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In 1960, the Rockland County Planning Department planned a bypass of NY 45 and NY 59 in the Spring Valley area. It was forecast that by 1980, between 30,000 and 40,000 vehicles per day (AADT) would travel in the NY 45 and NY 59 corridors. To meet this demand, the county recommended a new route that would serve local traffic along the NY 45 and NY 59 corridors, where speeds at many locations averaged 10 to 15 miles per hour. The proposed Spring Valley Bypass was to be an expressway-grade facility, with strict access control, grade separations and 200-foot-wide rights-of-way.
The recommended route of the Spring Valley Bypass was to begin in Monsey at NY 59 (Nyack Turnpike), between the New York State Thruway overpass and Saddle River Road (Rockland CR 73). The bypass would run parallel on the north side of the New York State Thruway (I-87 and I-287), continuing east to NY 59 in Spring Valley. At this route, the proposed expressway would turn north along the NY 45 corridor, continuing on an alignment about one-half mile east of the existing NY 45 (Main Street). The northern terminus of the Spring Valley Corridor would be at the intersection of existing NY 45 and New Hempstead Road (Rockland CR 80) in New Square.
Interchanges were to be located at the following locations:
Existing NY 59 (Nyack Turnpike), Monsey
Rockland CR 73 (Saddle River Road), Monsey
Existing NY 45 (South Main Street), Spring Valley
Existing NY 59 (Nyack Turnpike), Spring Valley
Rockland CR 60 (Smith Road), Spring Valley
Rockland CR 35A (West Clarkstown Road), Spring Valley
Rockland CR 74 (East Eckerson Road), Hillcrest
Existing NY 45 (North Main Street) and Rockland CR 80 (New Hempstead Road), New Square
The Spring Valley Bypass was to be designated NY 59 along the existing corridor from Monsey to Spring Valley, and NY 45 along the existing corridor from Spring Valley to New Square. A small segment of the proposed highway in Spring Valley was to carry both NY 45 and NY 59 designations.
In 1966, the Spring Valley Bypass - by now called the NY 45 Expressway - was advocated by the Tri-State Transportation Commission in a report on proposed routes. Its route was slightly altered to provide direct access to other controlled-access highways:
The Spring Valley Bypass, a north-south expressway through Rockland County, will provide a direct connection between the Garden State Parkway and the Palisades Interstate Parkway. It will serve a fast-growing suburban area, including regional shopping centers.
Most of the right-of-way for the Spring Valley Bypass was vacant, but was zoned for commercial and industrial use. However, a significant percentage of the right-of-way in the New Square area was zoned for residential use. The rapid development of residential subdivisions in this area ultimately prevented construction of the expressway.
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