New York State Route 78 (NY 78) is a
state highway
A state highway, state road, or state route (and the equivalent provincial highway, provincial road, or provincial route) is usually a road that is either ''numbered'' or ''maintained'' by a sub-national state or province. A road numbered by a ...
in
western New York
Western New York (WNY) is the westernmost region of the U.S. state of New York. The eastern boundary of the region is not consistently defined by state agencies or those who call themselves "Western New Yorkers". Almost all sources agree WNY in ...
in the United States. While it is signed north–south, the southern portion runs in an east–west direction across
Wyoming
Wyoming () is a U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the south ...
and
Erie
Erie (; ) is a city on the south shore of Lake Erie and the county seat of Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. Erie is the fifth largest city in Pennsylvania and the largest city in Northwestern Pennsylvania with a population of 94,831 a ...
counties, from its beginning at a junction with
NY 19
New York State Route 19 (NY 19) is a north–south state highway in Western New York in the United States. It is the longest state highway in that region, and the only other one besides NY 14 to completely transect the state ...
north of the village of
Gainesville to the village of
East Aurora
East Aurora is a village in Erie County, New York, United States, southeast of Buffalo. It lies in the eastern half of the town of Aurora. The village population was 5,998 per the 2020 census. It is part of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls Met ...
. The part of the route north of East Aurora follows a generally north–south alignment to an intersection with
NY 18
New York State Route 18 (NY 18) is an east–west state highway in western New York in the United States. It runs parallel to the south shore of Lake Ontario for most of its length between Niagara County and Monroe County. NY 18, ...
in the
Niagara County
Niagara County is in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 212,666. The county seat is Lockport. The county name is from the Iroquois word ''Onguiaahra''; meaning ''the strait'' or ''thunder of waters''.
Niag ...
town of
Newfane (at the hamlet of
Olcott), just south of the
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north, west, and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south and east by the U.S. state of New York. The Canada–United States border sp ...
shoreline. The route is most closely identified in the region with Transit Road, a major north–south trunk road through the center of Erie and Niagara counties; however, NY 78 does not follow Transit Road for its entire length, nor does Transit Road comprise more than half its length. The highway joins Transit Road north of East Aurora and stays with the road until nearly its end in the city of
Lockport.
The section of NY 78 between
NY 5
New York State Route 5 (NY 5) is a state highway that extends for across the state of New York in the United States. It begins at the Pennsylvania state line in the Chautauqua County town of Ripley and passes through Buffalo, Syrac ...
in the town of
Amherst and the Lake Ontario shoreline in Newfane was originally designated New York State Route 32 in the mid-1920s. In the
1930 renumbering of state highways in New York, NY 32 was absorbed into NY 78, which ran from Gainesville to Newfane upon assignment. From East Aurora to
Depew, NY 78 originally used a slightly more easterly alignment along several local streets and a section of
NY 422. Two realignments in the 1930s moved the route onto its modern alignment, and NY 78's original routing between East Aurora and Depew was briefly designated NY 78A during the mid-1930s.
Route description
Wyoming County
NY 78 begins at an intersection with
NY 19
New York State Route 19 (NY 19) is a north–south state highway in Western New York in the United States. It is the longest state highway in that region, and the only other one besides NY 14 to completely transect the state ...
at the northern end of the
Wyoming County village of
Gainesville. NY 78 proceeds westward from NY 19 as Delhi Road, a two-lane residential road through the rural sections of Gainesville. At a junction with Dolph Road, NY 78 bends southwest, dropping the Delhi Road moniker, and soon entering the hamlet of
Wethersfield, located in the town of the same name. In Wethersfield, NY 78 is a two-lane residential street, intersecting with the northern terminus of
County Route 10 (CR 10; Hardys Road) and southern terminus of
CR 4 (Hermitage Road).
![NY 78S at NY 362](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/04/NY_78S_at_NY_362.jpg)
After the hamlet of Wethersfield, NY 78 continues southwest, crossing through rural farms as a two-lane roadway, intersecting with the southern terminus of
CR 57 (Poplar Tree Road). A short distance after CR 57, NY 78 intersects with the northern terminus of
NY 362 while winding southwest through Wethersfield. At the intersection with Maxwell Drive, NY 78 becomes westbound, remaining rural for several miles. After the intersection with Irish Road, NY 78 makes a gradual bend to the southwest, then north. At the end of this bend, NY 78 intersects with the eastern terminus of
CR 54 (Chaffee Road) and the northern terminus of
CR 11 (East Arcade Road).
