeast in the town of Richfield
Richfield, New York
Richfield is a town located in Otsego County, New York, USA. As of the 2000 census, the town had a population of 2,423.The Town of Richfield is located at the northern border of the county.-History:...
, 6 miles (10 km) pass before NY 28
New York State Route 28
New York State Route 28 is a state highway extending for in the shape of a "C" between the Hudson Valley city of Kingston and southern Warren County in the U.S. state of New York. Along the way, it intersects several major routes, including Interstate 88 , U.S. Route 20 , and the...
briefly overlaps US 20 just west of Richfield Springs
Richfield Springs, New York
Richfield Springs is a village located in the Town of Richfield, on the north-central border of Otsego County, New York. The population was 1,255 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from some local sulfur springs....
, a popular local shopping destination, on its long curve across the state from the Catskills to the Adirondacks
Adirondack Mountains
The Adirondack Mountains are a mountain range located in the northeastern part of New York, that runs through Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Lewis, Saint Lawrence, Saratoga, Warren, and Washington counties....
. NY 167
New York State Route 167
New York State Route 167 is a north–south state highway located mostly within Herkimer County in eastern New York, United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an intersection with U.S. Route 20 in Richfield Springs, Otsego County. Its northern terminus is at a junction with...
begins a few blocks further east, and US 20 returns to Herkimer County 1 miles (1.6 km) beyond that, intersecting only county roads over the next several miles.
A mile after returning to Otsego County, NY 80 again intersects on its way from Cooperstown
Cooperstown, New York
Cooperstown is a village in Otsego County, New York, USA. It is located in the Town of Otsego. The population was estimated to be 1,852 at the 2010 census.The Village of Cooperstown is the county seat of Otsego County, New York...
and Otsego Lake to the south to Fort Plain
Fort Plain, New York
Fort Plain is a village in Montgomery County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 2,288. The village is named after a fort built during the American Revolution....
to the north. The next 7 miles (11 km) of US 20 swing around the north end of the east ridge of Cherry Valley into the town of that name
Cherry Valley (town), New York
Cherry Valley is a town in Otsego County, New York, USA. The population was 1,266 at the 2000 census.Within the Town of Cherry Valley is a village, also called Cherry Valley...
, where NY 166
New York State Route 166
New York State Route 166 is a north–south state highway in Otsego County, New York, United States. It extends for from NY 28 in the village of Milford to U.S. Route 20 north of the village of Cherry Valley. Much of NY 166's southern portion is near Cooperstown, and various...
leaves at a partial interchange to follow the valley south to Milford
Milford (village), New York
Milford is a village in Otsego County, New York, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the village had a population of 511.The Village of Milford is in the northeast part of the Town of Milford...
. After another swing around the valley's other ridge, US 20 crosses into Schoharie County
Schoharie County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 31,582 people, 11,991 households and 8,177 families residing in the county. The population density was 51 people per square mile . There were 15,915 housing units at an average density of 26 per square mile...
. About 2 miles (3.2 km) from the county line, the highway intersects another long north–south route, NY 10
New York State Route 10
New York State Route 10 is a north–south state highway in the Central New York and North Country regions of New York in the United States. It extends for from the Quickway in Deposit, Delaware County to NY 8 at Higgins Bay, a hamlet in the Hamilton County town of Arietta...
, south of Sharon Springs
Sharon Springs, New York
Sharon Springs is a village in Schoharie County, New York, United States. The population was 547 at the 2000 census. Its name derives from the hometown of the first Colonial settlers, Sharon, Connecticut, and the important springs in the village...
. US 20 proceeds for another 5 miles (8 km) to Sharon
Sharon, New York
Sharon is a town in Schoharie County, New York, United States. The population was 1,843 at the 2000 census. The town is named after a location in Connecticut, from where some early settlers came....
, where NY 145
New York State Route 145
New York State Route 145 is a state highway in eastern New York in the United States. The highway extends for from NY 23 in the Greene County town of Cairo to U.S. Route 20 in the Schoharie County town of Sharon. Along the way, NY 145 intersects NY 30 in Middleburgh and...
provides a route to Cobleskill
Cobleskill (village), New York
Cobleskill is a village in the western part of the town of Cobleskill in Schoharie County, New York, USA. The population was 4,533 at the 2000 census.The village is southwest of Amsterdam...
to the south. Shortly after this junction, US 20 straightens out and follows an almost due-east heading for 11 miles (18 km) to its intersection with NY 30A
New York State Route 30A
New York State Route 30A is a state highway in the Capital District of New York in the United States. It serves as a westerly alternate route of NY 30 from near the Schoharie County village of Schoharie to the Fulton County hamlet of Riceville, south of the village of Mayfield...
and the southern terminus of NY 162
New York State Route 162
New York State Route 162 is a state highway in eastern New York, United States. It runs from the hamlet of Sloansville within the town of Esperance, Schoharie County to the hamlet of Sprakers within the town of Root, Montgomery County, west of the village of Canajoharie...
at Sloansville. The route continues east to Esperance
Esperance (village), New York
Esperance is a village in Schoharie County, New York, USA. The population was 380 at the 2000 census. The village was given the French name for "hope."The Village of Esperance is in eastern part of the Town of Esperance...
, where it crosses Schoharie Creek
Schoharie Creek
Schoharie Creek in New York, USA flows north from the foot of Indian Head Mountain in the Catskill Mountains through the Schoharie Valley to the Mohawk River. It is twice impounded north of Prattsville to create New York City's Schoharie Reservoir and the Blenheim-Gilboa Power Project.Two notable...
to enter Schenectady County
Schenectady County, New York
Schenectady County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 154,727. It is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county seat is Schenectady. The name is from a Mohawk Indian word meaning "on the other side of the...
.
Capital District
The crossing of the Schoharie Creek brings US 20 into the first of three counties that make up the greater AlbanyCapital District
New York's Capital District, also known as the Capital Region, is a region in upstate New York that generally refers to the four counties surrounding Albany, the capital of the state: Albany County, Schenectady County, Rensselaer County, and Saratoga County...
area. Here, development along the road increases and the road itself is often four lanes. The region is divided by the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
, where US 20 begins its second-longest concurrency with US 9, the state's longest north–south US route.
