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{{Short description|State highway in western New York, US}}
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{{Infobox road
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|type=NY
|type=NY
|route=31E
|route=31E
|map=NY Route 31E map.svg
|map={{maplink-road|from=New York State Route 31E.map}}
|map_custom=yes
|map_notes=Map of Niagara and Orleans counties with NY 31E highlighted in red
|map_notes=Map of Niagara and Orleans counties with NY 31E highlighted in red
|maint=[[New York State Department of Transportation|NYSDOT]], [[Niagara County, New York|Niagara County]], and the village of [[Medina, New York|Medina]]
|maint=[[New York State Department of Transportation|NYSDOT]], [[Niagara County, New York|Niagara County]], and the village of [[Medina, New York|Medina]]
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|spur_of=31
|spur_of=31
}}
}}
'''New York State Route 31E''' ('''NY 31E''') is a {{convert|5.29|mi|2|sing=on}} [[state highway]] located in [[western New York]] in the United States. It serves as a northerly alternate route of [[New York State Route 31|NY 31]] between the village of [[Middleport, New York|Middleport]] in eastern [[Niagara County, New York|Niagara County]] and the nearby village of [[Medina, New York|Medina]] in [[Orleans County, New York|Orleans County]]. NY 31E connects to NY 31 at each end by way of a short [[Concurrency (road)|overlap]] with [[New York State Route 271|NY 271]] in Middleport. Most of NY 31E parallels the [[Erie Canal]], and parts of the route run adjacent to the waterway. Outside of the two villages at each end, NY 31E traverses mostly rural areas of the towns of [[Royalton, New York|Royalton]] and [[Ridgeway, New York|Ridgeway]].
'''New York State Route 31E''' ('''NY 31E''') is a {{convert|5.29|mi|2|adj=on}} [[state highway]] located in [[western New York]] in the United States. It serves as a northerly alternate route of [[New York State Route 31|NY 31]] between the village of [[Middleport, New York|Middleport]] in eastern [[Niagara County, New York|Niagara County]] and the nearby village of [[Medina, New York|Medina]] in [[Orleans County, New York|Orleans County]]. NY 31E connects to NY 31 at each end by way of a short [[overlap (road)|overlap]] with [[New York State Route 271|NY 271]] in Middleport. Most of NY 31E parallels the [[Erie Canal]], and parts of the route run adjacent to the waterway. Outside of the two villages at each end, NY 31E traverses mostly rural areas of the towns of [[Royalton, New York|Royalton]] and [[Ridgeway, New York|Ridgeway]].


