Cross County Parkway

From the AARoads Wiki: Read about the road before you go
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Cross County Parkway

Cross County Parkway highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by NYSDOT
Length4.46 mi[1] (7.18 km)
Existed1947[2]–present
RestrictionsNo commercial vehicles or drivers with learner's permits[3]
Major junctions
West end Saw Mill River Parkway in Yonkers
Major intersections
East end Hutchinson River Parkway in New Rochelle
Location
CountryUnited States
StateNew York
CountiesWestchester
Highway system

The Cross County Parkway (CCP) is a 4.46-mile-long (7.18 km) parkway in lower Westchester County, New York, in the United States. The parkway is a critical east–west connection throughout Westchester, having full interchanges with every major north–south highway in southern Westchester with the exception of Interstate 95 (New England Thruway). Among its junctions, it has access to the New York State Thruway mainline. The western terminus is at the Saw Mill Parkway in Yonkers. The eastern terminus is at the Hutchinson River Parkway in New Rochelle.

As evident from stubs and oversized overpasses, it appears that there were plans to expand the Parkway west from Exit 2 to Downtown Yonkers and east from Exit 9 to I-95.[4] World War II had slowed this idea until it was shelved. The CCP is the only parkway in New York state that has express and local lanes. The parkway is designated New York State Route 907K (NY 907K), an unsigned reference route.

Route description

The Cross County Parkway looking east from the Murray Avenue bridge in Yonkers, near Exit 4S

The Cross County Parkway begins at an interchange with the Saw Mill River Parkway in Yonkers. Exits 1 and 2 are part of this interchange, with Exit 1 being a westbound only exit to Rumsey Road, and Exit 2 being a westbound exit/eastbound entrance from the Saw Mill northbound. The entrance/exit at the Saw Mill southbound has no number. The eastbound entrance at Exit 1 (Rumsey Road) is via the Saw Mill southbound. After crossing an abandoned railroad grade, the parkway enters Exit 3, a small interchange with Yonkers Avenue. The six-lane roadway crosses through southeast Yonkers, making a gradual bend from the northeast to the southeast before spitting into express and local lanes. The parkway then enters an interchange with the New York State Thruway (I-87) and NY 100, Exits 4S (for I-87 south) and 4N (for I-87 north/NY-100 north). All exits/entrances are accessed here by the local lanes, except for the eastbound exit and westbound entrance at Exit 4N, which are via the express lanes. The eastbound entrance at Exit 4N connects to both the express and local lanes. Shortly after, the Cross County enters Exit 5, which connects to Kimball Avenue and Midland Avenue and is only accessed by the local lanes. There is no eastbound entrance.[5]

Eastbound entrance to the Cross County at Exit 4N in Yonkers. Cars can bear left for the express lanes for Exits 8 and up, or bear right for the local lanes for Exits 5, 6, and 7.

Continuing east through Yonkers, the Cross County Parkway enters an interchange with the Bronx River Parkway and Sprain Brook Parkway, Exit 6. In the center of this interchange, consisting of several flyover ramps, is the Fleetwood Metro-North Railroad station on the Harlem Line. Immediately after Exit 6, the Cross County crosses into Mount Vernon where it meets Exit 7, a northbound entrance and exit via the local lanes at Broad Street, which connects to Gramatan Avenue. After Exit 7, the parkway winds southeast into the Chester Heights section of Mount Vernon, where it enters Exit 8 for NY 22 (North Columbus Avenue). Just east of Exit 8, the Cross County has an eastbound exit and westbound entrance at Exit 9, which connects the parkway to/from the southbound lanes of the Hutchinson River Parkway at Exit 13.

Immediately after Exit 9, the Cross County Parkway turns ninety degrees to the north, going back to a six-lane parkway after briefly expanding to host Exit 9. The Cross County parallels a park in the Chester Heights section of Mount Vernon. Entering the southwest corner of New Rochelle, the parkway enters Exit 10, a small interchange with New Rochelle Road with only an eastbound exit and westbound entrance. This is because the eastbound entrance and westbound exit are via the Hutch.[5] After Exit 10, the Cross County continues north as a five-lane parkway (three lanes westbound, two lanes eastbound), before crossing under a flyover ramp for the Hutchinson River Parkway southbound and merging into the parkway northbound.[5]