West of Hudson and Albany
Just past the county line, another Catskills-to-Canada highway, NY 30New York State Route 30
New York State Route 30 is a state highway in the central part of New York in the United States. It extends for from an interchange with NY 17 in the Southern Tier to the Canadian border in the state's North Country, where it continues into Quebec as Route 138. On a regional level,...
, intersects with US 20. About 3 miles (5 km) beyond that is the northern terminus of short NY 395
New York State Route 395
New York State Route 395 is a state highway located within in the town of Duanesburg in Schenectady County, New York, in the United States. It connects NY 7 to U.S. Route 20 by way of the village of Delanson...
, which runs south to the ever-closer NY 7
New York State Route 7
New York State Route 7 is a 180-mile long New York State Highway that runs from the New York/Pennsylvania border south of Binghamton, New York to the New York/Vermont border east of Hoosick. Most of the road runs along the Susquehanna Valley, closely paralleling Interstate 88 throughout...
. US 20 veers closer to NY 7 before finally intersecting the highway 3 miles (5 km) from NY 395. Not far to the east is an interchange with I-88, NY 7's paralleling freeway between Binghamton
Binghamton, New York
Binghamton is a city in the Southern Tier of New York in the United States. It is near the Pennsylvania border, in a bowl-shaped valley at the confluence of the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers...
and Schenectady
Schenectady, New York
Schenectady is a city in Schenectady County, New York, United States, of which it is the county seat. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 66,135...
. Access to I-88 is via a shared access road from both routes due to the oblique angle of the intersection. From here the highway, now known as Western Turnpike, continues to trend to the south for another 4 miles (6 km) to the southern terminus of NY 406
New York State Route 406
New York State Route 406 is a state highway in Schenectady County, New York, United States. The western terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 20 in the town of Princetown. Its eastern terminus is at NY 158 in the town of Rotterdam. NY 406 is a two-lane highway and known as...
at the hamlet of Gifford. Shortly afterwards, US 20 enters Albany County
Albany County, New York
Albany County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York, and is part of the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area. The name is from the title of the Duke of York and Albany, who became James II of England . As of the 2010 census, the population was 304,204...
as the Helderberg Escarpment
Helderberg Escarpment
The Helderberg Escarpment is an escarpment in eastern New York, roughly west of the city of Albany....
looms to the south.
It stays straight to its first major intersection, the northern terminus of NY 397
New York State Route 397
New York State Route 397 is a short state highway in New York, running from the village of Altamont to the hamlet of Dunnsville within the town of Guilderland, in Albany County. NY 397 is a two-lane highway its entire length....
a mile later, which is followed 2 miles (3.2 km) later by a junction with NY 158
New York State Route 158
New York State Route 158 is a state highway in New York, running from near the Albany County village of Altamont to the Schenectady County town of Rotterdam, just outside Schenectady...
just east of Watervliet Reservoir. After another 1.5 miles (2.4 km), CSX's main line
Main 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....
crosses over the highway again. Development begins to pick up where NY 146
New York State Route 146
New York State Route 146 is a state highway in the Capital District of New York in the United States. It extends for from Gallupville at NY 443 to near Mechanicville at U.S. Route 4 and NY 32. NY 146 is a major thoroughfare in the city of Schenectady, just outside of...
comes in from the north for a short overlap that ends at Hartmans Corners and Tawasentha Park. The road reaches the Albany suburbs two miles (3 km) to the east, where NY 155
New York State Route 155
New York State Route 155 is a 17-mile long state highway located entirely within Albany County in the Capital District of New York. The western terminus of the route is at NY 85A in Voorheesville...
intersects US 20 in Westmere
Westmere, New York
Westmere is a hamlet in the town of Guilderland, Albany County, New York. Since the 1970 Census a census-designated place has been established with the name of Westmere for tabulating the population of what the census has defined as the boundaries for Westmere. The population was 7,284 at the 2010...
. Just beyond the community is Crossgates Mall
Crossgates Mall
Crossgates Mall is a shopping mall located in Albany, New York, United States, not far from Schenectady. The mall opened on March 4, 1984, and in October 1994 underwent a large expansion that nearly doubled its size. It now has a gross leasable area of with two floors including 250 shops and...
, a major Albany-area destination. Immediately east of the mall is US 20's first crossing of the Thruway, now I-87
Interstate 87
Interstate 87 is a Interstate Highway located entirely within New York State in the United States of America. I-87 is the longest intrastate Interstate highway in the Interstate Highway System. Its southern end is at the Bronx approaches of the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge in New York City...
, since the southern Buffalo suburbs, and the southern end of Fuller Road Alternate, an extension of the Adirondack Northway, in an area known as McKownville
McKownville, New York
McKownville is a hamlet in the town of Guilderland, Albany County, New York. It lies along the eastern border of the town with the city of Albany. McKownville is a heavily developed suburb of Albany and is home to many strip malls, shopping centers, and a portion of the University at Albany, SUNY...
.
A half-mile later, the busy four-lane route passes the south side of the State University of New York at Albany
University at Albany, SUNY
The State University of New York at Albany, also known as University at Albany, State University of New York, SUNY Albany or simply UAlbany, is a public university located in Albany, Guilderland, and East Greenbush, New York, United States; is the senior campus of the State University of New York ...
's highly modernistic
Modern architecture
Modern architecture is generally characterized by simplification of form and creation of ornament from the structure and theme of the building. It is a term applied to an overarching movement, with its exact definition and scope varying widely...
campus. It continues into the city of Albany itself as Western Avenue. Commercial developments line both sides of US 20 to the interchange with NY 85
New York State Route 85
New York State Route 85 is a state highway in Albany County, New York, in the United States. It is long and runs from County Route 351 and CR 353 in Rensselaerville to Interstate 90 exit 4 in Albany. It also has a loop route, NY 85A, which connects NY 85 to...