The origins of the route date back to 1914 when its routing was included as part of a spur route of Route 30, a cross-state, unsigned [[legislative route]]. The spur route was eliminated in 1921, and the road went unnumbered until [[1930 state highway renumbering (New York)|1930 renumbering of state highways in New York]] when it became part of [[New York State Route 3|NY 3]]. Most of NY 3 west of [[Rochester, New York|Rochester]] was replaced by NY 31 in the mid-1930s, and NY 31 was realigned onto its present, more southerly alignment between Middleport and Medina in 1949. Its former canalside alignment became NY 31E at this time. Most of NY 31E is maintained by the [[New York State Department of Transportation]] (NYSDOT); however, two sections in Niagara County and Medina are locally maintained.
The origins of the route date back to 1914 when its routing was included as part of a spur route of Route 30, a cross-state, unsigned [[legislative route]]. The spur route was eliminated in 1921, and the road went unnumbered until [[1930 state highway renumbering (New York)|1930 renumbering of state highways in New York]] when it became part of [[New York State Route 3|NY 3]]. Most of NY 3 west of [[Rochester, New York|Rochester]] was replaced by NY 31 in the mid-1930s, and NY 31 was realigned onto its present, more southerly alignment between Middleport and Medina in 1949. Its former canalside alignment became NY 31E at this time. Most of NY 31E is maintained by the [[New York State Department of Transportation]] (NYSDOT); however, two sections in Niagara County and Medina are locally maintained.
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==Route description==
==Route description==
[[File:Downtown Middleport, NY.jpg|thumb|left|Looking north along Main Street (NY 31E and NY 271) in Middleport. NY 31E leaves NY 271 in the background at State Street.]]
[[File:Downtown Middleport, NY.jpg|thumb|left|Looking north along Main Street (NY 31E and NY 271) in Middleport. NY 31E leaves NY 271 in the background at State Street.]]
NY&nbsp;31E begins at an intersection with [[New York State Route 31|NY&nbsp;31]] in the village of [[Middleport, New York|Middleport]] in eastern [[Niagara County, New York|Niagara County]]. The route heads north as Main Street, [[Concurrency (road)|overlap]]ping with [[New York State Route 271|NY&nbsp;271]] (which also begins at NY&nbsp;31) through the mostly residential village. Just south of the [[Erie Canal]], NY&nbsp;31E and NY&nbsp;271 enter Middleport's small business district, centered around the junction of Main and State Streets. Here, NY&nbsp;31E and NY&nbsp;271 split, with NY&nbsp;31E following State Street eastward through the eastern portion of the community. Along this stretch, the route serves Royalton–Hartland High School and Royalton-Hartland Middle School before exiting Middleport and entering a slightly more open area of the town of [[Royalton, New York|Royalton]]. NY&nbsp;31E runs past undeveloped land to the north and a smattering of homes to the south on its way into the [[Orleans County, New York|Orleans County]] town of [[Ridgeway, New York|Ridgeway]].<ref name="yahoo">{{yahoo maps |url=http://maps.yahoo.com/#mvt=h&lat=43.21314&lon=-78.431785&zoom=15&q1=43.205096%2C-78.476605&q2=43.214011%2C-78.460511&q3=43.220375%2C-78.386976 |title=overview map of NY 31E |accessdate=November 28, 2010}}</ref>
NY&nbsp;31E begins at an intersection with [[New York State Route 31|NY&nbsp;31]] in the village of [[Middleport, New York|Middleport]] in eastern [[Niagara County, New York|Niagara County]]. The route heads north as Main Street, [[overlap (road)|overlap]]ping with [[New York State Route 271|NY&nbsp;271]] (which also begins at NY&nbsp;31) through the mostly residential village. Just south of the [[Erie Canal]], NY&nbsp;31E and NY&nbsp;271 enter Middleport's small business district, centered on the junction of Main and State Streets. Here, NY&nbsp;31E and NY&nbsp;271 split, with NY&nbsp;31E following State Street eastward through the eastern portion of the community. Along this stretch, the route serves Royalton–Hartland High School and Royalton-Hartland Middle School before exiting Middleport and entering a slightly more open area of the town of [[Royalton, New York|Royalton]]. NY&nbsp;31E runs past undeveloped land to the north and a smattering of homes to the south on its way into the [[Orleans County, New York|Orleans County]] town of Shelby New York|Ridgeway]].<ref name="bing">{{bing maps |url=http://binged.it/1kjy2gV |title=overview map of NY 31E |access-date=November 28, 2010}}</ref>


East of the county line, NY&nbsp;31E becomes Telegraph Road and continues across increasingly less developed areas of Ridgeway. The Erie Canal is visible from most of this section of NY&nbsp;31E, and about {{convert|1|mi|1}} of the highway runs directly alongside the waterway, which curves several times between Middleport and [[Medina, New York|Medina]]. The two separate at the small [[Administrative divisions of New York#Hamlet|hamlet]] of Shelby Basin, where the route follows a more southerly alignment into a more populated area. Not far to the east is the village of Medina, where NY&nbsp;31E changes names to West Center Street. The route heads east across the residential western half of the village, passing Prospect Avenue (former [[New York State Route 63|NY&nbsp;63]]) on its way into Medina's business district. NY&nbsp;31E passes the [[United States Post Office (Medina, New York)|village's post office]] and enter the [[Main Street Historic District (Medina, New York)|Main Street Historic District]], where NY&nbsp;31E terminates at NY&nbsp;31 and NY 63.<ref name="yahoo" />
East of the county line, NY&nbsp;31E becomes Telegraph Road and continues across increasingly less developed areas of Ridgeway. The Erie Canal is visible from most of this section of NY&nbsp;31E, and about {{convert|1|mi|1}} of the highway runs directly alongside the waterway, which curves several times between Middleport and [[Medina, New York|Medina]]. The two separate at the small [[hamlet (New York)|hamlet]] of Shelby Basin, where the route follows a more southerly alignment into a more populated area. Not far to the east is the village of Medina, where NY&nbsp;31E changes names to West Center Street. The route heads east across the residential western half of the village, passing Prospect Avenue (former [[New York State Route 63|NY&nbsp;63]]) on its way into Medina's business district. NY&nbsp;31E passes the [[U.S. Post Office (Medina, New York)|village's post office]] and enter the [[Main Street Historic District (Medina, New York)|Main Street Historic District]], where NY&nbsp;31E terminates at NY&nbsp;31 and NY 63.<ref name="bing" />