Now in the town of
Java
Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's List ...
, NY 78 uses the right-of-way once used by CR 11 northbound, winding past several farms as it proceeds northward. A short distance to the north, NY 78 intersects with
NY 98
New York State Route 98 (NY 98) is a state highway in the western part of New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an intersection with U.S. Route 219 (US 219) in the town of Great Valley in ...
southbound. Both NY 78 north and NY 98 south turn west on a
wrong-way concurrency
A concurrency in a road network is an instance of one physical roadway bearing two or more different route numbers. When two roadways share the same right-of-way, it is sometimes called a common section or commons. Other terminology for a concurre ...
through the town of Java, running as a two-lane residential street through dense woods and wide fields. Continuing west through Java, NY 78 and NY 98 cross over a railroad line and enter the hamlet of Java Center. In Java Center, NY 78 and NY 98 intersect with the southern terminus of
NY 77 (Cattaraugus Road). This intersection also doubles as the terminus of the NY 78 and NY 98 concurrency as NY 98 proceeds south on NY 77's right-of-way.
![NY 78-98 concurrency in Java Center](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e7/NY_78-98_concurrency_in_Java_Center.jpg)
NY 78 bends northwest on Main Street and out of Java Center as a two-lane rural roadway through the town of Java. The route soon drops the Main Street moniker, winding northwest into an intersection with
CR 44 (Curriers Road). After CR 44, NY 78 runs northwest as a two-lane residential road, passing numerous houses before intersecting with the eastern terminus of
CR 15 (Holland Road). After an intersection with Elm Road, NY 78 regains the Main Street moniker, crossing into the town of
Sheldon Sheldon may refer to:
* Sheldon (name), a given name and a surname, and a list of people with the name
Places Australia
* Sheldon, Queensland
*Sheldon Forest, New South Wales
United Kingdom
*Sheldon, Derbyshire, England
*Sheldon, Devon, England
* ...
and into the hamlet of Strykersville. Through Strykersville, NY 78 is a two-lane residential street, intersecting with the western terminus of
CR 9 (Perry Road) and the southern terminus of
CR 35 (Dutch Hollow Road).
After CR 35, NY 78 bends northwest out of Strykersville, crossing into the rural sections of Sheldon surrounding the hamlet. Near the intersection with Chester Street, NY 78 crosses the county line into
Erie County and into the town of
Wales
Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...
.
Erie County
Wales to West Seneca
Now in the Erie County town of Wales, NY 78 changes monikers from Main Street to Strykersville Road, paralleling
Buffalo Creek northwest through the rural section of Wales. A short distance northwest, NY 78 intersects with
CR 175 (Center Line Road), which connects to the Wyoming County line a short distance east. For a short distance after the intersection, the two routes parallel, with NY 78 bypassing the hamlet of Wales Hollow and intersecting with the northern terminus of
CR 387 (East Creek Road). Still known as Strykersville Road, NY 78 parallels Buffalo Creek into the southern terminus of
CR 385 (Schang Road). The two-lane rural roadway remains the same for several miles to the northwest, crossing an intersection with
CR 382 (Hunters Creek Road).
![NY 78 in Strykersville](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/25/NY_78_in_Strykersville.jpg)
Continuing northwest through Wales, NY 78 remains a two-lane rural street known as Strykersville Road until intersecting with
US 20A (Big Tree Road) at a T-intersection. US 20A and NY 78 become concurrent along Big Tree, proceeding west through the town of Wales. The routes remain a two-lane residential street for a distance, intersecting with
CR 383 (Reiter Road) as it winds west. Now in the town of
Aurora
An aurora (plural: auroras or aurorae), also commonly known as the polar lights, is a natural light display in Earth's sky, predominantly seen in high-latitude regions (around the Arctic and Antarctic). Auroras display dynamic patterns of bri ...