, a truncated freeway that connects to US 20 via the adjacent Dayton and Ormond streets. The neighborhoods around the road become primarily residential at this point. Roughly 1 miles (1.6 km) from NY 85, US 20 forks right onto Madison Avenue and passes the The College of Saint Rose
The College of Saint Rose
The College of Saint Rose is a private, independent, coeducational college in Albany, New York, founded in 1920 by the Sisters of Saint Joseph. The College enrolls a total of approximately 5,000 students ....
.
After Washington Park on the north side, downtown Albany draws nearer, with Erastus Corning Tower
Erastus Corning Tower
The Erastus Corning Tower, also known as the Mayor Erastus Corning 2nd Tower or simply the Corning Tower, is a skyscraper located in downtown Albany, New York. Completed in 1966 and sided with Vermont Pearl marble and glass, the state office building is part of the Empire State Plaza...
, the tallest building in the state outside of New York City, rising ahead. US 9W
U.S. Route 9W
U.S. Route 9W is a north–south U.S. Highway in the states of New Jersey and New York. It begins on Fletcher Avenue in Fort Lee, New Jersey as it crosses the US 1 & 9, US 46, and the Interstate 95 approaches to the George Washington Bridge, where it heads north up the west...
crosses Madison from Delaware Avenue to Lark Street
Lark Street
Lark Street is a historic street in Albany, New York. It is part of the "Arbor Hill, "Center Square", "Park South", and "Hudson/Park" neighborhoods, and is located one block east of Washington Park. Lark Street is home to many independently owned shops, coffee houses, restaurants, art galleries,...
, with its concurrent NY 443
New York State Route 443
New York State Route 443 is an east–west state highway in the Capital District of New York in the United States. The route begins at an intersection with NY 30 in the town of Schoharie and ends later at a junction with U.S. Route 9W and US 20 in the city of Albany...
terminating on the southern side of the intersection where Delaware ends at Madison. Shortly afterward, US 20 runs along the south side of Empire State Plaza
Empire State Plaza
The Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller Empire State Plaza is a complex of several state government buildings in downtown Albany, New York....
, the modern complex that houses the offices of state legislators and many executive branch agencies. A few blocks further is South Pearl Street, also NY 32
New York State Route 32
New York State Route 32 is a north–south state highway that extends for through the Hudson Valley and Capital District regions of the U.S. state of New York. It is a two-lane surface road for nearly its entire length, with few divided and no limited-access sections. From Harriman to Albany,...
, a long route from the lower Hudson Valley to Glens Falls
Glens Falls, New York
Glens Falls is a city in Warren County, New York, United States. Glens Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 14,700 at the 2010 census...
. US 20 follows two blocks of South Pearl Street and NY 32 to reach an interchange with the South Mall Arterial
South Mall Arterial
The South Mall Arterial is a short expressway built in the early 1960's in Albany, New York, United States. It runs west from the interchange between Interstate 787, U.S. Route 9, and U.S. Route 20, at the west end of the Dunn Memorial Bridge, and runs under the Empire State Plaza...
. US 20 leaves NY 32 here, following an eastern extension of the arterial to the complex interchange connecting I-787
Interstate 787
Interstate 787 is an auxiliary Interstate Highway in the U.S. state of New York. I-787 is the main highway for those traveling into and out of downtown Albany. The southern terminus is at the Interstate 87/New York State Thruway exit 23 toll plaza southwest of downtown Albany...
with US 9 and US 20. US 9 joins US 20 amidst the junction, and both routes crosses the Hudson via the Dunn Memorial Bridge
Dunn Memorial Bridge
The Dunn Memorial Bridge, officially known as the Private Parker F. Dunn Memorial Bridge, carries US 9 and US 20 across the Hudson River between Albany, New York and Rensselaer, New York. Completed in 1967 to replace an earlier span bearing the same name, the highway bridge has a steel girder...
, the southernmost free crossing of the Hudson.
East of Hudson: Route 9 and the Berkshires
At the east end of the bridge, Routes 9 and 20, now in the cityRensselaer, New York
Rensselaer is a city in Rensselaer County, New York, United States, and is located on the Hudson River directly opposite Albany. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 9,392; in 1920, it was 10,832. The name is from Kiliaen van Rensselaer, the original landowner of the region in New...
and county
Rensselaer County, New York
Rensselaer County is a county in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 159,429. Its name is in honor of the family of Kiliaen van Rensselaer, the original Dutch owner of the land in the area. Its county seat is Troy...
of Rensselaer, follow the offramps past the stubs built for the canceled South Mall Expressway and assume a southeastern course along a busy four-lane strip containing a center turn lane. Near the city limit, NY 9J
New York State Route 9J
New York State Route 9J is a state highway in the Hudson Valley region of New York, United States, located in Columbia and Rensselaer counties...
leaves to the south to follow the river's east bank down to Stockport
Stockport, New York
Stockport is a town in Columbia County, New York, United States. The population was 2,933 at the 2000 census.The Town of Stockport is in the northwest part of the county.- History :The region was settled around 1657....
. The road subsequently goes up a hill with a panoramic view of the Albany skyline behind it and proceeds into the town of East Greenbush, where NY 151
New York State Route 151
New York State Route 151 is an state highway located in Rensselaer County, New York, in the United States. Its western terminus is at an interchange with U.S. Route 9 and US 20 in Rensselaer, and its eastern terminus is at a junction with NY 150 in Shivers Corners, a hamlet...
heads off to the northeast. After 2 miles (3.2 km) with heavy commercial development on either side of the road, US 4
U.S. Route 4 in New York
U.S. Route 4 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from East Greenbush, New York, to Portsmouth, New Hampshire. In the U.S. state of New York, US 4 extends from an intersection with US 9 and US 20 in East Greenbush to the Vermont state line northeast of Whitehall...
begins and leaves to the north at a busy intersection. The center of town
East Greenbush (CDP), New York
East Greenbush is a census-designated place in Rensselaer County, New York, United States. The population was 4,085 at the 2000 census.East Greenbush is mostly within the south part of the town of East Greenbush, but a small section of the community extends southward into the town of Schodack.U.S....
follows, after which the concurrency enters Schodack
Schodack, New York
Schodack is a town in Rensselaer County, New York, United States. The population was 12,536 at the 2000 census. The town name is derived from the native word, Escotak. The town is in the southwestern part of the county. Schodack is southeast of Albany, New York.- History :Prior to the advent of...
