 New York State Route 52 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 NY 52 highlighted in red, NY 52A in pink, NY 52 Business in blue (Darker blue maintained as NY 980J) | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Maintained byNYSDOT,JIBC,NYSBA, andSullivan County | ||||
| Length | 108.72 mi[1] (174.97 km) | |||
| Existed | 1930[2]–present | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| West end |  PA 652 at thePennsylvania state line | |||
| Major intersections |
| |||
| East end |  US 6 inCarmel | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| State | New York | |||
| Counties | Sullivan,Ulster,Orange,Dutchess,Putnam | |||
| Highway system | ||||
| ||||
New York State Route 52 (NY 52) is a 108.72-mile-long (174.97 km)state highway in the southeastern part of the state. It generally runs from west to east through five counties, beginning at thePennsylvania state line in theDelaware River nearNarrowsburg, crossing theHudson River on theNewburgh–Beacon Bridge, and ending inCarmel. NY 52 andNY 55, both major east–west routes of theMid-Hudson Region, run parallel to each other, intersecting in downtownLiberty.
With the exception of the sectionoverlappingInterstate 84 (I-84), most of Route 52 is a two-lane road through lightly developed rural areas. The road west of the Hudson River serves a number of small communities in the southernCatskills andHudson Valley, such as thevillages ofJeffersonville,Ellenville andWalden. East of the Hudson, it closely parallels I-84 after leaving it at the village ofFishkill. It once passed through the cities ofNewburgh andBeacon, followinga ferry between them, but since the bridge's construction Route 52 runs concurrently with I-84 just to their north.
Much of what is today Route 52 was built as private turnpikes in the early 19th century. After their operating companies folded later in the century, the state took over the roads in the 1890s. While some portions of today's Route 52 were included in New York's first designations of state highways, it was not untila 1930 renumbering that Route 52 took that number.
At that time it followed most of its present alignment, but continued east of its present terminus toNY 22. The truncation to its junction withUS 6 in Carmel came later in the 1930s, along with an exchange of alignments between routes 52 and216. When the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge was opened in the early 1960s, Route 52 was rerouted onto I-84, bypassing a route to theferry landings in Newburgh and Beacon. The alignment to I-84 in the latter city is today Route 52 Business.
A little over half of NY 52's total mileage is inSullivan County, due to its circuitous route in the less developed western half of the county,[3] where some segments are maintained by the county rather than the state. East ofLiberty, the route takes a more direct course toward its highest elevation, in the part of the county that is more dominated by resorts and summer camps.[4]
NY 52 begins at the midpoint of theNarrowsburg–Darbytown Bridge over theDelaware River as a county-maintained continuation ofPA 652 (Beach Lake Highway). Co-designated as County Route 24 (CR 24), NY 52 proceeds southeast through thehamlet ofNarrowsburg in thetown ofTusten as the two-lane Bridge Street. After crossing overNorfolk Southern'sSouthern Tier Line, NY 52 and CR 24 pass St. Francis Xavier Cemetery and then leave the center of Narrowsburg, merging withNY 97 south of Feagles Lake. County maintenance ends at this point.[5]
The two routes soon bend eastward to a junction where NY 52 turns northward on a county-maintained roadway. Now co-designated as CR 111, NY 52 bends northeast through Tusten, remaining a two-lane rural roadway as it climbs slightly out of the river valley.[6] The surrounding landscape is mostly forested, with occasional farm clearings.[7] A mile from that junction, NY 52 and CR 111 reach the small hamlet ofLava, crossing the northern terminus ofCR 25 (Eckes Road). Continuing northeast out of Lava, the two routes continue past Beaver Pond and then descend into theTenmile River valley.[8] A short distance later, NY 52 crosses into the town ofCochecton, where CR 111 terminates and NY 52 becomes concurrent with CR 112.[5]
NY 52 continues northeast through Cochecton, reaching the hamlet ofCochecton Center. After passing through, NY 52 and CR 112 turn straight northwest for 0.8 miles (1.3 km) through Cochecton at a junction withCR 115 (Browntown Road). At the second junction with Kelly Road, the route turns north for a half-mile (800 m), turning westward at Buff Road to reach the southern shore of Lake Huntington. The routes turn north along the western shore, entering the eponymous hamlet and reaching the eastern terminus ofCR 116. At this junction, CR 112 ends, and NY 52 becomes maintained as CR 113.[5]