[[File:New York State Route 31E heading eastbound in Medina.jpg|thumb|NY 31E eastbound in Medina]]
[[File:New York State Route 31E heading eastbound in Medina.jpg|thumb|NY 31E eastbound in Medina]]
Maintenance along the route varies by location. From the Niagara–Orleans county line to the Medina village line, NY&nbsp;31E is maintained by [[New York State Department of Transportation|NYSDOT]].<ref name="medina quad">{{cite map |url=http://gis.ny.gov/gisdata/quads/drg24/dotpreview/index.cfm?code=o11 |title=Medina Digital Raster Quadrangle |publisher=New York State Department of Transportation |year=1996 |scale=1:24,000 |accessdate=January 20, 2010}}</ref> All of the route within Niagara County, excluding the state-maintained overlap with NY&nbsp;271 in Middleport, is county-maintained as the [[unsigned highway|unsigned]] County Route&nbsp;143 (CR&nbsp;143).<ref name="inventory" /> In Medina, NY&nbsp;31E is entirely maintained by the village, though between the village line and Prospect Avenue (former NY&nbsp;63), it was NYSDOT-maintained for {{convert|0.25|mi|km|2}} to its terminus at NY&nbsp;31 until 2010.<ref name="medina quad" />
Maintenance along the route varies by location. From the Niagara–Orleans county line to the Medina village line, NY&nbsp;31E is maintained by [[New York State Department of Transportation|NYSDOT]].<ref name="medina quad">{{cite map |url=http://gis.ny.gov/gisdata/quads/drg24/dotpreview/index.cfm?code=o11 |title=Medina Digital Raster Quadrangle |publisher=New York State Department of Transportation |year=1996 |scale=1:24,000 |access-date=January 20, 2010}}</ref> All of the route within Niagara County, excluding the state-maintained overlap with NY&nbsp;271 in Middleport, is county-maintained as the [[unsigned highway|unsigned]] County Route&nbsp;143 (CR&nbsp;143).<ref name="inventory" /> In Medina, NY&nbsp;31E is entirely maintained by the village, though between the village line and Prospect Avenue (former NY&nbsp;63), it was NYSDOT-maintained for {{convert|0.25|mi|km|2}} to its terminus at NY&nbsp;31 until 2010.<ref name="medina quad" />