.
In Schodack, development along the road begins to ease as the center turn lane gives way to a double yellow line. At Schodack Center, located 4 miles (6 km) from East Greenbush, I-90 and US 20 meet again for the first time in 300 miles (483 km). Just after the interchange, NY 150
New York State Route 150
New York State Route 150 is a north–south state highway in Rensselaer County, New York, United States. The southern terminus of the route is at NY 9J in Castleton-on-Hudson...
comes to its southern end and Routes 9 and 20 split at junctions less than 0.5 mile (0.80467 km) apart. While US 9 heads south for Poughkeepsie and the city of New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, US 20 reverts to two lanes and maintains its southeastern course for another 2 miles (3.2 km) before turns more to the east for another two miles. In Nassau
Nassau (village), New York
Nassau is a village located in the Town of Nassau in Rensselaer County, New York, USA. The population was 1,161 at the 2000 census.The Village of Nassau is in the south part of the county in the Town of Nassau...
, it connects to the north end of NY 203
New York State Route 203
New York State Route 203 is a state highway in the Capital District of New York in the United States. It begins at an intersection with NY 22 in the Columbia County hamlet of Austerlitz and ends at a junction with US 20 in the Rensselaer County village of Nassau. NY 203 was...
. East of the village, the terrain becomes hillier, indicating that Route 20 has reached the edge of The Berkshires
The Berkshires
The Berkshires , is a highland geologic region located in the western parts of Massachusetts and Connecticut.Also referred to as the Berkshire Hills, Berkshire Mountains, and Berkshire Plateau, the region enjoys a vibrant tourism industry based on music, arts, and recreation.-Definition:The term...
.
About 2 miles (3.2 km) outside of the village of Nassau, NY 66
New York State Route 66
New York State Route 66 is a state highway in the Capital District of New York in the United States. The route begins at an intersection with NY 23B in the Columbia County city of Hudson and ends at a junction with NY 2 in the Rensselaer County city of Troy...
joins the road. This overlap ends just before the Columbia County
Columbia County, New York
Columbia County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 63,096. The county seat is Hudson. The name comes from the Latin feminine form of the name of Christopher Columbus, which was at the time of the formation of the county a popular proposal...
line, with NY 66 following a southerly course towards Chatham
Chatham (village), New York
Chatham is a village in Columbia County, New York, USA. The population was 1,770 at the 2010 census.The Village of Chatham is in the Town of Chatham and the Town of Ghent. The village is at the junction of Routes 66 and 203.-History:...
. US 20, meanwhile follows Kinderhook Creek
Kinderhook Creek
Kinderhook Creek is a tributary to Stockport Creek, an inlet of the Hudson River in the United States. From its source in Hancock, Massachusetts, the creek runs southwest through the Taconic Mountains into Rensselaer County, New York, and then into Columbia County...
and Wyomanock Creek, through narrow, wooded valleys to New Lebanon
New Lebanon, New York
New Lebanon is a town in Columbia County, New York, U.S., southeast of Albany. In 1910, 1,378 people lived in New Lebanon, New York. The population was 2,454 at the 2000 census.The town of New Lebanon is in the northeast part of Columbia County...
, passing the Mount Lebanon Shaker Society
Mount Lebanon Shaker Society
Mount Lebanon Shaker Society, also known as New Lebanon Shaker Society, was a communal settlement of Shakers in New Lebanon, New York. The early Shaker Ministry, including Joseph Meacham and Lucy Wright, the architects of Shakers' gender-balanced government, lived there.Isaac N. Youngs, the...
, a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
as the second-oldest Shaker settlement in the country. In the center of this small town, US 20 meets NY 22
New York State Route 22
New York State Route 22 is a north–south state highway in eastern New York in the United States. It runs parallel to the state's eastern edge from the outskirts of New York City to a short distance south of the Canadian border. At , it is the state's longest north–south route and...
, the longest north–south route in the state, and the two form a 1 miles (1.6 km) overlap, US 20's last concurrency in New York. After the split, US 20 makes a wide turn and heads almost south up a mountainside, climbing into Massachusetts near Pittsfield State Forest a mile later.
Origins
The road from AlbanyAlbany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
heading west was first constructed as a toll road or turnpike
Toll road
A toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
at the end of the 18th century. The First Great Western Turnpike Corporation was chartered in 1799 to build a road from Albany, the capital of New York, to the Revolutionary War frontier town of Cherry Valley
Cherry Valley (village), New York
Cherry Valley is a village in Otsego County, New York, United States. The population was 592 at the 2000 census.The Village of Cherry Valley is in the Town of Cherry Valley...
. In 1803, a second corporation, the Third Great Western Turnpike, was chartered to further extend the road to Cazenovia
Cazenovia (village), New York
Cazenovia is a village located in the Town of Cazenovia in Madison County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village had a population of 2,614. The village lies on the southeast shore of Cazenovia Lake, which is approximately long and .5 miles across...
. The Third Great Western Turnpike was completed as planned by 1811 and was heavily used by people trying to establish new settlements in central New York. The two turnpikes, collectively known as the Cherry Valley Turnpike, became a stagecoach route in 1816. The Cherry Valley Turnpike name was also later applied to an untolled extension of the road west to Skaneateles
Skaneateles (village), New York
Skaneateles is a village in the town of Skaneateles, Onondaga County, New York, United States. The village is named from and located on the shores of Skaneateles Lake, one of the Finger Lakes. The village, as of the 2000 census, has a population of 2,616 residents. The main highway through the...
.
