Pennsylvania Route 56

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PA Route 56

Length:

99 mi^[1] (159 km)

Formed:

1928

West end:

C.L. Schmitt Bridge in New Kensington

East end:

US 30 near Bedford

Counties:

Westmoreland, Armstrong, Indiana, Cambria, Somerset, Bedford

Pennsylvania State Routes
< PA 54		PA 58 >
Minor - Legislative

Pennsylvania Route 56 is a major 99 mile long state highway located in central Pennsylvania. Its western terminus is at the eastern approach to the C.L. Schmitt Bridge in New Kensington. Its eastern terminus is U.S. Route 30 west of Bedford.

[edit] Route description

Route 56 starts at an intersection with PA 366 in Arnold, PA. It then heads east into Westmoreland County, PA. While in Westmoreland County, it merges with PA 66. It then travels east and eventually merges with PA 156, crossing into Indiana County. At this point, it merges with U.S. Route 422 and heads toward Indiana, PA. In Indiana, U.S. Route 422 and PA 56 become a short freeway. At the U.S. 119 exit, PA 56 merges with U.S. Route 119, heading south. Route 56 breaks away from U.S. 119 outside of Indiana and continues east on a two-lane road. Approaching Armaugh, PA, it crosses U.S. Route 22 at an interchange. The route then enters Westmoreland County again briefly. It is at this point, that Route 56 crosses through Seward, PA. A short time after passing through Seward, it crosses into Cambria County, PA. Continuing east, it heads into the city of Johnstown, PA. Route 56 travels through the heart of the West End section of Johnstown on two-lane city streets. With the countless trucks traveling through the West End, a Route 56 bypass has been discussed for quite some time. However, very little progress on the topic has been made, and it is yet to be seen if it will ever become a reality. It then merges with PA Route 403 on Broad Street, a four-lane road containing many traffic signals. At the final signal, it breaks away from Route 403 and becomes a freeway entitled Johnstown Expressway. This expressway is actually a bypass constructed in the mid-1900s. The original route continued on city streets and crossed under U.S. Route 219 in Richland,PA. Currently, Route 56 enters the four-lane expressway and meets U.S. Route 219 a short distance north from its original connection. It eventually exits U.S. 219 at Scalp Avenue, the original interchange, and continues east toward Windber, PA. The Route enters Somerset County at Windber. Once past Windber, Route 56 returns to a two-lane format. It enters Bedford County and crosses Interstate 99 and U.S. Route 220 at an interchange near Cessna. A short time after, Route 56 crosses the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The route ends at an intersection with U.S. Route 30 in Wolfsburg.

[edit] Major Intersections

County	Location	Mile	Roads intersected	Notes
Westmoreland	New Kensington	0.0	C.L. Schmitt Bridge	Bridge terminates onto Freeport Rd
		1.1	PA 366	Western terminus of concurrency with PA 366
		1.3	PA 780	Western terminus of PA 780
		2.0	PA 366	Eastern terminus of concurrency with PA 366
	Allegheny Township	9.3	PA 356	Western terminus of concurrency with PA 356
	Weinel Crossroads	9.9	PA 356	Eastern terminus of concurrency with PA 356
	Vandergrift	13.5	PA 66 ALT	Western end of concurrency with PA 66 ALT, eastbound PA 56 only
Armstrong	North Vandergrift	14.1	PA 66 ALT/PA 66	Eastern terminus of concurrency with PA 66 ALT, western terminus of concurrency with PA 66
	Apollo	16.7	PA 66	Eastern terminus of concurrency with PA 66
	Kiskiminetas Township	23.9	PA 156	Western terminus of concurrency with PA 156
	South Bend Township	30.0	PA 210	Southern terminus of PA 210
Indiana	Shelocta	33.0	US 422/PA 156	Eastern terminus of concurrency with PA 156, western terminus of concurrency with US 422
	Armstrong Township	38.0	US 422 BUS	Western terminus of US 422 BUS, interchange
	White Township	40.3	PA 286	Interchange
		42.6	US 422/US 119	Eastern terminus of concurrency with US 422, western terminus of concurrency with US 119, interchange
		42.9	US 422 BUS	Eastern terminus of US 422 BUS, interchange
	Homer City	45.9	US 119	Eastern terminus of concurrency with US 119, interchange
	Center Township	48.7	PA 954	Southern terminus of PA 954
	Brush Valley	51.4	PA 259	Western terminus of concurrency with PA 259
	Brush Valley	51.4	PA 259	Eastern terminus of concurrency with PA 259
	Armagh	57.8	US 22	Interchange
	Robindale Heights	60.2	PA 711	Western terminus of concurrency with PA 711
Westmoreland	Seward	60.8	PA 711	Eastern terminus of concurrency with PA 711
Cambria	Johnstown	68.3	PA 403	Western terminus of concurrency with PA 403
		70.1	PA 403	Eastern terminus of concurrency with PA 403
		70.5	PA 271	No access, passes over PA 271
		70.5	PA 403	No access, passes over PA 403
	Richland Township	75.6	US 219	Western terminus of concurrency with US 219, interchange
	Richland Township	77.5	US 219	Eastern terminus of concurrency with US 219, interchange
Somerset	Paint	80.0	PA 601	Northern terminus of PA 601, interchange
Somerset	Windber	81.6	PA 160
Bedford	Pleasantville	96.6	PA 96
	Bedford Township	105	I-99/US 220	Interstate 99 exit 3
		105	US 220 BUS	Northern terminus of US 220 BUS
		108	I-70/I-76/PA Tpk	No access, passes under Pennsylvania Turnpike
		109	US 30