Pennsylvania Route 72

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PA Route 72
Length:	37.5 mi[1] (60 km)
Formed:	1927
South end:	US 222/PA 272 in Lancaster
Major junctions:	US 30 near Lancaster PA 772 in Manheim I-76/ Pa Tpk in Rapho Twp US 322 near Cornwall US 422 in Lebanon US 22 in Union Twp I-81 in Union Twp
North end:	PA 443 in Swatara Township
Counties:	Lancaster, Lebanon
Pennsylvania State Routes < PA 71 PA 73 > Minor - Legislative

Pennsylvania Route 72 is a 37 mile long north-south state route located in southeast Pennsylvania. The southern terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 222 and Pennsylvania Route 272 in downtown Lancaster. The northern terminus is at Pennsylvania Route 443 north of Lickdale in Swatara Township. It crosses Interstate 81, U.S. Route 22, U.S. Route 422, U.S. Route 322, Interstate 76 and Pennsylvania Route 283.

[edit] Route description

[edit] City of Lancaster

PA 72 north begins at U.S. Route 222 and Pennsylvania Route 272, south of downtown Lancaster as Queen Street. PA 72 south begins at US 222 and PA 272, north of downtown Lancaster as as Fruitville Pike. PA 72 north begins as Queen Street and intersects Pennsylvania Route 23 and Pennsylvania Route 462 in downtown Lancaster. PA 23/462 east as King Street and PA 23/462 west as Walnut Street. In the northern parts of Lancaster, PA 72 north has wrong-way concurrency with US 222 and PA 272 south. Then PA 72 north turns towards the north and splits from US 222/PA 272 at this point PA 72 is a two way road (Fruitville Pike) and has both northbound and southbound parts of PA 72.

[edit] Lancaster County

In Manheim Township, PA 72 turns towards the northwest as Manheim Pike and leaves Fruitville Pike. Northwest of Fruitville Pike, PA 72 interchanges with U.S. Route 30. PA 72 only has access to US 30 west and only US 30 east has an exit to PA 72. Northwest of US 30, PA 72 interchanges Pennsylvania Route 283. Passengers on PA 72 can use PA 283 east to access US 30 eastbound. In East Petersburg, PA 72 becomes Main Street and intersects Pennsylvania Route 722. North of Petersburg, PA 72 becomes Lancaster Road and in Manheim, Main Street. In southern tip of Manheim, PA 72 begins a concurrency with Pennsylvania Route 772. In downtown Manheim is the northern terminus of the concurrency between PA 72 and PA 772. North of Manheim, PA 72 is called Lebanon Road. In Rapho Township, PA 72 parallels the Chickies Creek. Just south of the county border, PA 72 intersects Interstate 76 (the Pennsylvania Turnpike) at exit 266 (Lebanon - Lancaster exit). Currently there is some construction going on the PA turnpike interchange.

[edit] Lebanon County

In West Cornwall Township, PA 72 begins a concurrency with U.S. Route 322 at a partial interchange. While merged with US 322, PA 72 interchanges Pennsylvania Route 117. Then US 322 separates from PA 72 at another partial interchange. PA 72 continues as Quentin Road and in Quentin, PA 72 intersects Pennsylvania Route 419. PA 72 continues north as Quentin Road. In the city of Lebanon, PA 72 meets the northern terminus of Pennsylvania Route 241. As PA 72 approaches downtown Lebanon, PA 72 south and north split. PA 72 intersects U.S. Route 422 also split into two streets. At the northern tip of Lebanon before the two PA 72 streets get back together, PA 72 meets the southern terminus of Pennsylvania Route 343. PA 72 continues out of Lebanon as Maple Street and Tunnel Hill Road. PA 72 is also called Ebenezer Road. In Union Township, PA 72 interchanges with U.S. Route 22 at a full Cloverleaf interchange. After PA 72 passes over Interstate 78, it meets Lickdale Road which takes passengers to Interstate 81 and Interstate 78. PA 72 continues north passing under I-81 into Swatara State Park and terminating (ending) at an intersection with Pennsylvania Route 443.

[edit] Communities along the route

• Lancaster
• East Petersburg
• Manheim
• Quentin
• Lebanon

[edit] Major intersections

County	Location	Mile	Roads intersected	Notes
Lancaster	Lancaster	0.0[2]	US 222/PA 272
		0.5	PA 23/PA 462
		1.4	US 222/PA 272	Southern terminus of concurrency.
		1.5	US 222/PA 272	Northern terminus of concurrency. Southern terminus of PA 72 South.
		3.0	US 30	Interchange. Exit from US 30 East / to US 30 West only.
	Manheim Township	3.7	PA 283	Interchange.
	East Petersburg	5.6	PA 722
	Manheim	10.5	PA 772	Southern terminus of concurrency.
		10.9	PA 772	Northern terminus of concurrency.
	Rapho Township	16.6	I-76/PA Turnpike	Exit 266 (Lancaster-Lebanon) (I-76/PA Turnpike).
Lebanon	West Cornwall Township	18.4	US 322	Interchange. Southern terminus of concurrency.
		18.9	PA 117	Interchange.
		19.2	US 322	Interchange. Northern terminus of concurrency.
	Quentin	19.9	PA 419
	Lebanon	23.4	PA 241	Northern terminus of PA 241.
		24.1	US 422
		25.0	PA 343	Southern terminus of PA 343.
	Union Township	31.7	I-78 via US 22	Interchange.
		32.5	I-78	PA 72 passes over I-78.
		34.1	I-81 via SR 4020
		36.2	I-81	PA 72 passes under I-81.
		37.5	PA 443

[edit] History

Signed in 1927 from the Maryland state line to Lancaster on the current US 222 alignment and north to Lebanon. In 1928, the southern terminus was truncated to Lancaster . In 1929, the route was paved from West Lebanon to Mount Ararat. In 1932, the route was paved from Jonestown to PA 343. In 1936, the northern terminus was placed at its current location from Lancaster Street at PA 343 north of Jonestown and the southern terminus placed in Goshen.

Until 1946, there was another PA 72 from US 11 to US 309 on Bridge Street, Carey Avenue, River Street, and South Street in Wilkes-Barre.

In 1958, the route was placed on Queen Street for northbound traffic in Lancaster. Southbound traffic was moved onto 10th Street in Lebanon and a median was installed from Jonestown to Interstate 78 that year.

In 1965, the southern terminus was moved from Goshen to its current location.

In 1970, replaced PA 934 from PA 443 to Lickdale to end at that route. Six years later, the route's northern terminus was moved to Lickdale.

In 1991, the section that comprises the Cornwall Bypass was upgraded to expressway standards. In 1995, the current northern terminus was selected. ^[1]

A year later, PennDOT studied improving the route between PA 283 and the PA Turnpike. It concluded that left turn lane/shoulder improvements, widening, and “relief routes” around the boroughs of East Petersburg and Manheim would be needed to keep PA 72 from becoming choked with traffic. However, there is a snag in the funding for this project. PennDOT released their revised 12-Year Transportation Program in 2004 and this project was deferred.

[edit] References