View source for County Route 115 (Tompkins County, New York)

{{Short description|County route in New York}}
{{Infobox road
|state=NY
|type=CR
|county=Tompkins
|route=115
|map={{maplink-road|stroke-width2=2|type2=line|from=Tompkins County Route 115.map}}
|map_custom=yes
|map_notes=Map of Tompkins County and vicinity with CR&nbsp;115 highlighted in red and pink (former NY 330 backed in pink) and CR 115M in blue
|maint=Tompkins County Highway Division
|length_mi=12.91
|length_ref=<ref name="crl-tompkins" />
|established=
|direction_a=South
|terminus_a={{jct|state=NY|CR|33|county1=Tioga}} at the [[Tioga County, New York|Tioga County]] line in [[Caroline, New York|Caroline]]
|direction_b=North
|terminus_b={{jct|state=NY|NY|79}} in [[Dryden (town), New York|Dryden]]
|previous_type=NY
|previous_route=329
|browse_route=NY 330
|next_type=NY
|next_route=331
}}
'''County Route&nbsp;115''' ('''CR&nbsp;115''') is a northwest–southeast [[county highway]] located mostly within the town of [[Caroline, New York|Caroline]] in [[Tompkins County, New York]], in the United States. It extends for {{convert|12.8|mi|1}} from the [[Tioga County, New York|Tioga County]] line south of the [[hamlet (New York)|hamlet]] of Speedsville to an intersection with [[New York State Route&nbsp;79]] (NY&nbsp;79) just north of the Caroline town line in the [[Dryden (town), New York|town of Dryden]]. The highway continues into Tioga County as [[County Route 33 (Tioga County, New York)|CR&nbsp;33]]. The portion of CR&nbsp;115 north of the hamlet of [[Guide Board Corners, New York|Guide Board Corners]] was originally designated as '''New York State Route&nbsp;330''' and maintained by the state of [[New York (state)|New York]]. NY&nbsp;330 existed from the early 1930s to 1980, when ownership and maintenance of the highway was transferred to Tompkins County.

==Route description==
[[File:Tompkins County Route 115 Guide Board Corners.jpg|left|thumb|CR&nbsp;115 at the intersection with 76 Road in Guide Board Corners. This was the southern terminus of NY&nbsp;330 prior to 1980.]]
CR&nbsp;115 begins at the [[Tioga County, New York|Tioga County]] line in the town of [[Caroline, New York|Caroline]], where it connects to Tioga County's [[County Route 33 (Tioga County, New York)|CR&nbsp;33]]. The county highway passes a mountain to the west and the [[Owego River]]'s west branch to the east as it heads northward. It crosses Boyer Creek as 76 Road and enters the [[hamlet (New York)|hamlet]] of Speedsville, a small community located on top of a mountain. Here, CR&nbsp;115 turns to the northwest to run along the base of a valley surrounding Boyer Creek. The creek reaches its source at an intersection with Yaple Road; however, CR&nbsp;115 continues northwestward to serve the hamlet of Caroline Center.<ref name="bing">{{bing maps |url=http://binged.it/1LDfK5p4 |title=overview map of CR 115 |access-date=February 28, 2015}}</ref>

Outside of Caroline Center, CR&nbsp;115 heads northwestward through a small valley to the community of [[Guide Board Corners, New York|Guide Board Corners]]. In the center of the hamlet, CR&nbsp;115 turns north off 76 Road to follow Central Chapel Road. The highway emerges from the valley {{convert|1|mi|1}} north of Guide Board Corners, at which point it meets [[County Route 114 (Tompkins County, New York)|CR&nbsp;114]], a connector to [[New York State Route 79|NY&nbsp;79]], and curves westward as Valley Road. CR&nbsp;115 parallels the Sixmile Creek into the hamlet of Brooktondale, where it changes names once more to become Brooktondale Road. From Brooktondale, the route heads northwest alongside Sixmile Creek into the [[Dryden (town), New York|town of Dryden]], where it ends at an intersection with NY&nbsp;79.<ref name="bing" />