, US 20A and NY 78 enter a large interchange with
NY 400 (the Aurora Expressway). A short distance later, the routes enter the village of
East Aurora
East Aurora is a village in Erie County, New York, United States, southeast of Buffalo. It lies in the eastern half of the town of Aurora. The village population was 5,998 per the 2020 census. It is part of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls Met ...
. Now known as Main Street, US 20A and NY 78 proceed west as a two-lane village street, intersecting with
NY 16 (Olean Road) and the southern continuation of
CR 6 (Pine Street).
NY 16 joins the US 20A and NY 78 concurrency as it proceeds west on Main Street, becoming the main commercial thoroughfare through the village. The routes cross over railroad tracks in the center of East Aurora, returning to the residential street it was earlier, which reverts at Center Street. Several blocks to the west, US 20A, NY 16 and NY 78 enter a
roundabout
A roundabout is a type of circular intersection or junction in which road traffic is permitted to flow in one direction around a central island, and priority is typically given to traffic already in the junction.''The New Shorter Oxford En ...
at the western end of East Aurora, where US 20A forks southwest on Hamburg Street, while NY 16 and NY 78 join up with
CR 572 (Buffalo Street) and proceed northwest out of the village. Now in the town of Aurora once again, NY 16, NY 78 and CR 572 proceed northwest past
Knox Farm State Park
Knox Farm State Park is a state park located in Erie County, New York, adjacent to the village of East Aurora. It is the former country estate of the Knox Family of Buffalo.
Park features
The park contains a variety of habitats, including gra ...
, intersecting with
CR 377 (Williardshire Road). At CR 377, the moniker changes from Buffalo Street to Seneca Street as NY 16, NY 78 and CR 572 enter the town of
Elma.
Passing the town water tower, NY 16, NY 78 and CR 572 proceed northwest through Elma as a two-lane commercial and residential road, intersecting with the western terminus of
CR 528 (West Blood Road). The routes slowly becomes commercial once again, passing a large industrial building before entering an at-grade interchange with
CR 574 (Jamison Road). Before 1980, this intersection served as the western terminus of NY 422.
After CR 574, NY 16, NY 78 and CR 572 continue northwest along Seneca Street as a two-lane residential roadway through Elma. Bending northwest, the routes enter the hamlet of Spring Brook, where it intersects with
CR 140 (Rice Road) and
CR 362 (North Davis Road).
Paralleling
Cazenovia Creek, NY 16, NY 78 and CR 572 intersect with the southern terminus of
CR 95 (Pound Road). The route remains a two-lane residential road for a distance, soon bending further northwestward into the town of
West Seneca
West Seneca is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 44,711 at the 2010 census. West Seneca is a centrally located interior town of the county, and a suburb of Buffalo. West Seneca, Orchard Park and Hamburg form the ...
. In West Seneca, the three routes intersect with
US 20 (Transit Road). At this intersection, NY 78 turns north onto a concurrency with US 20 while NY 16 proceeds northwest along
CR 215. This junction serves as the northern terminus of CR 572. Now concurrent with US 20, NY 78 runs north along Transit Road as a four-lane commercial boulevard, quickly entering a
cloverleaf interchange
A cloverleaf interchange is a two-level interchange in which all turns are handled by slip roads. To go left (in right-hand traffic; reverse directions in left-driving regions), vehicles first continue as one road passes over or under the ...
with NY 400 (the Aurora Expressway) once again.
Transit Road
![NY 78 north at NY 400](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b4/NY_78_north_at_NY_400.jpg)
US 20 and NY 78 proceed northward along Transit Road, remaining a major commercial thoroughfare street serving the eastern suburbs of
Buffalo with limited pockets of residential along its run. Throughout its north–south run to the Erie County–Niagara County line to the north, Transit Road serves as the town line boundaries of
West Seneca
West Seneca is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 44,711 at the 2010 census. West Seneca is a centrally located interior town of the county, and a suburb of Buffalo. West Seneca, Orchard Park and Hamburg form the ...
and
Elma,
Cheektowaga
Cheektowaga () is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. As of the 2020 census, the town has grown to a population of 89,877. The town is in the north-central part of the county, and is an inner ring suburb of Buffalo. The town is the ...
and
Lancaster, and
Amherst and
Clarence Clarence may refer to:
Places
Australia
* Clarence County, New South Wales, a Cadastral division
* Clarence, New South Wales, a place near Lithgow
* Clarence River (New South Wales)
* Clarence Strait (Northern Territory)
* City of Clarence, a l ...
