U.S. Route 4 marker

U.S. Route 4

Route information
Maintained by NYSDOT
Length79.75 mi[1] (128.35 km)
Existed1926[2]–present
Major junctions
South end US 9/US 20 in East Greenbush
Major intersections I-90 near Albany, NY
North end US 4/VT 4A in Whitehall
Location
CountryUnited States
StateNew York
Highway system
NY 3A NY 5

U.S. Route 4 in New York is a United States highway that runs from East Greenbush, New York to the Vermont state line in Whitehall, following the alignment of the former US 9E. As such, US 4 in New York is signed north-south to reflect its alignment in the state, where in Vermont and New Hampshire, the route is signed east-west, the standard direction for even-numbered US highways.

Route Description edit

Major cities

Rensselaer County edit

US 4 begins at a concurrency of US 9 and US 20 in East Greenbush. Heading northward, it has an interchange with I-90, continuing northward through the hamlet of Defreestville. At one time, NY 43 once met US 4 and ran concurrent for a half mile. With the construction of I-90 exit 8 and the subsequent re-routing of NY 43, the latter now crosses US 4 slightly north of the former terminus of the concurency.

US 4 then continues into Troy. In Troy, it passes by the headquarters of the 42nd Infantry Division, then Hudson Valley Community College as well as Joseph L. Bruno Stadium. US 4 then heads downhill, passing the historic South End Tavern as Burden Avenue, named for the historic Burden Iron Works. At the South Troy Five Corners, US 4 assumes Fourth Street, which later splits into parallel one-way streets (Third Street handles southbound traffic from downtown). Once through downtown, the streets meet and pass by the Green Island Bridge, later passing under the Collar City Bridge as River Street. As such, there is no direct connection between US 4 and I-787 and NY 7.

Once in Lansingburgh, the route assumes Second Avenue, which is primarily residential and light retail. The first major intersection is for 112th Street and NY 470. Continuing north, US 4 meets the western terminus of NY 142, after which turns left to cross the Hudson River on the Troy-Waterford Bridge to enter Waterford.

Saratoga County edit

Entering Waterford as Broad Street, US 4 meets NY 32. Both northbound routes meet at opposing sides of the intersection, both turning onto Third Street to head north together west of the Hudson as Hudson River Road. US 4/NY 32 together pass by several locks of the Champlain Canal, meeting the eastern terminus of NY 146 south of Mechanicville as Central Avenue South. Near the northern limits of the city, the two routes run concurrent with NY 67 for one block, before they leave the city. Historically, NY 67 remained with US 4/NY 32 to Stillwater as Hudson Avenue.

After Stillwater, US 4 and NY 32 split, with US 4 running parallel to the old canalway. US 4 passes by the Battle of Saratoga and the Gerald B. H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery. NY 32 joins again to pass through Schuylerville as Broadway. Within the village, the routes run concurrent with NY 29 for a half mile. After Schuylerville, US 4 splits off to cross the Hudson one last time on a narrow through truss bridge.

Washington County edit

Runinng parallel to the Champlain Canal, US 4 passes through villages including Fort Edward, Hudson Falls, Fort Ann and Whitehall. After a concurrency with NY 22, US 4 heads eastward into Vermont.

History edit

The following is the main US 4 copy, this needs to be pared down to reflect the New York history.

Prior to being designated US 4, the road from Whitehall, New York eastward through Vermont was New England Interstate Route 13 (NE-13). From the Vermont-New Hampshire state line to Franklin, New Hampshire, it was the eastern end of NE-14. From Franklin to Concord, New Hampshire it used NE-6 (now US 3), and from Concord to Northwood, New Hampshire it used NE-9 (now NH-9). Between Northwood and Dover, New Hampshire, it used a road that was previously not numbered. From Dover to its eastern terminus at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, the road used to be known as NE-16 (now NH-16).

History of termini edit

1926-1930: Glens Falls, New York at the point where US 9 split into US 9W and 9E, to Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
1930-present: East Greenbush, New York, following former US 9E, through its former west terminus, to Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

Major intersections edit

County Location Mile Road(s) Notes
Rensselaer East Greenbush 0.00    US 9/US 20 Columbia Turnpike.
Couse Corners 1.5   NY 151 Red Mill Road/Luther Road.
Defreestville 2.0   I-90 Exit 9 (I-90). Folded diamond interchange.
3.2   New York State Route 915E Third Avenue Extension, Rensselaer.
Former routing of NY 43 and start of concurrency.
4.0   NY 43 West Sand Lake Road. Former end of concurrency.
Troy 6.5   NY 136 Williams Rd. Access to Headquarters, 42nd Infantry Division (Rainbow).
7.4   NY 154 Campbell Ave. Former eastern terminus of NY 154. Burden Pond.
7.8   NY 378 Burden Avenue. Access to Menands Bridge.
9.4  
  NY 2 EAST
Ferry Street (One-way, east).
9.5  
  NY 2 WEST
Congress Street (One-way, west).
10.0   
  To I-787
Federal Street. To Green Island Bridge.
Former routing of NY 7 and concurrency.
10.4  
 
  To NY 7 EAST
Hoosick Street. Under Collar City Bridge. End of former concurrency.
10.5     
  
   To I-787/NY 7 WEST
Jay Street. One-way to Collar City Bridge.
12.6   NY 470 112th Street Bridge. To Cohoes.
13.7   NY 142 125th Street.
Rensselaer-Saratoga
county line
13.9 Troy-Waterford Bridge
Legend
Concurrency terminus Unconstructed Closed

See also edit

Related U.S. Routes edit

References edit


  U.S. Route 4
Previous state:
Terminus
New York Next state:
Vermont