New York State Route 61

New York state highway
the current alignment of NY 61

New York State Route 61 (NY 61) is a state highway located almost entirely in the city of Niagara Falls in Niagara County, New York, in the United States. The road runs across the city in a northwest–southeast direction, terminating at NY 384 at its southern extent and NY 104 at its northern tip. Conceptually, the road, known as Hyde Park Boulevard, forms the eastern border of downtown Niagara Falls. It is the second shortest two digit route in New York after NY 71 in Columbia County. The NY 61 designation was in 1958 after being approved by the Niagara Falls City Council.

NY 61 begins at an intersection with NY 384 (Buffalo Avenue) on the industrial banks of the Niagara River in eastern Niagara Falls. The route, named Hyde Park Boulevard for its entire length, heads north initially as a city maintained, undivided four lane highway; after two blocks, the roadway widens and becomes maintained by the New York State Department of Transportation. NY 61 continues onward through the densely populated neighborhoods of Niagara Falls to Packard Road, where the route begins to parallel Gill Creek, a small stream leading south to the Niagara River. After five blocks, NY 61 intersects with Ferry Avenue, a one way street carrying southbound U. S. Route 62 (US 62), in the area of the Niagara Falls Courthouse. NY 61 intersects with northbound US 62 three blocks later at Walnut Avenue. At the intersection, Gill Creek passes under both US 62 northbound and NY 61 as it switches to the east side of Hyde Park Boulevard. Gill Creek and NY 61 continue to run parallel for one more block before they separate ahead of Pine Avenue, The intersection between Pine and Hyde Park Boulevard marks the southwestern limits of Hyde Park, one of the largest parks in the vicinity of the city. For the next dozen blocks, NY 61 acts as the divider between the residential neighborhoods of downtown Niagara Falls and the open spaces of Hyde Park, passing Sal Maglie Stadium as it heads north. At Linwood Avenue, the homes return to both sides of NY 61 as it approaches Porter Road, which carries NY 182. While Porter Road ends here, NY 182 turns north, joining NY 61 for two blocks to Ontario Avenue, where NY 182 turns west toward the Whirlpool Rapids Bridge. Farther north, the bridge over the western end of the CSX Transportation Niagara Yard, at 355 feet (108 m) long, was completed in 1964. It was reconstructed in 1997.