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Interstate 190 New York

Routing

Interstate 190 in New York is the spur of Interstate 90/New York Thruway that leads from the mainline north to downtown Buffalo, Niagara Falls, and Grand Island. This is one of two three-digit Interstate highways to enter a foreign country (the other is hidden Interstate 110 Texas in El Paso, which crosses into Mexico (Ciudad Juarez) at the Cordova Port of Entry.

Tolls on Interstate 190

Known as the Niagara Section of the New York Thruway, Interstate 190 has toll barriers at four locations: west of Interstate 90, south of the Peace Bridge, and at the two Niagara River crossings. The bridge crossings have a toll that is levied on inbound traffic only. During the 1950s and 1960s, when the New York Thruway came into existance, all the exits on the "Niagara Section" were numbered with the prefix of N-xx. This practice was done to distinguish them from mainline Thruway exit numbering system.2

Erie County Clerk David J. Swarts recently has presented a petition of about 20,000 signatures to regional transportation officials advocating the removal of the Interstate 190 toll plazas within the city of Buffalo. The contention is that Buffalo is the only upstate city in New York that has tolls levied on its commuters. He cited the differences between Buffalo and Rochester as a justification for the toll removal. However issues with the removal of the toll plaza extend from the elimination of 200 toll attendant jobs to the loss of revenue gained from the tolls themselves.

Swarts is pleased thus far just to get the issue into the discussion phase. A similar concern arose several years ago from Grand Island commuters concerning the tolled Niagara River spans of Interstate 190. These residents were successful in their complaints in that they are now granted special commuter rates for returning to the island via the Grand Island bridges. Swarts indicated that he will be happy if a similar discount is given to South Buffalo residents.1

Highway Guides

Mileage

State Mileage Cities Junctions
New York 28.34 Buffalo, Niagara Falls Interstate 90, Interstate 290
Source: October 31, 2002 Interstate Route Log and Finders List

Interstate 190 New York Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT)

