New York State Route240 (NY240) is a 51.64-mile (83.11km)state highway in western New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY242 in the Ellicottville community of Ashford Junction in northern Cattaraugus County. Its northern terminus is at a junction with NY324 and Interstate290 (I-290) in Amherst in northern Erie County. The route passes through the villages of Springville and Orchard Park, where it meets NY39 and U.S. Route20A (US20A), respectively. Much of NY240 between Concord and Aurora follows the west branch of Cazenovia Creek. The northern part of NY240 in Erie County, named Harlem Road, is a major north–south route through the suburbs east of the city of Buffalo.
From its southern terminus at NY242 to the hamlet of Glenwood in the town of Colden, NY240 is a state highway in name only as the roadway is maintained by the highway departments of Cattaraugus and Erie counties. Within Cattaraugus County, NY242 is co-designated as County Route32 (CR32). CR32 is the only route that has a marked concurrency with a state route in the county. At the county line, it becomes County Route198 and, later, County Route30 before becoming state-maintained in Glenwood. A section between CR198 and CR30 is also designated as part of CR27.
NY240 was first designated in the renumbering of state highways in New York in 1930 from NY39 in Springville to NY18 near downtown Buffalo. The portion between Springville and Ashford was a section of NY62 and Harlem Road was unnumbered. The section south of CR16 in West Valley was a portion of NY242. NY240 instead used Abbott Road and South Park Avenue to get to Buffalo, which got extended to NY5 in the 1930s. NY240 was realigned south to Ellicottville in the mid-1960s, after numerous bypasses and realignments had been done by the State of New York Department of Public Works. NY240 was realigned onto Harlem Road c. 1962. The former alignment to Buffalo is now designated as NY950M, a reference route.
Route description
Cattaraugus County
NY240 begins at an intersection with NY242 in the town of Ellicottville along the western leg of a railroad wye near Beaver Meadows Creek. NY240 proceeds northward alongside Beaver Meadows Creek co-designated as County Route32 (CR32; West Valley Road). The routes proceed northward through Ellicottville as a two-lane roadway through dense forestry, bending northward along the creek and a nearby railroad track. The dense forestry remains for several miles, before bending northeast into an intersection with Fancy Tract Road. NY240 and CR32 continue northeast as the dense woods retreat for residences before bending northwest away from Beaver Meadows Creek. After bending northward once more, the routes cross through large fields and past several houses along West Valley Road.[3]
NY240 northbound co-signed with CR32 through the town of Ashford, as seen at the junction with NY242
Continuing north, NY240 and CR32 intersect with the eastern terminus of CR75 (Beaver Meadows Road). The routes continue winding northward, crossing the town line into the town of Ashford at Town Line Road. At that junction, the routes bend northwest again, passing a stretch of residences before intersecting with the western terminus of CR16 (Roszyk Hill Road). At CR16, NY240 and CR32 bend north, becoming a residential street as it enters the hamlet of West Valley. In West Valley, the routes intersect with the terminus of CR53 (Ashford Hill Road).[3]
Through West Valley, the route remains residential, quickly leaving the hamlet. North of West Valley, NY240 and CR32 intersect with the eastern terminus of CR86 (Thornwood Drive). Crossing through another long stretch of residences, the routes cross a railroad track at-grade, where they turn to the northwest, paralleling the tracks until turning north and away once again. NY240 and CR32 bend northwest at Fox Valley Road, intersecting with the eastern terminus of CR86-2 (Buttermilk Road) and the eastern terminus of CR55 (Gooseneck Road) in Ashford. After CR55, the routes bend northwest once again, crossing as a two-lane road through wide fields.[3]
At Twichell Road, NY240 and CR32 make a large bend to the west, crossing through Ashford before turning northeast and northwest. On the northwestern stretch, the route remains rural, crossing an intersection with Bond Road, where the route turns north along West Valley Road. NY240 and CR32 continue north through Ashford, intersecting with Beech Tree Road, where they cross Cattaraugus Creek just west of the Bigelow Bridge. After crossing the bridge, NY240 enters Erie County and the town of Concord.[3]
The former Bigelow Bridge just east of the current NY240 span, post-bypassing in Concord
Erie County
Concord to Glenwood
Upon crossing into Erie County and the town of Concord, NY240 remains county-maintained, now co-designated as unsigned CR198. Now known as South Vaughn Street, the route proceeds northwest, intersecting with the eastern terminus of CR62 (Cattaraugus Road). After this junction, NY240 and CR198 wind northeast through Concord as a two-lane rural road. The route bends northward, entering the village of Springville, where it intersects with NY39 (East Main Street / Creek Road). After Springville, NY240 and CR198 re-enter the town of Concord, returning the two-lane rural roadway it was prior to entering Springville. Intersecting with the eastern terminus of CR412 (North Street), the routes continue north through Concord, intersecting with CR410 (Middle Road).[3]
The lone CR30 shield in Erie County, along NY240 northbound in the town of Concord