, respectively, except for a brief period where it passes through the Village of Depew, which straddles the Cheektowaga-Lancaster line.
After an intersection with
CR 330 (Bullis Road), Transit Road continues north as a five lane road, serving as the town line between West Seneca to the west and Elma to the east, paralleling several residential districts on each side and crossing an intersection with
CR 325 (Seneca Creek Road / Main Street). Just after CR 325, US 20 and NY 78 proceed over Buffalo Creek and into an intersection with
NY 354 (Clinton Street). Now on the
Lancaster–
Cheektowaga
Cheektowaga () is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. As of the 2020 census, the town has grown to a population of 89,877. The town is in the north-central part of the county, and is an inner ring suburb of Buffalo. The town is the ...
town line, US 20 and NY 78 continue northward along Transit Road, intersecting with the western terminus of
CR 321 (French Road).
Passing several
strip malls
A strip mall, strip center or strip plaza is a type of shopping center common in North America where the stores are arranged in a row, with a sidewalk in front. Strip malls are typically developed as a unit and have large parking lots in front. ...
, US 20 and NY 78 continue north along Transit Road, passing several residential complexes. After Madeira Drive, Transit Road becomes a four-lane industrial boulevard again, passing several factories on each side of the road. The routes become commercial again, intersecting with
CR 523 (Como Park Boulevard). Paralleling
Cayuga Creek
Cayuga Creek is a small stream in western New York, United States, with stretches in both Erie County and Wyoming County. The creek enters Buffalo Creek in the northwest corner of the Town of West Seneca in Erie County, just upstream from the N ...
to the west, US 20 and NY 78 become a four-lane commercial boulevard again. A short distance later, the routes cross over Cayuga Creek and enter an intersection with the western terminus of
NY 130 (Broadway). At this junction, NY 78 continues north on Transit Road, while US 20 turns east onto Broadway through the village of
Depew.
Continuing north on Transit Road, NY 78 becomes a four-lane commercial boulevard through Depew, crossing over railroad tracks owned by
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation , known colloquially as simply CSX, is a Class I freight railroad operating in the Eastern United States and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. The railroad operates approximately 21,000 route miles () of track. ...
and used by
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...
just east of
the village's Amtrak station. After crossing the tracks, NY 78 intersects with
Walden Avenue
New York State Route 952Q (NY 952Q) is an unsigned reference route designation for the portion of Walden Avenue outside of the Buffalo city limits in Erie County, New York, in the United States. The western terminus of the route is at ...
(NY 952Q), a major arterial out of the city of
Buffalo. Continuing north through Depew, NY 78 intersects with the eastern terminus of
CR 316 (
George Urban
George Robert Urban (born Gyorgy Robert Ungar; 12 April 1921, in Miskolc, Hungary – 3 October 1997) was a Hungarian writer, best known as a broadcaster for Radio Free Europe (RFE).
Early life
Gyorgy Robert Ungar was born on 12 April 1921 in ...
Boulevard). Continuing north through Depew, NY 78 and Transit Road remain the four-lane commercial boulevard through the center of town, passing numerous businesses. Outside of the village, NY 78 connects to
CR 161 (Pleasant View Drive).
NY 78 and Transit Road remain four lanes, passing several commercial businesses and entering an intersection with
NY 33 (Genesee Street) and crossing over
Ellicott Creek
Ellicott Creek is a stream in Western New York, United States. It is a tributary of Tonawanda Creek, which in turn flows into the Niagara River.
Course
Ellicott Creek originates in southwest corner of Genesee County, just northeast of Darien L ...
. The route crosses over a former railroad grade, soon intersecting with
CR 324 (Aero Drive). Just after CR 324, NY 78 and Transit Road enter an intersection with the feeder roads to exit 49 of the
New York State Thruway
{{Infobox road
, state = NY
, type = NYST
, alternate_name = Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway
, maint = NYSTA
, map = {{maplink, frame=yes, plain=yes, frame-align=center, frame-width=290, type=line, stroke-width=2, type2=line, from2=New Yor ...
