U.S. Route 322 in Pennsylvania

U.S. Route 322 is a U.S. highway running from Cleveland, Ohio east to Atlantic City, New Jersey. In the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, the route runs from the Ohio border in West Shenango Township southeast to the Commodore Barry Bridge over the Delaware River in Chester, at which point the route crosses into New Jersey. The route passes near several cities, including DuBois, State College, and Harrisburg.

Route description

In Pennsylvania, US 322 is signed as 28th Division Highway, in honor of the 28th Infantry Division.^[2] The route enters Pennsylvania taking a northeasternly course. In Meadville, US 322 overlaps U.S. Route 6 and U.S. Route 19. Southeast of Meadville, the highway runs generally southeast through Crawford, Venango and Clarion Counties. Once leaving Clarion borough, US 322 interchanges I-80, at exit 70. From I-80, it continues on a solid east–west routing crossing Jefferson County. The route overlaps U.S. Route 219 near the northern terminus of U.S. Route 119, south of Du Bois. East of US 219, the route takes a southward turn to traverse Moshannon State Forest, before taking an east–west alignment. From Clearfield to U.S. Route 220, the highway runs southeast and is partly divided.^[2]

In the State College area, the current alignment of US 322 overlaps Interstate 99 and US 220 for 12 miles (19 km)^[3] Northeast of Port Matilda, Interstate 99, US 220, and US 322 depart the Appalachian Thruway via an interchange and proceed east on the 28th Division Highway while the Thruway continues to the northeast as US 220 Alternate.^[4]

West of State College, the 28th Division Highway becomes the Mount Nittany Expressway after intersecting with Scotia Road and North Atherton Street (Business US 322, which goes through downtown State College). The I-99/US 220/US 322 overlap ends at a complex interchange north of downtown State College.^[2][5]

East of the overlap, US 322 continues southeastward through State College and its immediate suburbs on the Mount Nittany Expressway. After three exits, US 322 reverts to an at-grade highway two miles east of State College in Boalsburg, merging with US 322 Business and proceeding eastward along Boal Avenue as the route exits the State College area. Between Boalsburg and Lewistown, the highway traverses Tussey Mountain and Jacks Mountain, in the Rothrock State Forest, as it turns to the south.^[6][7]

Between Potters Mills and Lewistown, US 322 is a limited-access road. Near Lewistown, it briefly overlaps U.S. Route 522 and begins a long overlap with US 22. South of Lewistown, US 22/US 322 enters the Lewistown Narrows, an 8-mile (13 km) stretch of road through the Juniata River water gap in Shade Mountain. Construction to convert this section of the highway from a two-lane highway to a divided, limited-access four lane highway was completed in December 2007,^[8] and it includes building the longest mechanically stabilized earth wall in the U.S.^[9] The highway exits the narrows in Arch Rock, traverses Juniata County and Perry County, and crosses the Tuscarora Mountain through a water gap on a southeastward course along the banks of the Juniata River. After crossing the Susquehanna at Clarks Ferry (coinciding with the Appalachian Trail), the freeway runs south and parallels the river for 15 miles (24 km) before entering the Harrisburg Area.^[10][11]

North of downtown Harrisburg, the US 22/322 overlap interchanges with Interstate 81 at exit 67. While US 22 continues through the interchange and heads into downtown, US 322 departs US 22 and joins I-81 northbound. I-81 and US 322 remain concurrent for three miles (5 km) to exit 70, where US 322 exits, following Interstate 83, which has its northern terminus at the interchange, south through the innermost suburbs of Harrisburg.^[12][13] After two exits, US 322 departs I-83 at the Eisenhower Interchange (exit 47), following Paxton Street east, returning to an at-grade roadway after one exit, toward Hummelstown.^[2][14] West of that borough, US 322 becomes a freeway once again, becoming the Hummelstown Bypass after crossing Fiddlers Elbow Road. The route runs south of Hummelstown, interchanging with two local roads before meeting the eastern terminus of Pennsylvania Route 39 and the western terminus of U.S. Route 422 at an interchange midway between Hummelstown and Hershey.^[15]

US 322 heads east from the interchange, becoming the at-grade West Governor Road as it passes south of Hershey. East of the Hershey area, the route runs eastward via the scenic Horseshoe Pike traversing Lebanon County. The Horseshoe Pike portion ends west of Cornwall, where US 322 bypasses the town.^[16] East of the bypass, the route becomes grade-leveled again, enters Lancaster County and passes over the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-76). This stretch runs eastward, again known as the 28th Division Highway. East of Ephrata, US 322 interchanges U.S. Route 222 and continues southeastward through the Pennsylvania Dutch Country, intersecting PA 23 in Blue Ball, and then reverts back to the name Horseshoe Pike before crossing PA 10 in Honey Brook after entering Chester County. In Downingtown, US 322 interchanges US 30.^[17] After passing under US 30 it continues into Downingtown as Manor Ave before intersecting US 30 Business/Lancaster Ave. The route turns left at the intersection and runs concurrent US 30 Business for a block while crossing the Brandywine Creek. The route then turns right at the next intersection onto Brandywine Ave as it exits the borough and becomes Downingtown Pike.

Where the highway approaches the West Chester Area, it bypasses the borough via West Chester Bypass. At the end of the at-grade bypass, the eastbound lane of US 322 merges onto U.S. Route 202 southbound to begin an overlap. After three exits, the US 202/US 322 overlap becomes grade leveled running north–south.^[18] South of West Chester, the overlap is a major divided highway in Chester County and then entering Delaware County. In Concord Township, US 322 turns east onto U.S. Route 1 and leaves U.S. Route 202 at Painters' Crossroad. One mile conjoined with US 1 east of US 202, US 322 leaves US 1 via a turn southeastward to become the Conchester Highway. Approaching Chester, the route has three exits (one with PA 452, Bethel Road at the CSX rail line, and Highland Avenue) before beginning an overlap with Interstate 95, at exit 3A. The overlap with I-95 is a brief one, where US 322 leaves I-95, at exit 4, and crosses the Delaware River to enter New Jersey via the Commodore Barry Bridge.^[19]

Major intersections

References