CR 113 and NY 52 turn northeast briefly along the northern shore of the lake, then leaving it and continuing northeast through Cochecton. Farms begin to break up the forest cover around the road more extensively here.[9] At the junction with Shortcut Road, NY 52 turns to the north, reaching a junction in a half-mile withNY 17B and the eastern terminus ofCR 114 (Newburgh Turnpike). At this junction, the small hamlet ofFosterdale, NY 17B turns north and joins NY 52, which becomes state-maintained again. The routes continue northward for 2,000 feet (610 m), where they split. NY 17B turns northwest along CR 117; NY 52 bends northeast and soon northward as a state-maintained highway.[5]
After crossing theDelaware town line, NY 52 bends east past a residential section around Pine Lake. At Mueller Road, NY 52 turns north and begins to run along the shore ofKenoza Lake. At the northern end of the lake, NY 52 reaches the hamlet ofKenoza Lake. The route turns northwest out of the small lakeside community, continuing north. Crossing theEast Branch ofCallicoon Creek, which it will follow to itssource, NY 52 passes the southern end ofStone Arch Bridge Historic Park. After the bridge, NY 52 reaches the eastern terminus ofNY 52A. NY 52 turns northeast along the creek, soon turning northward. The surrounding valley is now mostly cleared farmland.[10] Two miles (3.2 km) from the NY 52A junction, NY 52 reaches the hamlet ofKohlertown.[5]
Just north of Kohlertown, NY 52 reaches a junction with the terminus ofCR 164 (Beechwood Road). One block later,CR 128 (Jeffersonville North Branch Road) forks off to the northwest. At this junction, NY 52 turns northeast and crosses the town line intoCallicoon. Here, this is also the boundary ofJeffersonville, the firstvillage along the route.[11]
NY 52 enters downtown Jeffersonville on East Main Street, with parking along both sides. It turns east at a junction with Center Street then bends southeast out of the village, following the northern shore of Lake Jefferson. Beyond the lake, the route bends northeast past a junction withCR 144 (Briscoe Road) then continues along theheadwaters of the East Branch.[5]
At the junction with Hemmer Road, NY 52 bends northeast and soon eastward into the hamlet ofYoungsville. There, it passes numerous residences, crosses over the creek and intersects the southern terminus ofCR 149 (Shandelee Road). A half-mile west, the route crosses into the town ofLiberty, slowly gaining elevation as the East Branch's valley narrows.[12] Turning slightly southeast, NY 52 enters the hamlet ofWhite Sulphur Springs, which it soon leaves after passing a local park.[5]
NY 52 continues winding southeast through a landscape with less farms and more forest,[13] the surrounding hills growing increasingly higher and steeper.[14] After passing south of the hamlet of Loomis, the route bends northeast again reaches the village ofLiberty, the largest community thus far along NY 52.[a] It turns due-east and follows Chestnut Street into the village. As the route becomes more commercial, NY 52 turns southeast at the intersection with North Main Street in thecenter of Liberty. Two village blocks later,NY 55 (Lake Street) joins it at the historicMunson Diner. The overlap goes to aroundabout 700 feet (210 m) to the east, where the two routes fork. NY 52 continues southeast along Mill Street, passing through an industrial section of Liberty before reaching a second roundabout. At this junction, the route connects with an off-ramp from the eastboundNY 17 expressway, now alsoInterstate 86.[5]
Paralleling NY 17, NY 52 continues south a short distance through an undeveloped area outside the village, then turns southeast to its actual exit with the freeway. At a junction withCR 175 (Old Route 17). NY 52 passes through a commercial strip mall section of Liberty, south of the Grossinger Country Club. Now on theCatskill Plateau, at elevations over 1,000 feet (300 m) above sea level, the route becomes rural again. Two and a half miles from Route 17 it bends northeast into the town ofFallsburg near a junction withCR 51 (Hilldale Road). Turning southeast again, NY 52 soon reaches a junction withCR 105 (Divine Corners Road). Turning southeast further, the route passes the northern entrance roadSullivan County Community College, the highest elevation on its entire length at 1,531 feet (467 m),[15] and then descends to the hamlet ofLoch Sheldrake.[5]
Crossing through the center of the hamlet, the route passes just south of the actual Loch Sheldrake, then reaches an intersection withCR 104 (Loch Sheldrake Hurleyville Road), the center of the small community. At the eastern end of the hamlet, the route passes north of Evens Lake. NY 52 turns east again, through increasingly wooded countryside, soon changing over to a commercial-residential road and running southeast for a short distance.[16] The route soon bends northeast as it descends toward the hamlet ofWoodbourne, whereNY 42 joins Route 52 from the south.
