How to Travel New York's Interstate 587

Last Updated: May 30, 2024

Although people know about Interstate 87 in New York, most people don't remember that there's also the shortest numbered interstate in America hidden within I-87's Kingston exit 19. If the distance of 1.21 miles (1.95 km) doesn't shock you, ^{[1]
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Research source} if you feel you need to learn about or travel it (because you just need to or you're close enough/brave enough to try), this highway is doable.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Preparing

1
Learn some limitations of this route. It's a short interstate, devoid of exits, a speed limit of 55 mph and limited landmarks between two roundabouts.
- This route is one of the shortest-numbered interstates in America. It has a concurrency with NY-28 - a two-lane roadway that ends at the end of I-587.
- This route has no exits. Instead, it has other landmarks to bring it between two points - with one point being off a roundabout serving its more major interstate and other local routes. At the other end, it has another roundabout - which was changed in 2021 from a messy intersection with roads going every which way!
- It has no official compass direction information on any of its signage, and no information is mentioned that it exists within the exit signage on I-87.
- There's very little to look at along the edges of the roadway. For most of the route, the grass is well overgrown and not very well maintained, and in other spots, there are concrete barriers preventing people from looking in. In limited spots along this route will you see landmarks. There are more signs designating the highway's explanations on the highway heading the other direction, but even then it's mostly green directional signs indicating informational pieces about what you'll encounter and not so much about other things to see.
- It's fairly straight, but there's a speed limit of 55 miles per hour (89 km/h) on it.
- It's completely paved, but while highway crews work to clean up snow in the winter, it's only maintained - to a certain level extent to where those who pass over it shouldn't fear an accident because it's cleaning and sanding quality isn't the best by state and local highway crews.
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Traveling It

1

Start the route. The route is off the roundabout connecting I-87's exit 19 exit gantry from the New York State Thruway to NY-28 and Kingston's Washington Ave.
2
Travel within the roundabout.
- Besides the I-87 gantry, at the first "exit" of the roundabout, you'll spot NY-28 (Onteora Trail). This is the original place where the concurrent route continues (going the opposite way) heading northwest.
- At the second "exit" of the roundabout, you'll spot a local road named "Washington Avenue." It has no official numbering but is uber-popular for those needing the roadway to get to other locations in Uptown Kingston and similar
- At the third and last "exit" of this roundabout, you'll loop around onto I-587.
- If you keep going on the roundabout, you'll find that the next exit is to bring you back onto I-87, so avoid this.
3
Watch for landmarks. You'll pass the Park and Ride, and if you look a bit further down the roadway you'll spot the County Route 31/Sawkill Road overpass.
- The park and ride mentioned in this step have no entrance from those at the end of I-587 coming from the opposite direction.
- There used to be signage of an official name for this route, but it was removed post-pandemic (~2021). Locals knew it by the name Colonel (George) Chandler Dr. ^{[ citation needed
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- There is signage to explain the roundabout for those coming from the opposite direction, just after the overpass.
4

Glance to your right for Marc's Towing and Auto Repair buildings. This is a known local landmark, though no direct entrance to it can be found from this "highway", just feet after the Sawkill Road overpass.
5

Pass over the Esopus Creek. This bridge has no official name, but some will notice the slight bump onto the pavement and hear the traditional sound of passing over the bridge.
6
Continue traveling the highway. You'll pass by Kingston Plaza's Hannaford (supermarket) on your right (without an entrance into it), and the Catskill Mountain Railroad within the same plaza that only trained eyes can spot, during the times when this train is running.
- The trains of the Catskill Mountain Railroad only run during the Christmas and Holidays each year. However, they often leave the trains out in view, parked away from the casual onlooker. However, when they do run, they don't pass anywhere near the highway, so no need to worry.
7

Curve, as the highway curves. The highway will curve from a southeast jaunt to a south jaunt then stay on that heading as the road ends.

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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Finish the Route

1
Pass into the roundabout, at the end of the arterial highway. There's a tattoo parlor at that corner off Albany Ave going west.
- At this roundabout, the first "exit" is for Albany Ave heading west towards Uptown Kingston (and the Historic District).
- The second "exit" is for Broadway southwest. Be cautious of the parked cars near Dominos Pizza at the corner of Broadway.
  - This is a major route for commercial traffic looking to window-shop into restaurants and other goods with a few gas stations (Speedway, Sunoco), pharmacies (Rite Aid, Walgreens), a high school (Kingston High School), and a former hospital along the route.
- The third "exit" is for Albany Ave heading east towards the commercial district of Kingston. But you must be careful, because despite a Domino's Pizza at the corner, sometimes cars park there illegally.
- You need to be careful because there are other entrances into the roundabout where there are no exits from the roundabout, including an entrance in from Albany Ave and Broadway on one side (before Broadway's continuation where you can exit), and another similar road cutting across the roadway just after heading to the Broadway roundabout exit.

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How to Travel New York's Interstate 587

Steps

Preparing

Traveling It

Finish the Route

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