==History==
==History==
In 1914, the [[New York State Legislature]] added two spur routes to Route&nbsp;30, an unsigned [[legislative route]] extending from [[Niagara Falls, New York|Niagara Falls]] in western [[Niagara County, New York|Niagara County]] to [[Rouses Point, New York|Rouses Point]] in [[Clinton County, New York|Clinton County]] via [[Medina, New York|Medina]].<ref>{{cite book |author=State of New York Department of Highways |title=The Highway Law |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=mBksAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA81 |accessdate=November 28, 2010 |year=1913 |publisher=J.B. Lyon Company |location=[[Albany, New York|Albany, NY]] |pages=80–81}}</ref><ref name="1919book">{{cite book |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=hZ4AAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA82 |author=State of New York Commission of Highways |title=The Highway Law |year=1919 |publisher=J. B. Lyon Company |location=Albany, NY |pages=82–84 |accessdate=November 28, 2010}}</ref> The first of these began at Route&nbsp;30 (modern [[New York State Route 63|NY&nbsp;63]]) and followed what is now NY&nbsp;31E west to [[Middleport, New York|Middleport]], from where it continued toward [[Lockport (city), New York|Lockport]] on current [[New York State Route 31|NY&nbsp;31]].<ref name="1920book">{{cite book |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=Sj4CAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA545 |author=New York State Department of Highways |title=Report of the State Commissioner of Highways |year=1920 |publisher=J. B. Lyon Company |location=Albany, NY |page=545 |accessdate=November 28, 2010}}</ref> On March&nbsp;1, 1921, most of Route&nbsp;30's Medina–Lockport spur route was supplanted by an extended Route&nbsp;20. The lone exception was from Medina to Middleport, where Route&nbsp;20 utilized modern NY&nbsp;31 instead.<ref name="1921book">{{cite book |url=http://books.google.com/books?id=6pE4AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA42 |author=New York State Legislature |title=Laws of the State of New York passed at the One Hundred and Forty-Fourth Session of the Legislature |chapter=Tables of Laws and Codes Amended or Repealed |year=1921 |publisher=J. B. Lyon Company |location=Albany, NY |pages=42, 58–59, 64–66 |accessdate=November 28, 2010}}</ref> When the first set of posted routes in New York were assigned in 1924, all of legislative Route&nbsp;20 west of [[Rochester, New York|Rochester]] became part of [[New York State Route 3|NY&nbsp;3]].<ref>{{cite news |title=New York's Main Highways Designated by Numbers |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=December 21, 1924 |page=XX9}}</ref><ref>{{cite map |title=Official Map Showing State Highways and other important roads |year=1926 |publisher=State of New York Department of Public Works |cartography=Rand McNally and Company}}</ref>
In 1914, the [[New York State Legislature]] added two spur routes to Route&nbsp;30, an unsigned [[legislative route]] extending from [[Niagara Falls, New York|Niagara Falls]] in western [[Niagara County, New York|Niagara County]] to [[Rouses Point, New York|Rouses Point]] in [[Clinton County, New York|Clinton County]] via [[Medina, New York|Medina]].<ref>{{cite book |author=State of New York Department of Highways |title=The Highway Law |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mBksAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA81 |access-date=November 28, 2010 |year=1913 |publisher=J.B. Lyon Company |location=[[Albany, New York|Albany, NY]] |pages=80–81}}</ref><ref name="1919book">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hZ4AAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA82 |author=State of New York Commission of Highways |title=The Highway Law |year=1919 |publisher=J. B. Lyon Company |location=Albany, NY |pages=82–84 |access-date=November 28, 2010}}</ref> The first of these began at Route&nbsp;30 (modern [[New York State Route 63|NY&nbsp;63]]) and followed what is now NY&nbsp;31E west to [[Middleport, New York|Middleport]], from where it continued toward [[Lockport (city), New York|Lockport]] on current [[New York State Route 31|NY&nbsp;31]].<ref name="1920book">{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_Sj4CAAAAYAAJ |author=New York State Department of Highways |title=Report of the State Commissioner of Highways |year=1920 |publisher=J. B. Lyon Company |location=Albany, NY |page=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_Sj4CAAAAYAAJ/page/n543 545] |access-date=November 28, 2010}}</ref> On March&nbsp;1, 1921, most of Route&nbsp;30's Medina–Lockport spur route was supplanted by an extended Route&nbsp;20. The lone exception was from Medina to Middleport, where Route&nbsp;20 utilized modern NY&nbsp;31 instead.<ref name="1921book">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6pE4AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA42 |author=New York State Legislature |title=Laws of the State of New York passed at the One Hundred and Forty-Fourth Session of the Legislature |chapter=Tables of Laws and Codes Amended or Repealed |year=1921 |publisher=J. B. Lyon Company |location=Albany, NY |pages=42, 58–59, 64–66 |access-date=November 28, 2010}}</ref> When the first set of posted routes in New York were assigned in 1924, all of legislative Route&nbsp;20 west of [[Rochester, New York|Rochester]] became part of [[New York State Route 3|NY&nbsp;3]].<ref>{{cite news |title=New York's Main Highways Designated by Numbers |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=December 21, 1924 |page=XX9}}</ref><ref>{{cite map |title=Official Map Showing State Highways and other important roads |year=1926 |publisher=State of New York Department of Public Works |cartography=Rand McNally and Company}}</ref>


