It originally began in downtown Elmira and ended at the Pennsylvania state line in Chemung.

)[1] It heads east, following Cedar Street and paralleling Seeley Creek through the southern suburbs of Elmira to an intersection with Maple Avenue near Notre Dame High School.

Here, NY 427 turns south to follow Maple Avenue into the adjacent town of Ashland and across Seeley Creek.

[4] As the route heads through Ashland, it turns to the southeast to match the curvature of the Chemung River valley.

Wellsburg is a small village sandwiched between the Chemung River and the Pennsylvania state line.

[4] Outside of Wellsburg, NY 427 becomes Wilawana Road and heads eastward, and parallels the Chemung River and the Norfolk Southern Railway-owned Southern Tier Line through the town of Chemung toward the Pennsylvania state line.

[5] In the months immediately following the 1930 renumbering, NY 14 was routed on Pennsylvania Avenue and South Main Street through southern Elmira.

[2][3] The 1930s-era realignment of NY 14 was reverted in c. 1961 as the route was reconfigured to follow South Main Street into downtown Elmira.

[13] Although this part of Maple Avenue is still listed as a state highway in the New York State Highway Law,[18] NY 961K ceased to exist at some point between 2004 and 2006[13][19] and the road is now maintained by Chemung County and designated as CR 85.

[1][20] The Clemens Center Parkway was completed c. 2002, and created a continuous four-lane arterial between Southport and the northernmost part of Elmira.