End of historic US highway 104 |
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US 104 was approximately 171 miles long. Want historic mileages? Our handy reference book includes the mileages that were published in all 13 of AASHO/AASHTO's historic route logs (spanning the years 1927 to 1989).
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US 104 never connected with its implied parent route (US 4), but it shared the same approximate latitude, and I do not consider its number to be a major violation of route numbering guidelines. However, the thing I do find remarkable is that New York even requested a US route designation for this corridor. From the earliest discussions about the US route system, New York was a vocal proponent of having only major inter-state routes included. So to then turn around and have an intra-state route added to the system seems like it was very much out of character. Anyway, the original east end of US 104 was at its junction with US 11 in Maple View:
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c. 1943, USGS
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This sign was for travelers westbound on NY 104; straight ahead was the historic east beginning of US 104:
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Kerr, May 2002
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Kerr
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The previous shot was looking the opposite direction, at the junction where historic US 104 ended. I-81 is just over one mile ahead, and in 1961 (when I-81 was new to this area) the US 104 designation was extended to that interchange. This image was looking north on I-81 at the exit to NY 104. For about ten years, US 104 began by heading to the left across the overpass visible in the distance:
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Google Maps Street View, Aug. 2018
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Originally the west terminus of US 104 was in Niagara Falls. Shortly before it was completely decommissioned, US 104's west endpoint was truncated to jct. I-190 in Lewiston. I have not seen a map illustrating that, but I am estimating this would have happened around 1964, which is when I-190 was completed in the Niagara Falls area. This photo was taken approaching the north end of I-190. The final exit before crossing into Canada leads to NY 104, and during the 1960s this would have been the west beginning of US 104:
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AARoads.com, Aug. 2021
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All told, US 104 lasted for less than 40 years; AASHO approved its decommissioning in 1971. At that time it became NY 104, and today that designation continues about ten miles further east than US 104 did. Here is that agenda item from the actual meeting minutes:
Research and/or photo credits: AARoads; Doug Kerr; Dale Sanderson; Michael Summa
Page originally created 2000;
last updated Nov. 14, 2024.
last updated Nov. 14, 2024.
