How to Travel New York’s Interstate 87

Last Updated: September 25, 2023

With about 333.49 miles (536.70 km) on its route, ^{[1]
X
Research source} Interstate 87 is one of the more commonly traveled commuter and leisure North-South highway routes within New York State - connecting the Bronx and New York with cities such as Albany, Saratoga, Glens Falls, and Plattsburgh. However, if you haven't been on it yet, this article will describe what you'll encounter.

1

Travel in Bronx County.

I-87 from its terminus in the Bronx till when it reaches its next county is only 8.3 miles (13.4 km) and is called the Major Deegan Expressway. ^{[2]
X
Research source} Within this county, you'll travel parallel to the Harlem River through Mott Haven then turns and passes by Yankee Stadium to Highbridge where the highway connects to the Cross Bronx Expressway at the Alexander Hamilton Bridge approach, then stays along the Harlem River until the river turns towards Kingsbridge and the highways turns in a northeastern direction where it passes through Van Cortlandt Park and connects to Mosholu Parkway and Jerome Ave and gains a pair of service roads and heads north into McLean Ave technically in Westchester County.
- Start the route from its southern terminus at the directional T-interchange with I-278 (their exit 47), and head through several unnumbered exits at Bruckner Blvd and RFK Bridge between Port Morris and Mott Haven. Continue the route in Mount Haven to Brook Ave (exit 1), Willis Ave-Third Avenue Bridge (exit 2), Grand Concourse (exit 3), E 149th St-Yankee Stadium (exit 4) Highbridge's E 161st St-Yankee Stadium (exit 5), E 153rd St-Yankee Stadium (exit 6) and I-95 towards Connecticut and the George Washington Bridge (and New York City on the Cross Bronx Expressway)(exit 7), University Heights (exit 8, 9), Kingsbridge's W 230th St (exit 10), Van Cortlandt Park (exits 11, 12, 13, 14) up til the exit on the line.
  - Van Cortlandt Park's exits deserve their own subset of exit info. Exit 11 is for Van Cortlandt Park S (to Van Cortlandt Park), Exit 12 is for Henry Hudson and Saw Mill River and River Parkway via Mosholu Parkway, Exit 13 is for E 233rd St and Jerome Ave, Exit 14 for McLean Ave, though this has a southbound exit in Westchester County.
Advertisement

2

Travel in Westchester County.

In Westchester County, the name of the highway becomes the New York State Thruway, and the exit numbering begins again, but at this point, your highway isn't tolled yet. It travels to an exit for Central Park Ave at the first exit, then provides local street access for Yonkers Raceway & Empire City Casino, and Cross County Shopping Center with upcoming exits for the Cross County, Saw Mill River, Bronx River, and Hutchinson River Parkways, though this route runs parallel to I-95 in Southern Westchester. As it curves North to Elmsford, it intersects the Saw Mill Parkway and a semi-directional T-interchange with I-287 and connects in naming to cover a small section of the county on a more westerly course.
- Within Westchester County, expect to spot exits for Yonkers (exits 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 6A) and the Yonkers Toll Gantry, Ardsley's Service Area (northbound), and Ardsley's NY-9A (exit 7), Greenburgh's Saw Mill River Parkway to the TSP and I-287/Saw Mill River Parkway with lots of other subroutes (7A, 8), and Tarrytown's US-9/NY-119 (exit 9).
- Yonkers needs a separate bullet point of exit information. Exit 1 is for Hall Place and McLean Ave, Exit 2 is for Yonkers Ave, Exit 3 is for Mile Square Rd, Exit 4 is for the Cross County Pky, Exit 5 is for Central Park Ave to White Plains, Exit 6 is for Tuckahoe Rd to Bronxville, Tuckahoe and Yonkers and exit 6A is for Ridge Hill Blvd and Stew Leonard Drive.

3

Cross the Tappan Zee (Gov Mario M. Cuomo) Bridge.