==History==
===Origins===
[[File:NY330 route map.jpg|thumb|USGS topo showing NY&nbsp;330]]
In the early 19th century, construction commenced on a highway connecting the [[Catskill Turnpike]] (modern [[New York State Route 79|NY&nbsp;79]]) to the [[hamlet (New York)|hamlet]] of Speedsville near the [[Tioga County, New York|Tioga County]] line. It began at Boiceville (known today as West Slaterville) and passed through the communities of [[Guide Board Corners, New York|Guide Board Corners]] and Caroline Center on its way to Speedsville. The roadway was built by community labor during the summers of 1804 through 1808 and was named "76 Road". According to the Bicentennial history of the Town of Caroline, the name refers to the [[American Revolutionary War|Revolutionary War]]:<ref name="caroline1976">{{cite book |title=A History of the Town of Caroline, Tompkins County, New York, United States of America |year=1994 |publisher=Caroline Historical Society |location=Slaterville Springs, NY |others=Revised and compiled by Barbara B. M. Kone}}</ref>

{{Blockquote|The first bee for cutting the road through was held near Augustine Boyer's on 4 July 1804. It was opened and dedicated ... by the settlers on July&nbsp;4, 1808. Mr. Boyer was requested to name the road. He replied that he would name it the " '76 Road". Mr. Boyer explained that he had spent seven days obtaining the services of the commissioners and surveyors to lay out the road, and these days were representative of the seven years of the Revolutionary struggle, and since the day was 4 July, and the spirit of '76 was in the air, and other spirits in their bottles, he would give the name of " '76 Road" in honor of the spirit of cooperation and dedication that the people had in working together on the project, and to honor the memory of those who worked together in laying the foundations of our country in 1776.|Caroline Historical Society|''A History of the Town of Caroline, Tompkins County, New York, United States of America''<ref name="caroline1976" />}}

In the early 1910s, the state of [[New York (state)|New York]] upgraded a local highway connecting the Catskill Turnpike near the hamlet of Besemer to Brookton (now Brooktondale). It was added to the state highway system<!--SH 1004, Cooks Corners-Brookton fork--> on November&nbsp;4, 1914. The state also intended on improving an extension of the roadway east to 76 Road and 76 Road itself from the modern junction of Boiceville, Valley, and Central Chapel Roads south to Speedsville<!--SH 1431-->;<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 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_Sj4CAAAAYAAJ/page/n245 250], 468, 469 |access-date=July 23, 2009}}</ref> however, construction advanced no farther southeastward than Guide Board Corners.<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> The Brookton–Guide Board Corners highway was added to the state highway system on February&nbsp;8, 1921.<ref name="1922book">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lhlbAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA72 |author=State of New York Commission of Highways |title=Tables Giving Detailed Information and Present Status of All State, County and Federal Aid Highways |year=1922 |publisher=J. B. Lyon Company |location=Albany, NY |page=72 |access-date=April 9, 2013}}</ref>

The Besemer–Guide Board Corners state highway was designated as NY&nbsp;330 {{circa|1931}}.<ref name="1930map">{{cite map |title=Road Map of New York |year=1930 |publisher=[[Standard Oil Company of New York]] |cartography=[[General Drafting]]}}</ref><ref name="1931map">{{cite map |title=New York |publisher=[[Kendall Refining Company]] |year=1931 |cartography=[[H.M. Gousha Company]]}}</ref>

===Reconstruction===
{{Infobox road small
|state=NY
|type=NY
|route=330
|length_mi=5.24
|length_ref=<ref name="legal">{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13786614/ny_330_legal_march_13_1939/|title=Legal Notice|date=March 13, 1939|access-date=September 24, 2017|via=Newspapers.com|page=13|work=The Ithaca Journal}} {{open access}}</ref>
|location=Caroline–Dryden
|formed={{circa|lk=no|1931}}<ref name="1930map" /><ref name="1931map" />
|deleted=1980<ref name="2012log" />
}}

