New York State Route 55
New York State Route 55 is a east-west state highway in southern New York, running from the Pennsylvania state line at the Delaware River in Barryville to the Connecticut state line at Wingdale. It is the only other state highway beside NY 7 to completely cross the state, from border to border, in an east-west direction, although NY 17 does so and is partially east-west. It also forms a concurrency when it joins US 44 for 33 miles.
Together with NY 52, which it closely parallels and briefly joins in downtown Liberty, it forms the latitudinal backbone of the Hudson Valley region for non-interstate traffic. It offers the traveler a wide variety of landscapes, from farmlands, mountains and forests to the urban center of Poughkeepsie. Sights along the way include two of New York City's major reservoirs in the Catskills, a dramatic crossing of the Shawangunk Ridge, and the Mid-Hudson Bridge.
Route description
Sullivan County
Barryville to Swan Lake
NY 55 begins at a junction with NY 97 at the shore of the Delaware River in the hamlet of Barryville. South of this junction, the right-of-way connects to the Barryville-Shohola Bridge, which connects to PA 434 in the municipality of Shohola Township. Crossing past the former terminus of County Route 11A, NY 55 proceeds north out of Barryville through the town of Highland, maintained by Sullivan County as CR 11. NY 55 and CR 11 proceed northeast through the woods above the Delaware, reaching a small residential area near Old Brook Road.NY 55 and CR 11 wind northeast through Highland for several miles, soon turning northward past multiple residences before winding northeast into the hamlet of Eldred. NY 55 serves as the main north-south road through Eldred, crossing a junction with CR 32 and CR 33. Soon passing the Eldred Central School, NY 55 continues northeast through Highland, now co-designated as CR 12. At Stege Road, NY 55 and CR 12 bend north past residences overlooking Steges Pond. The route soon becomes more wooded in nature, paralleling the western shore of the pond, and turns northwest past Sunrise Lake. Beginning to wind to the north, NY 55 and CR 12 pass more residences and continue north through Highland.
After a couple more turns, the routes leave the town of Highland for the town of Bethel, where the route turns northeast, passing Toronto Lake at a junction with CR 26. At this junction, the co-designation changes once again as NY 55 becomes concurrent with CR 13 as it passes the Toronto Reservoir. Winding out of the reservoir area, NY 55 and CR 13 pass multiple homes as the route passes through the hamlet of Black Lake. Passing the namesake body of water, NY 55 and CR 13 bend northeast and soon northward past numerous homes for several miles. A short distance later, the routes reach a junction with NY 17B. At this junction, NY 17B and NY 55 become concurrent.
NY 17B and NY 55 proceed eastward through the town of Bethel, running along the southern shore of White Lake, passing numerous lakeside residences. A short distance later, the routes reach the hamlet of White Lake, coming to an intersection with CR 14. At this junction, NY 55 turns north onto CR 14, and the routes continue through White Lake as a two-lane residential road. At Lake Street, NY 55 and CR 14 turn northwest for several blocks, soon reaching a junction with CR 141. At this junction, the routes turn north on Swan Lake Drive, while CR 141 connects west to West Shore Road, the latter of which services the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, the site of Woodstock in 1969.
NY 55 and CR 14 begin winding northeast through Bethel, leaving the hamlet of White Lake and soon reaching a junction with CR 183. At this junction, NY 55 and CR 14 run along the northern ends of Sullivan County International Airport. The routes soon turn north, crossing Old White Lake Turnpike at the end of the airport. Paralleling the West Branch of the Mongaup River, NY 55 and CR 14 pass Woods, Pauls and Wheelers ponds before reaching the hamlet of Swan Lake. Now in the town of Liberty, NY 55 reaches a junction with CR 74, where it continues north through Swan Lake co-designated with CR 15.
Swan Lake to the Rondout Reservoir
Just north of CR 74, NY 55 and CR 15 cross a junction with the eastern terminus of CR 142. Crossing over the namesake lake, NY 55 and CR 15 soon leave the hamlet of Swan Lake, passing Fieldston Lake and multiple residences as they proceed eastward. Passing Lake Barnabee, the routes turn northeast again, crossing a junction with CR 71. Continuing north through the town of Liberty, NY 55 and CR 15 soon reach the village of Liberty. At the village line, CR 15 terminates while NY 55 continues as Swan Lake Road and turns eastward on West Lake Street. At Carrier Street, NY 55 turns northeast and crosses into the commercial center of Liberty as Lake Street, coming to a junction with NY 52.NY 52 and NY 55 become concurrent through the village of Liberty, proceeding southeast to become Mill Street. Reaching a roundabout, NY 55 forks off of NY 52 and onto Neversink Road, which becomes concurrent with CR 16 at the village line. NY 55 and CR 16 parallel the Middle Mongaup River, entering an interchange with NY 17. After NY 17, NY 55 and CR 16 cross the Middle Mongaup and wind eastward through the town of Liberty. At the junction with Clements Road, the routes turn northeast through a rural section of Liberty, soon reaching a junction with Kees Lake. The routes bend eastward past Kees Lake, passing some local residences before crossing into the town of Fallsburg. Past Grants Road, NY 55 and CR 16 cross east through the hamlet of Bradley, soon crossing into the town of Neversink. At the junction with Aden Road, CR 16 terminates.
