Parkways in New York facts for kids
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Standard parkway markers in New York
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Quick facts for kids Highway names |
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US Routes: | U.S. Route X (US X) |
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Numbered highways in New York Interstate • U.S. • N.Y. (former) • Reference • County |
In New York, most parkways are special roads. They are part of a big system owned by different groups. However, the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) takes care of most of them. Some other roads in the Hudson Valley and on Long Island are also called parkways but are not part of this main system.
These parkways were some of the first expressways ever built. Expressways are roads designed for faster travel. Early parkways were not divided into separate directions. They also had intersections where other streets crossed them. An early private road, the Long Island Motor Parkway, was the first expressway to charge a fee (a toll road). It was also the first to use bridges and overpasses to avoid intersections, making travel smoother.
New York's parkways are quite different from each other. Some, like the Sprain Brook Parkway, are like modern freeways. Freeways are major roads with no traffic lights or intersections. Others, like Seven Lakes Drive, are smaller, two-lane roads. Most parkways are found in downstate New York, which is where the state parkway system first started many years ago.
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New York State Parkways
The state's parkway system began as roads for fast travel. They were built to offer a beautiful way to drive into, out of, and around New York City. The first part of this system opened way back in 1908. Many of these early roads have been updated. They were made wider and better for today's faster cars and more traffic.
Later parkways, built north of New York City, often had a wide, grassy area in the middle. This separated traffic going in opposite directions. They also had service areas along the way. These spots offered fuel and restrooms for drivers. In the 1930s, a famous city planner named Robert Moses helped create many parkways in the New York City area.
Many of these parkways were built by local groups. These included the Long Island State Park Commission (LISPC) and the Palisades Interstate Park Commission (PIPC). Today, the NYSDOT takes care of most parkways outside New York City. Inside the city, the New York City Department of Transportation (NYCDOT) maintains them.
Most state parkways today are like other expressways. However, they have a few unique features. First, many New York parkways do not have shoulders. Shoulders are the paved areas on the side of the road. This is because they were designed a long time ago. Second, designers wanted these roads to be scenic. So, many parkways curve and follow rivers, rather than being straight. Finally, most parkways have low, stone bridges. These bridges are too low for large trucks and commercial vehicles. Because of this, trucks are not allowed on most parkways. In Manhattan, this means almost all trucks must use local streets. This is because the island has only one short Interstate highway.
List of State Parkways
Parkway | Opened | Region | From | To | Owner | Maintained by | |
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Bay Parkway | 1892 as 22nd Avenue | New York City | Brooklyn | Brooklyn | NYSDOT/NYCDOT | NYSDOT | |
Bay Parkway | N/A | Long Island | Jones Beach State Park | Jones Beach State Park | NYS OPRHP | NYSDOT | |
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Bear Mountain State Parkway | 1932 | Hudson Valley | Peekskill | Cortlandt | NYSDOT | NYSDOT |
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Belt Parkway | 1941 | New York City | Brooklyn | Queens | NYSDOT/NYCDOT | NYSDOT/NYCDOT |
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Bethpage State Parkway | 1936 | Long Island | Massapequa | Bethpage State Park | NYS OPRHP | NYSDOT |
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Bronx River Parkway | 1908 | Hudson Valley | The Bronx | North Castle | NYCDOT/Westchester County | NYCDOT/Westchester County |
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Cross County Parkway | 1947 | Hudson Valley | Yonkers | Eastchester | NYSDOT | NYSDOT |
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Cross Island Parkway | 1940 | New York City | Queens | Queens | NYCDOT | NYCDOT |
Eastern Parkway | 1874 | New York City | Brooklyn | Brooklyn | NYCDOT | NYCDOT | |
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Franklin D. Roosevelt East River Drive | 1955 | New York City | Lower Manhattan | Upper Manhattan | NYSDOT/NYCDOT | NYSDOT/NYCDOT |
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Grand Central Parkway | 1936 | New York City | Queens | New York City line | NYSDOT | NYSDOT |
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Harlem River Drive | 1964 | New York City | Upper Manhattan | Upper Manhattan | NYSDOT | NYSDOT |
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Heckscher State Parkway | 1959 | Long Island | West Islip | Heckscher State Park | NYS OPRHP | NYSDOT |
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Henry Hudson Parkway | 1937 | New York City | Manhattan | New York City line | NYSDOT/NYCDOT/PANYNJ | NYSDOT/NYCDOT/PANYNJ |
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Hutchinson River Parkway | 1928 | Hudson Valley | The Bronx | Connecticut state line | NYSDOT/NYCDOT | NYSDOT/NYCDOT |