History

The Cross County Parkway was originally built as an east–west link between the Saw Mill, Bronx River, and Hutchinson River Parkways. Construction began in 1929, and the highway was initially a 40-foot (12 m)-wide undivided roadway that could accommodate four lanes of automobile traffic (two in each direction). The parkway had a toll barrier in Fleetwood, which was removed in the early 1950s.[6] The reconstruction of the Cross County Parkway was begun in 1964; however, the project was not completed until 1984.[7][8] The parkway is now a multi-lane highway with express and local lanes. In conjunction with the renovation of the Cross County Shopping Center, Exit 5 westbound and Exit 5 eastbound of the Cross County Parkway underwent major reconstruction during 2010 and 2011. The two exit ramps were widened and improved with new traffic lights and signage. In addition, traffic can now proceed from the eastbound parkway directly into the shopping center.

Cross County Parkway was originally intended to connect to the Rye Playland Parkway.[9] However this proposal was stalled by the Great Depression and Second World War, and finally cancelled in the 1970s. Part of the right of way for the Cross County Parkway's unbuilt extension has since been incorporated into the Leatherstocking Trail.[10]

Exit list

The entire route is in Westchester County.

Locationmi[1][11]kmExitDestinationsNotes
Yonkers0.000.00

Saw Mill River Parkway south to Henry Hudson Parkway – New York City, George Washington Bridge
Exit 4 on Saw Mill Parkway
0.200.321Rumsey RoadWestbound exit and eastbound entrance
0.400.642
Saw Mill River Parkway north – Albany
Westbound exit and eastbound entrance
0.751.213Yonkers Avenue / Midland AvenueNo westbound entrance
1.201.93West end of local/express lane division
1.602.574

Central Avenue (NY 100) to I-87 / New York Thruway – New York City, Albany
Signed as Exits 4S (south) and 4N (north); eastbound exit and westbound entrance from I-87 north are via express lanes; Exit 4 on I-87 / Thruway
2.103.385Kimball Avenue / Midland AvenueVia local lanes; no eastbound entrance
2.403.86East end of local/express lane division (westbound)
2.504.026
Bronx River Parkway / Sprain Brook Parkway north
Via local lanes eastbound; Exit 11 on Bronx River Parkway
Mount Vernon2.604.187West Broad Street / Gramatan AvenueVia local lanes; eastbound exit and entrance
2.804.51East end of local/express lane division (eastbound)
3.505.638 NY 22 (North Columbus Avenue) – Mount Vernon, Eastchester
3.705.959
Hutchinson River Parkway south – Whitestone Bridge
Eastbound exit and westbound entrance; Exit 6B on Hutchinson Parkway; ramp enters New Rochelle
New Rochelle4.206.7610New Rochelle Road – EastchesterEastbound exit and westbound entrance
5.508.85
Hutchinson River Parkway north to Merritt Parkway
Exit 8 on Hutchinson Parkway
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

  1. ^ a b "2007 Traffic Data Report for New York State" (PDF). New York State Department of Transportation. July 25, 2008. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 12, 2012. Retrieved July 17, 2009.
  2. ^ "Cross County Parkway". www.nycroads.com.
  3. ^ New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (28 June 2017). "Learner permit restrictions". New York State Department of Motor Vehicles.
  4. ^ Anderson, Steve. "Cross County Parkway". NYCRoads. Retrieved March 18, 2010.
  5. ^ a b c Microsoft; Nokia (October 4, 2012). "overview map of the Cross County Parkway" (Map). Bing Maps. Microsoft. Retrieved October 4, 2012.
  6. ^ Fleetwood Viaduct, Cross County Parkway - looking southeast; Mount Vernon, New York (Westchester County Historical Society)
  7. ^ Fleetwood NYC Station, Mount Vernon, New York; 1954 (NETR Online; Historic Aerials)
  8. ^ "Fleetwood PC Station, Mount Vernon, New York; 1974 (NETR Online; Historic Aerials)". Archived from the original on 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2013-02-18.
  9. ^ "Transportation 1985: A Regional Plan," by the Tri-State Transportation Commission (1966)
  10. ^ Deedy, John (5 November 1972). "Natty Bumppo, We Need You". The New York Times.
  11. ^ Google (January 9, 2016). "Cross County Parkway" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved January 9, 2016.

External links