New York State Route 30

New York State Route 30 (NY 30) is a state highway in the central part of New York in the United States. It extends for 300.71 miles (483.95 km) from an interchange with NY 17 (Future Interstate 86) in the Southern Tier to the US–Canada border in the state's North Country, where it continues into Quebec as Route 138. On a regional level, the route serves to connect the Catskill Park to the Adirondack Park. In the latter, NY 30 is known as the Adirondack Trail. Aside from the state parks, the route serves the city of Amsterdam (where it meets the New York State Thruway) and several villages.

NY 30 was assigned in the 1930 renumbering of state highways in New York to most of its modern routing south of Wells, replacing a series of designations that had been assigned to the highway in the 1920s. The portion of what is now NY 30 north of Speculator was initially part of NY 10. When that route was truncated to Arietta c. 1960, NY 30 was extended northward over NY 10's former alignment by way of an overlap with NY 8.

The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) maintains all but 0.97 miles (1.56 km) of NY 30's 301-mile (484 km) alignment. The only section not maintained by the state is located in the city of Amsterdam, where the route is locally maintained from Prospect Street (two blocks north of NY 67) to the northern city line.

NY 30 begins at an interchange with NY 17 in the town of Hancock adjacent to the confluence of the East Branch of the Delaware River and the Beaverkill River. The route follows the East Branch northeast to Downsville, where it meets NY 206. NY 206 follows NY 30 across the East Branch into Catskill Park, where the routes split near Brock Mountain. NY 30 exits the park, runs along the south side of the Pepacton Reservoir, before crossing over to the north side of the river. Near Margaretville, NY 30 briefly overlaps NY 28 before turning northward toward Roxbury, where the route passes the John Burroughs Memorial State Historic Site. New York Governor David Paterson designated the stretch of NY 30 within Delaware County the "David C. Brinkerhoff Memorial Highway", after the New York State Trooper who was slain in pursuit of Travis Trimm near the village on April 25, 2007.

From Roxbury, NY 30 follows the East Branch to Grand Gorge in northeastern Delaware County, where the East Branch comes to an end amidst the mountains. NY 30, meanwhile, intersects NY 23 in the center of the hamlet.

North of Grand Gorge, NY 30 crosses into Schoharie County and intersects NY 990V, one of four reference routes in New York signed as a touring route, near the northeastern edge of the Schoharie Reservoir in Gilboa. From NY 990V northward, NY 30 follows the Schoharie Creek through Schoharie County to Middleburgh, where it intersects NY 145. To the north in Schoharie, NY 30 meets NY 443 before splitting into NY 30 and NY 30A north of the village, with Schoharie Creek largely following NY 30A. While NY 30A connects to Interstate 88 (I-88) by way of an interchange a short distance to the north, NY 30 has no connection to the freeway. Just past I-88, NY 30 intersects NY 7. Shortly after passing NY 7, NY 30 enters Schenectady County.

In Schenectady County, Schoharie Creek breaks from NY 30A and returns to the vicinity of NY 30 as it intersects U.S. Route 20 (US 20) in Esperance. From Esperance northward, the creek becomes roughly equidistant from both NY 30 and NY 30A as all three entities cross into Montgomery County. Near the northeastern corner of the county, NY 30 enters the city of Amsterdam. The route meets the New York State Thruway (I-90) and NY 5S via separate interchanges before heading downhill as a four-lane divided highway approaching the Mohawk River (here part of the Erie Canal). Historically, the bridge over the river was a straight line to Market Street, which is visible as one approaches northbound. Segments of downtown Market Street remain in use today. With the 1977 creation of the Amsterdam Mall, NY 30, together with NY 5 and NY 67, were re-routed onto splits. After the splits rejoin, NY 30 continues on Market Street and leaves the city and, for all purposes, the county.

In adjacent Fulton County, NY 30 crosses NY 29 near Broadalbin, then curves gently to the east after an intersection with County Route 155 (CR 155), a historical routing of NY 29. 0.25 miles (0.40 km), NY 30 turns left toward Mayfield; CR 155 continues eastward. The concurrency between the two routes is unsigned.