Storm King Highway facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Storm King Highway
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View of Newburgh Bay and Pollepel Island from highway, 2006
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Map of Orange County in southeastern New York with Storm King Highway highlighted in red
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| Location | Cornwall and Highlands, NY |
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| Nearest city | Newburgh |
| Area | 18 acres (7.3 ha); 3.9 miles (6.4 km) in length |
| Built | 1916 |
| Architect | John L. Hayes Construction Company, Palisades Interstate Park Commission (PIPC), builders |
| MPS | Hudson Highlands MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 82001229 |
| Added to NRHP | 1982 |
The Storm King Highway is a special road in New York State. It's about three miles (4.8 km) long and is part of New York State Route 218. This amazing road winds around the side of Storm King Mountain. It offers incredible views of the Hudson River and the mountains around it.
This highway was built a long time ago, in 1916. It was a huge challenge for engineers to build it into the steep mountain cliffs. Because it was such a big achievement in civil engineering, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. Today, people still use it for beautiful drives and to get around.
Contents
What Makes the Storm King Highway Special?
The Storm King Highway is a two-lane road that is about 22 feet (6.7 meters) wide. It's paved with asphalt and has double yellow lines, meaning you can't pass other cars. The road is built right into the side of the mountain. On the river side, there's a strong stone wall to keep cars safe.
You won't find any buildings or intersections along this road. There are only entrances to state park hiking trails. At both ends of the highway, there are chainlink gates. These gates are used to close the road when it's not safe to drive.
Who Takes Care of the Highway?
Keeping the Storm King Highway safe and open is a team effort. The southern part of the road is maintained by the New York State Department of Transportation. This is because it's a state highway.
The northern part of the highway runs through Storm King State Park. So, the Palisades Interstate Park Commission (PIPC) is in charge of maintaining that section.
Why Does the Highway Sometimes Close?
The Storm King Highway is known for its beautiful views, but it can also be dangerous. Rocks can fall from the mountain, and sometimes there are snow or ice slides. Because of these dangers, the state Department of Transportation closes the road during heavy rain or snow.
There was a big landslide in 1934. It covered the highway and sadly caused three deaths. Three cars were also destroyed. Safety is the main reason for closing the road when conditions are bad.
How the Storm King Highway Was Built
For a long time, it was hard to travel between the towns of Cornwall and those to its south. The Hudson Highlands mountains were a big barrier. In 1913, a state official named Gordon Reel started thinking about building a new road. Local businesses and groups really wanted this new road.
The idea was to build a road right along the side of Storm King Mountain. This was a very expensive project, costing about $400,000 at the time. This was a lot more money than the state had, so the state government had to approve special funds for it.
Challenges in Construction
Building the highway was incredibly difficult. Surveyors, who map out where the road will go, sometimes had to use ropes to climb down the mountain cliffs. This was just to mark the path for the road!
Construction began in 1916. At first, they thought about building a tunnel. But they realized a tunnel would be too expensive to light. Also, it would mean missing out on all the amazing views. So, they decided to cut the road into the side of the mountain instead. The road was made wider, from 16 to 18 feet (4.9 to 5.5 meters), with a concrete gutter.
One big challenge was making sure that falling rocks and debris didn't block the train tracks below. The New York Central Railroad's West Shore Line ran right along the river's edge. Sometimes, big rocks would fall and block the tracks or damage train cars.
The first company hired to build the road went out of business because it was so hard. A new company, John L. Hayes Company, took over. They also faced problems, especially when World War I started. This made it hard to find enough workers. The Palisades Interstate Park Commission stepped in to help the company and also started developing the state park around the road.
The Highway's Impact and Use Today
When the Storm King Highway opened in 1922, it made travel much easier. It cut down the driving distance between Newburgh and West Point by 22 miles (35 km). Later, in 1940, another highway, U.S. Route 9W, was built further west. This road also helped shorten travel times.
Today, the Storm King Highway is still used by people who commute to work. Many employees of the United States Military Academy live in Cornwall and use this route. When the gates are closed, like they were for over a year after forest fires in 1999, commuters have to find other ways to get to work.
In 2011, the New York Department of Transportation tried something new. They closed the highway to cars for four hours on Sundays. This allowed people to walk and bike on the road freely. Many people enjoyed this, with up to 600 visitors on some days. Because it was so popular, the DOT decided to continue these special closures.
Images for kids
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Gates at the northern end of Storm King Highway, in Cornwall
