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NY 17-Church St.-Jerusalem Hill
Exit 56 on NY 17 (Future I-86) serves as one of the gateways into downtown Elmira. In 2001 and 2002, Exit 56 was reconfigured with nearby Exit 57 to improve traffic flow in the area, and to bring the interchange to Interstate standards. The two combined exits are now a single exit, Exit 56.
The map on the left shows the configuration of Exits 56 and 57, prior to reconstruction in July 2001. The map on the right shows the new configuration of the two exits, now known as just Exit 56.
Below are pictures of this area taken before, during, and after construction. Click on the picture to see an enlarged image. All photos are taken by myself unless noted otherwise.
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Button copy secondary control sign for Exit 56 on NY 17 westbound. Prior to reconstruction, the secondary control destinations for Exit 56 were Downtown Elmira (Eastbound Only) and Elmira College (Both Directions). This photo was taken after the project was completed, but this sign was still up (Its eastbound counterpart had been removed). (12/15/02) |
More Pictures Coming Soon!
Pictures Coming Soon!
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1 mile advance guide sign for Exit 56 on NY 17 eastbound. (12/15/02) |
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1 mile advance guide sign for Exit 56 on NY 17 westbound. (12/15/02) |
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1 mile advance guide sign for Exit 56 on NY 17 westbound, seen from Brandt Road. You can get a clearer view of the plaque NYSDOT placed beneath the guide sign, noting that the exit used to be Exit 57, which for westbound travellers, took them into Elmira on Water St. (12/15/02) |
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Secondary control sign for Exit 56, this one on NY 17 eastbound. The secondary controls are the same westbound. (12/15/02) |
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Gore sign for Exit 56 on NY 17 eastbound. The offramp doesn't begin for another 1/4 mile. The overpass shown is East Ave./Watercure Hill Rd. (12/15/02) |
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Gore sign for Exit 56 on NY 17 westbound. Although not as clear in this photo, note the "Formerly Exit 57" plaque located beneath the sign. (12/15/02) |
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The Exit 56 offramp on NY 17 eastbound. (12/15/02) |
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Signage for NY 17 and NY 352, as well as TRUCK NY 14 (The "4" is a little wider than it should be) at the top of the eastbound offramp from NY 17 (Church St). For some reason, NYSDOT installed permanent stop signs along the eastbound frontage road here and at Water St./Jerusalem Hill Rd. with traffic signals set on flash mode (The signals on the westbound frontage road are on normal operation). The eastbound frontage road continues straight toward Water St. and Jerusalem Hill Rd. (12/15/02) |
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Reference markers along the frontage roads and ramps should read "14" or "17" on the top line. But instead, they read "861". Perhaps they were thinking ahead and meant 86I, although the top line would be right-justified in that case. The I-86 designation is not expected to reach here until at least 2006, when construction on the Horseheads bypass is finished. (12/15/02) |
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The eastbound frontage road from Church St. The snow helps show how the road runs parallel to NY 17. The only downside to the new alignment is that you cannot immediately merge onto NY 17, since slip ramps were not constructed, although they were part of the original plan. (12/15/02) |
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Signage for NY 17 and NY 352 at the top of the westbound offramp from NY 17 (Water St./Jerusalem Hill Rd.) (12/15/02) |
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Some odd directional signage was installed on Church St. and Water St./Jerusalem Hill Rd. when the project was completed. This signage reminds me of the cutout directional signage that was installed at the roundabouts on Robert Dann Dr. in Erwin, Steuben County. (12/15/02) |
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Approaching NY 17 on Water St. eastbound. The new alignment now allows Water St. commuters direct access to Jerusalem Hill Rd. (12/15/02) |
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A similar directional sign used for the eastbound frontage road, alongside a more conventional NYSDOT style blade sign for Church St. (12/15/02) |
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Signage for NY 17 and NY 352 on the westbound frontage road at Church St. This is NY 352's actual eastern terminus. (12/15/02) |
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The first westbound NY 352 shield, as well as signage for NY 17 eastbound. (12/15/02) |
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Overlooking NY 17 eastbound from the Church St. overpass. (12/15/02) |
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I like how NYSDOT put just "COLLEGE" instead of "ELMIRA COLLEGE" on the tab above the sign the state uses for colleges and universities. I'll just bet that President Thomas K. Meier is complaining to NYSDOT about the wording on the sign. :-D Also note the "14" reference marker. NY 14 was multiplexed with NY 17 and NY 352 until 1978 when NY 328 was truncated at Southport and NY 14 was rerouted onto the routing it used until 2001 when Clemens Center Parkway was completed. (12/15/02) |
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Looking west into Elmira on Church St. (NY 352). As part of the project, Church St. was raised where the railroad overpass was to eliminate what was an uncessary dip in the road. (12/15/02) |
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Looking east on Church St. toward NY 17. (12/15/02) |
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Church St. meets the westbound frontage road. The area where the loop ramp to NY 17 westbound was filled in with landscaping. (12/15/02) |
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Signage noting NY 352's eastern terminus. (12/15/02) |