The establishment 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...
and the Utica and Schenectady Railroad slowly ate away at the revenues of the Cherry Valley Turnpike. The turnpike stopped being a toll road in 1857. A similar turnpike east of the Hudson River
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
, connecting Rensselaer
Rensselaer, New York
Rensselaer is a city in Rensselaer County, New York, United States, and is located on the Hudson River directly opposite Albany. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 9,392; in 1920, it was 10,832. The name is from Kiliaen van Rensselaer, the original landowner of the region in New...
to the Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
state line was also established in 1799 as the Rensselaer and Columbia Turnpike. This turnpike remained in operation as late as 1896, but it eventually folded around the turn of the 20th century. The state took over the maintenance of highways at the beginning of the 20th century and began paving many roads across the state. In 1908, the legislature created a statewide system of unsigned legislative route
Legislative route
In United States, a legislative route or legislative highway is a highway defined by laws passed in a state legislature. The numbering of such highways may or may not correspond to the numbers familiar to the public as part of the state, U.S. highway, and Interstate highway systems...
s that used these new state highways and other, yet-to-be improved roads.
Early designations
Several parts of the former Cherry Valley and Rensselaer and Columbia Turnpikes were included in the new route system. East of the Hudson River, the Rensselaer and Columbia Turnpike became part of Route 1 from Schodack CenterSchodack Center, New York
Schodack Center is a hamlet in the town of Schodack, Rensselaer County, New York, United States. Schodack Center is located at the junction of Interstate 90, U.S. Route 20, and U.S. Route 9....
to Rensselaer and part of Route 21 from Nassau
Nassau (village), New York
Nassau is a village located in the Town of Nassau in Rensselaer County, New York, USA. The population was 1,161 at the 2000 census.The Village of Nassau is in the south part of the county in the Town of Nassau...
east to the Massachusetts state line. West of Albany, the Cherry Valley Turnpike was designated as part of Route 9 from Cazenovia to Bouckville and as part of Route 8 from there to a point south of Oriskany Falls
Oriskany Falls, New York
Oriskany Falls is a village in Oneida County, New York in the United States. The population was 698 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from a waterfall on a nearby stream....
. Another section, from Bridgewater
Bridgewater (village), New York
Bridgewater is a village in Oneida County, New York, USA. The population was 579 at the 2000 census.The Village of Bridgewater is within the Town of Bridgewater at the junction of US Route 20 and Route 8.- History :...
to East Winfield, was included in Route 23. In 1912, the segment of the turnpike between Sharon
Sharon, New York
Sharon is a town in Schoharie County, New York, United States. The population was 1,843 at the 2000 census. The town is named after a location in Connecticut, from where some early settlers came....
and Sharon Springs
Sharon Springs, New York
Sharon Springs is a village in Schoharie County, New York, United States. The population was 547 at the 2000 census. Its name derives from the hometown of the first Colonial settlers, Sharon, Connecticut, and the important springs in the village...
became part of the new Route 38-a.
Farther west, Route 6 and Route 18 were assigned in 1908 to two major east–west roads connecting 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...
to Albany and the Pennsylvania state line, respectively. West of modern-day Utica
Utica, New York
Utica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
, Route 6 followed the old Genesee Road, a highway that passed through Auburn
Auburn, New York
Auburn is a city in Cayuga County, New York, United States of America. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 27,687...
, Geneva, Avon
Avon (village), New York
Avon is a village in Livingston County, New York, USA. The population was 2,977 at the 2000 census. The village is named after the River Avon. ....
, and 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...
on its way to Buffalo. The easternmost leg of Route 6 in Guilderland
Guilderland, New York
Guilderland is a town in Albany County, New York, United States. In the 2010 census, the town had a population of 35,303. The town is named for the Gelderland province in the Netherlands....
and Albany used a portion of the Cherry Valley Turnpike. Route 18, meanwhile, utilized a series of highways that ran either along or slightly inland from Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
. All of Route 18 and most of Route 6—including all of the route west of Auburn—later became part of the Yellowstone Trail
Yellowstone Trail
The Yellowstone Trail was the first transcontinental automobile highway through the upper tier of states in the United States. It ran from Massachusetts to Seattle. It was conceived by J.W. Parmley of Ipswich, South Dakota in 1912. Originally, Parmley and his business colleagues wanted a good road...
, an early cross-country auto trail
Auto trail
The system of auto trails was an informal network of marked routes that existed in the United States and Canada in the early part of the 20th century. Marked with colored bands on telephone poles, the trails were intended to help travellers in the early days of the automobile.Auto trails were...
established in 1912. East of Albany, the trail utilized the old Rensselaer and Columbia Turnpike.
On March 1, 1921, the legislature redefined the legislative route system, altering or removing several routes and adding others. Routes 6 and 18 were left virtually unchanged, as was the portion of Route 1 north of Schodack Center. Route 21, however, was altered to follow modern NY 66
New York State Route 66
New York State Route 66 is a state highway in the Capital District of New York in the United States. The route begins at an intersection with NY 23B in the Columbia County city of Hudson and ends at a junction with NY 2 in the Rensselaer County city of Troy...
between Averill Park
Averill Park, New York
Averill Park is a hamlet in Rensselaer County, New York, United States. The population was 1,517 at the 2000 census....
and East Nassau. In the Central New York Region
Central New York Region
The Central New York Region is a term used by the New York State Department of Economic Development to broadly describe the central region of New York State for tourism purposes. The region roughly corresponds to the upper Susquehanna and Mohawk Valleys...
, Route 38-a was redesignated as Route 39 and extended west along the Cherry Valley Turnpike to meet Route 8 near Oriskany Falls. From Bridgewater to Oriskany Falls, Route 39 overlapped with Route 23. The legislative route system remained New York's primary route numbering system until the mid-1920s.
Assignment
Highways were first publicly numbered in New York in 1924. One of the handful of routes assigned at this time was 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...
