It connects to two major freeways, the New York State Thruway (Interstate 90 or I-90) and the Southern Expressway (US 219), by way of interchanges.

Thus it is very busy not only at rush hours, but also after Buffalo Bills' home football games due to its proximity to Highmark Stadium.

Although never constructed as such, the Mile Strip was intended to be a portion of the Belt Expressway, an outer loop for the city of Buffalo.

After bending northeast, the route crosses over the Thruway, passing north and south of several strip malls until an intersection with CR 204 (McKinley Parkway).

[2][3] 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.

[7] The entirety of Milestrip Road east of US 62 was initially maintained by Erie County as CR 460.

[9] CR 460 was then truncated to US 20 on its western end, transferring maintenance of Milestrip Road from the Thruway to US 20 to the New York State Department of Transportation.