Interstate 587 (New York)

Interstate 587 (New York) is a short auxiliary Interstate Highway located entirely within Ulster County, New York. The highway serves as a critical connector between the city of Kingston and the New York State Thruway (Interstate 87), facilitating regional traffic flow. Officially designated in 1980, its entire 1.19-mile (1.92 km) length is concurrent with New York State Route 28 and a portion of New York State Route 32.

Route description

Interstate 587 begins at a signalized intersection with New York State Route 28 and New York State Route 32 in the Kingston neighborhood of Stony Hollow. From this western terminus, the highway travels east as a four-lane divided arterial, officially named the Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway. It passes just north of the Kingston–Rhinecliff Bridge approach and the Kingston Point area, offering views of the Hudson River. The route ascends a small hill before curving southeast to meet its eastern terminus at a directional trumpet interchange with the New York State Thruway (Interstate 87). This junction provides direct access to exits 19 and 20 of the Thruway Authority's mainline, connecting travelers to destinations like Albany and New York City. The entire roadway is maintained by the New York State Department of Transportation and features full controlled-access highway standards.

History

The roadway that became Interstate 587 was originally constructed in the 1950s as the eastern approach to the newly built Kingston–Rhinecliff Bridge, a project championed by Governor Thomas E. Dewey. It was designed to provide a high-capacity link from the New York State Thruway to the bridge and downtown Kingston. The route was formally designated as Interstate 587 in 1980 following approval from the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). This designation was part of a broader effort to integrate important state arterial highways into the Interstate Highway System, improving federal funding eligibility and signage consistency. No major realignments have occurred since its establishment, though routine maintenance and resurfacing projects have been conducted by the New York State Department of Transportation.

Exit list

The entire route is in Ulster County. {| class="wikitable" |- ! Location ! mi ! km ! Exit ! Destinations ! Notes |- | Kingston | 0.00 | 0.00 | – | – Kingston, Woodstock | Western terminus; at-grade signalized intersection |- | Ulster | 1.19 | 1.92 | – | – Albany, New York City | Eastern terminus; trumpet interchange; New York State Thruway exits 19 and 20 |- ! colspan="6" | |}

Future

There are no major construction projects or planned extensions for Interstate 587 documented in the current New York State Department of Transportation capital plans. The primary focus for the corridor remains the preservation and maintenance of its existing infrastructure as a vital local and regional connector. Any future modifications would likely involve modernization of the western at-grade intersection in Kingston or safety improvements at the trumpet interchange with the New York State Thruway. Long-range transportation studies for the Mid-Hudson Valley region, conducted by agencies like the New York Metropolitan Transportation Council, may evaluate traffic patterns but have not proposed changes to the highway's designation or alignment.

Category:Interstate Highways in New York (state) Category:Transportation in Ulster County, New York