Interstate 790 New York

Interstate 790 New York
Court Street – Utica, NY ↔ Utica, NY•2.41 miles

Overview

Interstate 790 forms an L-shaped route between Downtown Utica and the New York Thruway (I-90) at Exit 31. The northern leg constitutes separate roadways running adjacent to I-90 from LeLand Avenue (NY 5) west to the NY 8/12 expressway along Horatio Street. A trumpet interchange connects this section of I-790 with the Thruway. It also doubles as NY 5, which dog legs south from Herkimer Road via LeLand Avenue.

The western branch of Interstate 790 accompanies NY 5-8-12 south from a directional cloverleaf interchange joining Horatio Street with NY 49. NY 49 extends the expressway west from I-790 to Rome while I-790 crosses the Erie Canal and Mohawk River into central Utica. Interstate 790 extends south to the Court Street off-ramp west of Downtown. NY 5-8-12 continue from that exchange along the North South Arterial Highway to New Hartford.

Mileage by State

New York2.06 mi

Data Sources

December 31, 2025 Interstate Route Log and Finders List

North-South Arterial

The $66.5 million North-South Arterial Project replaced the elevated section of NY 5, NY 8 and NY 12 through Utica. The largest project completed by the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) in the city of Utica extended the viaduct southward across Court Street, replacing a signalized intersection with a single point urban interchange (SPUI). The SPUI opened to traffic in June 2017.1

Utica North-South Arterial Project Map
Utica North-South Arterial Project Map

Completed on October 31, 2017, the project also improved the interchange joining I-790/NY 5-8-12 with NY 5A and NY 5S along Oriskany Street. A new off-ramp was added from NY 5A east to Lafayette and Varick Streets and existing ramps were reconfigured.1 The first of two contracts, including the March 2, 2014 implosion of the Fay Street Warehouse, started in March 2013. Work on the viaduct replacement and construction of the SPUI at Court Street started in March 2014.2

History

1965 map of Utica, New York
1965 map of Utica, New York. Interstate 790 originally connected with NY 5/8/12 with a compact trumpet interchange utilizing RIRO ramps.

Designated as Interstate 590, the freeway spur into Utica was part of the proposed urban Interstate numerology submitted to the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO) by the New York State Department of Public Works on August 22, 1958. AASHO approved the numbering on November 11, 1958, along with the recommendations of changing the proposed I-190 in Buffalo to I-290, I-290 in Rochester to I-490, I-490 in Syracuse to I-690 and I-690 in Schenectady to I-890. However based upon that sequence in a letter sent to AASHO on December 4, 1958, New York requested that I-590 in Utica be renumbered to I-790

to keep the numerical order of loops and spurs in correct sequence

AASHO approved the proposed change on February 5, 1959. Coincidentally I-390 and I-590 were later assigned to routes in Rochester, keeping the numerical sequence from west to east intact. The establishment of Interstate 990 in 1980 resulted in an exception.

The Utica North-South Arterial was built in the 1960s to improve traffic flow through the city. The arterial between Court and Oswego Streets was constructed as an at-grade roadway with intersections due to community concerns with the elevated highway. The viaduct was rehabilitated in 1991.1

East End Interstate 90 New York State Thruway New York State Route ‐ Utica, NY</h2> <div class=

Interstate 790 New York State Route 5 East at Interstate 90

I-790/NY 5 east at I-90/NY Thrwy - Utica

The roadways for I-790/NY 5 run along the outside of the roadways for the New York Thruway east from NY 8/12/49 to Genesee Street and Leland Avenue. 08/22/21

I-790/NY 5 east at I-90/NY Thrwy - Utica I-790/NY 5 east at I-90/NY Thrwy - Utica I-790 east at I-90/NY Thrwy - Utica I-790 east at I-90/NY Thrwy - Utica I-790/NY 5 east at Genesee St - Utica I-790 east at NY 5 - 2001 I-790/NY 5 east at Genesee St - Utica

Interstate 790 West at New York State Route 5

I-790 west at Genesee St - Utica, NY

A Breezewood connection links the New York Thruway with Interstate 790 west via Genesee Street north and Auert Avenue east. 08/22/21

I-790 west at Genesee St - Utica, NY I-790 west at Auert Av - Utica, NY I-790 west at NY 5 - Utica NY 5 west at I-790 - Utica

Interstate 90 New York State Thruway East at Interstate 790 New York State Route 5

I-90/NYS Thruway east at I-790 and NY 5/8/12 in Utica.