This twin-cable stayed bridge - renamed as a result of the newest bridge over the redesigned Tappan Zee Bridge, crosses the Hudson River in a more northwest pattern (but formal crossings are marked "east" and "west" on informational pages online. This bridge is tolled heading eastbound only on the Rockland County side of the bridge and costs up to $7.48 for a cashless Toll-by-Mail transaction. If you have a New York E-Z Pass, you will get a discount down to $5.51, while out-of-state E-ZPasses get a slight reprieve down to $6.61. ^{[3]
X
Research source}

Advertisement

4

Travel in Rockland County.

In Rockland County, expect a more westerly course until it loses its track of Interstate 287 at a directional T-interchange (about .5 miles (0.80 km) from the border and reaches the edges of the state with New Jersey (but doesn't cross into them) but then heads north with a curve past the Palisades Interstate Parkway, Garden State Parkway Connector and west through Rockland County's northwestern edge into the Ramapo River Valley.
- Within this county, you'll spot exits for South Nyack's US-9W (exit 10), Nyack's US-9W/NY-59 (exit 11), West Nyack-Valley Cottage's NY-303 and Palisades Center Dr (exit 12), West Nyack-Bardonia-Nanuet tripoint's Palisades Parkway (exit 13), Nanuet NY-59 and Pascack Rd/Old Turnpike Rd (exit 14 and an unnumbered entrance only via southbound), Chestnut Ridge's Garden State Parkway Connector (exit 14A) and the Spring Valley Toll Gantry (northbound), Montebello's Airmont Rd (exit 14B), Suffern's I-287/NY-17 towards New Jersey (exit 15), and Hillburn's NY-17, NY-59 to US-202 and Seven Lakes Drive (exit 15A).
  - Common streets include Exit 10 and 11's Route 9W, Exit 13's Palisades Parkway, Exit 14A's Garden State Parkway Connector, Exit 15's I-287 and NY-17 South, and Exit 15A's NY-17 to US-202.

5

Travel in Orange County.

In Orange County, I-87 crosses into a cashless tolling route with toll gantries at the Woodbury Toll Gantry's trumpet interchange of exit 16. It travels on a curvy path north paralleling the Hudson River's locations in Newburgh to meet I-84, then heads north on a more northwest course until it reaches the county border.
- In this county, you'll only have two exits for Woodbury (it's Outlet Mall, I-86, NY-6, NY-17, NY-32) (exit 16) and the other side miles north (at the Town of Newburgh for I-84, NY-300 and NY-17K and Stewart Airport.) and even a Service Area at Plattekill and Modena for northbound and southbound travelers.
  - Learn about the interchange at exit 17, where I-87 and I-84 connect. Locals know it by an old nickname (the "Super Interchange") because of its extra routes spurring off both of these routes (US-300) once you come off of I-87 - or how its old exit used to be formed with the interchange formed via a road with tons of traffic lights for at least two miles. Now, however, you'll find toll barriers for the exit, then a split to either route and no more down the route with traffic lights galore (NY-17K). Also down this exit, is another sub-split off into US-300 which splits off further from NY-17K! This is a nasty exit once you come off it.
Advertisement

6

Travel in Ulster County.

In Ulster County, you'll come almost straight north through the county just west of US-9W past its three exits at New Paltz, Kingston, and Saugerties and extend slightly into the county's upward-pointing panhandle heading for the next county.
- Exits within this county include exits in the town of New Paltz's NY-299 (exit 18), Ulster's NY-28 (19), and Saugerties' NY-32/NY-212 (20) with an Ulster Service Plaza between Saugerties and Kingston (southbound) and Malden Service Plaza between Saugerties and the next north county for northbounders.
  - Watch out at New Paltz's exit 18. New Paltz is a historic town - even bringing you into a historical area down Huguenot Street (the site of many houses from the 1600s and 1700s). It's got a town center filled with bars and motels, and a nearby town outside of New Paltz (Highland) contains a bridge bringing you across the Hudson River to Poughkeepsie in Dutchess County - the site of a metropolitan town with lots of commercial buildings and a train station terminus for Metro-North and Amtrak station, and a pedestrian walkway bridge called Walkway Over the Hudson.
  - Watch out for Saugerties at exit 20. Saugerties is a small town in the northern part of Ulster County - with its most significant commercial building being its Price Chopper and Dunkin Donuts (in the same parking lot).
    - Most of the rest of Saugerties is bars and restaurants, but this also connects to the nearby hamlet of Woodstock - home of the 1970s "Hippies" about a 15-minute drive away into the Catskill Mountains.
  - Going in the opposite direction, you'll also find the site of the first and second Woodstock Music festivals (the 1970s and 1994).

