U.S. Route 22 in Pennsylvania

U.S. Route 22 in Pennsylvania is a major east–west highway spanning the breadth of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It connects the Pittsburgh metropolitan area with the Lehigh Valley and the Delaware River region, traversing diverse terrain from the Appalachian Mountains to the Great Appalachian Valley. The route serves as a vital commercial and commuter corridor, intersecting with numerous other significant highways including the Pennsylvania Turnpike, Interstate 81, and Interstate 78.

Route description

Beginning at the Ohio River crossing from East Liverpool, Ohio, the highway enters Beaver County, Pennsylvania and proceeds eastward through the Pittsburgh suburbs. In Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, it follows the Ohio River Boulevard before becoming the William Penn Highway through the eastern suburbs. East of the Allegheny Mountains, the route passes through the Laurel Highlands and the Kittatinny Ridge, offering scenic views. It follows the Juniata River for a stretch in central Pennsylvania before crossing the Susquehanna River at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. The eastern segment runs through the fertile Lebanon Valley and the Lehigh Valley, passing the cities of Allentown, Pennsylvania and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania before terminating at the Delaware River in Phillipsburg, New Jersey.

History

The corridor followed by U.S. Route 22 has ancient origins, tracing paths used by indigenous peoples and later by European settlers. It was formally designated as part of the Lincoln Highway, one of the first transcontinental auto trails, in the early 20th century. When the U.S. Highway System was created in 1926, the route was assigned the U.S. 22 designation. Major realignments occurred with the construction of the Penn-Lincoln Parkway west of Pittsburgh and the Lehigh Valley Thruway in the Allentown, Pennsylvania area. Throughout the mid-20th century, sections were upgraded to a controlled-access freeway, particularly around Altoona, Pennsylvania and from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania eastward to the New Jersey line.

Major intersections

From west to east, key junctions include the western terminus at the Ohio state line, an interchange with Interstate 79 and Pennsylvania Route 60 in Pittsburgh, and a confluence with the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Monroeville, Pennsylvania. In Blair County, Pennsylvania, it intersects Interstate 99 and U.S. Route 220 at Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania. A major crossing with Interstate 81 occurs in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. In the Lehigh Valley, it has a substantial interchange with Interstate 78 and Pennsylvania Route 309 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, before its eastern terminus at the New Jersey state line, where it continues as U.S. Route 22 in New Jersey.

Special routes

Several business and alternate routes of U.S. 22 have existed historically. A notable business route, U.S. Route 22 Business, served the downtown areas of Allentown, Pennsylvania and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania before being decommissioned. In the Pittsburgh area, the original alignment through the North Side is now designated as Pennsylvania Route 8. An alternate route, once signed as U.S. Route 22 Alternate, provided access to Ebensburg, Pennsylvania and Johnstown, Pennsylvania from the main highway near Mundys Corner, Pennsylvania.

Related routes

U.S. Route 22 forms significant concurrency with other highways along its path. It shares a roadway with U.S. Route 30, the historic Lincoln Highway, for a brief segment in Pittsburgh. For a long stretch across central Pennsylvania, from Water Street, Pennsylvania to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, it runs concurrently with U.S. Route 322. In the Lehigh Valley, it briefly overlaps with U.S. Route 222 near Allentown, Pennsylvania. The highway also directly connects to the western terminus of Interstate 78 and serves as a primary feeder to the Pennsylvania Turnpike's Northeast Extension.

Category:U.S. Route 22