U.S. Route 220

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For the route planned as US 220 in 1925, see U.S. Route 220 (1925).

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U.S. Route 220

Length:

680^[1] mi (1094 km)

Formed:

1927^[1]

South end:

US 1 in Rockingham, NC

Major
junctions:

I-73 near Candor, NC

US 64 in Asheboro, NC

I-40/ I-85 in Greensboro, NC

US 58 in Martinsville, VA

I-81 near Roanoke, VA

US 50 in New Creek, WV

I-68/ US 40 in Cumberland, MD

I-70/ I-76/ Pa Tpk near Bedford, PA

US 22 near Altoona, PA

I-99 near Tyrone, PA

US 322 in State College, PA

I-80 near Bellefonte, PA

I-180/ US 15 in Williamsport, PA

US 6 in Towanda, PA

NY 17 in Waverly, NY

North end:

Chemung Street in Waverly, NY

United States Numbered Highways

U.S. Route 220 is a 680 mile (1094 km) long spur route of U.S. Route 20 (although the two never intersect). Some sections are part of the Appalachian Development Highway System's Corridor O as well as Interstate 73 in North Carolina.

In early 1927, US 220 absorbed most of U.S. Route 711, which had run from Northumberland, Pennsylvania north to the New York state line. The portion south of Muncy was already part of U.S. Route 120. Former US 220 north to the state line at Lawrenceville became part of an extension of U.S. Route 111.

[edit] Termini

The southern terminus of US 220 is Rockingham, North Carolina where it meets U.S. Route 1. The northern terminus of US 220 is at Chemung Street in Waverly, New York, just north of its interchange with New York State Route 17, now Interstate 86. The northern terminus is less than a tenth of a mile (160 m) from the Pennsylvania state line.

[edit] States traversed

[edit] North Carolina

US 220's southern turminus is at U.S. Highway 1 in Rockingham, North Carolina. From Rockingham, US 220 travels north through Richmond, Montgomery, and Randolph Counties through towns of Ellerbe and Norman. Near the town of Candor, US 220 follows a newly constructed 4-lane bypass freeway, sharing Future Interstate 74 and Future Interstate 73. The old US 220 route is signed as Alternate 220, which passes through the towns of Biscoe, Star, and Seagrove. Rejoining US 220 near the North Carolina Zoo, ALT 220 continues into Asheboro and Randleman as Business 220 while US 220 Bypass contines north to Level Cross. There, the Business and Bypass routes merge and travel north into Guilford County. Outside Greensboro, US 220 intersects Interstate 85 (Greensboro Bypass) before merging with Interstate 40 and eventually Business 85 in the city. US 220 then exits with U.S. Highway 29 and U.S. Highway 70 onto O'Henry Boulevard and then continues west on Wendover Avenue, just north of Greensboro's Downtown. Exiting onto Battleground Avenue, US 220 travels north out of Greensboro and into Summerfield, North Carolina before entering Rockingham County. Business 220 splits to go through Madison and Mayodan and returns to US 220 near Stoneville. US 220 crosses the Viginia border near the town of Ridgeway, Virginia.

[edit] Virginia

U.S. 220 enters the state from the south just south of Martinsville. It uses freeway spurs to bypass Martinsville and Rocky Mount. The remainder of U.S. 220 is a divided four lane highway with a 55 mile per hour speed limit for most of the distance between Martinsville and State Route 419 in Roanoke County. Some high traffic areas and non-divided stretches have 45 mile per hour, or lower, speed limits. In particular, the stretch through Boones Mill, Virginia is not divided; the town is also well known as a speed trap. U.S. 220 is a winding road in several stretches, and there have been many accidents. The proposed Interstate 73 would generally parallel U.S. 220 between Roanoke and Greensboro, North Carolina, though funds have not been allocated for the project and some local residents prefer efforts to fix U.S. 220. At Virginia 419, U.S. 220 becomes a freeway, the Roy L. Webber Expressway, once again. At downtown Roanoke, it becomes co-signed with Interstate 581 until the freeway reaches Interstate 81 north of Roanoke.

U.S. 220 continues along Interstate 81 northbound until it resumes near Daleville, at the interchange with Alternate U.S. 220. It once again becomes a four-lane road until just outside of Clifton Forge, and joins up with Interstate 64 westbound until Covington. It then continues a primarily two-lane mountainous path until exiting Virginia.

[edit] West Virginia

[edit] Pendleton County

US 220 enters the state 2 miles (3 km) south of Harper and travels north along the South Branch Valley. 13 miles (21 km) north of Harper it passes through the county seat Franklin where is intersects with U.S. Highway 33. 10 miles (16 km) further north is Upper Tract an additional 7 miles (11 km) brings you to the county line.