, a cross-state route that extended from the Pennsylvania line in the west to the Massachusetts line in the east. From Auburn west, it initially utilized all of legislative Route 18 and the portion of Route 6 east of Avon. In between Buffalo and Avon, NY 5 used a linear, previously unnumbered east–west road to the south that bypassed the communities along Route 6. Continuing east from Auburn, NY 5 followed the Cherry Valley Turnpike (partially Routes 6, 8, 9, 23, and 39) to Albany and the Rensselaer and Columbia Turnpike (partially Routes 1 and 21) to Massachusetts.
One or two years later, however, the portion of NY 5 from Buffalo to Albany was shifted north to its modern alignment—mostly old legislative Route 6—and the former, more southerly route was designated as NY 7. Around the same time, a parallel route to the south, from Buffalo through East Aurora
East Aurora, New York
East Aurora is a village in Erie County, New York, United States, southeast of Buffalo. The Village of East Aurora lies in the eastern half of the Town of Aurora.The population was 6,673 at the 2000 census...
and Geneseo to near Avon, was designated as NY 35. NY 7 and NY 35 were both short-lived designations as US 20 was assigned on November 11, 1926, as part of the establishment of the U.S. Highway System. When the U.S. Highway was first posted in New York in 1927, it was assigned to then-NY 5 from the Pennsylvania line to near Hamburg
Hamburg (village), New York
Hamburg is a village in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 10,116 at the 2000 census. The village is reportedly named after Hamburg, a city in Germany...
, a previously unnumbered but state-maintained highway between Hamburg and East Aurora, NY 35 from East Aurora to Geneseo, NY 7 between Skaneateles and Albany, and NY 5 from Albany to the Massachusetts line. US 20 overlapped with NY 5 between Avon and Skaneateles. The old NY 7 from Buffalo to Avon was renumbered to NY 35
New York State Route 35 (1927 – early 1940s)
New York State Route 35 was a state highway in the Finger Lakes region of New York, United States. The western terminus of the route was at NY 36 in the hamlet of Mumford within the town of Wheatland. Its eastern terminus was at U.S. Route 104 in the hamlet of Ontario Center within...
.
Realignments
In the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York, an alternate route of US 20 between IrvingIrving, New York
Irving is a hamlet located in Chautauqua County, New York, USA. It is located near the east town line and the eastern county line in the Town of Hanover. US Route 20 and New York State Route 5 pass through the hamlet, which is also next to Cattaraugus Creek; New York State Route 438 terminates just...
and Hamburg became NY 20B. While US 20 ran along the shore of Lake Erie between the two locations, NY 20B followed a more inland alignment that took it east of Angola
Angola, New York
Angola is a village in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 2,266 at the 2000 census. The name is reportedly derived from the South-central African country of Angola...
. Ca. 1932, US 20 was realigned to follow NY 20B between the two locations. The former lakeside routing of US 20 became part of an extended NY 5. Around the same time, the portion of Southwestern Boulevard between US 20 and 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...
(now NY 187
New York State Route 187
New York State Route 187 is a short state highway located entirely in Erie County, New York, United States. It serves as the southern end of the busy Transit Road in the town of Elma. Its southern terminus is at Quaker Road and its northern terminus at US 20 where that highway becomes...
) in the towns of Hamburg
Hamburg (town), New York
Hamburg is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 56,259.The Town of Hamburg is on the western border of the county and is south of Buffalo, New York. Hamburg is one of the "Southtowns" in Erie County...
and Orchard Park
Orchard Park (town), New York
Orchard Park is a town in Erie County, New York, a suburb southeast of Buffalo, New York. According to the 2010 census, the population is 29,054. This represents an increase of 5.13% from the 2000 census figure. The town contains a village also named Orchard Park. Orchard Park is one of the...
was designated as part of NY 18C. This segment of NY 18C was renumbered to NY 278 ca. 1935. Farther east, US 20 was realigned ca. 1931 to pass through Lakeville on its way from Geneseo to East Avon.
The most substantial realignment in US 20's New York history occurred ca. 1938 when it was shifted north onto its current alignment between Hamburg and East Avon, replacing NY 278 and NY 35. Most of the previous route via East Aurora and Geneseo initially became NY 20A; however, that route was partially redesignated as US 20A
U.S. Route 20A (New York)
U.S. Route 20A is an east–west alternate route of US 20 that extends for across the western portion of New York in the United States. It leaves US 20 in Hamburg, a suburb of Buffalo, and rejoins it in East Bloomfield about five miles west of Canandaigua, the county seat of...
by the following year. In the mid-1950s, a new four-lane roadway, Eastern Boulevard, was built north of Lake Shore Drive between South Main Street in Canandaigua
Canandaigua (city), New York
Canandaigua is a city in Ontario County, New York, USA, of which it is the county seat. The population was 11,264 at the 2000 census...
and the modern-day intersection of Lake Shore and Eastern Boulevard in Hopewell
Hopewell, New York
Hopewell is a town in Ontario County, New York, United States. The population was 3,346 at the 2000 census.The Town of Hopewell is in the north central part of the county, east of the City of Canandaigua.-History:...
. US 20 and NY 5 were moved from Lake Shore Drive to the new highway upon completion. The remainder of the bypass around the southwestern extents of the city was built in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
In Canandaigua, the former routing of US 20 on South Main Street remains state maintained as NY 942T; until 1996, the portion of West Avenue between the west end of the bypass and the Canandaigua city line (also old US 20) was also maintained by NYSDOT
New York State Department of Transportation
The New York State Department of Transportation is responsible for the development and operation of highways, railroads, mass transit systems, ports, waterways and aviation facilities in the U.S...
as NY 942W. Even though maintenance of the road was transferred to the town of Canandaigua
Canandaigua (town), New York
Canandaigua is a town in Ontario County, New York, USA. The population was 7,649 at the 2000 census. The name is a native word for "the chosen spot" or "the chosen place."...
on September 1, 1996, the designation remained in NYSDOT documents until 2007. In Hamburg, the section of old US 20 between Athol Springs and Big Tree
Big Tree, New York
Big Tree, New York is an unincorporated hamlet in the town of Hamburg in Erie County, New York, USA.-References:...
that did not become part of NY 5 ca. 1932 is now CR 576 from NY 5 to Bayview Road and NY 951E, an unsigned reference route, from US 62 to US 20A.
