Interstate 86 (Pennsylvania–New York)

Interstate 86 (Pennsylvania–New York) is a 223-mile-long east–west auxiliary Interstate Highway in the Northeastern United States. It connects Interstate 90 near Erie to Interstate 87 in the Hudson Valley, serving the Southern Tier of New York. The route was designated in 1999, largely subsuming the existing New York State Route 17 corridor, with its final segment upgraded to Interstate Highway standards in 2022.

Route description

Beginning at a trumpet interchange with Interstate 90 in North East, Pennsylvania, the highway travels east into Chautauqua County, passing south of Dunkirk and Jamestown. It traverses the Allegheny Plateau, crossing the Cassadaga Creek and passing through the Seneca Nation territories near Salamanca. East of Olean, the route follows the Valley of the Genesee and parallels the Southern Tier Expressway corridor. It serves Hornell and Corning before meeting Interstate 99 and U.S. Route 15 in Painted Post. Continuing southeast, it passes through Elmira and Binghamton, where it has major interchanges with Interstate 81 and Interstate 88. The final segment winds through the Catskill Mountains, serving Liberty and Middletown before terminating at Interstate 87 in Harriman.

History

The corridor's origins lie in the early 20th-century plans for the Southern Tier Expressway, initially designated as New York State Route 17. Advocacy by politicians like Daniel Patrick Moynihan and Al D'Amato pushed for its inclusion in the Interstate Highway System. The route was formally designated as Interstate 86 by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials in 1999, following upgrades to meet federal standards. The final section between Binghamton and Harriman, known as the "Quickway," required significant engineering work, including the reconstruction of the Starrucca Viaduct approaches. The New York State Department of Transportation completed the last upgrades, and the entire route was certified as an Interstate Highway by the Federal Highway Administration in December 2022.

Major intersections

From west to east, key junctions include the western terminus at Interstate 90 in North East, Pennsylvania. In New York, it intersects U.S. Route 62 near Jamestown, U.S. Route 219 south of Salamanca, and New York State Route 417 at Olean. It meets Interstate 390 in Avoca and Interstate 99 in Painted Post. Critical eastern junctions include Interstate 81 and Interstate 88 in Binghamton, U.S. Route 209 near Monticello, and New York State Route 17 (Future Interstate 86) at its eastern terminus at Interstate 87 in Harriman.

Auxiliary routes

There are no signed auxiliary routes directly branching from this segment of Interstate 86. However, it connects to several major auxiliary Interstate Highways, including Interstate 81, Interstate 88, and Interstate 99. The designation Future Interstate 86 is applied to the continuation of the New York State Route 17 corridor east from Harriman toward the New York State Thruway and Interstate 287, which is planned for future upgrade to Interstate Highway standards.

Exit list

The exit numbering sequence begins in Pennsylvania at exit 1 for Pennsylvania Route 89 and continues eastward. Notable exits in New York include exit 4 for U.S. Route 20 near Ripley, exit 12 for New York State Route 60 at Jamestown, and exit 17 for U.S. Route 62. In the Southern Tier, key exits are exit 46 for U.S. Route 219, exit 56 for New York State Route 417 at Olean, and exit 60 for New York State Route 305. The route includes exit 65 for Interstate 390, exit 77 for New York State Route 415 at Bath, and exit 99 for Interstate 99. Major eastern exits include exit 67N-S for Interstate 81 in Binghamton, exit 79 for Interstate 88, and exit 122 for U.S. Route 209. The final exit is number 129, providing access to New York State Route 17 and Interstate 87.

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