I-90/New York State Thruway runs alongside I-790/NY 5 east from the half turbine interchange joining NY 8/12 and NY 49 to the trumpet interchange at Exit 31. 03/26/23

I-90/NYS Thruway east at I-790 and NY 5/8/12 in Utica. I-90/NY Thrwy east at I-790/NY 5 - Utica I-90/NY Thrwy east at I-790/NY 5 - Utica

Interstate 90 New York State Thruway West at Interstate 790 New York State Route 5

I-90/NY Thrwy west at I-790/NY 5 - Utica

The New York Thruway crosses the Oneida County line 1.6 miles ahead of Exit 31 for I-790/NY 5 to NY 8/12 in Utica. 08/22/21

I-90/NY Thrwy west at I-790/NY 5 - Utica I-90/NY Thrwy west at I-790/NY 5 - Utica

West End New York State Route 5 New York State Route 8 New York State R ‐ Court Street – Utica, NY</h2> <div class=

Interstate 790 New York State Route 5 West New York State Route 8 New York State Route 12 South at New York State Route 5A New York State Route 5S

I-790/NY 5-8-12 west at NY 5A/5S - Utica

Two lanes depart from Interstate 790 east for NY 5A west to the villages of Yorkville and Whitesboro, State Street south, and NY 5S east to Downtown Utica. 08/22/21

I-790/NY 5-8-12 west at NY 5A/5S - Utica I-790 west at NY 5A/5S in Utica. I-790/NY 5-8-12 west at NY 5A/5S - Utica

New York State Route 5 East New York State Route 8 New York State Route 12 North at Interstate 790 New York State Route 5A New York State Route 5S

NY 5/8/12 north at I-790-NY 5A/5S - Utica

A SPUI joins NY 5/8/12 (North-South Arterial) with Court Street just ahead of the eastbound beginning of Interstate 790. 08/22/21

NY 5/8/12 north at I-790-NY 5A/5S - Utica NY 5/8/12 north at I-790-NY 5A/5S - 2001 NY 5/8/12 north at I-790-NY 5A/5S - Utica

New York State Route 5A East at Interstate 790 New York State Route 5 New York State Route 5S New York State Route 8 New York State Route 12

NY 5A east at I-790/NY 5-5S-8-12 - Utica

The North South Arterial Project added a new eastbound off-ramp from NY 5A (Oriskany Street) to parallel Lafayette Street where this guide sign for I-790 east was previously located. The North-South Arterial carries NY 5-8-12 south to NY 840 at New Hartford. Photo by Douglas Kerr (10/12/02).

New York State Route 5S West at Interstate 790 New York State Route 5 New York State Route 5A New York State Route 8 New York State Route 12

NY 5S west at I-790/NY 5-5S-8-12 - Utica

NY 5S (Oriskany Street) leaves Downtown Utica and meets I-790 east and NY 5-8-12 (North South Arterial) by Adirondack Bank Center at the Utica Memorial Auditorium. NY 5A takes over along Oriskany Street west to the village of Yorkville. Photo by Douglas Kerr (09/16/02).

State Street – North at Interstate 790 New York State Route 5 New York State Route 5S New York State Route 8 New York State Route 12

State Street north at I-790 east in Utica, NY

State Street connects Court Street north with Interstate 790 east at the exchange joining NY 5S/5A with NY 5/8/12 west of Downtown Utica. 03/26/23

References

  1. New York State Governor. (2017, October 13). Governor Cuomo Announces Completion of $66.5 Million North-South Arterial Project in Utica. [Press release].
  2. New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT). Route 5/8/12 North-South Arterial Viaduct Replacement. Retrieved from https://www.dot.ny.gov/regional-offices/region2/projects/arterial-viaduct-replacement?fbclid=IwAR1EULFSlkzYbM_2o6RhTsuAgst9rTVy72bJYwr5EcUDaVeV1t4eLIVfi0Q
Updated April 5, 2023