(
I-90
Interstate 90 (I-90) is an east–west transcontinental freeway and the longest Interstate Highway in the United States at . It begins in Seattle, Washington, and travels through the Pacific Northwest, Mountain West, Great Plains, Midwest, and ...
). NY 78 and Transit Road north of I-90 continues as the town line of
Amherst to the west and Lancaster to the east. After crossing Wehrle Drive (
CR 290 and
CR 275), transit road serves as the town line of Amherst to the west and
Clarence Clarence may refer to:
Places
Australia
* Clarence County, New South Wales, a Cadastral division
* Clarence, New South Wales, a place near Lithgow
* Clarence River (New South Wales)
* Clarence Strait (Northern Territory)
* City of Clarence, a l ...
to the east until the Erie County line.
![Transit Road](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ac/Transit_Road.jpg)
North of Wehrle Drive, Transit Road widens to six and then eight lanes wide as it passes through a dense commercial shopping distance along the Amherst-Clarence town line until
NY 5
New York State Route 5 (NY 5) is a state highway that extends for across the state of New York in the United States. It begins at the Pennsylvania state line in the Chautauqua County town of Ripley and passes through Buffalo, Syrac ...
(Main Street). The route condenses back to six lanes along the
Eastern Hills Mall
Eastern Hills Mall is a shopping mall located 11 miles northeast of Buffalo, New York on the western border of the Town of Clarence in Erie County, New York, United States. It lies on Transit Road (New York State Route 78). The mall is north o ...
in Clarence, entering an intersection with a feeder road that connects to
NY 324 (Sheridan Drive). NY 78 and Transit Road continue north, crossing under NY 324 and condense down to four lanes once again. NY 78 passes through more strip malls to the north of NY 324. Continuing north, NY 78 intersects with the termini of
CR 192 (Maple Road) and
CR 37 (Greiner Road).
Remaining a four-lane boulevard, NY 78 and Transit Road passes east of
Transit Middle School. NY 78 intersects with the western terminus of
CR 217 (Clarence Center Road). Passing east of Transit Valley Country Club, the road enters the hamlet of East Amherst at
CR 296 (Casey Road). The route continues northward, intersecting with
CR 299 (North French Road) and
CR 282 (Country Road). Soon entering the hamlet of Swormville, NY 78 and Transit Road remain a four-lane commercial boulevard through Amherst and Clarence. After Swormville, NY 78 and Transit Road become residential, soon becoming two lanes for the first time since West Seneca.
![NY 78 southbound in Swormville](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ef/NY_78_southbound_in_Swormville.jpg)
Crossing north along the Amherst-Clarence line still, NY 78 and Transit Road becomes a mix of commercial and residential, passing large sections of fields north of Swormville. A short distance to the north, NY 78 intersects with the northern terminus of
NY 263 (Millersport Highway). After crossing an intersection with Tonawanda Creek Road (
CR 2 and
CR 559) that also doubled as the former intersection with
NY 268,
NY 78 and Transit Road widen to four lanes and cross over
Tonawanda Creek
Tonawanda Creek is a small tributary of the Niagara River in Western New York, United States. After rising in Wyoming County, the stream flows through Genesee County before forming part of the boundary between Erie County and Niagara County. ...
into
Niagara County
Niagara County is in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2020 census, the population was 212,666. The county seat is Lockport. The county name is from the Iroquois word ''Onguiaahra''; meaning ''the strait'' or ''thunder of waters''.
Niag ...
.
Niagara County
After crossing Tonawanda Creek, NY 78 and Transit Road enter the town of
Lockport as a four-lane boulevard. Intersecting with the western terminus of
CR 117 and the eastern terminus of
CR 60 (both North Tonawanda Creek Road), NY 78 and Transit Road continue north as the four-lane commercial boulevard through Lockport. The route remains four lanes, but becomes a boulevard through wide fields for a distance, passing runway 28 of
North Buffalo Suburban Airport
North Buffalo Suburban Airport is a privately owned, public use airport located three nautical miles (6 km) south of the central business district of Lockport, a city in Niagara County, New York, United States.
Facilities and airc ...
. Now in the town of
Pendleton for a short distance, NY 78 and Transit Road cross through a long stretch of fields, becoming a commercial boulevard to the north.