The two routes curve past residences to Woodbourne's small downtown, then cross theNeversink River. Immediately east of that bridge, NY 42 turns north towardGrahamsville, ending the brief concurrency. NY 52 turns southeast pastWoodbourne Correctional Facility to the south, over the south side of a small unnamed hill[17] and then intoUlster County approximately one mile to the east.[5]
Now in the town ofWawarsing, NY 52 bends southeast into an area that remains heavily forested[18] along the next 10 miles (16 km) as it gradually descends off the Catskill Plateau toEllenville.[19] The route follows a straight course to the southeast past the small residential hamlet of Dairyland, passing a junction withCR 53A (Milk Road). Four miles (6.4 km) further east, it passes another similar small hamlet, Greenfield Park, and bends back to the east a mile after passing the north end of Windsor Lake.[5]
NY 52 leaves Dairyland, crossing southeast through Wawarsing into the residential hamlet of Greenfield Park and past Windsor Lake, the source of theWest Branch of theBeer Kill, which it follows to Ellenville. East of the lake, the route bends northeastward for two more miles, crossing through some dense woods between steep hillsides and paralleling Old Greenfield Road. Both roads soon bend northward, as the woods recede to more residences. As the West Branch drains into the main Beer Kill, just outside Ellenville, NY 52 reaches a junction withCR 53 (Briggs Street).[5]
After re-paralleling, NY 52 continues southeast, reaching the terminus of CR 53 (Old Greenfield Road). Entering Ellenville, the largest village on the route since Liberty, NY 52 divides. NY 52 runs down both Center Street and Canal Street. A few blocks into the village, NY 52 has its only intersection in Ulster County with a numbered route above the county level,US 209 (Main Street). TheShawangunk Ridge looms ahead. The route, on both Canal and Center, then crossesthe village's downtown, 1,200 feet (370 m) lower than its peak at SCCC. In the residential section that follows theSandburg Creek crossing, one of the cross streets, Towpath Lane, marks the former route of theDelaware and Hudson Canal, aNational Historic Landmark.[20] NY 52 bends southward, where Canal and Center Streets merge, taking the latter's name. At the village line, it becomes Mountain Avenue.[5]
Over the next three miles (4.8 km), NY 52 climbs over a thousand feet (300 m) to the crest of theShawangunk Ridge. This section offers severaloverlooks[21] on the west side with views of theCatskills to the north and northwest and the valley below. The route itself passes rock outcrops, some with fencing to prevent the road from being blocked off, and steep wooded slopes.[22] Near the base of the climb aqua paint blazes on signposts at the roadside indicate the brief presence of theLong Path hiking trail.[23]
Near the top of the ridge, signs point north onCR 104 (Cragsmoor Road) to the hamlet ofCragsmoor, as NY 52 reaches the apex of the ridge, at 1,480 feet (450 m) in elevation having regained almost all the altitude lost on the way to Ellenville. As it begins to descend through dense woods ofscrub oak, NY 52 enters the town ofShawangunk, very near the Sullivan County line.[24] Shortly afterward, a clearing at a house below one bend in the steep road[25] offers a panoramic view east, towards theHudson River with theHudson Highlands also visible. The route winds southeast and levels out at the hamlet ofWalker Valley, having descended 910 feet (280 m) from the heights of the ridge.[5][26]
Just southeast of Walker Valley, NY 52 crosses a junction withCR 65 (Weed Road). The brief breaks in the forest cover from the hamlet end. A mile beyond, NY 52 turns east, then bends northeast. AtVerkeerderkill Park,CR 7 (Burlingham Road), merges in from the southeast. Here more cleared farmland begins to break up the forest.[27] At the junction with New Prospect and Pirog roads, CR 7 turns off northeast, following the former. NY 52 turns southeast and, three-quarters of a mile (1.21 km) later, crosses theOrange County line atShawangunk Kill.[5]
Across the bridge is the large hamlet ofPine Bush, part of the town ofCrawford. NY 52's first intersection is the northern terminus ofNY 302 (Maple Avenue). Known as Main Street, NY 52 crosses southeast through downtown Pine Bush for its next half-mile (800 m). The countryside beyond is primarily farms with some woodlots,[28] the gently rolling terrain offering views north to the upper Shawangunks.[29]
Three-quarters of a mile past Pine Bush,CR 89 (Hill Avenue) forks off to the southeast. Afterwards a slight descent[29] heralds theDwaar Kill crossing, the route remains a two-lane rural roadway through northern Orange County. A rise through a more wooded area culminates in theMontgomery town line atCR 17 (Fleury Road),[5] where the landscape opens up again.[28]
Continuing straight southeast past farms and some newersubdivisions, the route reachesCR 14 (Albany Post Road). At Rider Road, a half-mile further on, NY 52 curves further to the southeast, taking it across a wide swath of farmland into the village ofWalden, the largest settlement along the route.[b][28] It follows first residential North Montgomery Street, which becomes South Montgomery Street at the Oak Street intersection, marked by a few small businesses.[30]
At the junction with Walker Street, NY 52 turns sharply eastward, becoming West Main Street while South Montgomery Street continues towards thevillage of Montgomery viaCR 29. Immediately following this turn, NY 52 crosses theWalden Veterans' Memorial Bridge over theWallkill River, entering the center of Walden.[5] Conspicuous here is the brick tower ofWalden United Methodist Church. After several blocks, West Main reaches an intersection with local Bank Street on the north,NY 208 (Ulster Avenue) ahead, and Main Street to the southeast. It joins NY 208 on Main.[5]