In Geneva, US 20 was initially routed on East North Street and Border City Road, overlapping 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...
through the city and rejoining its modern routing in East Geneva. The overlap was eliminated ca. 1931 when US 20 was moved onto a new roadway located along the edge of Seneca Lake. US 20 was realigned again in the 1960s to use a new divided highway
Divided Highway
Divided Highway is a compilation album by American rock band The Doobie Brothers, released in 2003. . All tracks are taken from the albums Cycles and Brotherhood .-Track listing:...
built midway between the lake shore road and Border City Road. Border City Road is now maintained by Seneca County as CR 110.
Construction and legacy
While most of US 20 was constructed in the early 20th century as part of the legislative route system, many sections of the highway were left unimproved or unbuilt until well into the 1930s. Two substantial sections of the route—from AlexanderAlexander (village), New York
Alexander is a village in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 481 at the 2000 census. The village is named after early settler, Alexander Rea.The village of Alexander is within the Town of Alexander...
(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...
) to Avon and from Auburn to Cazenovia—were unimproved or unbuilt as late as 1926. The portion from Auburn to Skaneateles was brought up to state highway standards ca. 1930 while the section connecting LaFayette
LaFayette, New York
LaFayette is a town in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 4,833 at the 2000 census. The town is named after LaFayette, a national hero of both France and the United States....
(US 11
U.S. Route 11 in New York
U.S. Route 11 is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from New Orleans, Louisiana, to the Canadian border at Rouses Point, New York...
) to Pompey
Pompey, New York
Pompey is a town in the southeast part of Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 6,159 at the 2000 census. The town was named after the Roman general and political leader Pompey by a late 18th-century clerk interested in the Classics in the new federal republic.- History :The...
(NY 91
New York State Route 91
New York State Route 91 is a north–south state highway in Central New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is located at an intersection with NY 13 in the Cortland County town of Truxton. Its northern terminus is located at a junction with NY 173 in...
) was built by the following year. The last section of the Skaneateles–Cazenovia segment to open was the piece between Pompey and Cazenovia, which opened to traffic in mid-September 1934. Meanwhile, the highway was brought up to standards from Alexander to Bethany
Bethany, New York
Bethany is a town in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 1,760 at the 2000 census.The Town of Bethany lies on the south border of Genesee County...
ca. 1934, from Bethany to Pavilion
Pavilion, New York
Pavilion is a town in Genesee County, New York, United States. The population was 2,467 at the 2000 census. The town was named after a hotel in Saratoga, New York by an early resident.The Town of Pavilion is in the southeast corner of Genesee County...
(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...
) ca. 1935, between Pavilion and 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...
ca. 1936, and from NY 36 to Avon ca. 1937.
The now-complete US 20 was the major thoroughfare across New York for several decades. During the early days, there were no motels around and only major cities—such as Auburn and Albany—had hotels. Around the late 1940s, automobiles became much more reliable and US 20 grew into a strong touring road. The road was one of the most traveled up until 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...
was created in the 1950s. Much of traffic and progress along US 20 were halted as a result. The 372 miles (599 km) US 20 is lined with historical places, including Sharon Springs
Sharon Springs, New York
Sharon Springs is a village in Schoharie County, New York, United States. The population was 547 at the 2000 census. Its name derives from the hometown of the first Colonial settlers, Sharon, Connecticut, and the important springs in the village...
, Cherry Valley
Cherry Valley (village), New York
Cherry Valley is a village in Otsego County, New York, United States. The population was 592 at the 2000 census.The Village of Cherry Valley is in the Town of Cherry Valley...
, Bouckville, Cazenovia, Skaneateles, Auburn, Geneva and East Aurora. The length of US 20 from LaFayette to Duanesburg
Duanesburg, New York
Duanesburg is a town in Schenectady County, New York, USA. The population was 5,808 at the 2000 census. Duanesburg is named for James Duane, who held most of it as an original land grant. The town is in the western part of the county.-History:...
was designated as a 108 miles (174 km) New York State Scenic Byway on August 10, 2005.
Suffixed routes
US 20 has had seven suffixed routes in New York; one U.S. Route (US 20A) and six New York state routes. All six state routes have been removed or redesignated; US 20A, however, still exists.- US 20AU.S. Route 20A (New York)U.S. Route 20A is an east–west alternate route of US 20 that extends for across the western portion of New York in the United States. It leaves US 20 in Hamburg, a suburb of Buffalo, and rejoins it in East Bloomfield about five miles west of Canandaigua, the county seat of...
(83.59 miles or 134.52 km) is an alternate route of US 20 between HamburgHamburg (town), New YorkHamburg is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 56,259.The Town of Hamburg is on the western border of the county and is south of Buffalo, New York. Hamburg is one of the "Southtowns" in Erie County...
, Erie CountyErie County, New YorkErie 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...
, and East BloomfieldEast Bloomfield, New YorkEast Bloomfield is a town in Ontario County, New York, United States. The population was 3,361 at the 2000 census.The Town of East Bloomfield is in the western part of the county, south of Rochester, NY.- History :...
, Ontario CountyOntario County, New YorkAs of the census of 2000, there were 100,224 people, 38,370 households, and 26,360 families residing in the county. The population density was 156 people per square mile . There were 42,647 housing units at an average density of 66 per square mile...
. It was assigned ca. 1939. - The NY 20A designation has been used for two distinct highways:
- The first NY 20A was an alternate route of US 20 between the PennsylvaniaPennsylvaniaThe Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
state line at RipleyRipley, New YorkRipley is a town on Lake Erie in the westernmost part of Chautauqua County, New York, USA. The population was 2,636 at the 2000 census. The town was named after General Eleazer Wheelock Ripley. There are no incorporated villages in the town, but there is one CDP: Ripley.- History :Ripley was...
and Silver CreekSilver Creek, New York- Demographics :At the 2010 census there were 2,656 people, 1,048 households and 718 families residing in the village. The population density was 2,213.3 people per square mile . There were 1,174 housing units, with an average density of 978.3 per square mile...
in Chautauqua CountyChautauqua 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...