[[File:NY 31E east in Middleport.jpg|thumb|left|NY 31E eastbound in Middleport. Although this section is county-maintained, [[reference marker (New York)|reference marker]]s remain posted along the road, as seen here.]]
[[File:NY 31E east in Middleport.jpg|thumb|left|NY 31E eastbound in Middleport. Although this section is county-maintained, [[reference marker (New York)|reference marker]]s remain posted along the road, as seen here.]]
NY&nbsp;3 remained on what is now NY&nbsp;31 between Middleport and Medina until the [[1930 state highway renumbering (New York)|1930 renumbering of state highways in New York]] when it was realigned between the two villages to use what is now NY&nbsp;31E.<ref>''Automobile Legal Association (ALA) Automobile Green Book'', 1930–31 and 1931–32 editions, (Scarborough Motor Guide Co., Boston, 1930 and 1931). The 1930–31 edition shows New York state routes prior to the [[1930 renumbering (New York)|1930 renumbering]]</ref> [[New York State Route 104|U.S. Route&nbsp;104]] was assigned to all of [[Ridge Road (Western New York)|Ridge Road]] {{circa|1935}}, replacing then-NY&nbsp;31 west of [[Rochester, New York|Rochester]]. As a result, NY&nbsp;31 was shifted southward onto most of NY&nbsp;3 from Niagara Falls to Rochester, including between Middleport and Medina.<ref>{{cite map |title=Road Map of New York |publisher=[[Texas Oil Company]] |year=1934 |cartography=[[Rand McNally and Company]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite map |title=Road Map & Historical Guide – New York |publisher=[[Sun Oil Company]] |year=1935 |cartography=Rand McNally and Company}}</ref> NY&nbsp;31 was realigned on January&nbsp;1, 1949, to follow its current alignment between the two villages. The former routing of NY&nbsp;31 was redesignated as NY&nbsp;31E, a northerly alternate route of NY&nbsp;31.<ref name="1948change">{{cite news |title=Highway Route Designations Change Jan. 1 |newspaper=Evening Recorder |date=December 9, 1948 |agency=[[Associated Press]] |location=[[Amsterdam, New York|Amsterdam, NY]]|page=19}}</ref>
NY&nbsp;3 remained on what is now NY&nbsp;31 between Middleport and Medina until the [[1930 state highway renumbering (New York)|1930 renumbering of state highways in New York]] when it was realigned between the two villages to use what is now NY&nbsp;31E.<ref>''Automobile Legal Association (ALA) Automobile Green Book'', 1930–31 and 1931–32 editions, (Scarborough Motor Guide Co., Boston, 1930 and 1931). The 1930–31 edition shows New York state routes prior to the [[1930 renumbering (New York)|1930 renumbering]]</ref> [[U.S. Route&nbsp;104]] was assigned to all of [[Ridge Road (Western New York)|Ridge Road]] {{circa|1935}}, replacing then-NY&nbsp;31 west of [[Rochester, New York|Rochester]]. As a result, NY&nbsp;31 was shifted southward onto most of NY&nbsp;3 from Niagara Falls to Rochester, including between Middleport and Medina.<ref>{{cite map |title=Road Map of New York |publisher=[[Texas Oil Company]] |year=1934 |cartography=[[Rand McNally and Company]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite map |title=Road Map & Historical Guide – New York |publisher=[[Sun Oil Company]] |year=1935 |cartography=Rand McNally and Company}}</ref> NY&nbsp;31 was realigned on January&nbsp;1, 1949, to follow its current alignment between the two villages. The former routing of NY&nbsp;31 was redesignated as NY&nbsp;31E, a northerly alternate route of NY&nbsp;31.<ref name="1948change">{{cite news |title=Highway Route Designations Change Jan. 1 |newspaper=Evening Recorder |date=December 9, 1948 |agency=[[Associated Press]] |location=[[Amsterdam, New York|Amsterdam, NY]]|page=19}}</ref>


