ROBERT MOSES STATE PARKWAY

The 'Robert Moses State Parkway' is an long north-south parkway in western Niagara County, New York, United States. The southern terminus is at an interchange with Interstate 190 and the LaSalle Expressway on the east bank of the Niagara River east of downtown Niagara Falls. The northern terminus is at New York State Route 18 at Four Mile Creek State Park in Porter. Originally, the parkway was one continuous road; however, due to low usage, a portion of the parkway near Niagara Falls was removed, separating the parkway into two sections. The length of the parkway is designated 'New York State Reference Route 957A' by NYSDOT. A short spur from the Robert Moses Parkway west to Fort Niagara State Park near Youngstown is designated 'Reference Route 958A'. Both reference routes are unsigned.
The parkway, a divided highway for most of its route, is one of the most unorthodox parkways in New York State, along with Ocean Parkway on Long Island. Some portions, mainly between downtown Niagara Falls and Lewiston, are not built to freeway standards, and the parkway as a whole has gradually been relegated due to low usage.

Contents

Route description

History

Exit list

NY 957A

NY 958A

See also

References

Route description

Part of the route follows the east side of the Niagara Gorge and for the large part a scenic route. The parkway begins in Niagara Falls, where the Niagara Expressway (Interstate 190) meets with the LaSalle Expressway, and travels north to New York State Route 18 near Lake Ontario in northern Niagara County at Four Mile Creek State Park.
The original route also passed under the approach to the Rainbow Bridge, which crosses the Niagara River into Canada (the mentioned section has since been closed to traffic and is now only used for park business). Today, the parkway is interrupted because of the closed section. The two sections are still connected via New York State Route 384.

History

The parkway, named after public works developer Robert Moses, has been as controversial as its builder. The highway created a barrier between Niagara River and the communities along its route. Many have considered it an underutilized duplication of local highways and roads such as New York State Route 104 and New York State Route 18F, which parallel the parkway between Niagara Falls and Four Mile Creek State Park.
Perhaps in response to this, the parkway has recently undergone a number of unorthodox conversions. First, the section that passed under Rainbow Bridge was closed in the 1980s so that more extensive park facilities could be built in the vicinity of the bridge. This results in an interruption in the route. Traffic must now employ NY 384 to bridge the two sections of the parkway. Furthermore, along the north section of the parkway, the southbound lanes between Cedar Street in downtown Niagara Falls and I-190 in Lewiston have been converted to a recreation/bike trail, reducing the northbound half into a two-laned highway in this stretch.

Exit list

NY 957A

All exits are unnumbered.

County	Location	Mile1	Destinations	Notes
Niagara	Niagara Falls	0.00	Robert Moses State Parkway continues east as the LaSalle Expressway.
		0.02	I-190/NY 384 - Buffalo, Canada
		3.24	Quay Street	Western terminus of state maintenance. Roadway continues west into Niagara Falls State Park.
		Parkway is discontinuous through downtown Niagara Falls.
		3.24	NY 104 (Main Street)/NY 384 (Rainbow Blvd.)	At-grade intersection. Roadway continues southward as NY 384.
		5.04	Findlay Drive	At-grade intersection.
	Lewiston	6.64	NY 104 (Lewiston Road) - Lewiston
		7.98	I-190 via Upper Mountain Road - Niagara Falls, Canada	Northbound exit and entrance, southbound entrance.
		9.68	NY 18F north/NY 104 (Ridge Road)	Southern terminus of NY 18F.
		12.37	Pletcher Road
	Youngstown	15.51	NY 93 (Youngstown-Lockport Road)
		15.94	Fort Niagara State Park (NY 958A west)	Eastern terminus of NY 958A.
	Porter	18.09	Four Mile Creek State Park	Northbound exit, southbound entrance.
		18.42	NY 18 (Lake Road)	At-grade intersection.

NY 958A

All exits are unnumbered.

County	Location	Mile1	Destinations	Notes
Niagara	Porter	0.00	Robert Moses State Parkway
		1.16	NY 18F (Lake Road)	Southbound exit, northbound entrance. Northern terminus of state maintenance.
		Roadway continues west into Fort Niagara State Park.

See also

★ Niagara Parkway, the counterpart to the Robert Moses State Parkway on the Canadian side of the Niagara River

References

1. Traffic Data Report - NY 953B to NY 992P