NY 55, state-maintained again, bends southeast through Neversink, soon reaching the southern shores of the Neversink Reservoir, one of the reservoirs that serve New York City. Continuing eastward, the route reaches the southernmost point of the reservoir and a junction with CR 105, which connects to Loch Sheldrake. At this junction, NY 55 continues northeast along the southeastern shores of the reservoir. Crossing the spillway for the reservoir, NY 55 runs northeast into a junction with CR 105A. Turning away from the Neversink, the route winds north and soon northeast into the hamlet of Neversink. At the junction with Wilson Shields Road, NY 55 becomes concurrent with CR 17, crossing through the center of the hamlet.
The residential hamlet of Neversink soon is left behind by NY 55 and CR 17, continuing northeast through the namesake town. Just northeast of the junction with Myers Road, NY 55 and CR 17 cross into the Catskill Forest Preserve. Continuing past a junction with Benton Hollow Road, the route soon bends eastward through Neversink, reaching a junction with Wagner Road, where CR 17 terminates. NY 55 continues eastward alone along Neversink Road, maintained by NYSDOT once more. After a bend to the northeast, the route reaches the hamlet of Curry, where it junctions with CR 19, which connects to the Ulster County line via CR 157. Passing the Chestnut Creek Covered Bridge nearby, NY 55 quickly leaves Curry and bends southeast through the hamlet of Unionville.
After crossing through the small residential hamlet, NY 55 winds southeast, passing the Grahamsville Fairgrounds and changes names to Main Street as the route enters Grahamsville. Bending southeast through Grahamsville, the route crosses past multiple residences and soon the commercial center. At the center of Grahamsville, NY 55 reaches a junction with the northern terminus of the southern segment of NY 42. Continuing eastward out of Grahamsville, the route parallels Chestnut Creek and passing Grahamsville Rural Cemetery. Passing the local high school, NY 55 reaches a junction with the western terminus of NY 55A at the westernmost point of the Rondout Reservoir. NY 55 runs along the southern shore of the Rondout, a two-lane woods road running southeast through the town of Neversink.
Continuing southeast along the reservoir's southern shore, NY 55 passes a lone house looking over the reservoir and reaches the Ulster County line.
Ulster County
Wawarsing to Tuthilltown
Now in the town of Wawarsing, NY 55 continues southeast along the southern shore of the Rondout Reservoir. Paralleling the widest points of the reservoir, the route makes a gradual bend to the northeast, leaving the Catskill Forest Preserve. Continuing along the shoreline, the route crosses through the dense woods. At the junction with Porter Road, NY 55 reaches Merriman Dam, the dam that runs the control of water for the Rondout. This junction marks the eastern end of the reservoir, which continues east as Rondout Creek. NY 55 then turns south, reaching a junction with the eastern terminus of NY 55A. Crossing back into the Catskills for a moment, NY 55 soon reaches the hamlet of Lackawack. After a southwestern bend, the route turns southeast and leaves the park for the final time.Paralleling Rondout Creek, NY 55 crosses past multiple residences in Wawarsing, soon bending eastward past Bennett Road. Paralleling Sportsman Road, NY 55 turns southeast along the Rondout, soon reaching the hamlet of Honk Hill. Through Honk Hill, NY 55 turns south again, passing Honk Lake, where it turns southwest out of the hamlet. Turning southeast again, the route crosses over Rondout Creek again, reaching the hamlet of Napanoch. Through Napanoch, NY 55 is a two-lane residential street, soon turning south along Rondout Creek into a junction with US 209. At the junction with US 209, NY 55 becomes concurrent with the U.S. route northeast through Wawarsing, bypassing the hamlet of Napanoch and crossing a junction with CR 128. CR 128 connects to two local New York State Department of Corrections facilities.
US 209 and NY 55 continue north through the hamlet of East Wawarsing, passing multiple old alignments of US 209 through the hamlet of Wawarsing. Winding northeast, US 209 and NY 55 pass multiple residential areas before reaching a more rural section of the town, paralleling Rondout Creek eastward into the hamlet of Kerhonkson. In Kerhonkson, US 209 and NY 55 reach a junction with the western terminus of US 44. At this junction, NY 55 turns east on a concurrency with US 44, crossing over Rondout Creek once again. US 44 and NY 55 wind eastward through Wawarsing, reaching a junction with the southern end of CR 77.
Crossing southeast into the town of Rochester, US 44 and NY 55 reach a junction with CR 27, where the routes turn south along or near the town line. The routes soon make a gradual bend to the northeast, crossing multiple residences as the route enters the Minnewaska State Park Preserve. Crossing through the dense woods of the park, US 44 and NY 55 continue eastward, southward and southeastward past multiple entrances to sections of the park, crossing a junction with Milbrook Mountain Road, where the routes soon reach the eastern ends of the park. Crossing into the hamlet of Lake Minnewaska, US 44 and NY 55 cross Trapps Road, make another southeast to northeast bend and cross a junction with Clove Road.
After Clove Road, US 44 and NY 55 become a two-lane road along the slopes of the Shawangunk Mountains, passing a local overlook before reaching the hairpin turn in the town of Gardiner. At this hairpin turn, US 44 and NY 55 turn southwest, winding past multiple homes before turning southeast past a junction with the western terminus of NY 299. Continuing south away from the Shawangunks, the routes cross North Mountain Road and make a bend to the southeast, reaching a junction with CR 7 at the hamlet of Benton Corners. After Benton Corners, US 44 and NY 55 continue southeast through the town of Gardiner, reaching the hamlet of Tuthilltown and a junction with CR 9.