The alignment of NY&nbsp;31E has not changed since that time; however, ownership of parts of the route has changed hands over the years. Until 1998, NY&nbsp;31E was state-maintained from its western terminus in Middleport to the Medina village line.<ref name="medina quad" /> On October&nbsp;1, 1998, ownership and maintenance of NY&nbsp;31E between [[New York State Route 271|NY&nbsp;271]] in Middleport and the [[Niagara County, New York|Niagara]]–[[Orleans County, New York|Orleans]] county line was transferred from the state to Niagara County as part of a highway maintenance swap between the two levels of government.<ref name="law">{{cite web |author=[[New York State Legislature]] |url=http://public.leginfo.state.ny.us/LAWSSEAF.cgi?QUERYTYPE=LAWS+&QUERYDATA=$$HAY341$$@TXHAY0341+&LIST=LAW+&TARGET=VIEW |title=New York State Highway Law § 341 |accessdate=November 28, 2010}}</ref> This section of the route was subsequently [[Concurrency (road)|co-designated]], but [[unsigned highway|not signed]], as CR&nbsp;143 by Niagara County.<ref name="inventory">{{cite web |url=https://www.dot.ny.gov/divisions/engineering/technical-services/hds-repository2/INV_2010-03-02_niagara.csv |title=Niagara County Inventory Listing |date=March 2, 2010 |publisher=New York State Department of Transportation |format=CSV |accessdate=November 28, 2010}}</ref>
The alignment of NY&nbsp;31E has not changed since that time; however, ownership of parts of the route has changed hands over the years. Until 1998, NY&nbsp;31E was state-maintained from its western terminus in Middleport to the Medina village line.<ref name="medina quad" /> On October&nbsp;1, 1998, ownership and maintenance of NY&nbsp;31E between [[New York State Route 271|NY&nbsp;271]] in Middleport and the [[Niagara County, New York|Niagara]]–[[Orleans County, New York|Orleans]] county line was transferred from the state to Niagara County as part of a highway maintenance swap between the two levels of government.<ref name="law">{{cite web |author=New York State Legislature |author-link=New York State Legislature |url=http://public.leginfo.state.ny.us/LAWSSEAF.cgi?QUERYTYPE=LAWS+&QUERYDATA=$$HAY341$$@TXHAY0341+&LIST=LAW+&TARGET=VIEW |title=New York State Highway Law § 341 |access-date=November 28, 2010}}</ref> This section of the route was subsequently [[overlap (road)|co-designated]], but [[unsigned highway|not signed]], as CR&nbsp;143 by Niagara County.<ref name="inventory">{{cite web |url=https://www.dot.ny.gov/divisions/engineering/technical-services/hds-repository2/INV_2010-03-02_niagara.csv |title=Niagara County Inventory Listing |date=March 2, 2010 |publisher=New York State Department of Transportation |format=CSV |access-date=November 28, 2010}}</ref>


==Major intersections==
==Major intersections==
{{NYinttop|length_ref=<ref name="2008tdr">{{cite web |url=https://www.dot.ny.gov/divisions/engineering/technical-services/hds-respository/Traffic%20Data%20Report%202008.pdf |title=2008 Traffic Data Report for New York State |date=June 16, 2009 |format=PDF |page=174 |publisher=[[New York State Department of Transportation]] |accessdate=January 10, 2010}}</ref>}}
{{NYinttop|length_ref=<ref name="2008tdr">{{cite web |url=https://www.dot.ny.gov/divisions/engineering/technical-services/hds-respository/Traffic%20Data%20Report%202008.pdf |title=2008 Traffic Data Report for New York State |date=June 16, 2009 |format=PDF |page=174 |publisher=[[New York State Department of Transportation]] |access-date=January 10, 2010}}</ref>}}
{{NYint
{{NYint
|county=Niagara
|county=Niagara
|cspan=2
|cspan=2
|mile=0.00
|mile=0.00
|road={{jct|state=NY|NY|31|NY|271}}
|road={{jct|state=NY|NY|31|NY|271|dir2=north|city1=Lockport|city2=Niagara Falls}}
|location=Middleport
|location=Middleport
|lspan=2
|lspan=2
|type=concur
|type=concur
|notes=Southern terminus of NY 31E / NY 271 [[Concurrency (road)|overlap]]; southern terminus of NY 271
|notes=Western terminus; southern terminus of NY 31E / NY 271 [[overlap (road)|overlap]]; southern terminus of NY 271
}}
}}
{{NYint
{{NYint
Line 75: Line 77:
|road={{jct|state=NY|NY|31|NY|63|dir2=south}}
|road={{jct|state=NY|NY|31|NY|63|dir2=south}}
|type=concur
|type=concur
|notes=Eastern terminus of NY 31E / NY 63 overlap
|notes=Eastern terminus; eastern terminus of NY 31E / NY 63 overlap
}}
}}
{{Jctintbtm|keys=concur}}
{{Jctintbtm|keys=concur}}


==See also==
==See also==
{{Portal|New York Roads}}
{{Portal|U.S. roads}}
*[[List of county routes in Niagara County, New York (126–143)]]<!--CR 143 redirects to this article-->
*[[List of county routes in Niagara County, New York (126–143)]]<!--CR 143 redirects to this article-->


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist|2}}
{{Reflist}}


==External links==
==External links==
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{{DEFAULTSORT:New York State Route 031e}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:New York State Route 031e}}
[[Category:State highways in New York|031E]]
[[Category:State highways in New York (state)|031E]]
[[Category:Transportation in Niagara County, New York]]
[[Category:Transportation in Niagara County, New York]]
[[Category:Transportation in Orleans County, New York]]
[[Category:Transportation in Orleans County, New York]]

