New York State Route 68
New York State Route 68 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Maintained by NYSDOT | ||||
| Length | 33.43 mi[1] (53.80 km) | |||
| Existed | 1920s[2]–present | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
 US 11 in Canton | ||||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| State | New York | |||
| Counties | St. Lawrence | |||
| Highway system | ||||
| ||||
New York State Route 68 is an east-west state highway located entirely within St. Lawrence County in the North Country of New York, USA. The western terminus is at NY 37 in Oswegatchie, just west of the Ogdensburg city limits. The eastern terminus is at NY 56 in the community of Colton within the town of Colton. Along the way, NY 68 passes through the village of Canton, where it overlaps U.S. Route 11 through the village.
NY 68 was assigned in the mid-1920s, but only from Canton to Ogdensburg. The route was extended to Colton in 1930, then truncated slightly to end at the NY 37 bypass in the 1970s. NY 68 was re-extended to its current length in 1982 as part of a highway maintenance swap between New York State and St. Lawrence County.
Route description
Ogdensburg to Canton
Route 68 begins at an intersection with New York State Route 37 (the Seaway Trail) in Ogdensburg. The route heads to the northeast, along the outskirts of downtown Ogdensburg. Along the way, it passes residential homes and several commercial businesses, parallelling the MacDonald-Cartier Freeway (ON 401) to the north in Ontario and NY 37 to the south. Route 68 crosses a branch of the St. Lawrence River in downtown Ogdensburg, passing Crescenet Park soon after. Route 68 heads to the south, intersecting with NY 37 once again along with New York State Route 812 near the Seaway Shopping Center.[3]
After Routes 37 and 812, the road begins to leave Ogdensburg, and the lands around Route 68 become less developed. Route 68 passes the Ogdensburg International Airport after the intersection with County Route 28A. The highway crosses through Oswegatchie uneventfully, entering the hamlet of Flackville. Much of the region between Ogdensburg and Canton is mostly fields, and Route 68 doesn't reach a more urbanized area until Canton. The highway parallells a creek before entering the village of Canton.[3]
Canton to Colton
In downtown Canton, Route 68 intersects with U.S. Route 11 before passing Rushton Falls. Routes 11 and 68 become concurrent through downtown Canton, passing St. Lawrence University and its golf course. At the intersection with New York State Route 310, Routes 11 and 68 split, with 68 heading to the southeast. The urbanization of Route 68 quickly dissipates again, going down hills for some distance. When the road enters the hamlet of Langdons Corners, it passes to the north of Watermann Hill. Several miles later, Route 68 enters Colton and terminates at an intersection with New York State Route 56.[3]
History
When NY 68 was assigned in the mid-1920s, it extended only from U.S. Route 11 in Canton to the intersection of State and Ford Streets (then-NY 37) in Ogdensburg.[2][4] In the 1930 renumbering, NY 68 was extended eastward through Canton to Colton, where it ended at NY 56.[5] In the 1950s, NY 37 was rerouted to bypass Ogdensburg to the south on a new alignment;[6][7] however, NY 68 continued to extend past the arterial to Ford Street as late as 1969.[8] By the following year, NY 68 was truncated to the intersection of Canton and State Streets, eliminating an overlap with NY 87.[9] NY 68 was truncated again by 1977 to end at its junction with NY 37 southeast of the city center.[10]
On September 1, 1982, ownership and maintenance of the portion of NY 68 between the hamlet of Pierrepont and NY 58 in Colton was transferred from St. Lawrence County to New York State as part of a highway maintenance swap between the two levels of government. Also exchanged in the swap was the portion of former NY 37 between the western end of the Ogdensburg bypass and the Ogdensburg city line, which had been county maintained prior to this point.[11] Following the swap, NY 68 was re-extended into Ogdensburg, following its former alignment as well as that of NY 37 north, then west to its current terminus west of Ogdensburg.
Major intersections
| County | Location | mi[1] | km | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Lawrence | Ogdensburg | 0.00 | 0.00 |  NY 37 | |
| 2.95 | 4.75 |  NY 37 / NY 812 | |||
| Town of Canton | 15.02 | 24.17 | CR 14 | Former eastern terminus of NY 186 | |
| Village of Canton | 19.93 | 32.07 |  US 11 south | Western terminus of overlap | |
| Town of Canton | 21.32 | 34.31 |  US 11 north NY 310 | Eastern terminus of US 11/NY 68 overlap; southern terminus of NY 310 | |
| Colton | 33.43 | 53.80 |  NY 56 | Hamlet of Colton | |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi | |||||
References
- ^ a b "2006 Traffic Data Report for New York State" (PDF). New York State Department of Transportation. 2007-07-16. pp. p. 197. Retrieved 2008-03-26.
{{cite web}}:|pages=has extra text (help); Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b Rand McNally Auto Road Atlas (eastern New York) (Map). Rand McNally. 1926. Retrieved 2008-03-27.
- ^ a b c Overview map of NY 68 (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 2008-03-26.
- ^ "New York's Main Highways Designated by Numbers". New York Times. 1924-12-21. p. XX9.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Leon A. Dickinson (1930-01-12). "New Signs for State Highways". New York Times. p. 136.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ New York (Map). Cartography by Rand McNally and Company. Sunoco. 1952.
- ^ New York and New Jersey Tourgide Map (Map). Cartography by Rand McNally and Company. Gulf. 1960.
- ^ Ogdensburg East Quadrangle - New York - St. Lawrence Co (Map). New York State Department of Transportation. 1969. Retrieved 2008-03-27.
- ^ State of New York Department of Transportation (1970-01-01). "Official Description of Touring Routes in New York State" (PDF). Retrieved 2008-03-27.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ New York (Map) (1977-78 ed.). Cartography by General Drafting. Exxon. 1977.
- ^ New York State Legislature. "Highway Law, Article 12, Section 341". Retrieved 2008-03-27.