For many years in the 1960s, the Thruway Authority was opposed to creating an exit from the Thruway specifically for Interstate 88 due to the high cost of staffing toll booths. Ultimately they agreed but originally they had planned a connector at Exit 25. This was discarded in part due to concerns with run off from road salt into the Watervliet Reservoir.
While many of grade crossings had been removed at that point, the highway including bridges were only two lanes as the wound through the Tioga State Forest. South of Mansfield, the highway was at grade.
A look at changes at the state office campus over the past 25 years.
The lake was privately owned at the time with the main parking for Cedar Lakes in the forest preserve at the top of the hill.
A series of aerial photos showing downtown Plattsburgh and college campus over the years.