Latest revision as of 10:20, 8 January 2023

New York State Route 31E marker
New York State Route 31E
Map
Map of Niagara and Orleans counties with NY 31E highlighted in red
Route information
Auxiliary route of NY 31
Maintained by NYSDOT, Niagara County, and the village of Medina
Length5.29 mi[1] (8.51 km)
ExistedJanuary 1, 1949[2]–present
Major junctions
West end NY 31 / NY 271 in Middleport
East end NY 31 / NY 63 in Medina
Standort
LandVereinigte Staaten
StateNew York
CountiesNiagara, Orleans
Highway system
NY 31D NY 31F

New York State Route 31E (NY 31E) is a 5.29-mile (8.51 km) state highway located in western New York in the United States. It serves as a northerly alternate route of NY 31 between the village of Middleport in eastern Niagara County and the nearby village of Medina in Orleans County. NY 31E connects to NY 31 at each end by way of a short overlap with NY 271 in Middleport. Most of NY 31E parallels the Erie Canal, and parts of the route run adjacent to the waterway. Outside of the two villages at each end, NY 31E traverses mostly rural areas of the towns of Royalton and Ridgeway.

The origins of the route date back to 1914 when its routing was included as part of a spur route of Route 30, a cross-state, unsigned legislative route. The spur route was eliminated in 1921, and the road went unnumbered until 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York when it became part of NY 3. Most of NY 3 west of Rochester was replaced by NY 31 in the mid-1930s, and NY 31 was realigned onto its present, more southerly alignment between Middleport and Medina in 1949. Its former canalside alignment became NY 31E at this time. Most of NY 31E is maintained by the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT); however, two sections in Niagara County and Medina are locally maintained.

Route description

[edit]
Looking north along Main Street (NY 31E and NY 271) in Middleport. NY 31E leaves NY 271 in the background at State Street.

NY 31E begins at an intersection with NY 31 in the village of Middleport in eastern Niagara County. The route heads north as Main Street, overlapping with NY 271 (which also begins at NY 31) through the mostly residential village. Just south of the Erie Canal, NY 31E and NY 271 enter Middleport's small business district, centered on the junction of Main and State Streets. Here, NY 31E and NY 271 split, with NY 31E following State Street eastward through the eastern portion of the community. Along this stretch, the route serves Royalton–Hartland High School and Royalton-Hartland Middle School before exiting Middleport and entering a slightly more open area of the town of Royalton. NY 31E runs past undeveloped land to the north and a smattering of homes to the south on its way into the Orleans County town of Shelby New York|Ridgeway]].[3]

East of the county line, NY 31E becomes Telegraph Road and continues across increasingly less developed areas of Ridgeway. The Erie Canal is visible from most of this section of NY 31E, and about 1 mile (1.6 km) of the highway runs directly alongside the waterway, which curves several times between Middleport and Medina. The two separate at the small hamlet of Shelby Basin, where the route follows a more southerly alignment into a more populated area. Not far to the east is the village of Medina, where NY 31E changes names to West Center Street. The route heads east across the residential western half of the village, passing Prospect Avenue (former NY 63) on its way into Medina's business district. NY 31E passes the village's post office and enter the Main Street Historic District, where NY 31E terminates at NY 31 and NY 63.[3]

NY 31E eastbound in Medina

Maintenance along the route varies by location. From the Niagara–Orleans county line to the Medina village line, NY 31E is maintained by NYSDOT.[4] All of the route within Niagara County, excluding the state-maintained overlap with NY 271 in Middleport, is county-maintained as the unsigned County Route 143 (CR 143).[5] In Medina, NY 31E is entirely maintained by the village, though between the village line and Prospect Avenue (former NY 63), it was NYSDOT-maintained for 0.25 miles (0.40 km) to its terminus at NY 31 until 2010.[4]

History

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In 1914, the New York State Legislature added two spur routes to Route 30, an unsigned legislative route extending from Niagara Falls in western Niagara County to Rouses Point in Clinton County via Medina.[6][7] The first of these began at Route 30 (modern NY 63) and followed what is now NY 31E west to Middleport, from where it continued toward Lockport on current NY 31.[8] On March 1, 1921, most of Route 30's Medina–Lockport spur route was supplanted by an extended Route 20. The lone exception was from Medina to Middleport, where Route 20 utilized modern NY 31 instead.[9] When the first set of posted routes in New York were assigned in 1924, all of legislative Route 20 west of Rochester became part of NY 3.[10][11]

NY 31E eastbound in Middleport. Although this section is county-maintained, reference markers remain posted along the road, as seen here.