![NY 78 in Lockport](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/14/NY_78_in_Lockport.jpg)
After an intersection with
CR 12 (Rapids Road), NY 78 and Transit Road continue north through Pendleton, soon crossing into the town of Lockport once again. In the town of Lockport, NY 78 changes monikers to South Transit Road, passing several commercial businesses, intersecting with
NY 93 (Robinson Road). The four-lane boulevard continues north from NY 93 through the town of Lockport, passing a stretch of residences and homes as it enters the city of
Lockport. Now a four-lane commercial boulevard, it passes several strip malls along South Transit Road. Now in the South Lockport hamlet outside of the city, in the town of Lockport, NY 78 and South Transit Road continue north, passing several stretches of residences.
The route becomes a residential/commercial mix as it passes through the city of Lockport, passing Altro Park before entering the center of the city. In the center of the city, NY 78 intersects with
NY 31
New York State Route 31 (NY 31) is a state highway that extends for across western and central New York in the United States. The western terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 104 in the city of Niagara Falls. Its ea ...
(West Genesee Street and Walnut Street) just over the
Erie Canal
The Erie Canal is a historic canal in upstate New York that runs east-west between the Hudson River and Lake Erie. Completed in 1825, the canal was the first navigable waterway connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes, vastly reducing t ...
. At this junction, NY 78 changes monikers to North Transit Street, becoming a two-lane residential street north of the city center. Crossing over an ex-
Erie Railroad
The Erie Railroad was a railroad that operated in the northeastern United States, originally connecting New York City — more specifically Jersey City, New Jersey, where Erie's Pavonia Terminal, long demolished, used to stand — with Lake Erie ...
line, the route intersects with Grand Street, where NY 78 turns east off North Transit Street onto Grand. East on Grand Street, NY 78 intersects with Clinton Street, where NY 78 turns north. Passing northeast of Upson Park, NY 78 continues northeast through Lockport on Clinton Street. The route becomes a two-lane residential street, passing Dolan Park and turning north on Lake Avenue.
![NY 78 through Newfane](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/52/NY_78_through_Newfane.jpg)
Crossing back into the town of Lockport, NY 78 continues north along Lake Avenue, intersecting with
CR 31 (Old Niagara Road). A short distance to the north, it enters the hamlet of Highland Park, winding northward as a two-lane commercial roadway. After crossing the western terminus of
CR 7 (Slayton Settlement Road), NY 78 enters the Ridgelea Heights section of Lockport, crossing over the East Branch and west of Oak Run Golf Club. After the golf club, NY 78 expands to four lanes in the town of
Newfane. In Newfane, NY 78 intersects with
NY 104 east (
Ridge Road) in the hamlet of Wrights Corners. NY 78 and NY 104 become concurrent northbound, becoming a four-lane commercial boulevard through the hamlet.
A short distance to the north, NY 78 and NY 104 fork in different directions, with NY 104 following Ridge Road to the northeast and NY 78 running along Lockport–Olcott Road to the northwest. Still in the town of Newfane, NY 78 proceeds northwest as a four-lane (quickly changing to two-lane) residential street. The route passes east of Bent-Wing Airport, continuing northwest through Newfane. The route remains residential for a distance, crossing over a brook on its way into the hamlet of Corwin. In Corwin, NY 78 remains a two-lane residential road, crossing over
Somerset Railroad tracks that are operated by CSX Transportation (heading for the Somerset Power Plant near Camp Kenan) north of Jacques Avenue. Now paralleling Eighteenmile Creek, NY 78 intersects with the western terminus of
CR 105 (Hatter Road). While winding northwest, the route soon enters the hamlet of Newfane.
![NY 78 in Olcott Beach](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/06/NY_78_in_Olcott_Beach.jpg)
Through the hamlet of Newfane, NY 78 winds northwest along Eighteenmile Creek, intersecting with
CR 137 (Ewings Road). NY 78 through Newfane is a two-lane commercial street, marking the center of the hamlet. The route intersects with the eastern terminus of
CR 91 (East Street). Paralleling Eighteenmile Creek out of Newfane, the route intersects with
CR 104 (Ide Road)'s eastern terminus. Now running alongside the creek, NY 78 continues north through the town of Newfane, passing west of a public golf course, remaining a two-lane residential road through town.