County From: To: AADT Composite
Erie Interstate 90 N.Y. Thruway Exit 1 Ogden Street - Buffalo 42,600
Erie Exit 1 Ogden Street - Buffalo Exit 2 New York 354
Clinton Street - Buffalo 		66,800
Erie Exit 2 New York 354
Clinton Street - Buffalo 		Exit 3 New York 16 south
Seneca Street - Buffalo 		63,600
Erie Exit 3 New York 16 south
Seneca Street - Buffalo 		Exit 4 Smith Street - Buffalo 74,000
Erie Exit 4 Smith Street - Buffalo Exit 5N Hamburg Street - Buffalo 79,400
Erie Exit 5N Hamburg Street - Buffalo Exit 6 Elm Street - Buffalo 77,300
Erie Exit 6 Elm Street - Buffalo Exit 7S NY 5 Skyway - Buffalo 67,700
Erie Exit 7S NY 5 Skyway - Buffalo Exit 7N Church Street - Buffalo 85,500
Erie Exit 7N Church Street - Buffalo Exit 8 Niagara Street - Buffalo 79,000
Erie Exit 8 Niagara Street - Buffalo Exit 9 Peace Bridge to Canada 71,200
Erie Exit 9 Peace Bridge to Canada Exit 11 NY 198 Scajaquada Expy. 47,800
Erie Exit 11 NY 198 Scajaquada Exp. Exit 12N Amherst Street - Buffalo 57,300
Erie Exit 12N Amherst St. - Buffalo Exit 13N Austin Street - Buffalo 61,000
Erie Exit 13N Austin Street - Buffalo Exit 14 Ontario Street - Buffalo 54,100
Erie Exit 14 Ontario Street - Buffalo Exit 15 NY 324 Sheridan Drive 45,300
Erie Exit 15 NY 324 Sheridan Drive Exit 16 I-290 Youngmann Expy. 50,800
Erie Exit 16 I-290 Youngmann Expy. Exit 17 New York 266 River Road 56,100
Erie Exit 17 New York 266
River Road 		Exit 18A New York 234 north
Grand Island Boulevard 		66,000
Erie Exit 18A New York 234 north
Grand Island Boulevard 		Exit 19 Whitehaven Road 43,800
Erie Exit 19 Whitehaven Road Exit 18A New York 234 south
Grand Island Boulevard 		40,500
Erie Exit 18A New York 234 south
Grand Island Boulevard 		Niagara County line 53,400
Niagara Erie County line Exit 22 U.S. 62 Pine Avenue - Niagara Falls 53,400
Niagara Exit 22 U.S. 62 Pine Avenue - Niagara Falls Exit 23 New York 182
Porter Avenue - Niagara Falls 		32,600
Niagara Exit 23 New York 182
Porter Avenue - Niagara Falls 		Lockport Road Niagara Falls 28,600
Niagara Lockport Road Niagara Falls Exit 24 NY 31 Witmer Road 28,600
Niagara Exit 24 NY 31 Witmer Road Exit 25A/B NY 104 & 265 24,300
Niagara Exit 25A/B NY 104 & 265 Rainbow Bridge to Canada 12,000
Source: NYSDOT 2002 Traffic Volume Report
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Southern Terminus - Interstate 90/New York Thruway - Buffalo, New York
Perspective from Interstate 190 south
Interstate 190 sees its last mainline off-ramp to South Ogden Street before ending at Interstate 90/New York Thruway. The freeway maintains three lanes through until the terminus. Photo taken by Chris Elbert (07/06).
A second diagrammatical sign is posted as Interstate 190 south approaches Interstate 90/New York State Thruway. Photo taken by Chris Elbert (07/06).
Southbound Interstate 190/Niagara Section of the New York State Thruway comes to an end. The guide signage includes the division of New York Thruway exit numbers, similarly to the eastern terminus of Interstate 290 five miles to the north. The Thruway however, is free between Interstate 290/Exit 50 and U.S. 219/Exit 55 to the south. Photo taken by Chris Elbert (07/06).
Perspective from Interstate 90 west
Westbound Interstate 90/New York Thruway reaches Exit 52A, William Street. The next interchange is Exit 51, Junction Interstate 190/Niagara Section of the New York Thruway. Interstate 190 serves downtown Buffalo and Niagara Falls before crossing into Canada as Ontario Provincial Route 405. Photo taken by Jeff Morrison (07/01/07).
A diagrammatical sign is posted on Interstate 90/New York Thruway west for the junction with Interstate 190/Niagara Section of the New York Thruway. Interstate 190 branches to the west, serving downtown Buffalo and traffic to the Rainbow Bridge into Fort Erie, Ontario. Photo taken by Jeff Morrison (07/01/07).
Westbound Interstate 90/New York Thruway reaches Exit 51, Junction Interstate 190/Niagara Section of the New York Thruway. The left three lanes of the Thruway continue west toward Erie, Pennsylvania, and Cleveland, Ohio. The exit to Interstate 190 is one lane. Photo taken by Jeff Morrison (07/01/07).
This tri-level stack interchange marks the southern terminus of Interstate 190 as seen from Interstate 90 west. The next Thruway exit occurs at Exit 54 for the New York 400/Aurora Expressway. Photo taken by Alex Nitzman (05/27/00).
Perspective from Interstate 90 east
Passing underneath the Interstate 90/190 tri-level stack interchange on Interstate 90 eastbound. There are four more Buffalo exits before the Thruway is again tolled. They are Exit 52A//Williams Street, Exit 52E/W/Walden Avenue, Exit 51/New York 33, the Kensington Expressway, and Exit 52/Interstate 290 west, the Youngmann or Powerline Expressway. Photo taken by Douglas Kerr (10/19/02).
Northern Terminus - Canadian International Border - Lewiston, New York
Perspective from Interstate 190 north
Interstate 190 enters its final interchange before encountering the customs station for the entry into Ontario, Canada. Exit 25A links to New York 265, a north-south roadway between Niagara Falls and Lewiston. Photo taken by Alex Nitzman (05/27/00).
An unobstructed view of the Interstate 190 northbound sign bridge at Exit 25A. The final U.S. exit is a cloverleaf ramp to New York 104 and the Robert Moses Parkway. Exit 25A and B intersect a connecting roadway between the two aforementioned state highways. Photo taken by Douglas Kerr (05/06/02).
Interstate 190 at Exit 25B, New York 104 and the Robert Moses Parkway. Both roadways travel southward into downtown Niagara Falls. Traffic continuing westward into Canada faces a toll plaza for the Niagara River bridge and customs facilities. Interstate 190 transitions into Ontario 405 en route to Saint Catherines. Photo taken by Alex Nitzman (05/27/00).

Footnotes:

  1. "Petition supports case for removing toll barriers." Buffalo News, November 11, 2003.
  2. Cuff, Richard. "Thruway Exit Numbering (was: Re: [northeastroads] Re: Who else out there hates I-99)." Online posting, Yahoo! Groups Northeastern U.S. Roads, November 20, 2003.

Page Updated August 14, 2007.