New York Roads - I-88 and I-88/NY 7
and NY 7
Old I-88 shields still stand in proliferation on both sides of the freeway.
I-88 was built up alongside NY 7 from Albany to Binghamton, and at its conception before the advent of the Interstate Highway System was intended to in fact be NY 7.
Interesting tidbit: Due to added capacity from I-88 heading toward I-90 and I-87 on the other side of Albany, the New York Thruway (I-90) built an extra lane between I-88 and the I-87 junction, and does not toll traffic moving between the two.
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The first BGS that greets you traveling WB, and the END 88 shield across from it on the EB side.
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The little Oneonta sign is one of two button-copy signs heading WB between the beginning and Exit 5; the other is a BGS before Exit 17. There are none heading EB.
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Why is NYSDOT reusing these WB Exit 7 signs? Why would they go so far as to attach a new panel to the second one instead of replacing the whole thing? Why isn't the campsite an infringement on Jellystone? I have no answers.
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Beautiful fall scenery nearing Binghamton.
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Still WB and joining the Chenango River, first photo courtesy Doug Kerr. West of Exit 4, NY 7 is on I-88. Although NY 7B runs on old 7 until Exit 3, the connection is a little awkward so NY 7 doesn't try it out. West of Exit 3, there is not enough room to fit both I-88 and NY 7 together. Of course, there is no room for any buildings either, so there's no need for a surface road. Notice that this was originally built as an expressway section of NY 7 - you can tell from the little 7 in the green signs along the way.
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Three of the last BGS's you see on I-88 WB, and the last one, with a button-copy gore sign mixed in. The first BGS are courtesy Doug Kerr. Notice that two of them are for NY 7; most of the exits on I-88 are marked for NY 7 in some form (BGS or standalone shield), just as, say, I-95 and US 1 through CT. In fact, NY 7 and I-88 multiplex between Exits 1 and 4, which includes three of the signs above and the two eastbound signs below. NY 7B runs on old NY 7 between Exits 3 and 4, but no mention anywhere because it's relatively new - but is it really newer than the signs? And couldn't it be applied retroactively?
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I guess the WB 1/2-mile advance sign was knocked down. I find this replacement vastly more interesting.
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Then again, it also happened in the eastbound direction. If this was a casualty of construction, it's several years overdue for a permanent replacement.
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Eastbound, button copy and a sign needing font help.
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Bonus content: New York State Highway Condition Maps from 1963 and 1969. I-88 was originally supposed to continue past Schenectady, but exactly how was in question. I would have been surprised if I-88 ran through the I-890 interchange, but I know it was originally planned along the NY 7 corridor to what's now the Collar City Bridge on I-787. I never knew of the later alternative to head north.
Take Exit 1 or 4 or 25 (or really any of them) to NY 7
Follow the shields to NY 28
Keep going onto I-81
Keep going onto NY 17
Follow EB I-88 into I-90
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