7

Head through Greene County.

In Greene County, the route will travel on parallel courses closer to the river with US-9W, but the interstate travels more quickly through the outskirts of the towns of Catskill and Coxsackie.
- Within this county, you'll have two exits to choose from. There's one in the town of Catskill for NY-23 (exit 21) and New Baltimore's US-9W to US-81 (exit 21B) which both have connections to NY-23 and NY-9W, just before meeting up with the New Baltimore Service Area/Capital Region Welcome Center at the county border within New Baltimore.
  - Head away from Catskill's exit 21. It's got a town center, but its main roadway has little commercial stuff and leads to the Rip Van Winkle Bridge that leads across the Hudson River to Hudson, NY. Its two biggest things are Walmart and Lowe's, but they are a pretty far distance from the exit, and the exit is very confusing to get back on here.
  - Divert away from Coxsackie-New Baltimore's exit 21B. It's not much action town here, with its biggest thing as a Tractor Supply Store and a Tops' Friendly Market.
Advertisement

8

Careful traveling in Albany County.

Head through Albany County's southern towns. On the Thruway portion of the route, it runs mostly northeast past Ravena and a Spur route for the Berkshire Connector of the Thruway, but then it continues into the southern corner of Albany (without heading into the city) where it connects a sub-route of the New York State Thruway (I-787 and I-90) and Selkirk (where there are a few motels nearby) but you'll have to get out at exit 24 where I-87 ends it's tolled Journey and begins its last northern portion of the journey. This last portion is labeled the "Adirondack Northway" and you'll want to be on the lookout for these signs.
- Within this section of the county, expect to see exits for Coeyman's Berkshire Connector I-90 E "towards Massachusetts" (exit 21A), Bethlehem-Selkirk's NY-144/NY-396 (exit 22), and Southern Albany's Interstate 787/US-9W (exit 23) then the exit for I-90/NYSThruway and I-88 for exit 24 (exit 1W from the opposite direction on the Northway)
  - Watch out for the Berkshire Connector at exit 21A. The Berkshire Connector is part of I-90 but connects to another I-90 connector route taking you north to another multi-lane highway called the Taconic State Parkway (B1 and B2), and away from I-87! If you take the connector west (in a northwest direction) from B1, you'll eventually reach a similar connector back to the Northway if you take exit 1N on I-90, but it's not the same if staying on I-87 is necessary because it doesn't give the same appeal.
  - Get off at exit 24 labeled for I-87 and I-90. It should be labeled as the Northway or Adirondack Northway. It is an extension of I-87 continuing your journey.
    - Coming from the Northway heading southbound, this transfer is tougher due to ramping off another ramp off an interstate and often sees traffic flow lessened due to heavy accidents there (due to icing). From the Northway, exit to the right and stay in the right-most lane of the exit. Other traffic to I-90 South (exit 1S) will turn right then inside the three-lane splitter turn left and you'll often see traffic divert from those patterns into your lane.

9

Travel in Albany County via the Adirondack Northway.