The two routes fork a short two blocks later at Orange Avenue, which NY 208 follows towardMaybrook while NY 52 continues east as East Main Street. A quarter-mile (400 m) beyond, at the first of the route's several crossings of Wallkill tributaryTin Brook, the houses on the north side of the road start to have a deepsetback, reflecting a past division of NY 52 at this point. The second roadway remains in use from Woodruff Avenue to the village's eastern boundary.[31][32]
Past Walden, NY 52 passes several businesses, then Wallkill Valley Cemetery on the south. A mile west of there, just past another crossing of Tin Brook,CR 85 (St. Andrew's Road), leaves from the north. Past East Walden, the route becomes a two-lane rural road, bending southeast at a junction with Old South Plank Road. The landscape remains the same gently rolling countryside of worked fields it was between Walden and Pine Bush.[5][33]
The last two crossings of Tin Brook, a mile and a half (2.4 km) east of CR 85 precede a bend to the southeast. The woods on the side of the road increase here as NY 52 climbs slightly after theCatskill Aqueduct crosses a half-mile from that turn. In another half-mile, the route returns to its more easterly course as it enters the town ofNewburgh and takes the name South Plank Road at the intersection with Old South Plank Road and Cooks Lane.[33][34]
After passing a swampy area in the woods to the north, NY 52 intersectsCR 23 (Rock Cut Road), then runs through swamps along the southern shore ofOrange Lake on an eastward heading. Immediately afterwards, a single intersection marks the very small commercial center of the hamlet ofOrange Lake. Just past the hamlet, NY 52 turns southeast again at a junction with Monarch Drive and enters an area where woods screen residential neighborhoods off the route.[35] It is paralleled on the north byBushfield Creek, which drains Orange Lake. With both the creek and route going past a large hill on the south,[36] NY 52 bends southeast again to cross under theNew York State Thruway (I-87).[5]
A commercial strip begins shortly after the Thruway, continuing a half-mile past it to the junction withNY 300 (Union Avenue) at the center of the hamlet ofGardnertown.[35] The strip continues another half-mile to the Powder Mill Road where the route runs along the southern side ofAlgonquin Powder Mill Park, where it becomes residential again.[37] In the wetlands north of the route past the park, as the route bends around another hill to the south, Bushfield Creek flows intoQuassaick Creek, which itself flows under NY 52 just above the now-drained Winona Lake south of the road.[38] Here the route turns more to the south.[5]
Just after the junction with Fifth Avenue, a thousand feet past the lake, the route crosses overInterstate 84 at that route's exit 37. Just after the overpass, NY 52 turns eastward down the onramp and merges with the interstate. The four-lane expressway is the only section of NY 52 not to be a two-lane surface road, and is its last and longest concurrency. The two routes follow the northern border of thecity of Newburgh northeast and then east. At Exit 39, a mile and a half (2.4 km) from the merger,US 9W (Albany Post Road north of the exit, North Robinson Avenue south of it) andNY 32 intersect just south of the end of their overlap. NY 32 follows North Plank Road as it turns inland towardsNew Paltz, while US 9W continues to parallel the river north toMarlboro andHighland.[5]
After exit 39, NY 52 and I-84 continue east between the city of Newburgh on the south and the town's affluent residential hamlet ofBalmville to the north. The expressway widens to six lanes as it reaches the twin spans of the 1.5-mile (2.4 km)Hamilton FishNewburgh-Beacon Bridge. Just before crossing over theHudson River, the routes cross over theCSXWest Shore Railroad.[5]
In the middle of the wide crossing of the river'sNewburgh Bay, the routes enterDutchess County. To the south the cities ofBeacon and Newburgh frame a view of the northernHudson Highlands, includingBeacon Mountain,Breakneck Ridge andStorm King. To the northmarinas atChelsea andNew Hamburg are visible on the river's east side, with the Roseton andDanskammer power plants standing out on the west.[39]
On the east side of the Hudson, NY 52 and I-84 cross overMetro-North Railroad'sHudson Line just north of theBeacon station, visible from the bridge. They pass briefly through the northern corner of the city ofBeacon, where the bridge's tolls ($1.50 for cars paying cash, $1.25 forEZPass users, and more for trucks[40]) is collected from eastbound traffic. Immediately afterwards is the town ofFishkill and Exit 41.NY 9D crosses, taking traffic north towardsWappingers Falls and south into Beacon. NY 52 Business begins here along the latter direction.[5][41]
After the exit, the routes narrow to four lanes again and bend northeast, passingDutchess Stadium on the north. Prominent on a hilltop south of the road isFishkill Correctional Facility. As the expressway bends eastward again, high chain-link fences withconcertina wire surround the concrete buildings of another prison,Downstate Correctional Facility, on the north. Signs warn drivers not to stop due to the proximity of both facilities.[41]
A mile and a half (2.4 km) further east, after passing through a rock cut and going over undulating terrain in a woody area, the routes turn southeast into Exit 44. Here NY 52 Business completes its loop from the south, and NY 52 leaves the interstate after 8 miles (13 km). It closely parallels I-84 for the remainder of its route.[5]
