Interstate 190 (I-190, locally known as the One-Ninety) is a north–south
auxiliary Interstate Highway
Auxiliary Interstate Highways (also called three-digit Interstate Highways) are a subset of highways within the United States' Interstate Highway System. The 323 auxiliary routes generally fall into three types: spur routes, which connect to or i ...
in the United States that connects
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 states, Mountain West, Great Pla ...
in
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is a Administrative divisions of New York (state), city in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York and county seat of Erie County, New York, Erie County. It lies in Western New York at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of ...
, with the
Canada–United States border
The international border between Canada and the United States is the longest in the world by total length. The boundary (including boundaries in the Great Lakes, Atlantic, and Pacific coasts) is long. The land border has two sections: Canada' ...
at
Lewiston, New York, near
Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls is a group of three waterfalls at the southern end of Niagara Gorge, spanning the Canada–United States border, border between the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Ontario in Canada and the state of New York (s ...
. Officially, I-190 from I-90 north to
New York State Route 384 (NY 384) is named the Niagara Thruway and is part of the
New York State Thruway system. The remainder, from NY 384 to Lewiston, is known as the Niagara Expressway and is maintained by the
New York State Department of Transportation
The New York State Department of Transportation'' (NYSDOT) is the department of the Government of New York (state), New York state government responsible for the development and operation of highways, Rail transport, railroads, mass transit sys ...
(NYSDOT).
The freeway bisects downtown Buffalo before crossing
Grand Island and travelling around the outskirts of Niagara Falls before crossing the
Niagara River
The Niagara River ( ) flows north from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario, forming part of the border between Ontario, Canada, to the west, and New York, United States, to the east. The origin of the river's name is debated. Iroquoian scholar Bruce T ...
on the
Lewiston–Queenston Bridge into the Canadian province of
Ontario
Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...
. In Canada, the freeway continues as
Ontario Highway 405, a short spur connecting with the
Queen Elizabeth Way
The Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) is a 400-series highways, 400-series highway in the Canadian province of Ontario linking Toronto with the Niagara Peninsula and Buffalo, New York. The highway begins at the Canada–United States border on the Pea ...
(QEW), which in turn provides a freeway connection to
Toronto
Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...
, Canada's largest city. The route also provides access to the QEW at the
Peace Bridge
The Peace Bridge is an international bridge over the Niagara River between Canada and the United States, located just north of the river's source at the east end of Lake Erie about upriver of Niagara Falls. It connects Buffalo, New York, in ...
between Buffalo and
Fort Erie, Ontario. I-190 is currently the only
three-digit interstate to connect directly with Canada, and one of only two to connect to an international border, the other being
I-110 in
Texas
Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...
, which connects to
Mexico
Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...
.
Parts of the highway were built along the former
right-of-ways of the
Lehigh Valley Railroad
The Lehigh Valley Railroad was a railroad in the Northeastern United States built predominantly to haul anthracite, anthracite coal from the Coal Region in Northeastern Pennsylvania to major consumer markets in Philadelphia, New York City, and ...
and 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 navigability, navigable waterway connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes, ...
. The entire route was built as part of the
New York State Thruway in the late 1950s and early 1960s and was completed in 1964. The cost of I-190's construction had been paid off by 1996, and, by law, the tolls along the freeway were supposed to be removed at that point; however, this did not occur until 2006.
Route description

I-190 begins at an interchange with the
New York State Thruway (
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 states, Mountain West, Great Pla ...
) in
Cheektowaga in
Erie County, just north of the
West Seneca town line and east of the
Buffalo city line. I-190 heads west into Buffalo, passing the former location of the City Line
toll barrier ahead of an interchange with South Ogden Street (exit 1). Farther west, I-190 meets
NY 354 (exit 2),
NY 16 (exit 3), and several local streets before entering downtown Buffalo. Within the downtown area, I-190 passes between
KeyBank Center
KeyBank Center is a multipurpose indoor arena located in Buffalo, New York, United States. Originally known as Marine Midland Arena, the venue has since been named HSBC Arena and First Niagara Center. Home to the Buffalo Sabres of the Nation ...
and
Sahlen Field near an interchange with
NY 5 (exit 7) on the shores of
Lake Erie
Lake Erie ( ) is the fourth-largest lake by surface area of the five Great Lakes in North America and the eleventh-largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and also has the shortest avera ...
. At NY 5, I-190 turns northward to follow the path of the
Niagara River
The Niagara River ( ) flows north from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario, forming part of the border between Ontario, Canada, to the west, and New York, United States, to the east. The origin of the river's name is debated. Iroquoian scholar Bruce T ...
. Shortly after meeting
NY 266 (exit 8) immediately northwest of downtown, I-190 interchanges with Porter Avenue (exit 9), a local roadway connecting I-190 to the
Peace Bridge
The Peace Bridge is an international bridge over the Niagara River between Canada and the United States, located just north of the river's source at the east end of Lake Erie about upriver of Niagara Falls. It connects Buffalo, New York, in ...
and, thus, the
QEW in
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
.