By 1962, the design of NY&nbsp;330 became antiquated. Despite attempts to rebuild the road, the winter decimated the structure of the highway and made trouble for local emergency authorities. The New York Department of Public Works' State Highway Department designed a new road that would be {{convert|20|ft|m}} wide with {{convert|6|ft|m|adj=on}} shoulders from Guideboard Corners to Cooks Corners (NY&nbsp;79). This road, making concessions to demolish as little private property as possible, made several 10% curves, the legal maximum. In order to go ahead with the rebuild, two barns, an abandoned mill and a house would have to be demolished. The job would also take out 300 trees in Brooktondale and the area surrounding the hamlet, leaving the state highway with 287&nbsp;trees.<ref name="330deal">{{cite news|title=Rt. 330 Job Goes Through, Brooktondale Crowd Told|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13787886/rt_330_job_july_6_1962/|access-date=September 25, 2017|work=The Ithaca Journal|date=July 6, 1962|page=2|via=Newspapers.com}} {{open access}}</ref>

Opponents in Brooktondale to the construction felt the removal of trees would ruin the village. Feeling that the village of Brooktondale was not likely to grow in population as a result of this project, they questioned its purpose. Ruining the scenic narrative of the area would be a waste of taxpayer dollars, since the road just ends at two dirt roads in Guideboard Corners.<ref>{{cite news|title=Wasting Road Funds|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/2951572/ny_330_52362/|access-date=September 25, 2017|work=[[The Post-Standard]]|date=May 23, 1962|page=4|via=Newspapers.com}} {{open access}}</ref> Despite the opposition, the state met with [[Caroline, New York|Caroline]] town officials and they noted that about 20 people were opposed to the project while a petition of 547 people supporting the job existed.<ref>{{cite news|title=Proponents of Route 330 Ready Case|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/4003488/ny_330_replacement_june_29_1962/|access-date=September 25, 2017|work=The Post-Standard|date=June 29, 1962|page=30|via=Newspapers.com}} {{open access}}</ref> In early July&nbsp;1962, the state gave the go-ahead for the project to begin, but that the job would begin as early as 1963.<ref name="330deal" />

Despite the support, the state caved to some of the complaints of the opposition, resulting in a delay of the project.<ref>{{cite news|title=Rte. 330 Job Up for Bids This Year|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13999210/330_problems_april_3_1963/|access-date=September 25, 2017|work=The Ithaca Journal|date=April 3, 1963|page=7|via=Newspapers.com}} {{open access}}</ref> By November&nbsp;1963, the state told Caroline officials that the design of bridges along NY&nbsp;330 required changing to new state highway standards. The state began working also on assessing property values of the land required for the new position. They stated that unless the state budget could not afford it, the project would begin the process in 1964.<ref>{{cite news|title=Fuller Lists 330 Schedule|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13999240/330_schedule_november_2_1963/|access-date=September 25, 2017|work=The Ithaca Journal|date=November 2, 1963|page=5|via=Newspapers.com}} {{open access}}</ref> Patience ran thin by February&nbsp;1964 with the Caroline town officials, who demanded progress from the state, who stated that the project could not move forward until there was funding.<ref>{{cite news|title=Caroline to Seek Rte. 330 Repair|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13999168/330_repair_february_5_1964/|access-date=September 25, 2017|work=The Ithaca Journal|date=February 5, 1964|page=2|via=Newspapers.com}} {{open access}}</ref> By November&nbsp;1964, the state admitted nothing would happen until at least 1965, two years behind schedule. This time, the construction would be delayed due to delays in acquiring land and personnel.<ref>{{cite news|title=Construction on Rte. 330 Faces Delay|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13999226/ny_330_delay_november_5_1964/|access-date=September 25, 2017|work=The Ithaca Journal|date=November 5, 1964|page=5|via=Newspapers.com}} {{open access}}</ref>