Beginning in Albany County and heading north from the point of the turnoff, the Adirondack Northway is untolled. In Albany County, I-87 runs into a curve traveling mostly northeast through the Albany Pine Bush Preserve and Rensselaer Lake before running parallel to Wolf Road and the town of Colonie and Albany International Airport via a commercial area of the city of Albany and Guilderland until it reaches north of Latham (at an urban interchange with NY-2 and NY-7) and heads northwest as it approaches the county line through less-commercial areas.
- Within Albany County, expect to see exits for Albany-Guilderland for exits 1S (Western Ave-Crossgates Mall Rd, only on southbound), I-90E towards Albany and Boston (exit 1E), Colonie's NY-5 for exit 2 (NY-5 W and NY-5 E on northbound separate exits), and the Town of Colonie's Albany International Airport (exit 3), Wolf Rd (exit 4), Latham (exit 5 for NY-155, exit 6 for NY-7/NY-2, exit 7 for NY-7/9/9R to I-787)
- Technically, the names "Adirondack Northway" and "I-87 aren't synonymous". However, for signage, they are synonymous. The Northway technically begins at the southern terminus of Western Avenue, about one mile from the beginning of the highway where it joins with I-87 for the rest of its route. ^{[4]
  X
  Research source}
Advertisement

10

Cross the Thaddeus Kosciusko Bridge.

Pass over the Thaddeus Kosciusko Bridge between exits 7 and 8. This bridge passes over the Mohawk River, as a pair of identical through-arch "twin bridges" - and remains untolled to this day. ^{[5]
X
Research source}

11

Travel through Saratoga County.

In Saratoga County, you'll start running into some parts of Halfmoon and Clifton Park, but you'll also run through a commercialized area later as it connects to NY-146 for the Clifton Park Center and later a popular rest area for northbound traffic only. It passes the centers of Round Lake and Malta then meets US-9 to provide access to Saratoga Spa State Park and its downtown area, as it begins its crawl to the northeast to parallel the edge of Saratoga Lake and Kayaderasseras Creek and Saratoga Springs. It meets NY-9P adjacent to the Saratoga Race Course, and later off a southbound only ramp to Nelson Avenue Extension for the Saratoga Casino Hotel, and later Wilton's commercial area on NY-50 and into Moreau and Moreau Lake State Park.
- Exits within this county include Halfmoon-Clifton Park's exits 8 and 8A (Crescent-Vischer Ferry Rd, Grooms Rd), Clifton Park NY-146 (exit 9), and Ushers Rd (exit 10), Round Lake (exit 11), Malta's NY-67 (exit 12) and US-9 (exit 13), a Saratoga Springs Crescent Ave (entrance only for southbounders) and an exit for NY-9P (exit 14), Saratoga-Wilton's NY-50 for Saratoga Hospital (exit 15), Wilton's Ballard Rd (exit 16), and Moreau's US-9 (exit 17).
  - Step into Saratoga Springs within exits 14 and 15. You'll find horse-racing history and betting within these towns. Its Springs section also springs eternal during spring, summer, and early fall - when the Ben & Jerry's near park grounds opens to bring a carousel to town - bringing on a nominal price per ride.
Advertisement

12

Cross the Hudson River

Cross a bridge. This unnamed bridge passes over the Hudson River before meeting with the Glens Falls Rest Area.

13

Travel in Warren County.

In Warren County, you'll travel more northwest through the outskirts of Glens Falls and a patch of houses with some city exits connecting near NY-254 and the Aviation Mall. Continuing north you'll run into Great Escape (amusement park), Adirondack Park, and Lake George, before reaching Bolton Landing and about another 90 miles of rural towns and the exits increasing in distance between exits through Warrensburg (on the Schroon River) then to Pottersville where it curves slightly and heads straight north.
- In this county, you'll pass exits for Queensbury's Corinth Rd (exit 18), NY-254 (exit 19) and NY-149/US-9 (exit 20) then pass into the southern boundary of Adirondack Park at mile marker 51.23 miles (82.45 km). ^{[6]
  X
  Research source} It'll pass over the edges of Lake George (at NY-9N at exit 21) and US-9 and NY-9N (exit 22) and to the Town of Lake George at Diamond Point Rd (exit 23) and up to the town of Warrensburg (exit 24), and Chester's NY-8 (exit 25) and US-9 (Minerva, exit 26) exits.
  - Bounce into Lake George - by exits 21 and 22 - a popular lake town that's a popular tourist location for boaters, out-of-towners, and honeymooners. You'll find a boat touring company along the lake. There are also plenty of souvenir shops and restaurants along US-9.
Advertisement

14

Travel in Essex County.

