New York State Route 179

This article is about the current alignment of NY 179. For the former alignment of NY 179 in Jefferson County, see New York State Route 180.

New York State Route 179 marker
New York State Route 179
Map
Map of the Buffalo area with NY 179 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by NYSDOT
Length4.40 mi[1] (7.08 km)
Existedmid-1960s[2][3]–present
Major junctions
West end NY 5 in Hamburg
Major intersections
East end US 20 / CR 460 in Orchard Park
Location
CountryUnited States
StateNew York
CountiesErie
Highway system
← NY 178→ NY 180

New York State Route 179 (NY 179) is a short 4.40-mile (7.08 km) long state highway located south of Buffalo in Erie County, New York, in the United States. It is known as Milestrip Road for most of its length. A small section between U.S. Route 62 (US 62) and NY 5 in Blasdell, is a freeway known as the Mile Strip Expressway. It connects to two major freeways, the New York State Thruway (Interstate 90 or I-90) and the Southern Expressway (US 219), by way of interchanges. It serves as a connector road between them and three other major routes, NY 5, US 62, and US 20. Thus it is very busy not only at rush hours, but also after Buffalo Bills' home football games due to its proximity to Highmark Stadium.

The Mile Strip Expressway was first constructed in the 1960s from NY 5 in Hamburg to US 62 in Blasdell. By 1968, it received its NY 179 designation. This was extended to the Thruway in the next decade and by 2001, was extended to its current eastern terminus at US 20 in Orchard Park. Although never constructed as such, the Mile Strip was intended to be a portion of the Belt Expressway, an outer loop for the city of Buffalo.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference 2008tvr was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference 1965map was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference 1968map was invoked but never defined (see the help page).