Pennsylvania Route 97 (north)

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PA Route 97
Length: 15 mi[1] (24.14 km)
South end: PA 8 in Union City
Major
junctions:
US 19 in Waterford
I-90 in Erie
North end: PA 8 in Erie
Counties: Erie
Pennsylvania State Routes
< PA 96 PA 98 >
Minor - Legislative

Pennsylvania Route 97 is one of two Pennsylvania state highways that carries the PA 97 designation; the other Pennsylvania Route 97 is in Adams County. The northern PA 97, 15 miles in length, is a north-south highway that terminates at Pennsylvania Route 8 at both ends. The southern terminus is in Union City and the northern terminus is in Erie.

Contents

[edit] Route description

Communities[2]

PA 97 starts in Union City at the junction of PA 8 and PA 97. It travels west for about 7.5 miles until it reaches Waterford. South of the borough, PA 97 merges with U.S. Route 19, joining the Perry Highway and following the U.S. route northward for 1.5 miles through Waterford. North of Waterford, PA 97 splits from US 19 but remains on the Perry Highway. Although both roads head north to Erie, PA 97 takes a more easterly alignment as it travels northward.

After 8.7 miles, PA 97 meets Interstate 90 at exit 27 immediately south of Erie. 0.9 miles from the exit, PA 8 meets the southern terminus of Pennsylvania Route 505. At PA 505, PA 97 separates from the Perry Highway and follows Old French Road north through downtown Erie to its terminus at an intersection with PA 8 two blocks south of U.S. Route 20.

[edit] History

The first designation of PA 97 existed in the 1930s, from U.S. Route 6 in Waterford to US 19 in Kearsarge on what is now U.S. Route 19. U.S. Route 6 ran along the current PA 97 designation from Waterford to Erie as the Lakes-to-Sea Highway.

By 1940, PA 97 was moved to its current alignment.[3][4]

[edit] Major intersections

County Location Mile[1] Roads intersected Notes
Erie Union City 0.00 PA 8
Waterford Township 7.57 US 19 Southern terminus of overlap.
Waterford 9.07 US 19 Northern terminus of overlap.
Summit Township 17.73 I-90 Exit 27 (I-90).
Millcreek Township 18.63 PA 505 Southern terminus of PA 505.
Erie 21.04 PA 8 (Parade Street)

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b DeLorme Street Atlas USA 2007 software, Toogle Measure Tool
  2. ^ PennDOT. Offical Tourism and Transportation Map (Northwest section) [map]. (2007) Section D2, E3. Retrieved on 2007-09-13.
  3. ^ Pennsylvania Department of Highways. Highway Map of Pennsylvania (front side) [map]. (1930) Retrieved on 2007-09-12.
  4. ^ Pennsylvania Department of Highways. Highway Map of Pennsylvania (front side) [map]. (1940) Retrieved on 2007-09-12.