In Essex County, you'll travel in a nearly northeast direction through the town of Schroon Lake where the lake finishes and the exiting road heads east to Ticonderoga with the Schroon River beginning again and I-87 and US-9 following the 'River to the town of North Hudson. Near exit 30, these roads cross and US-9 heads towards Keene and the road heads northeast within Ash Craft Brook - then the terrain climbs and subsides as you head into Westport and you head across the Boquet River to Lewis splitting and joining more times at Keeseville.
- In this county, its exits include exits for Schroon (US-9, exit 27) and NY-74 E and Fort Ticonderoga and the Larrabee Ferry (exit 28), North Hudson Blue Ridge Rd (exit 29) and Us-9/NY-73 (exit 30), Westport (exit 31 for NY-9N and the Essex NY-Charlotte VT Ferry. Lewis for Stowersville Rd (exit 32) and Chesterfield's US-9/NY-22 for the Essex NY-Charlotte VT Ferry.
  - There are two Rest Areas within I-87 in Essex County including the High Peaks Rest Area and Lewis Rest Area.

15

Cross the Ausable River

Cross the Ausable River bridge. Wikipedia mentions a bridge, but very little is known about it.

Advertisement

16

Travel in Clinton County.

As you reach Clinton County, towns begin growing bigger again as you reach Keeseville in the Adirondack Mountains but then the highway curves north and runs along the town's west side, and begins to exit out of the Mountain as it parallels a local road to Plattsburgh and crosses the Salmon River. You'll start to see signs written in Québécois-French, as I-87 runs northeast in the direction of Plattsburgh on an almost straight north heading, through Plattsburgh's Western suburbs over the Saranac River and into the Downtown Plattsburgh area then crossing a patch of marshes called "Dead Creek." But as you near exit 39, the highway is within 1 mile (1.6 km) of Lake Champlain and parallels US-9 through Beekmantown and Chazy. It rolls through wetlands and some marshy terrain which it follows into the town of Champlain then heads north crossing the Chazy River and runs past residential areas and US-9, widening out its highway to eight total lanes.
- In this county, you'll have exits for Au Sable's NY-9N (exit 34), the northern boundary of Adirondack Park at mile marker 142.41 miles (229.19 km), Peru's NY-442 (exit 35), the Town of Plattsburgh (including Plattsburgh International Airport at exit 36), NY-3 and Champlain Valley Physicians Hospital (exit 37), NY-22 (exit 38), NY-314 and access to Cumberland Head-Plattsburgh Bay Ferry (39 northbound and 39E southbound), Moffitt Rd (39N), Beekmantown's CR-58 and it's Point au Roche Beekmantown Rest Area/Gateway Information Center, Chazy's CR-23 (exit 41) and the Town of Champlain's US-11 (exit 42) and the northern terminus of US-9 (exit 43).
  - At exit 34, signs begin in French, but continue listing their English words as well. ^{[7]
    X
    Research source}
  - Plattsburgh has ties to a set of 1980 Olympic and Paralympic Games (exits 36, 37, 38, 39, 39E, 39N).
  - Due to I-87 passing into the French province of Quebec, some of the signage in Clinton County is written in the French version. "Exit" is also written as "Sortie", however, most signage is written in French and where mph and km/h come to pass (from just south of Plattsburgh), km/h is also used on signage.

17

Pass into the Border Patrol Station.

On the Canadian continuation route, this route passes into Quebec's Champlain-Saint Bernard de Lacolle Border Crossing as Canada's A-15 N at Saint-Bernard-de-Lacolle.

Advertisement

Expert Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Tips

This article focuses on traveling the route - not pulling over into any of the exits. So if you only need to travel between exits, you need not worry about avoiding an exit.

Thanks
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]