New York State Route 56

New York State Route 56 (NY 56) is a 51.44-mile-long (82.78 km) north–south state highway in eastern St. Lawrence County, New York, in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 3 in the town of Colton. Its northern terminus is at a junction with NY 37 southwest of Massena in the town of Louisville. NY 56 follows the Raquette River for most of its length and serves the village of Potsdam, where it passes by the campus of State University of New York at Potsdam.

This article is about the current alignment of NY 56. For the former alignment of NY 56 in eastern St. Lawrence and Franklin Counties, see New York State Route 72.

New York State Route 56 marker

New York State Route 56

NY 56 highlighted in red and NY 970C in blue
Route information
Maintained by NYSDOT
Length51.44 mi[1] (82.78 km)
Existed1930[2]–present
Major junctions
South end NY 3 in Colton
Major intersections US 11 in Potsdam
North end NY 37 in Louisville
Location
CountryUnited States
StateNew York
CountiesSt. Lawrence
Highway system
← NY 55A→ NY 56A

Route description
NY 56 southbound at NY 3, the southern terminus, in Sevey Corners

NY 56 begins at an intersection with NY 3 in the town of Colton and the hamlet of Sevey Corners. NY 56 proceeds northeastward through the hamlet of Sevey along a two-lane highway through dense woods of the Adirondack Park, paralleling the Raquette River past Chander Pond. The Raquette soon diverges into the Carry Falls Reservoir, while NY 56 continues northwestward, passing a western jaunt of the reservoir. Turning west from the Raquette, the route enters the town of Parishville and the hamlet of Stark. Stark consists of one building and more dense woods. After re-entering the town of Colton, NY 56 bends northward and soon northwestward out of the Adirondack Park. After leaving the park, NY 56 enters the hamlets of Irish Settlement (the site of a very dangerous S-Curve until 2010) and South Colton. In South Colton, NY 56 passes a long stretch of residences before turning westward at a crossing of the Raquette River. NY 56 leaves South Colton, passes north of Higley Flow State Park, and enters the hamlet of Colton. In Colton, NY 56 intersects with CR 58 (Colton-Parishville Road). After crossing the Raquette for the second time, NY 56 intersects with the eastern terminus of NY 68 (Colton-Pierrepont Road).[3]

Crossing through Colton, NY 56 passes some residences and businesses before leaving the hamlet to the northwest. Crossing a former alignment of itself, NY 56 enters the town of Pierrepont and the hamlet of Willisville. In Willisville, the route intersects with CR 24 (Brown Bridge Road). NY 56 through Willisville remains primarily residential as the two-lane highway bends northward along the Raquette River. Along this northern stretch, the backdrop remains residential, intersecting with CR 59 (West Hannawa Road). NY 56 turns eastward at this junction, crosses the Raquette River for the third time since South Colton and entering the hamlet of Hannawa Falls. Hannawa Falls is a mix of residences and commercial buildings along NY 56 before leaving to the hamlet of West Parishville. In West Parishville, NY 56 bends northward into the town of Parishville, which soon changes over to the town of Potsdam. In the town, NY 56 passes the Potsdam Town and Country Club before intersecting with the western terminus of NY 72. After NY 56 bends to the northwest, passing the State University of New York at Potsdam campus before entering the village of Potsdam.[3]

In Potsdam village, NY 56 parallels the Raquette River along Pierrepont Avenue until the intersection with Main Street, where NY 56 turns west onto Main. At the intersection with Market Street, NY 56 turns northward onto Market, intersecting with US 11 (Elm Street). The two routes are on a wrong-way concurrency for three village blocks, until US 11 turns westward onto Sandstone Drive. NY 56 continues north along Market Street as a two-lane commercial street, paralleling a nearby railroad line through the village. Soon after leaving the village of Potsdam and re-entering the namesake town, NY 56 loses its Market Street moniker, entering the hamlet of Sisson. At Sisson, the railroad line crosses NY 56 and soon into the hamlet of Unionville. Returning to the riverside of the Raquette River, NY 56 intersects with Dry Bridge Road, which connects to CR 48 at the Norwood village line. Through Norwood, NY 56 passes residences until intersecting with Park Street, which connects to CR 35 outside of Norwood. NY 56 crosses a railroad junction on its way out of the village, entering the town of Norfolk.[3]

NY 56 approaching NY 37 in Louisville

Through Norfolk, NY 56 intersects with CR 47 (Knapps Station Road) and CR 38A (West Main Street). North of the village, NY 56 intersects CR 38 (Furnace Street), the former junction with NY 56A.[3][4] NY 56 continues northward into the hamlet of Raymondville. In Raymondville, NY 56 passes a stretch of residences south of the Raymondville Golf and Country Club. At the country club, NY 56 intersects with the northern terminus of NY 310, where the highway turns northeastward along the riverbank until a junction with CR 40 (West Hatfield Road). At CR 40, NY 56 makes a bend to the north, entering the town of Louisville. Through Louisville, NY 56 remains predominantly rural, until reaching the border with the village of Massena. At the village line, NY 56 intersects with NY 37 (Seaway Trail / Aluminum Workers Memorial Highway). This intersection serves as the northern terminus of NY 56 while the right-of-way continues into Massena as Andrews Street.[3]