In May&nbsp;1965, the state announced that the project would finally go out for bids on June 17. The project was now amended to work on bridges over Six Mile and Boice creeks. The reconstruction project would cost an estimated amount of $1.24&nbsp;million (1965&nbsp;[[USD]]).<ref>{{cite news|title=Project Set on Rte. 330|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13999161/ny_330_bids_may_11_1965/|access-date=September 25, 2017|work=The Ithaca Journal|date=May 11, 1965|page=11|via=Newspapers.com}} {{open access}}</ref> On June 17, the state announced that a bid was accepted from the William E. Bouley company of [[Auburn, New York|Auburn]], the only firm to bid on the job. Their cost was $1.022&nbsp;million with a slated completion date of July 20, 1967.<ref>{{cite news|title=Caroline Road Bid|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13999365/330_bids_june_17_1965/|access-date=September 25, 2017|work=The Ithaca Journal|date=June 17, 1965|page=5|via=Newspapers.com}} {{open access}}</ref> Construction began quickly, with NY&nbsp;330's pavement being torn up by August.<ref>{{cite news|title=Access to Brooktondale (photo)|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13999264/330_ripped_up_august_17_1965/|access-date=September 25, 2017|work=The Ithaca Journal|date=August 17, 1965|page=9|via=Newspapers.com}} {{open access}}</ref> That month, workers also began uprooting and moving trees in the right-of-way of the new roadway.<ref>{{cite news|title=More Than 20 Tons of Trees (photo)|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13999319/330_trees_august_30_1965/|access-date=September 25, 2017|work=The Ithaca Journal|date=August 30, 1965|page=8|via=Newspapers.com}} {{open access}}</ref> After being closed off in November&nbsp;1965,<ref>{{cite news|title=The Bridge is Out?|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/14000502/330_bridge_out_november_10_1965/|access-date=September 25, 2017|work=The Ithaca Journal|date=November 10, 1965|page=10|via=Newspapers.com}} {{open access}}</ref> the new bridge in Brooktondale began to come together by March&nbsp;1966<ref>{{cite news|title=Bridge From Above|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13999188/new_330_bridge_march_25_1966/|access-date=September 25, 2017|work=The Ithaca Journal|date=March 25, 1966|page=8|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

The project ran ahead of schedule and by November&nbsp;1966, work was almost completed on the reconstruction.<ref>{{cite news|title=Rte. 330 Work Almost Completed|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13999146/330_almost_done_november_7_1966/|access-date=September 25, 2017|work=The Ithaca Journal|date=November 7, 1966|page=3|via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> The project was completely finished in December&nbsp;1966, eight months ahead of the July 20, 1967 deadline.<ref>{{cite news|title=Caroline Gets 1st Town Hall|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/13999418/330_finished_december_31_1966/|access-date=September 25, 2017|work=The Ithaca Journal|date=December 31, 1966|page=10|via=Newspapers.com}} {{open access}}</ref>

=== Decommissioning ===

The NY&nbsp;330 designation was removed on January&nbsp;24, 1980,<ref name="2012log">{{cite book |url=https://www.dot.ny.gov/divisions/operating/oom/transportation-systems/repository/2017%20tour-bk.pdf |title=Official Description of Highway Touring Routes, Bicycling Touring Routes, Scenic Byways, & Commemorative/Memorial Designations in New York State |author=New York State Department of Transportation |author-link=New York State Department of Transportation |date=January 2017 |format=PDF |access-date=January 9, 2017 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170110020634/https://www.dot.ny.gov/divisions/operating/oom/transportation-systems/repository/2017%20tour-bk.pdf |archive-date=January 10, 2017 }}</ref> and ownership and maintenance of its former routing was transferred from the state of New York to [[Tompkins County, New York|Tompkins County]] on April&nbsp;1, 1980, as part of a highway maintenance swap between the two levels of government.<ref>{{cite web |author=New York State Legislature |author-link=New York State Legislature |url=http://public.leginfo.state.ny.us/menugetf.cgi?COMMONQUERY=LAWS |title=New York State Highway Law § 341 |access-date=July 23, 2009}}</ref> By 1994, NY&nbsp;330's former routing was designated as part of CR&nbsp;115, which continued south from Guide Board Corners to Speedsville via 76 Road.<ref name="speedsville quad">{{cite map |url=http://gis.ny.gov/gisdata/quads/drg24/dotpreview/index.cfm?code=v28 |title=Speedsville Digital Raster Quadrangle |publisher=New York State Department of Transportation |year=1994 |scale=1:24,000 |access-date=July 23, 2009}}</ref>

