Interstate 287 (New York)

Interstate 287 (New York). The segment of Interstate 287 within New York is a 17.62-mile (28.36 km) auxiliary Interstate Highway located entirely within Westchester County. It serves as a critical bypass and connector between the major north-south routes of Interstate 87 (the New York State Thruway) and Interstate 95 (the New England Thruway), skirting the eastern edge of the Hudson River and traversing several affluent suburban communities. This portion of the highway is a vital component of the regional transportation network, facilitating commuter traffic and commercial movement in the New York metropolitan area.

Route description

Beginning at the Tappan Zee Bridge (officially the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge) crossing from Rockland County, the highway enters Westchester at the New York–New Jersey state line in Tarrytown, where it meets the western terminus of the New York State Thruway mainline. It proceeds eastward, closely following the northern shoreline of the Hudson River past Sleepy Hollow. The route then turns southeast, crossing the scenic Saw Mill River before curving northeast around the Kensico Reservoir. It passes through the towns of White Plains and Harrison, where it intersects several important parkways including the Cross Westchester Expressway and the Hutchinson River Parkway. The highway finally terminates at a complex interchange with Interstate 95 in Rye, providing direct access to Connecticut and New England.

History

The routing of Interstate 287 through Westchester was part of the original 1956 Interstate Highway System plan, designed to link the major corridors serving New York City. Construction of the New York segment progressed in stages throughout the 1960s and early 1970s. A key engineering challenge was the design of the massive interchange with the New England Thruway in Rye, which was completed in 1973. The highway's path was influenced by the existing topography and the need to connect the then-new Tappan Zee Bridge, which opened in 1955, to the broader interstate network. Over the decades, it has undergone significant rehabilitation projects managed by the New York State Department of Transportation.

Major intersections

The entire route is in Westchester County. {| class="wikitable" |- ! Location ! mi ! km ! Destinations ! Notes |- | Tarrytown | 0.00 | 0.00 | – New York City, Albany | Western terminus; continuation into New Jersey via the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge |- | Elmsford | 7.40 | 11.91 | to NY 119 – White Plains, Tarrytown | Interchange; access via NY 119 |- | White Plains | 8.50 | 13.68 | – White Plains, Elmsford | Interchange |- | Harrison | 12.40 | 19.96 | – White Plains, Brewster | Interchange |- | Rye | 17.62 | 28.36 | – New York City, New Haven | Eastern terminus; interchange with Interstate 95 |}

Auxiliary routes

While Interstate 287 itself is an auxiliary route of the primary east-west Interstate 80 in New Jersey, it has one major auxiliary route within New York: Interstate 687. This short, unsigned highway serves as a connector between Interstate 287 and the Cross Westchester Expressway (Interstate 287/Interstate 87) near White Plains. The designation is primarily used for internal administrative purposes by the New York State Department of Transportation. The highway also indirectly connects to other major auxiliary routes in the region, such as Interstate 278 in the Bronx.

Exit list

The entire route is in Westchester County. {| class="wikitable" |- ! Location ! mi ! Exit ! Destinations ! Notes |- | rowspan="2" | Tarrytown | 0.00 | – | – New York City, Albany | Western terminus; exit 9 on I-87/I-287 (New York State Thruway) |- | 1.20 | 1 | – Tarrytown, Sleepy Hollow | Signed as exits 1E (east) and 1W (west) |- | Elmsford | 7.40 | 2 | to I-87 – White Plains, Elmsford | Access to New York State Thruway (I-87) via NY 119 |- | White Plains | 8.50 | 3 | – White Plains | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance |- | Harrison | 12.40 | 4 | – White Plains, New York, White Plains, White Plains, S |city, city=NY-5 York State Parkway York York City York York York York York – York City, York City, York City, York City York City York City York City York City York City York City York City York City York City York City York City York City York City York City York City York York York York City, York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, York City, New York City, York City, York New York City, York State Thruway City, York City, New York City, New York City New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City, New York City York City, New York City City, New York City, New York City City, New York City, York City, New York City, New York City, New York New York|New York New York New York New York New York New York New York New York City, New York New York New York New York City, York New York New York New York New York New York New York York York New York New York New York New York New York New York New York New York New York New York New York New York New York New York New York New York New York|New York New York New York New York|New York New York New York New York New York New York New York New York New York New York City New York City New York New York New York New York New York – York City York City York City York City New York City York City York City York New City City City York York York York York