NY 3 remained on what is now NY 31 between Middleport and Medina until the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York when it was realigned between the two villages to use what is now NY 31E.[12] U.S. Route 104 was assigned to all of Ridge Road c. 1935, replacing then-NY 31 west of Rochester. As a result, NY 31 was shifted southward onto most of NY 3 from Niagara Falls to Rochester, including between Middleport and Medina.[13][14] NY 31 was realigned on January 1, 1949, to follow its current alignment between the two villages. The former routing of NY 31 was redesignated as NY 31E, a northerly alternate route of NY 31.[2]

The alignment of NY 31E has not changed since that time; however, ownership of parts of the route has changed hands over the years. Until 1998, NY 31E was state-maintained from its western terminus in Middleport to the Medina village line.[4] On October 1, 1998, ownership and maintenance of NY 31E between NY 271 in Middleport and the NiagaraOrleans county line was transferred from the state to Niagara County as part of a highway maintenance swap between the two levels of government.[15] This section of the route was subsequently co-designated, but not signed, as CR 143 by Niagara County.[5]

Major intersections

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CountyStandortmi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
NiagaraMiddleport0.000.00
NY 31 / NY 271 north – Lockport, Niagara Falls
Western terminus; southern terminus of NY 31E / NY 271 overlap; southern terminus of NY 271
0.510.82
NY 271 north
Northern terminus of NY 31E / NY 271 overlap
OrleansMedina5.058.13
NY 63 north
Western terminus of NY 31E / NY 63 overlap
5.298.51
NY 31 / NY 63 south
Eastern terminus; eastern terminus of NY 31E / NY 63 overlap
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "2008 Traffic Data Report for New York State" (PDF). New York State Department of Transportation. June 16, 2009. p. 174. Retrieved January 10, 2010.
  2. ^ a b "Highway Route Designations Change Jan. 1". Evening Recorder. Amsterdam, NY. Associated Press. December 9, 1948. p. 19.
  3. ^ a b Microsoft; Nokia. "overview map of NY 31E" (Map). Bing Maps. Microsoft. Retrieved November 28, 2010.
  4. ^ a b c Medina Digital Raster Quadrangle (Map). 1:24,000. New York State Department of Transportation. 1996. Retrieved January 20, 2010.
  5. ^ a b "Niagara County Inventory Listing" (CSV). New York State Department of Transportation. March 2, 2010. Retrieved November 28, 2010.
  6. ^ State of New York Department of Highways (1913). The Highway Law. Albany, NY: J.B. Lyon Company. pp. 80–81. Retrieved November 28, 2010.
  7. ^ State of New York Commission of Highways (1919). The Highway Law. Albany, NY: J. B. Lyon Company. pp. 82–84. Retrieved November 28, 2010.
  8. ^ New York State Department of Highways (1920). Report of the State Commissioner of Highways. Albany, NY: J. B. Lyon Company. p. 545. Retrieved November 28, 2010.
  9. ^ New York State Legislature (1921). "Tables of Laws and Codes Amended or Repealed". Laws of the State of New York passed at the One Hundred and Forty-Fourth Session of the Legislature. Albany, NY: J. B. Lyon Company. pp. 42, 58–59, 64–66. Retrieved November 28, 2010.
  10. ^ "New York's Main Highways Designated by Numbers". The New York Times. December 21, 1924. p. XX9.
  11. ^ Official Map Showing State Highways and other important roads (Map). Cartography by Rand McNally and Company. State of New York Department of Public Works. 1926.
  12. ^ Automobile Legal Association (ALA) Automobile Green Book, 1930–31 and 1931–32 editions, (Scarborough Motor Guide Co., Boston, 1930 and 1931). The 1930–31 edition shows New York state routes prior to the 1930 renumbering
  13. ^ Road Map of New York (Map). Cartography by Rand McNally and Company. Texas Oil Company. 1934.
  14. ^ Road Map & Historical Guide – New York (Map). Cartography by Rand McNally and Company. Sun Oil Company. 1935.
  15. ^ New York State Legislature. "New York State Highway Law § 341". Retrieved November 28, 2010.
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