North of downtown Buffalo, I-190 follows the eastern edge of the
Black Rock Channel (and passes the site of the former Black Rock toll barrier) before rejoining the banks of the Niagara near an exit with the Scajaquada Expressway (
NY 198, exit 11). I-190 continues north through the northern extents of Buffalo, meeting multiple streets before separating from the Niagara and interchanging with
NY 266 and
NY 324 (exits 15 and 16) in quick succession. At exit 16, NY 324 joins I-190 northward through western
Tonawanda. The two routes then meet
I-290 and NY 266 a second time prior to crossing the Niagara River on the
South Grand Island Bridge. NY 324 leaves the expressway shortly after arriving on
Grand Island at exit 18.

I-190 and NY 324 follow parallel routings across Grand Island, with both roads passing on opposite sides of
Niagara Amusement Park & Splash World, a local amusement park, near the center of the island. At the northern edge of the island, NY 324, as signed, terminates at exit 20; however, officially, NY 324 rejoins I-190 across the Niagara River once again via the
North Grand Island Bridge. Now in
Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls is a group of three waterfalls at the southern end of Niagara Gorge, spanning the Canada–United States border, border between the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Ontario in Canada and the state of New York (s ...
,
Niagara County, NY 324 ends at a complex interchange featuring
NY 384, the
Niagara Scenic Parkway, and the
LaSalle Expressway on the eastern bank of the river. Farther north, I-190 meets
US Route 62 (US 62) at exit 22 and
NY 182 at exit 23.
Past NY 182, I-190 turns to the northwest, skirting the northeastern edge of Niagara Falls and roughly paralleling
NY 265 to the east. In
Lewiston, the expressway meets
NY 31 at exit 24 southwest of the large
Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant
The Robert Moses Niagara Hydroelectric Power Station is a hydroelectric power station in Lewiston, New York, near Niagara Falls. Owned and operated by the New York Power Authority (NYPA), the plant diverts water from the Niagara River above Ni ...
reservoir. I-190 continues onward, crossing the canal between the reservoir and the power plant on a small dam also used by NY 265. The freeway then interchanges with NY 265, the Niagara Scenic Parkway, and
NY 104 at the expansive exit 25 before curving to the west and terminating at the approach to the
Lewiston–Queenston Bridge. Across the bridge in
Queenston, Ontario, the roadway becomes
Highway 405.
History
The portion of modern I-190 south of
NY 384 in
Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls is a group of three waterfalls at the southern end of Niagara Gorge, spanning the Canada–United States border, border between the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Ontario in Canada and the state of New York (s ...
was originally built by the
New York State Thruway Authority
The New York State Thruway Authority (NYSTA) is a New York State public-benefit corporations, public benefit corporation in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. The NYSTA was formed in 1950 with the responsibility of constructing, main ...
(NYSTA) as part of the New York State Thruway system. Construction on two segments of the highway—from South Ogden Street to Porter Avenue in downtown
Buffalo and from
Beaver Island Parkway to West River Road on
Grand Island—began in 1953.
On Grand Island, construction began to connect the two existing two lane bridges on July 16, 1954. By 1955, construction had begun on the remainder of the Niagara Thruway. On July 30, 1959, the thruway was opened from the Tri-Level Interchange at I-90 to Porter Avenue and from Sheridan Drive to the southern Grand Island bridge. The remainder of the highway, with the exception of the twinned Grand Island bridges, was completed by 1964.
On August 14, 1957, the routing of what is now I-190 (including the then-partially complete Niagara Thruway) was originally designated as I-90N, as intercity routes were assigned before
auxiliary Interstate numbers were applied to the shorter intracity routes.
I-90N was renumbered to I-190 on February 24, 1959.
Construction on the portion of I-190 north of NY 384 began
and was completed by 1964.
In 1991, maintenance of
I-84
Interstate 84 may refer to:
* Interstate 84 (Oregon–Utah), passing through Idaho, formerly known as Interstate 80N
* Interstate 84 (Pennsylvania–Massachusetts), passing through New York and Connecticut
{{road disambiguation ...
in downstate New York was transferred from
NYSDOT
The New York State Department of Transportation'' (NYSDOT) is the department of the Government of New York (state), New York state government responsible for the development and operation of highways, Rail transport, railroads, mass transit sys ...
to the NYSTA. The monies for that purpose came from tolls levied on I-190 in downtown Buffalo. Under the laws authorizing the thruway construction, the tolls were to be removed once the original bonds used to pay for the construction were paid off, which occurred in 1996; however, the tolls would remain for 10 more years. Attorney
Carl Paladino brought a lawsuit against the state in 2006 to force the removal of the tolls.
On October 30, 2006, the NYSTA voted to both begin the process of returning maintenance of I-84 to NYSDOT and to remove the tolls on I-190 in Buffalo. Collection of the tolls stopped that day. Both major candidates in the
2006 New York gubernatorial election, Democrat
Eliot Spitzer
Eliot Laurence Spitzer (born June 10, 1959) is an American politician and attorney who served as the 54th governor of New York from 2007 until his resignation in 2008 after a prostitution scandal. A member of the Democratic Party, he was also ...
and Republican
John Faso, had pledged to remove the tolls on I-190 if elected. While the toll barriers in Buffalo were demolished, the tolls further north on the two Grand Island bridges remained for another 12 years. They were finally replaced with electronic tolling in 2018 and have since been demolished.
Exit list
See also
*
LaSalle Expressway
*
Niagara Scenic Parkway
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:Interstate 90-1 (New York)
90-1 New York
90-1
90-1
Transportation in Buffalo, New York
Transportation in Erie County, New York
Transportation in Niagara County, New York
1 (New York)