NY 144 closely parallels the New York State Thruway (Interstate 87 or I-87) and the west bank of the Hudson River as it heads across Albany County.

[3] Continuing northward, NY 144 heads through gradually less developed areas as it crosses the Greene–Albany county line and enters the town of Coeymans.

It crosses Hannacrois Creek just north of the county line on its way into the nearby hamlet of Coeymans, where the route becomes known as Main Street.

It serves a large industrial complex and passes under a long pipeline connection in an otherwise undeveloped and wooded area before trending to the northwest toward the nearby New York State Thruway.

[3] The two highways remain close for the next 3.5 miles (5.6 km), with both roads continuing to traverse wooded areas of the town of Coeymans.

Past the connector, the amount of development along NY 144 slowly increases as the highway crosses into the town of Bethlehem.

After the Thruway exit, the freeway heads off to the north while NY 144 takes a slightly northeasterly track toward Cedar Hill and Wemple, two small riverside hamlets about 2 miles (3.2 km) apart on opposite sides of Vioman Kill.

[3] North of Wemple, the sporadic residences along the highway are replaced by a string of tank farms serving barges on the Hudson River.