New York State Route 414 - Route Description - Steuben and Chemung Counties

Steuben and Chemung Counties

NY 414 begins at an intersection with NY 352 (Denison Parkway) in the Steuben County city of Corning. It initially heads north on Cedar Street, following it past two largely commercial blocks that make up part of the Market Street Historic District. Past the district, the route changes names to Centerway and crosses over the Chemung River, which flows east–west through the center of Corning. Across the river, the route traverses more commercial neighborhoods to reach Pulteney Street, designated as NY 415 west of this point. Along this stretch, NY 414 passes the former Corning Armory and the Corning Museum of Glass, the latter located on the southwest corner of the junction with NY 415.

The route continues on, meeting the Southern Tier Expressway (STE) at exit 46. The composition of the exit's ramps is unorthodox in that the westbound on-ramp for I-86 and NY 17 is about 0.25 miles (0.40 km) north of the remainder of the interchange. This layout is caused by several factors, including a nearby wye connecting two Norfolk Southern Railway lines—the east–west Southern Tier Line and the north–south Corning Secondary. Another is the alignment of the STE itself, which runs in close proximity to NY 414 for a short distance as it bypasses northern Corning while avoiding the hilly terrain north of the city. North of the STE, the amount of development along the highway significantly decreases as it follows the Corning Secondary northeastward into the mountains that surround the city of Corning.

Over the next 7 miles (11 km), NY 414 and the rail line head due northeast through a valley surrounding Post Creek, traversing rural, isolated areas as both cross into Chemung County. Past the county line, the valley turns to the north, reflecting a similar curve in the creek's routing. NY 414 and the Corning Secondary turn to match, and the route passes over the rail line via a bridge just east of the county line. As the highway heads north, it runs parallel to the county line for 4 miles (6 km) and passes through the hamlet of Chambers, the only developed location along an otherwise nondescript and undeveloped stretch that leads to Schuyler County and the town of Dix.