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Jackie Robinson Parkway | 1935 | New York City | Brooklyn | Queens | NYCDOT | NYSDOT |
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Korean War Veterans Parkway | 1972 | New York City | Staten Island | Staten Island | NYSDOT | NYSDOT |
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Lake Ontario State Parkway | Western New York | Carlton | Rochester | NYSDOT/NYS OPRHP | NYSDOT | |
Little Neck Parkway | New York City | Queens | Queens | ||||
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Lake Welch Parkway | 1971 | Hudson Valley | Harriman State Park | Harriman State Park | PIPC | NYSDOT |
Long Mountain Parkway | Hudson Valley | Harriman State Park | Bear Mountain State Park | NYSDOT | NYSDOT | ||
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Loop Parkway | 1934 | Long Island | Lido Beach | Jones Beach State Park | NYS OPRHP | NYSDOT |
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Meadowbrook State Parkway | 1934 | Long Island | Jones Beach State Park | Westbury | NYS OPRHP | NYSDOT |
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Mosholu Parkway | 1937 | New York City | Bronx Park | Van Cortlandt Park | NYSDOT/NYCDOT | NYSDOT/NYCDOT |
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Niagara Scenic Parkway | Western New York | Niagara Falls | Porter | NYS OPRHP | NYSDOT | |
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Northern State Parkway | 1931 | Long Island | New York City line | Hauppauge | NYS OPRHP | NYSDOT |
Ocean Parkway | New York City | Brooklyn | Brooklyn | ||||
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Ocean Parkway | Long Island | Jones Beach State Park | Captree State Park | NYS OPRHP | NYSDOT | |
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Palisades Interstate Parkway | 1958 | Hudson Valley | Fort Lee, NJ | Bear Mountain State Park | PIPC | NYSDOT/NJDOT |
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Pelham Parkway | 1911 | New York City | The Bronx | Pelham Bay Park | NYCDOT | NYCDOT |
Prospect Mountain Veterans Memorial Highway | 1969 | Adirondacks | Lake George | Prospect Mountain | NYSDEC | NYSDEC | |
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Robert Moses Causeway | Long Island | Robert Moses State Park | West Islip | NYS OPRHP | NYSDOT | |
Rockaway Parkway | New York City | Brooklyn | Brooklyn | ||||
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Sagtikos State Parkway | 1952 | Long Island | West Islip | Commack | NYS OPRHP | NYSDOT |
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Saw Mill River Parkway | 1954 | Hudson Valley | New York City line | Bedford | NYS OPRHP | NYSDOT |
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Seven Lakes Drive | Hudson Valley | Sloatsburg | Bear Mountain State Park | PIPC | NYSDOT | |
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Southern State Parkway | 1949 | Long Island | Valley Stream | West Islip | NYS OPRHP | NYSDOT |
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Sprain Brook Parkway | 1961 | Hudson Valley | Yonkers | Hawthorne | NYSDOT | NYSDOT |
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Sunken Meadow State Parkway | 1957 | Long Island | Commack | Sunken Meadow State Park | NYS OPRHP | NYSDOT |
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Taconic State Parkway | 1925 | Hudson Valley | North Castle | East Chatham | NYSDOT | NYSDOT |
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Wantagh State Parkway | 1929 | Long Island | Jones Beach State Park | Westbury | NYS OPRHP | NYSDOT |
Whiteface Mountain Veterans Memorial Highway | 1935 | Adirondacks | Wilmington | Whiteface Mountain | NYSDEC | NYSDEC |
Other Parkways in New York
Some areas in New York have parkways that are not owned or maintained by the state government. For example, Westchester County has some highways that were once part of older parkway systems. Suffolk County has kept a part of the old Long Island Motor Parkway (LIMP) for driving. They also built their own roads on land that was meant for other parkways.
The part of the LIMP that still exists in western Suffolk County is called the Vanderbilt Motor Parkway. It is now a regular surface road. It is no longer an expressway, and trucks are allowed on it.
List of Other Parkways
Parkway | Opened | Region | From | To | Owner | Maintained by |
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1922 | Hudson Valley | Harriman State Park | Harriman State Park | PIPC | PIPC |
Central Westchester Parkway | Hudson Valley | White Plains | White Plains | Westchester County | Westchester County | |
Farragut Parkway | Hudson Valley | Hastings-on-Hudson | Hastings-on-Hudson | Westchester County | Westchester County | |
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Long Island | Fire Island | Fire Island | Suffolk County | Suffolk County | |
Memorial Parkway | Mohawk Valley | Genesee Street, Utica | Albany Street, Utica | City of Utica | City of Utica | |
Playland Parkway | 1929 | Hudson Valley | Harrison | Playland | Westchester County | Westchester County |
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Hudson Valley | Harriman State Park | Bear Mountain State Park | PIPC | PIPC | |
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Long Island | Melville | Lake Ronkonkoma | Suffolk County | Suffolk County | |
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Long Island | Fire Island | Rocky Point | Suffolk County | Suffolk County |