NY 52 passes through a residential area as a two-lane surface road as it heads northeast from I-84. A quarter-mile (400 m) from the interchange, it enters the village ofFishkill, the last along its route. As Main Street, it soon becomes heavily developed, with businesses on both sides. Jackson Street, which soon becomesCR 34, leaves to the north midway through the village.[5]Downtown culminates in the intersection withUS 9, a divided four-lane commercial strip at this point.[42]
On the other side of US 9, NY 52 becomes Hopewell Avenue. It passes through some residential and less intensely commercial areas before leaving the village after a quarter-mile, still following a northeast heading. The next mile closely parallels bothFishkill Creek and Metro-North's infrequently usedBeacon Line. At the small hamlet ofBrinckerhoff, the route bends southeast to cross them both asNY 82 continues northeast towardsHopewell Junction.[5][43]
Three-quarters of a mile (1.1 km) later, after bending around Honess Mountain, NY 52 crosses theEast Fishkill town line at the hamlet ofWiccopee. It curves northeast again and soon passes the largeIBM manufacturing facilities and the Hudson Valley Research Park on the south.[44]CR 31 (Palen Road) leaves from the north in the middle of this mile-long stretch.[5]
Just after the park,CR 27 (Lime Kiln Road), a divided four-lane surface road, leaves to the south, connecting to I-84 at Exit 50. NY 52 turns more to the northeast for a half-mile, then bends slightly southeast past a swampy area that precedes the center of East Fishkill.[45] Just before the small Gayhead Pond north of the route,NY 376 leaves, ultimately turning west towardsPoughkeepsie.[5] From that intersection the route continues east, then turns northeast after a half-mile. After another half-mile, NY 52 crosses under theTaconic State Parkway, its last junction with a limited-access route. Both entrance ramps to the parkway are on the south side of the route.[5]
A quarter-mile (400 m) from the parkway,CR 29 (Carpenter Road) forks off to the north. Over the mile (1.6 km) after the interchange, the route slowly curves back eastward through an area of residential side streets.[46] ThenNY 216 forks off to the northeast, leading toGreen Haven Correctional Facility and the hamlet ofStormville.[5]
For the next half-mile (800 m) NY 52 passes through a more wooded area, then turns southeastward again.[46] After another half-mile, the route turns due south and begins to climb steeply into the wooded foothills of theTaconic Mountains through a narrow creek valley. I-84 crosses overhead, on a very high overpass. A half-mile further on from that, theAppalachian Trail (AT) crosses the route.[47]
The route turns again a quarter-mile (400 m) from the AT to follow a more easterly course. The terrain levels out into a minimally developed area of small bumps and wetlands. After another three-quarters of a mile, NY 52 reaches its highest elevation east of the Hudson, 962 feet (293 m) above sea level, at the Mountain Top Road intersection.[48]
NY 52 turns southeast again and reaches the hamlet ofPecksville after a mile (1.6 km). There it has a staggered junction withCR 30 (Milltown Road on the south, then Holmes Road on the north). The route draws closer to I-84 and turns southeast. Three-quarters of a mile (1.1 km) from Pecksville, with Mill Pond between it and the interstate, NY 52 crosses thePutnam County line.[5]
Immediately after crossing the county line, NY 52 enters the hamlet of Ludingtonville, part of the town ofKent. It consists of a few houses and some businesses, primarily gas stations that serve traffic from I-84's adjacent exit 58 forCR 40 (Ludingtonville Road).[49] At that junction, the route is headed due south. It turns southwest briefly, then southeast again.[5]
The next 2.5 miles (4.0 km) run almost straight through wooded, hilly country, getting further east of the interstate. Eventually NY 52 reaches the west shore of a small northern bay ofLake Carmel, center of the residential communityof that name. Shortly afterwardNY 311 branches off to the east on a shortcauseway across the lake. It is a mile (1.6 km) back to I-84's exit 61 via NY 311, the last connection between the interstate and NY 52 although their routes still run parallel.[50]
NY 52 continues along the western shore of the lake for another mile. Just past its south end, it intersects withCR 45 (Towners Road). After turning southwest the route intersectsCR 48 (Horse Pound Road).[5] A thousand feet (300 m) south of that junction, NY 52 reaches the town ofCarmel.[51]
The route bends southward again, passing Raymond Hill Cemetery, then a large strip mall on the westbound direction. NY 52 follows Gleneida Avenue, the main street of the hamlet ofCarmel, thecounty seat, with businesses on both sides. A mile from the town line, just across fromthe old county courthouse,NY 301 ends its journey fromCold Spring. Just past the junction isLake Gleneida, part of theNew York City water supply system, the center of a park on that side of the route. A quarter-mile further on, atReed Memorial Library, NY 52 ends at a three-way junction withUS 6.[5]
Similar to many state highways in the region, NY 52 follows a number of roads originally built as privateturnpikes during the early 19th century. While the turnpikes made significant improvements to very poor roads, they were not popular with the public and eventually failed, leaving their roads for the county or state to maintain.
