crosses over the Thruway, becoming a two-lane commercial street, passing north and south of several strip malls until an intersection with County Route 204 (CR 204; McKinley Parkway). After CR 204, NY 179 passes north of McKinley Mall, proceeding eastward as a four-lane divided boulevard past several residences before bending northeast, intersecting with CR 4 (Abbott Road) in the town of Orchard Park. After CR 4, NY 179 proceeds east through Orchard Park as a two-lane boulevard, intersecting the northern terminus of CR 461 (California Road). After crossing under another railroad, NY 179 returns to four-lanes, passing south of several strip malls in Orchard Park. The route soon becomes a divided highway, entering a cloverleaf interchange with US 219 (the Southern Expressway). After the interchange, NY 179 parallels as a four-lane boulevard between several strip malls, soon intersecting with US 20 (Southwestern Boulevard), where NY 179 terminates. CR 460 continues eastward along Mile Strip Road to NY 187. History The Mile Strip Expressway, a highway extending from NY 5 to US 62, was constructed in the mid-1960s and designated as NY 179 by 1968. A short continuation of the expressway east of US 62 providing direct access to New York State Thruway exit 56 was opened to traffic as an extension of NY 179 at some point in the late 1970s or early 1980s. The junction between the expressway and Mile Strip Road was initially a four-way intersection, with Mile Strip Road passing east–west through the intersection and NY 179 entering from the south to connect to Thruway exit 56 to the north. The entirety of Mile Strip Road east of US 62 was initially maintained by Erie County as CR 460. The intersection between NY 179 and US 62 was originally planned as an overpass, but was later constructed as an at-grade intersection. By 2001, the junction between NY 179, Mile Strip Road, and the Thruway was reconfigured into its current design and NY 179 was extended east to its current terminus at US 20. CR 460 was then truncated to US 20 on its western end, transferring maintenance of Mile Strip Road from the Thruway to US 20 to the New York State Department of Transportation. The Mile Strip Expressway was to be part of the Belt Expressway, an outer loop connecting Buffalo and Niagara Falls. This plan was ultimately cancelled. The only two portions of the loop