Tilghman Street (Allentown, Pennsylvania)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Length:	10 mi (16 km)
Formed:	1960s
West end:	PA 100 in Fogelsville
Major junctions:	US 22 near Kuhnsville PA 309 west of Allentown Cedar Crest Boulevard PA 145 in Allentown.
East end:	Front Street in Allentown
Counties:	Lehigh

Tilghman Street is a major street in Allentown, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The street is sometimes referred to as Old Route 22 because it used to be U.S. Route 22 from the 1920s through the 1960s.

The name of the street lasts for about 10 miles from Pennsylvania Route 100, where it is continuous as Main Street/Old Route 22 to Front Street in Allentown.

[edit] History

From its construction in the 1920s through the 1960s, Tilghman Street was U.S. Route 22. In the 1960s, when the Interstate 78 freeway was constructed, it replaced the current freeway that today is U.S. Route 22 and once was known as Interstate 78. U.S. Route 22 used to run through northern Allentown as Tilghman Street and then became Union Boulevard, from which it goes into Bethlehem and Easton.

[edit] Street description

Tilghman Street starts at Pennsylvania Route 100, where it continues as Main Street then Old Route 22. The speed limit on the street is 45 mph. Tilghman Street divides into a mini freeway when meeting U.S. Route 22. West-bound Tilghmam Street is used only for U.S. Route 22 West. The east-bound of Tilghamn Street uses U.S. Route 22 East. The same thing occurs for ramps coming off Route 22. Then, Tilghman Steet turns local and there's an entrance to the Pennsylvania Turnpike at Interstate 476.

From there, it crosses above the Pennsylvania Turnpike and then intersects with Pennsylvania Route 309. One mile east of that intersection, there is an intersection with Cedar Crest Boulevard. Then, Tilghman Street enters Allentown, where it crosses more than 30 major streets in the city.

Tilghman Street is a fast route in Allentown, where the traffic lights give cars on Tilghman Street substantially more time to cross. Where Tilghman Street reaches the more populated part of the city, it interchanges with Pennsylvania Route 145, forming Alllentown's 6th and 7th Streets. From there, it crosses the first of two bridges where Jordan Creek and American Parkway run below. It then reaches Front Street, where it crosses the second bridge and becomes Union Boulevard. Tilghman Street is still found in east-side Allentown, but it is not connected to the fast route the street uses in west-side and center city Allentown.

[edit] Major Intersections

Intersections

Place	Intersection	Notes
Fogelsville	Pennsylvania Route 100	This is where Tilghman Street ends and Continues as Main Street.
Kuhnsville	U.S. Route 22	Westbound:US 22 WEST only Eastbound:US 22 EAST only
South Whitehall Twp.	Interstate 476	The North East Extension of The Pennsylvania Turnpike
South Whitehall Twp.	Pennsylvania Route 309	This is an interchange with Pennsylvania Route 309
Allentown	Cedar Crest Boulevard
Allentown	Pennsylvania Route 145 South: 7th Street	To Center City Allentown
Allentown	Pennsylvania Route 145 North: 6th Street	To Lehigh Valley Shopping Malls