One of these, the Woodbourne and Ellenville Turnpike Company, connected those two communities. After being incorporated by theNew York Legislature in 1830,[52] it built and opened a turnpike from Ellenville on theDelaware and Hudson Canal west to Woodbourne in 1838, and later extended it further in that direction toLiberty.[53]
To the east of Ellenville, the Newburgh and Ellenville Plank Road Company was proposed in late 1849 to build and chargetolls on aplank road between Ellenville andNewburgh, major markets on the canal and Hudson respectively, and incorporated the following year. The company decided shortly thereafter to build on a southern route; the supporters of a northern route organized the Newburgh and Shawangunk Plank Road two weeks later. Both roads were completed in December 1851; an opening celebration for the Newburgh and Ellenville was held at Ellenville that month.[54]
The south route is now, with some modifications, part of NY 52. In 1895 the Walden and Orange Lake Railroad, later part of the Orange County Traction Company, built atrolley line along the old turnpike betweenOrange Lake, then the end of a suburban line from Newburgh, andWalden. It carried passengers and freight, including milk, until its demise in 1925.[55]
Other former turnpikes used by NY 52 include short lengths of the Jeffersonville and Monticello Turnpike (Jeffersonville to Briscoe Road), Ulster and Orange Branch Turnpike (Liberty to Cross Farm Road),Philipstown Turnpike (Pecksville toLudingtonville), and Putnam and Dutchess Turnpike (Ludingtonville to the end inCarmel). By the 1890s, the entire route that would become NY 52 existed as public or turnpike roads.[56]
After the demise of the turnpikes, theState Commission of Highways was created by the legislature in 1898 to improve and maintainstate highways. In 1909, a connected network of routes was laid out by the legislature; none of the present NY 52 was included.[57] It was also not part of the system of signedstate routes numbered in 1924.[58] By 1926,Route 39 was signed fromPoughkeepsie toPatterson, using a short piece of modern NY 52 betweenEast Fishkill andStormville.[59]
NY 52 was designated as part of the1930 renumbering of state highways in New York.[2] West of East Fishkill, NY 52 was assigned to its current routing along a previously unnumbered road through downstate New York to thePennsylvania state line;[60][61] however, it was several years before NY 52 as a whole was improved and paved.[60] At its west end, NY 52 connected withUS 106, which had been designated in 1926 and ended at theDelaware River on the Pennsylvania state line.[62] US 106 was never extended into New York,[63] and is nowPA 652 near the border.[64]
To the east of East Fishkill, the newly designated NY 52 used the old alignment of 1920s Route 39 from East Fishkill to West Patterson, where 52 continued along previously unnumbered roads south toCarmel, then east toNY 22 at Sears Corners (northeast ofBrewster) over modernNY 311,US 6, andNY 312, as well as its modern alignment fromLake Carmel to Carmel.[60] At the time, modern NY 52 fromStormville to Ludingtonville (northwest of Lake Carmel) was designated as part ofNY 216.[65] NY 52 and NY 216 mostly swapped alignments in the areac. 1937; NY 52 was rerouted onto its modern alignment between Stormville and Lake Carmel, utilizing the portion of NY 216 from Stormville and Ludingtonville as well as a new roadway between Ludingtonville and Lake Carmel while NY 216 was relocated to the old Route 39 alignment (Stormville–Poughquag–West Patterson). The original NY 52 segment from West Patterson to Lake Carmel was assigned as an extension of NY 311. NY 52 was also truncated to its present terminus in Carmel at this time.[66][67]
The only major change to NY 52's routing since then came with the opening of theNewburgh–Beacon Bridge in 1963.[68] Prior to then, NY 52 had crossed theHudson River on theNewburgh–Beacon Ferry, approaching from the west on Dupont Avenue and Broadway (overlappingNY 17K on Broadway)[69] and from the east on Fishkill Avenue and Wolcott Avenue (now mostly NY 52 Business).[70]