History

NY 56 was assigned as part of the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York to an alignment extending from NY 3 in the town of Colton to NY 420 south of Massena.[2] In the vicinity of Massena, NY 56 was originally routed on West Hatfield Road.[5] NY 56 was realigned c. 1937 to follow a new highway into Massena, where it ended at a junction with NY 420 (Main Street) just south of where NY 420 ended at NY 37.[6][7]

In the mid-1950s, construction began on a new alignment for NY 37 around the southern edge of Massena.[8][9] The highway opened to traffic by 1958;[10] however, NY 56 continued to extend past the bypass into Massena until the early 1960s, when it was cut back to its junction with NY 37's new routing.[11] The former routing of NY 56 in Massena is still state-maintained as NY 970C, an unsigned reference route designation for Andrews Street between NY 37 and Main Street (itself unsigned NY 970B).[4]

NY 56A

New York State Route 56A marker

New York State Route 56A

LocationPotsdam–Norfolk
Existed1930[2]–April 10, 1980[4]

NY 56A was an alternate route of NY 56 between Potsdam and Norfolk in St. Lawrence County. The route began in Potsdam, headed northwest to Madrid, then turned northeast and continued to its northern terminus in Norfolk. NY 56A was assigned in 1930[2] and removed in 1980.[4] The portion of former NY 56A from Madrid to Potsdam, as well as the state-maintained Bridge Street connector, became part of a rerouted NY 345 on September 1, 1982, as a result of a highway maintenance swap between the state of New York and St. Lawrence County.[12][13]

Major intersections

The entire route is in St. Lawrence County.

Locationmi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
Town of Colton0.000.00 NY 3 – Tupper Lake, Cranberry Lake, Star LakeSouthern terminus; hamlet of Sevey Corners
22.9336.90
 NY 68 west (Colton-Pierrepont Road) – Canton		Eastern terminus of NY 68; hamlet of Colton
Town of Potsdam30.8249.60
 NY 72 east – Parishville		Western terminus of NY 72
Village of Potsdam32.4652.24Park Street ( NY 971T) – Former routing of NY 56; southern terminus of unsigned NY 971T; signed as US 11 north (northbound)
32.6852.59Maple Street ( NY 971U) – CantonFormer routing of US 11; eastern terminus of unsigned NY 971U
32.7652.72
 US 11 north (Elm Street)		Southern terminus of US 11 / NY 56 overlap
32.9353.00
 US 11 south (Sandstone Drive) – Canton, Clarkson University		Northern terminus of US 11 / NY 56 overlap
Town of Norfolk41.8067.27 CR 38A (West Main Street) – MadridFormer eastern terminus of NY 56A; hamlet of Norfolk
45.2972.89
 NY 310 south		Northern terminus of NY 310; hamlet of Raymondville
Louisville51.4482.78 NY 37 (Seaway Trail / Aluminum Workers Memorial Highway) – Ogdensburg, MaloneNorthern terminus
Andrews Street ( NY 970C) – MassenaContinuation beyond northern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

References
  1. "2012 Traffic Volume Report for New York State" (PDF). New York State Department of Transportation. June 12, 2013. pp. 135–136. Retrieved July 22, 2014.
  2. Dickinson, Leon A. (January 12, 1930). "New Signs for State Highways". The New York Times. p. 136.
  3. Microsoft; Nokia (April 19, 2012). "overview map of NY 56" (Map). Bing Maps. Microsoft. Retrieved April 19, 2012.
  4. New York State Department of Transportation (January 2017). Official Description of Highway Touring Routes, Bicycling Touring Routes, Scenic Byways, & Commemorative/Memorial Designations in New York State (PDF). Retrieved January 9, 2017.
  5. Road Map of New York (Map). Cartography by General Drafting. Standard Oil Company of New York. 1930.
  6. New York (Map). Cartography by General Drafting. Standard Oil Company. 1936.
  7. New York (Map). Cartography by General Drafting. Standard Oil Company. 1937.
  8. New York with Special Maps of Putnam–Rockland–Westchester Counties and Finger Lakes Region (Map) (1955–56 ed.). Cartography by General Drafting. Esso. 1954.
  9. New York with Special Maps of Putnam–Rockland–Westchester Counties and Finger Lakes Region (Map) (1957 ed.). Cartography by General Drafting. Esso. 1956.
  10. New York with Special Maps of Putnam–Rockland–Westchester Counties and Finger Lakes Region (Map) (1958 ed.). Cartography by General Drafting. Esso. 1958.
  11. New York and Metropolitan New York (Map) (1961–62 ed.). Cartography by H.M. Gousha Company. Sunoco. 1961.
  12. New York State Legislature. "New York State Highway Law § 341". Retrieved December 29, 2010.
  13. New York (Map). Rand McNally and Company. 1985. ISBN 0-528-91040-X.
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