NY240 and CR198 continue northward as a two-lane rural roadway in Concord, remaining with the moniker of Vaughn Street. More residences parallel the routes as they continue northward, entering a five-way intersection with CR49, CR490 (Genesee Road) and CR432 (Sibley Road). This intersection serves as the northern terminus as CR198, while NY240 proceeds northeast as CR27, now under the moniker of Allen Road. A short distance later, NY240 intersects forks to the northwest on CR30 as Glenwood–East Concord Road while CR27 continues northeast on Allen Road. NY240 and CR30 proceed northward through Concord, soon bending northwest through dense fields before returning to railroad tracks nearby.[3]
Crossing over the west branch of Cazenovia Creek, NY240 and CR30 continue north through Concord, bending northwest into an intersection with CR563 (Foote Road). The routes bend northward through the hamlet of Footes, paralleling the creek and railroad track before entering the town of Colden. In Colden, NY240 and CR30 become a two-lane residential street surrounded by dense woods in the nearby hills. After another bend to the northwest, the routes enter the hamlet of Glenwood. In Glenwood, NY240 intersects with the western terminus of CR240 (Holland–Glenwood Road), which doubles as the northern terminus of CR30, as NY240 is state-maintained north of this junction.[3]
Glenwood to Orchard Park
Paralleling the railroad tracks, NY240 winds northwest through Colden as State Road, a two-lane road through dense woods. The woods changeover to wide fields as it winds northwest, passing west of Walter Kummer Town Park before entering the hamlet of Colden. In the hamlet, NY240 intersects with the termini of CR222 (Boston–Colden Road) and CR562 (Heath Road). After this intersection, NY240 darts several directions while winding northward as a two-lane residential street through the town of Colden. At the junction with CR400 (Knapp Road), the route changes names to Davis Road before winding northeast into the hamlet of West Falls. Now in the town of Aurora, NY240 runs along the creek as Davis Road, intersecting with the eastern terminus of CR372 (Behm Road).[3]
Continuing north through Aurora, NY240 runs along the creek as a two-lane road, entering the hamlet of Jewettville. In Jewettville, the western terminus of CR47 (Mill Road) intersects the residential NY240. A short distance to the north, NY240 turns west on Ellicott Road, remaining the two-lane residential road through the town of Aurora. After crossing the railroad tracks again, the route enters the hamlet of Loveland, within the town of Orchard Park. The route runs westward for several miles, intersecting with the northern terminus of CR442 (Cole Road). Just west of CR442, NY240 enters a junction with CR369 (South Freeman Road) and CR371 (Scherff Road).[3]
At this junction, NY240 bends straight northwest, crossing through Orchard Park as a two-lane residential road. After Philson Street, the route makes a short bend to the west, intersecting with NY277 (Chestnut Ridge Road). The right-of-way of NY240 continues west as New Armor–Duells Road, reaching US219 (the Southern Expressway) a short distance later. NY240 turns north on a concurrency with NY277, proceeding northeast through Orchard Park. After changing monikers to South Buffalo Street, NY240 and NY277 pass west of the Orchard Park Country Club and cross over a railroad line. After the railroad tracks, the routes enter downtown Orchard Park, becoming a two-lane commercial street before intersecting with US20A (Quaker Street) in the center of the village.[3]
NY240 and NY277 southbound at US20 and CR200 in Orchard Park
Orchard Park to West Seneca
North of US20A, NY240 and NY277 continue north along North Buffalo Road, intersecting with the eastern terminus of CR177 (New Taylor Road). Crossing through the hamlet of Websters Corners, NY240 and NY277 bend northwest, intersecting with CR369 once again. After another northward stint, the two routes intersect with CR460 (Milestrip Road), which is the eastern continuation of NY179. Now known as Orchard Park Road, NY240 and NY277 proceed north past residential homes as it intersects with US20 (Southwestern Boulevard) and CR200 (Lake Avenue).[3]
Continuing north from US20, NY277 forks to the north along Union Road, while NY240 proceeds northwest along Orchard Park Road. For a short distance, NY240 serves as a two-lane commercial boulevard, switching over to a residential street at Dover Drive. Now in the town of West Seneca, NY240 retains its Orchard Park Road moniker, passing several condominium complexes on both sides of the highway. Paralleling Cazenovia Creek once again, NY240 enters another commercial section, intersecting with CR137 (Ridge Road). Proceeding northwest again, NY240 then crosses over a former railroad grade and a current railroad alignment near several industrial buildings.[3]
At the intersection with Slade Avenue, NY240 and Orchard Park Road turn north at Slade Road, which connects to the New York State Thruway's exit55 at CR137. NY240 proceeds north through West Seneca, passing several residences and businesses before crossing over Cazenovia Creek into a large residential district. In this large residential district, NY240 intersects with NY16, which connects to NY400 (Aurora Expressway) a short distance to the east. NY240 proceeds north as Harlem Road, paralleling the New York State Thruway just past exit54, which serves as the northern terminus of NY400. Crossing under NY400, NY240 crosses over more railroad tracks and intersects with CR109 (Indian Church Road).[3]