Natural disasters and construction have forced temporary closures and re-routings in some areas. At the end of 2002, arockslide along the stretch climbing theShawangunks east ofEllenville buried an 85-foot (25 m) section of the road with an estimated 1,000 cubic yards (800 m3) of rock and dirt. The stateDepartment of Transportation closed the road temporarily. Automobile traffic was detoured via several local roads; trucks had to make a lengthy side trip viaRoute 17[71] During the 2003–2005 construction of the new bridge over theWallkill River inWalden, NY 52 was routed to Walden's other bridge (the "Low Bridge") via Oak Street, which intersects the highway twice within the village. This required the erection of two temporarytraffic signals, causing some new traffic problems in the village.[72] Truck traffic was detoured toNY 17K via Albany Post Road and Stone Castle Road.[73]
The village of Walden has noted, in its 2019 Comprehensive Plan, the difficulties created by the oblique intersection at the eastern end of the Route 208 concurrency. Traffic on northbound 208 comes to a stop sign at the intersection, where 52 comes in from the right at a slightly lower grade and a sharp angle, with the view mostly blocked by a building.[74]
It is also just opposite one of two curb cuts for a busygas station. Atrush hour, the traffic light at the nearby northern end often backs cars up along 52 for some distance, making the turn into the gas station difficult, especially when vehicles on 52 make the left turn into the curb cut. Some are often stranded in the middle of the intersection when turning between the two highways. A 2009 traffic study found the intersection atlevel of service D, during peak hours with the potential to reach "F" within five years.[74]
The layout of the intersection is very poor for trucks making this turn; they have caused damage to the curb. The congestion that all these factors create has been forcing more drivers to resort to the use of side streets, the village believes, sincetraffic counts have been going up on 52 and 208 but down on the concurrency. It has prohibited all trucks over 5 short tons (4.5 t) from any road in the village except the two state highways and certain side streets, and continues to monitor the situation with the hope of eventually signalizing the junction.[74]
| County | Location | mi[1] | km | Exit | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware River | 0.00 | 0.00 |  PA 652 west –Honesdale | Continuation intoPennsylvania | ||
| Narrowsburg–Darbytown Bridge | ||||||
| Sullivan | Tusten | 0.69 | 1.11 |   NY 97 north –Callicoon | Western end of NY 97 concurrency;hamlet ofNarrowsburg | |
| 1.45 | 2.33 |  NY 97 south –Port Jervis | Eastern end of NY 97 concurrency; hamlet ofHunts Corner | |||
| Cochecton | 11.09 | 17.85 |     NY 17B east /CR 114 west –Monticello | Western end of NY 17B concurrency; eastern terminus of CR 114; hamlet ofFosterdale | ||
| 11.55 | 18.59 |  NY 17B west /CR 117 west –Callicoon | Eastern end of NY 17B concurrency; eastern terminus of CR 117 | |||
| Delaware | 14.85 | 23.90 |  NY 52A west –Callicoon | Eastern terminus of NY 52A | ||
| Village of Liberty | 29.82 | 47.99 |  NY 55 west (Lake Street) | Western end of NY 55 concurrency | ||
| 30.04 | 48.34 | NY 55 east (Neversink Road) | Eastern end of NY 55 concurrency | |||
| Town of Liberty | 31.45 | 50.61 |   Future I-86 /NY 17 –Monticello,New York City,Binghamton | Exit 100 on NY 17 | ||
| Town of Fallsburg | 38.52 | 61.99 |  NY 42 south –Monticello | Western end of NY 42 concurrency; hamlet ofWoodbourne | ||
| 38.79 | 62.43 | NY 42 north –Grahamsville | Eastern end of NY 42 concurrency; hamlet of Woodbourne | |||
| Ulster | Ellenville | 50.29 | 80.93 |  US 209 (Main Street) | ||
| Orange | Crawford | 62.47 | 100.54 |  NY 302 south –Bullville | Northern terminus of NY 302; hamlet ofPine Bush | |
| Walden | 69.88 | 112.46 |  NY 208 north –Wallkill | Western end of NY 208 concurrency | ||
| 69.94 | 112.56 | NY 208 south –Maybrook | Eastern end of NY 208 concurrency | |||
| Town of Newburgh | 77.18 | 124.21 |     NY 300 toI-87 /New York Thruway –Wallkill,Vails Gate | Hamlet ofGardnertown | ||
| 78.84 | 126.88 | Western end of freeway section | ||||
| 37 |    I-84 west toI-87 Toll /New York Thruway | Western end of I-84 concurrency | ||||
