All but 1.85 miles (2.98 km) of NY 50 is maintained by the New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT). The lone locally maintained segment lies within the city of Saratoga Springs, where the route is city-maintained from the southern boundary of the city's inner district to Van Dam Street, a local street three blocks north of NY 9N and NY 29.[3][4]
Scotia to Milton
NY 50 begins at an intersection with NY 5 (Mohawk Avenue) in the village of Scotia in the town of Glenville, just a couple blocks north of the Mohawk River. NY 50 winds northeastward through Scotia on North Ballston Avenue, crossing past Collins Lake on a two-lane residential street. Near the Cambridge Manor in Scotia, NY 50 crosses over the Hudson Subdivision, owned by Amtrak. Just north of the crossing, the route leaves Scotia and changes names to Ballston Road. At the junction with Swaggertown Road (unsigned County Route 43 or CR 43), NY 50 winds northeast into a junction with Freemans Bridge Road (unsigned NY 911F) in front of Schenectady County Airport.[5]
After passing the airport, NY 50 continues northeast through Glenville, now with the Saratoga Road moniker. As the route enters the hamlet of Stoodley Corners, it turns northward, crossing a large commercial development that surrounds the intersection with Glenridge Road (unsigned NY 914V). Leaving Stoodley Corners, NY 50 winds northward through the hamlets of Mayfair and Woodruff Heights, crossing a junction with Charlton Road (CR 37), the route bends northeast into the hamlet of Harmon Park, a small community in Glenville. After a junction with High Mills Road (CR 33), NY 50 crosses the line from Schenectady County to Saratoga County.[5]
NY 50 northbound in Glenville
Now in the town of Ballston, NY 50 retains the Saratoga Road moniker, crossing northeast into the hamlet of Burnt Hills. In the center of Burnt Hills, NY 50 intersects with CR 58 (Lake Hill Road) and CR 339 (Lake Hill Road), which once served as the western terminus of NY 339. Continuing northeast out of Burnt Hills, NY 50 crosses a junction with CR 110 (Kingsley Road). At a junction with Larkin Road, NY 50 turns northward, reaching a junction with the northern terminus of NY 146A (Midline Road). Continuing northwest through Ballston, the route remains a two-lane residential roadway, soon turning north near a junction with Charlton Road.[5]
NY 50 winds northward through Ballston, crossing the Mourning Kill, and a junction with CR 60 (Brookline Road) . The route winds northeast, reaching a junction with NY 67. At this junction, NY 50 and NY 67 become concurrent, dropping the Saratoga Road moniker, changing names to Church Avenue. Now entering a developed section of the town of Ballston, NY 50 and NY 67 crosses into the village of Ballston Spa, located in both the towns of Ballston and Milton. At the center of the village, NY 67 turns west away from NY 50 along West High Street, while NY 50 continues north through the village on Milton Avenue. A short distance later, the route forks to the northwest off Milton Avenue, changing names to Doubleday Avenue, exiting the village.[5]
Milton to Gansevoort
NY 50 crosses northeast through Milton as Doubleday Avenue, crossing a junction with CR 64 (North Line Road). Just north of this junction, the route crosses into the city of Saratoga Springs, changing names to Ballston Avenue. Passing Saratoga Spa State Park, NY 50 parallels a railroad line before crossing over it within the park. At this point, NY 50 becomes a four-lane boulevard next to the Saratoga Spa State Park, crossing multiple at-grade junctions, including one with CR 43 (Geyser Road). Returning to its two-lane alignment, NY 50 winds northeast through Saratoga Springs, entering downtown as Ballston Avenue. Through the area south of downtown, the route is a two-lane commercial street, bending northeast into the junction with US 9 (South Broadway).[5]
US 9, NY 50 and NY 29 concurrent through downtown Saratoga Springs
Now in the center of Saratoga Springs, US 9 and NY 50 become concurrent, proceeding north into the core of downtown as Broadway past Congress Park and a junction with the northern terminus of NY 9P (Spring Street). A block north of the junction, US 9 and NY 50 junction with NY 29 (Washington Street). US 9, NY 29 and NY 50 now are concurrent through the center of Saratoga Springs, reaching a junction with the southern terminus of NY 9N (Church Street), where NY 29 also turns east onto Lake Avenue. US 9 and NY 50 continue north through downtown, reaching the junction with Van Dam Street, where the routes turn northeast onto the C.V. Whitney Memorial Highway, a four-lane boulevard through Saratoga Springs. At the junction with Marion Avenue, US 9 continues north on Marion while NY 50 continues east on the Whitney.[5]
NY 50 soon bends towards the east, passing along the southern shore of Loughberry Lake and into an interchange with the Adirondack Northway (I-87 exit 15). Now in the town of Wilton, NY 50 then reaches the northern terminus of Weibel Avenue, which is also designated as NY 29 Truck. The route enters the main commercial area of Wilton, passing the Wilton Mall at Saratoga before narrowing to a two-lane rural road proceeding northeast through Wilton. Beginning a parallel of the Meadow Brook, NY 50 crosses a junction with the western terminus of CR 39 (King Road). Passing south of the hamlet of Ballard Corners, NY 50 junctions with CR 33 (Ballard Road), becoming a residential road as it leaves Wilton.[5]
After leaving Wilton, NY 50 crosses into the town of Northumberland. Through Northumberland, NY 50 winds northeast through town, remaining a two-lane residential street before turning northwest at Rice Brook. A short distance later, NY 50 enters the hamlet of Gansevoort, where it reaches a junction with NY 32 (Schuylerville Road). This intersection, located in front of Bertha E. Smith Park, marks the northern terminus of NY 50.[5]
By 1947, Erie Boulevard, Maxon Road, and Freemans Bridge Road were collectively designated as a spur of NY 50. As a result, the NY 50 designation effectively split in Glenville, with the west branch continuing south to Scotia and the east branch continuing southeast to NY 5 in Schenectady.[8] The east branch was removed from maps at some point between 1958 and 1962;[9][10] however, it was redesignated as a special route of NY 50 by 1968. While maps drawn by General Drafting labeled the route as "NY 50 Alternate",[11] maps drawn by the H.M. Gousha Company labeled it as "NY 50 Spur".[12] The special route was eliminated at some point in the late 1970s or early 1980s.[13][14] The portion from Nott Street north to NY 50 remains state-maintained as NY 911F, an unsigned reference route.[15]
^ abAutomobile 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 with Special Maps of Putnam–Rockland–Westchester Counties and Finger Lakes Region (Map) (1958 ed.). Cartography by General Drafting. Esso. 1958.
^New York with Sight-Seeing Guide (Map). Cartography by General Drafting. Esso. 1962.
^New York (Map) (1969–70 ed.). Cartography by General Drafting. Esso. 1968.
NY 5 in Scotia
NY 32 in Northumberland