[edit] Grant County

Landes is the first town you come to in Grant County. 7 miles (11 km) north you find the county seat of Petersburg. At Petersburg West Virginia Route 55 and West Virginia Route 28 join with 220 and 3 miles (5 km) late cross into Hardy County.

[edit] Hardy County

9 miles (14 km) inside Hardy County is the county seat of Moorefield where West Virginia Route 55 split off. The is also the intersection of U.S. Highway 48. US 220 continues north for an additional 5 miles (8 km) before passing through Old Fields the final town in Hardy County.

[edit] Hampshire County

Purgitsville is the first town encountered in Hampshire County. Further north at Junction, West Virginia Route 28 turns east, and US 220 turns west joining up to run with U.S. Highway 50 into Mineral County.

[edit] Mineral County

4 miles (6 km) west of Junction is Burlington a town on the Northwestern Turnpike. Ridgeville 5 miles (8 km) west of Burlington. At the top of Knobly Mountain US 220 splits from U.S. Highway 50 and returns to its northly direction by dropping into the New Creek Valley. 7 miles (11 km) later the final and largest city in West Virginia on US 220 is encounted; Keyser. Keyser is the county seat of Mineral County and US 220's intersection with West Virginia Route 46. US 220 leaves West Virginia at Keyser traveling into Maryland across the North Branch via Memorial Bridge.

[edit] Maryland

[edit] Allegany County

Memorial Bridge brings US 220 into Maryland at McCoole where is intersects with east end of Maryland Route 135 and travels northeast along the North Branch Valley. 7 miles (11 km) into Maryland, with West Virginia visible to the left, is the hamlet of Rawlings. 5 miles (8 km) further north is the intersection of west end of Maryland Route 956 which goes back into West Virginia. Cresaptown is the next town where US 220 intersects with the east end of Maryland Route 53. 4 miles (6 km) north of Cresaptown, US 220 joins with Interstate 68 and two exits later it is joined by U.S. Highway 40 in Cumberland. At Exit 46, US 220 turns north again leaving I-68 and US 40 for a few miles before crossing the Mason-Dixon Line.

[edit] Pennsylvania

[edit] Bedford County

Crossing the state line from Maryland, US 220 runs north to Bedford where it divides into Business US 220 which enters the town of Bedford, while the main branch of the road becomes Interstate 99.

[edit] Centre County

In Centre County, US 220 was rerouted to go through State College at the Mt. Nittany Interchange; instead of Milesburg to be co-routed with future Interstate 99. The old route was redesignated as Alternate US 220, which meets back up with US 220 at Howard, Pennsylvania.

[edit] New York

As noted above, U.S. 220 runs only about 1/10 mile in New York State. Chemung Street, the northern termunus of US 220, was formerly NY 17 prior to construction of the Southern Tier Expressway. The nearest New York State touring routes from US 220's terminus are NY 17C, NY 17 as noted, and NY 34. Both NY 17C and NY 34 are reached via a right turn at Chemung Street.

[edit] History

[edit] Historical names

West Virginia
- It travels north to Junction, West Virginia where it joins U.S. Highway 50 West. This stretch of U.S. Highway 50 that is co-signed as U.S. Highway 220 is known as the Northwestern Turnpike
- From U.S. Highway 50 it departs and proceeds towards Keyser, West Virginia. Between U.S. Highway 50 and WV 972 it is known as Cut Off Road.
- Between WV 972 and Keyser, West Virginia the highway is known as New Creek Drive.
- In Keyser, West Virginia the highway is known as Mineral Street until it exits the city limits and West Virginia into Maryland at the North Branch of the Potomac River.

Maryland
- North from Keyser, West Virginia to Cumberland, Maryland the highway is known as McMullen Highway. There it joins Interstate 68 and U.S. Highway 40 that is called National Freeway west of Cumberland, Maryland and Baltimore Pike east of Cumberland, Maryland. From Baltimore Pike it departs for the Mason-Dixon Line via a recently upgraded roadway opened to traffic on September 18, 2000.
- Originally the highway known as McMullen highway proceeded into the city limits of Cumberland, Maryland onto Greene Street. Via Baltimore Street, it then connected to Mechanic Street. From Mechanic Street to the city limits, traffic was split between two parallel one way streets, with northbound traffic carried by Frederick Street and southbound traffic carried by a narrower Bedford Street until the streets merged as Bedford Road, now unsigned MD 807, which connected to Pennsylvania at the Mason-Dixon Line.

Pennsylvania
- From the Mason-Dixon Line north to Bedford it is known as the Cumberland Road.
- From Bedford North to State College it is known as Bud Shuster Highway, where it is cosigned as Interstate 99.
- The old alignment of US 220 is known as the Appalachian Throughway.