| 80.43 | 129.44 | 39 |   US 9W /NY 32 –Newburgh,Highland,New Paltz,West Point | Signed as exits 39A (US 9W south) & 39B (US 9W north) westbound; last eastbound exit before toll | ||
| Hudson River | 81.62 | 131.35 | Hamilton Fish Newburgh–Beacon Bridge (eastbound toll) | |||
| Dutchess | Town of Fishkill | 83.03 | 133.62 | 41 |    NY 9D /NY 52 Bus. east –Beacon,Wappingers Falls | |
| 86.18 | 138.69 | 44 |    I-84 east /NY 52 Bus. west toTaconic State Parkway | Eastern end of I-84 concurrency | ||
| Eastern end of freeway section | ||||||
| Village of Fishkill | 87.28 | 140.46 |  US 9 –Peekskill,Wappingers Falls | |||
| Town of Fishkill | 88.94 | 143.14 |  NY 82 north –Hopewell Junction | Southern terminus of NY 82; hamlet ofBrinckerhoff | ||
| East Fishkill | 93.33 | 150.20 |  NY 376 north –Hopewell Junction | Southern terminus of NY 376; hamlet of East Fishkill | ||
| 94.27 | 151.71 | Taconic State Parkway | Exit 38 on Taconic State Parkway | |||
| 95.44 | 153.60 |  NY 216 east –Stormville | Western terminus of NY 216 | |||
| Putnam | Kent | 100.00 | 160.93 |   I-84 /CR 43 south (Ludingtonville Road) | Northern terminus of CR 43; exit 58 on I-84 | |
| 105.35 | 169.54 |  NY 311 north toI-84 –Patterson | Southern terminus of NY 311; hamlet ofLake Carmel | |||
| Town of Carmel | 108.44 | 174.52 |  NY 301 west toTaconic State Parkway | Eastern terminus of NY 301; hamlet ofCarmel | ||
| 108.72 | 174.97 | US 6 toI-84 –Mahopac,Brewster | Eastern terminus | |||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
| ||||||
 New York State Route 52A | |
|---|---|
| Location | Fosterdale–Kenoza Lake |
| Length | 2.78 mi[1] (4.47 km) |
| Existed | 1930[61]–present |
New York State Route 52A is a 2.78-mile (4.47 km) alternate route of NY 52 in westernSullivan County. The route begins atNY 17B near the hamlet of Fosterdale and continues north and east to its terminus at NY 52 near the north end ofKenoza Lake.[1] It serves mainly to shorten the trip from Callicoon toLiberty via NY 52.[75] The route was assigned as part of the1930 renumbering of state highways in New York.[61]
The entire route is inDelaware,Sullivan County.
| mi | km | Destinations | Notes | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | 0.0 | NY 17B –Callicoon,Fosterdale | Western terminus | ||
| 2.78 | 4.47 | NY 52 –Jeffersonville,Liberty,Fosterdale | Eastern terminus | ||
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi | |||||
 New York State Route 52 Business | |
|---|---|
| Location | Beacon |
| Length | 4.74 mi[1] (7.63 km) |
| Existed | 1963[76]–present |
New York State Route 52 Business (abbreviated NY 52 Bus.) is abusiness route of NY 52 that extends for 4.74 miles (7.63 km) through the city ofBeacon inDutchess County.[citation needed] The route is signed as east–west, starting atI-84 / NY 52 exit 41 andNY 9D north of Beacon and ending at I-84 / NY 52 exit 44 southwest of the village ofFishkill, where NY 52 leaves I-84, ending the I-84 / NY 52 concurrency. NY 52 Business is not posted on guide signs on I-84.
NY 52 Business begins at I-84 / NY 52 exit 11 and runsconcurrent with NY 9D into Beacon. At Main Street, NY 52 Business leaves NY 9D and follows Main Street east through the Lower Main Street Historic District and across town to Fishkill Avenue. The route turns left onto that street, following Fishkill Avenue out of the city. At Prospect Street, a local road straddling the Beacon city line, NY 52 Business becomes state-maintained as NY 980J, an unsignedreference route.[77]
After Millholland Drive, Fishkill Avenue becomes Fishkill's Main Street before meeting I-84 / NY 52. At the interchange, NY 52 Business, as well as the NY 980J designation, comes to an end while NY 52 continues east along Main Street.[77][78]The entire route is inDutchess County.
| Location | mi | km | Destinations | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beacon | 0.00 | 0.00 | NY 9D north –Wappingers Falls | Continuation north; western end of NY 9D concurrency | |
| I-84 / NY 52 toI-87 /New York Thruway /Taconic State Parkway –Newburgh | Exit 41 on I-84 | ||||
| NY 9D south (Wolcott Avenue) | Eastern end of NY 9D concurrency | ||||
| Fishkill | 4.74 | 7.63 | I-84 / NY 52 toTaconic State Parkway –Newburgh,Fishkill | Eastern terminus; exit 44 on I-84 | |
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
| |||||
