U.S. Route 222

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

U.S. Route 222
Length: 110 mi[citation needed] (177 km)
Formed: 1926
South end: US 1 in Conowingo, MD
Major
junctions:
US 30 in Lancaster, PA
I-76/PA Tpk/PA 272 in East Cocalico Twp., PA
US 422 near Reading, PA
North end: I-78/PA 309/PA 222 in Dorneyville, PA
United States Numbered Highways

U.S. Route 222 is a spur of U.S. Route 22. It runs for 100 miles (161 km) from Conowingo, Maryland at U.S. Route 1 to Interstate 78 and Pennsylvania Route 309 in Dorneyville, Pennsylvania, where the US 222 right-of-way continues into Allentown as Pennsylvania Route 222.

Contents

[edit] States traversed

Major cities

[edit] Maryland

US 222 in Maryland used to extend down to Maryland Route 7 in Perryville, but was later truncated to US 1 at Conowingo, with the rest becoming Maryland Route 222. Because of hills, and also because of the narrowness of MD 222 in Port Deposit, a truck route (Maryland Route 222) also exists, with part of that truck route being a wrong-way concurrency with US 1.

Between Conowingo and the state line, US 222 follows an elongated "C-curve", curving to the west then doubling back east to cross the state line near the hamlet of Rock Springs.

[edit] Pennsylvania

The speed limits on US 222 in Pennsylvania range from 25 mph through towns to 65 mph on expressway portions. However, the road has a notorious reputation for speeding and tailgating. Insufficient shoulders throughout much of the length and the presence of horse and buggies in Lancaster and Berks County can make the road dangerous to travel on.

US 222 serves as the principal artery between the Lancaster and Reading areas and the Lehigh Valley. With increased development in the late 20th century the two-lane road became increasingly congested. To alleviate these problems a number of construction projects took place, most notably a four-lane Reading bypass, a four-lane expressway to connect Lancaster to Reading, and a four-lane expressway bypass around the town of Kutztown, which is situated between Reading and Allentown.

In Reading, US 222 has an auxiliary route, U.S. Route 222 Business, the only such route for US 222.

Recently, there has been work in Lehigh County to build a bypass around Trexlertown, since the area surrounding the intersection of Pennsylvania Route 100 and US 222 was one of the most problematic areas of the road. In 2005 the west half of the bypass was opened and the east half of the bypass is expected to be completed in late 2006.

[edit] Exit list

Between Lancaster and Reading, as well as in some locations between Reading and Allentown, US 222 is a limited-access highway.

County Location Mile # Destinations Notes
Lancaster Lancaster US 30 west - York Southbound only.
US 30/ US 222 form a duplex for 0.8 miles.
US 30 east - Coatesville, Philadelphia
Manheim Township
PA 272 (Oregon Pike)
Brownstown PA 772 - Rothsville, Brownstown
Ephrata Township US 322 - Ephrata
East Cocalico Township I-76/PA Turnpike/PA 272 - Denver E-ZPass: use lanes 2 and 3.
Berks Brecknock Township PA 272 south/PA 568 east - Adamstown Opened in 2006. Northern terminus of PA 272. Western terminus of PA 568.
Spring Township Mohns Hill Road
Cumru Township Mohnton via West Madison Street

US 222 Business (Lancaster Avenue) - Shillington
Northbound only. Southern terminus of US 222 Business.
Spring Township PA 724 - Sinking Spring, Shillington
West Lawn
US 422 Business (Penn Avenue) east/US 422 west - Lebanon
Western terminus of US 422 Business.
Southern terminus of US 222/ US 422 duplex.
Wyomissing State Hill Road To Berkshire Mall.
Paper Mill Road
Northern terminus of US 222/ US 422 duplex.
US 422 east/ PA 12 (Warren Street Bypass) east - Pottstown, Pricetown No access to PA 12 from US 222 southbound. To First Energy Stadium.
Spring Township Broadcasting Road To Penn State University - Berks Campus.
Spring Ridge Drive To Berks County Heritage Center.
Bern Township PA 183 (Bernville Road) - Strausstown Reading Regional Airport: use PA 183 south.
Muhlenberg Township PA 61 - Pottsville, Tuckerton
Ontelaunee Township
US 222 Business - Laureldale
Northern terminus of US 222 Business.
At-grade intersections - 6 miles.
Berks Richmond Township Virginville, Kutztown Northbound only. To Kutztown University.
Virginville Southbound only.
Kutztown PA 737 - Krumsville To Kutztown University.
East Main Street Southbound only.
At-grade intersections - 13 miles.
Lehigh Upper Macungie Township PA 100 south/Hamilton Boulevard
Southern terminus of US 222/ PA 100 duplex.
Grim Road/Mosser Road
Northern terminus of US 222/ PA 100 duplex.
PA 100 north - Fogelsville, Trexlertown Current eastern terminus of expressway.
Grange Road Under construction.
Lower Macungie Township Krocks Road Under construction.
Brookside Road Under construction.
At-grade intersections - 0.5 mile.
Lehigh Dorneyville I-78 east/PA 309 south - Bethlehem, Quakertown Ramps to/from I-78/PA 309 are at-grade.
I-78 west/PA 309 north - Harrisburg, Tamaqua
US 222 becomes PA 222.

[edit] History

When US 222 was first designated in the 1920s, it only reached as far north as Reading, but at the time US 22 dipped down from Allentown to Reading, then west to Harrisburg. US 22 was rerouted to become a straight shot from Allentown to Harrisburg, so the roadway between Reading and Allentown became part of US 222, explaining why the highway, designated as north/south, actually runs mostly east/west between the two cities.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Browse numbered routes
< PA 221 PA PA 222 >