In late June 2006, the Tompkins County Highway Division temporarily closed off 76 Road (CR&nbsp;115) from Central Chapel Road to Caroline Center due to underground damage caused by heavy rains. Vehicular traffic weighing more than {{convert|5|ST|kg}} was detoured at Speedsville to follow West Creek Road to NY&nbsp;79 while traffic weighing less than 5&nbsp;tons was directed onto Buffalo Hill Road at Caroline Center.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.co.tompkins.ny.us/news/detail.aspx?ContentID=577 |title=News Details &ndash; Old 76 Road Closing |access-date=April 10, 2008|publisher=[[Tompkins County, New York]] |date=June 29, 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071127060958/http://www.co.tompkins.ny.us/news/detail.aspx?ContentID=577 |archive-date=November 27, 2007}}</ref>

==CR 115M==
CR&nbsp;115M is a [[spur route]] of CR&nbsp;115 in the vicinity of Speedsville. It is named Mill Road and connects CR&nbsp;115 in Speedsville to the [[Tioga County, New York|Tioga County]] line, where it becomes [[County Route 33 (Tioga County, New York)|CR&nbsp;33]] and changes names to West Creek Road.<ref name="speedsville quad" /><ref name="tompkinscrs">{{cite web |url=http://www.tompkins-co.org/highway/roads.html |title=County Roads |access-date=November 6, 2010 |publisher=Tompkins County Highway Division |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101210200346/http://www.tompkins-co.org/highway/roads.html |archive-date=December 10, 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Major intersections==
{{NYinttop|length_ref=<ref name="crl-tompkins">{{cite web |url=https://www.dot.ny.gov/divisions/engineering/technical-services/hds-respository/2011%20LHI%20-%20County%20Roads%20Reg%203%20-%20Tompkins%20County.pdf |title=County Roads Listing – Tompkins County |date=July 26, 2011 |publisher=[[New York State Department of Transportation]] |format=PDF |access-date=January 28, 2012}}</ref>|county=Tompkins}}
{{NYint
|mile=0.00
|location=Caroline
|lspan=2
|road={{jct|state=NY|CR|33|dir1=south|county1=Tioga}}
|notes=Continuation into [[Tioga County, New York|Tioga County]]
}}
{{NYint
|mile=8.78
|road={{jct|state=NY|CR|114|county1=Tompkins|name1=Boiceville Road}}
|notes=Southern terminus of CR&nbsp;114
}}
{{NYint
|location=Brooktondale
|lspan=2
|mile=10.28
|road={{jct|state=NY|CR|113|county1=Tompkins|name1=White Church Road}}
}}
{{NYint
|mile=10.73
|road={{jct|state=NY|CR|113A|dir1=north|county1=Tompkins|name1=Perkins Valley Road}}
|notes=Southern terminus of CR&nbsp;113A
}}
{{NYint
|location=Caroline
|mile=11.52
|road={{jct|state=NY|CR|175|dir1=north|county1=Tompkins|name1=Besemer Road}}
|notes=Southern terminus of CR&nbsp;175
}}
{{NYint
|location=Dryden
|area=town
|mile=12.91
|road={{jct|state=NY|NY|79|name1=Slaterville Road}} 
|notes=Northern terminus
}}
{{jctbtm}}

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

==External links==
{{Commons category|County Route 115 (Tompkins County, New York)}}
{{Attached KML}}
{{NYSR external links|type=N|nyroutes=yes|route=330}}
{{Good article}}

[[Category:County routes in Tompkins County, New York|15]]