After crossing the eastern terminus of
CR 52 (Wilson–Burt Road), NY 78 continues north through the town of Newfane, entering the hamlet of Burt.
Through Burt, the route passes a former railroad grade at Railroad Avenue and passes east of Fisherman's Park. Continuing north, NY 78 enters the hamlet of
Olcott. In Olcott, NY 78 retains the name of Lockport–Olcott Road, becoming a two-lane residential road. The route soon bends northwest, intersecting with
NY 18
New York State Route 18 (NY 18) is an east–west state highway in western New York in the United States. It runs parallel to the south shore of Lake Ontario for most of its length between Niagara County and Monroe County. NY 18, ...
(Lake Road) on the shore of Eighteenmile Creek. This intersection serves as the northern terminus of NY 78, while the right-of-way continues north as Lockport Street, which terminates at the shore of
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north, west, and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south and east by the U.S. state of New York. The Canada–United States border sp ...
.
History
The north–south roadway connecting
NY 5
New York State Route 5 (NY 5) is a state highway that extends for across the state of New York in the United States. It begins at the Pennsylvania state line in the Chautauqua County town of Ripley and passes through Buffalo, Syrac ...
in
Amherst to the
Lake Ontario
Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded on the north, west, and southwest by the Canadian province of Ontario, and on the south and east by the U.S. state of New York. The Canada–United States border sp ...
shoreline in
Olcott via
Lockport was originally designated as NY 32 in the mid-1920s. In the
1930 renumbering of state highways in New York, NY 32 became part of NY 78,
a new route extending from
Gainesville in the south to
Olcott in the north, mostly along existing but previously unnumbered roads. However, the portion between
NY 362 and
NY 19
New York State Route 19 (NY 19) is a north–south state highway in Western New York in the United States. It is the longest state highway in that region, and the only other one besides NY 14 to completely transect the state ...
was in the process of being built. NY 78's early routing was identical to its modern alignment except from
East Aurora
East Aurora is a village in Erie County, New York, United States, southeast of Buffalo. It lies in the eastern half of the town of Aurora. The village population was 5,998 per the 2020 census. It is part of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls Met ...
to
Depew. Initially, NY 78 headed north from East Aurora to Lancaster by way of Maple Street, Jamison and Bowen roads, and Clinton (
NY 354) and Aurora streets before following
NY 35 west to Transit Road in Depew.
NY 78 was realigned to follow
US 20 (now
US 20A) west from East Aurora to Transit Road, where it turned north onto Transit Road and followed it to Depew. The former routing of NY 78 between East Aurora and
Lancaster was redesignated as NY 78A.
NY 78 was rerouted one last time to
overlap
Overlap may refer to:
* In set theory, an overlap of elements shared between sets is called an intersection, as in a Venn diagram.
* In music theory, overlap is a synonym for reinterpretation of a chord at the boundary of two musical phrases
* Ove ...
with
NY 16 northwest from East Aurora to its junction with Transit Road in
West Seneca
West Seneca is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 44,711 at the 2010 census. West Seneca is a centrally located interior town of the county, and a suburb of Buffalo. West Seneca, Orchard Park and Hamburg form the ...
. The realignment bypassed the southernmost portion of Transit Road,
which became
NY 187 in the early 1940s.
NY 78A
NY 78A was an alternate route of NY 78 in
Erie County between NY 78 in
East Aurora
East Aurora is a village in Erie County, New York, United States, southeast of Buffalo. It lies in the eastern half of the town of Aurora. The village population was 5,998 per the 2020 census. It is part of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls Met ...
and
NY 35 (now
US 20) in
Lancaster. The route began at the modern intersection of Main (then-US 20) and Maple streets in East Aurora and followed Maple Street, Jamison and Bowen roads, and Clinton (
NY 354) and Aurora streets to a terminus at Broadway (NY 35) in Lancaster. It was assigned after NY 78 was rerouted to follow US 20 and Transit Road instead between East Aurora and
Depew.
The NY 78A designation was short-lived as it was removed .
Its routing is now part of several county routes as well as NY 354.
Major intersections
See also
*
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:New York State Route 078
078
Transportation in Erie County, New York
Transportation in Niagara County, New York
Transportation in Wyoming County, New York