NY240 northbound at the junction with NY33 in Cheektowaga
West Seneca to Amherst
Proceeding north through West Seneca, NY240 proceeds north, crossing an intersection with CR534 (Mineral Springs Road). At this junction, the residential street turns over to commercial as NY240 crosses over Buffalo Creek just west of the mouth of Cayuga Creek. After crossing over Buffalo Creek, NY240 enters the town of Cheektowaga. In Cheektowaga, NY240 immediately intersects with NY354 (Clinton Street) before bending northeast around exit53 of the Thruway. Just northeast of exit53, NY240 crosses under the Thruway mainline, intersecting with the western terminus of CR315 (Dingens Street).[3]
North of CR315, NY240 runs north through a large residential section of Cheektowaga, passing houses on both sides of the road for six blocks, including a junction with CR207 (William Street). Passing just east of the village of Sloan, NY240 proceeds northward along Harlem Road over a railroad yard owned by CSX Transportation. After crossing over the yard, NY240 enters an interchange with NY130 (Broadway) via two ramps. After crossing over NY130, NY240 crosses over another railroad yard, passing several large industries near an intersection with Walden Avenue. NY240 continues north through Cheektowaga, remaining a two-lane residential boulevard, passing east of Cheektowaga Town Park.[3]
After crossing an intersection with Genesee Street, NY240 continues north through Cheektowaga, passing east of Buffalo Cemetery and west of Pine Lawn Cemetery. A short distance north, the route passes east of Ridge Lawn Cemetery, crossing under NY33 (the Kensington Expressway). Near the underpass, NY240 intersects with several ramps from the expressway. After NY33, the route passes east of Mount Calvary Cemetery before entering a large residential neighborhood. Continuing north through Cheektowaga, NY240 becomes a two-lane residential street, intersecting with CR141 (Cleveland Drive) at a rotary. Continuing northward, NY240 enters the town of Amherst, where it enters two more rotaries, with CR290 (Wehrle Drive) and CR208 (Kensington Avenue).[3]
NY240 continues north through Amherst as a two-lane residential boulevard with the Harlem Road moniker. The route remains residential for several blocks, intersecting with NY5 (Main Street). Passing east of the hamlet of Snyder, NY240 passes several commercial businesses before becoming residential again north of that junction. The route remains residential for a distance to the intersection with Campus Lane, where it enters exit6 of I-290 (the Youngmann Expressway). A block to the north of I-290, NY240 intersects with NY324 (Sheridan Drive). This intersection serves as the northern terminus of NY240.[3]
History
The Bigelow Bridge in Concord in 2003, before the span was bypassed to the west
NY240 was assigned as part of the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York to an alignment extending from NY39 east of Springville to NY18 southeast of downtown Buffalo. Instead of turning north onto Harlem Road as it does today, NY240 continued northwest on Potter and Abbott Roads to South Park Avenue (then NY18). At the time, the portion of modern NY240 south of Cattaraugus Street in Springville was designated as part of NY62 while the portion south of CR16 in West Valley was also part of NY242.[2] NY242 was moved onto its modern routing between Ashford and Machias by the following year while NY62 was mostly renumbered to NY75 c.1932.[4][5]
US219 was extended into New York c.1935,[6][7]overlapping NY75 between Ashford and Springville.[8] The overlap with NY75 was eliminated by 1940 when NY75 was truncated northward to US62 in Hamburg.[9] In the mid-1950s, US219 was shifted westward onto a new highway between Ellicottville and Springville;[10][11] however, NY240 was not extended south to Ashford over its former routing until the mid-1960s.[disputed–discuss][12][13] In the Buffalo area, NY240 was extended northwestward along South Park Avenue to Main Street, which carried NY5 at the time, in the late 1930s.[8][14] It was altered c.1962 to follow Harlem Road across Cazenovia Creek to Seneca Street, where it ended at NY16.[15][16] NY240 was extended northward along Harlem Road to NY324 in Amherst in the mid-1960s.[12][13] The portion of NY240's former routing on Potter Road between the Buffalo city line and Harlem Road is now NY950M, an unsigned reference route.[17]
↑Road Map of New York (Map). Cartography by Rand McNally and Company. Texas Oil Company. 1934.
↑Road Map & Historical Guide – New York (Map). Cartography by Rand McNally and Company. Sun Oil Company. 1935.
12New York Road Map for 1938 (Map). Cartography by General Drafting. Esso. 1938.
↑New York Info-Map (Map). Cartography by Rand McNally and Company. Gulf Oil Company. 1940.
↑New York with Special Maps of Putnam–Rockland–Westchester Counties and Finger Lakes Region (Map) (1955–56ed.). Cartography by General Drafting. Esso. 1954.
↑New York with Special Maps of Putnam–Rockland–Westchester Counties and Finger Lakes Region (Map) (1957ed.). Cartography by General Drafting. Esso. 1956.
12New York (Map). Cartography by Rand McNally and Company. Mobil. 1965.
12New York (Map) (1969–70ed.). Cartography by General Drafting. Esso. 1968.
↑New York (Map). Cartography by General Drafting. Esso. 1940.
↑New York and Metropolitan New York (Map) (1961–62ed.). Cartography by H.M. Gousha Company. Sunoco. 1961.
↑New York with Sight-Seeing Guide (Map) (1962ed.). Cartography by General Drafting. Esso. 1962.