. It was assigned as part of the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York and supplanted by NY 5New York State Route 5New 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...
ca. 1932. - The second NY 20A was a short-lived alternate route of US 20 between Hamburg and AvonAvon (village), New YorkAvon is a village in Livingston County, New York, USA. The population was 2,977 at the 2000 census. The village is named after the River Avon. ....
. It was assigned ca. 1938 and largely replaced by US 20A by the following year.
- The first NY 20A was an alternate route of US 20 between the Pennsylvania
- NY 20B was an alternate route of US 20 between IrvingIrving, New YorkIrving is a hamlet located in Chautauqua County, New York, USA. It is located near the east town line and the eastern county line in the Town of Hanover. US Route 20 and New York State Route 5 pass through the hamlet, which is also next to Cattaraugus Creek; New York State Route 438 terminates just...
and Orchard ParkOrchard Park (town), New YorkOrchard Park is a town in Erie County, New York, a suburb southeast of Buffalo, New York. According to the 2010 census, the population is 29,054. This represents an increase of 5.13% from the 2000 census figure. The town contains a village also named Orchard Park. Orchard Park is one of the...
in Erie County. It was assigned as part of the 1930 renumbering and supplanted by a realigned US 20 ca. 1932. - NY 20C was a loop route connecting US 20 to the then-village of HolcombHolcomb, New YorkHolcomb was a village located on New York State Route 444 in the Town of East Bloomfield. In 1990, the village merged with the neighboring village of East Bloomfield to create a single village named Bloomfield...
(now part of BloomfieldBloomfield, New YorkBloomfield is a village in Ontario County, New York, United States. The population was 1,267 at the 2000 census.The Village of Bloomfield is in the Town of East Bloomfield and is west of Canandaigua, NY.- History :...
) in Ontario CountyOntario County, New YorkAs of the census of 2000, there were 100,224 people, 38,370 households, and 26,360 families residing in the county. The population density was 156 people per square mile . There were 42,647 housing units at an average density of 66 per square mile...
. The route was assigned ca. 1931 and partially replaced by NY 444New York State Route 444New York State Route 444 is a north–south state highway in Ontario County, New York, in the United States. It serves as a connector between the overlapping routes of U.S. Route 20, NY 5, and NY 64 south of the village of Bloomfield and NY 96 in the village of Victor...
in 1997. - NY 20D was a connector between then-US 20 in GeneseoGeneseo, New YorkGeneseo is the name of a town and its village in Livingston County in the Finger Lakes region of New York, USA, outside of Rochester, New York. The town's population is approximately 9,600, of which about 7,600 live in the village...
and NY 5New York State Route 5New 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 AvonAvon (village), New YorkAvon is a village in Livingston County, New York, USA. The population was 2,977 at the 2000 census. The village is named after the River Avon. ....
. It was assigned ca. 1931 and supplanted by NY 20A ca. 1938. The route is now the northeasternmost portion of NY 39New York State Route 39New York State Route 39 is an east–west state highway in the western portion of New York in the United States. It begins and ends at intersections with U.S. Route 20 apart...
. - NY 20NNew York State Route 20NNew York State Route 20N was a state highway in Central New York, United States. It was an alternate route of U.S. Route 20 that stretched for between Marcellus and Cazenovia. The road began at its parent route, US 20, and NY 174 in Marcellus and ended at US 20,...
was an alternate route of US 20 between MarcellusMarcellus (town), New YorkMarcellus is a town in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 6,319 at the 2000 census. The town was probably named after Marcus Claudius Marcellus, a Roman general, by a clerk interested in the Classics....
, Onondaga CountyOnondaga County, New YorkOnondaga County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 467,026. The county seat is Syracuse.Onondaga County is part of the Syracuse, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, and CazenoviaCazenovia (village), New YorkCazenovia is a village located in the Town of Cazenovia in Madison County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village had a population of 2,614. The village lies on the southeast shore of Cazenovia Lake, which is approximately long and .5 miles across...
, Madison CountyMadison County, New YorkMadison County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 73,442. It is named after James Madison, fourth President of the United States of America...
. The route overlapped other, pre-existing routes for its entire length. It was assigned ca. 1938 and removed ca. 1962, leaving just the routes it overlapped. - NY 20SYNew York State Route 20SYNew York State Route 20SY was a state highway in the vicinity of Syracuse, New York, in the United States. It connected U.S. Route 20 to downtown Syracuse via Skaneateles, Camillus, Manlius, and Cazenovia in Onondaga County and Madison County...
was an alternate route of US 20 between SkaneatelesSkaneateles (village), New YorkSkaneateles is a village in the town of Skaneateles, Onondaga County, New York, United States. The village is named from and located on the shores of Skaneateles Lake, one of the Finger Lakes. The village, as of the 2000 census, has a population of 2,616 residents. The main highway through the...
and Cazenovia in Onondaga and Madison Counties. Like NY 20N, NY 20SY was concurrent with other, pre-existing routes for most of its length. It was assigned in the early 1950s and removed ca. 1962, leaving just the routes it overlapped.
US 20 Truck
U.S. Route 20 Truck is a short truck route of US 20 in Silver CreekSilver Creek, New York
- Demographics :At the 2010 census there were 2,656 people, 1,048 households and 718 families residing in the village. The population density was 2,213.3 people per square mile . There were 1,174 housing units, with an average density of 978.3 per square mile...
. The road begins at an intersection with US 20 in Silver Creek, goes along Central Avenue for a short time and merges in with NY 5. The two become concurrent for another mile on Howard Street where US 20 Truck ends at an intersection with US 20.
In the village of Silver Creek, commercial truck traffic is not allowed to use US 20 east unless said traffic is making deliveries to local businesses in either the village or the South Dayton, Perrysburg, and Cherry Creek areas southeast of Silver Creek. All other commercial truck traffic per New York state vehicle and traffic laws must use US 20 Truck through the village.