U.S. Route 15 in Pennsylvania
US 15 highlighted in red and business loops in blue | ||||
Route information | ||||
Maintained by PennDOT | ||||
Length | 194.89 mi[1] (313.65 km) | |||
Tourist routes | ||||
NHS | Entire route[2] | |||
Major junctions | ||||
South end | ||||
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North end | ||||
Location | ||||
Country | United States | |||
State | Pennsylvania | |||
Counties | Adams, York, Cumberland, Perry, Dauphin, Juniata, Snyder, Union, Lycoming, Tioga | |||
Highway system | ||||
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U.S. Route 15 (US 15) is United States Numbered Highway that runs from Walterboro, South Carolina, north to Painted Post, New York. In Pennsylvania, the highway runs for 194.89 miles (313.65 km), from the Maryland state line just south of Gettysburg, north to the New York state line near Lawrenceville.
Route description
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US 15 enters Pennsylvania south of Gettysburg, Adams County, from Frederick County, Maryland, on a freeway alignment. The route heads to the north and bypasses Gettysburg, where the route has an interchange with US 30. The freeway alignment ends at York Springs, carrying US 15 on a four-lane, divided alignment with at-grade intersections until the route upgrades to a freeway again in Dillsburg. The route continues north toward Harrisburg, where the freeway terminates again as US 15 joins with US 11. The two routes begin to follow the west shore of the Susquehanna River with limited-access sections until they split across the river from Sunbury. US 15 continues north into Williamsport, joining Interstate 180 (I-180) and US 220. At I-180's western terminus, US 220, signed south, heads due west toward Jersey Shore and Lock Haven, while US 15 turns due north through Mansfield and crosses into New York near Lawrenceville, Tioga County.
The majority of US 15 is four lanes, alternating between limited and unlimited access. There are two segments where the road is two lanes. One is from East Pennsboro Township, Cumberland County, just north of the I-81 interchange, to just south of Duncannon. The other is between White Deer and South Williamsport. The segment between Williamsport and the New York state line will eventually be designated I-99.
The entire length of US 15 in Pennsylvania is part of the National Highway System.[2] The highway is also part of the Appalachian Development Highway System as Corridor P-1 between US 22/US 322 near Duncannon and the north end of the Selinsgrove bypass, as Corridor P along the I-180/US 220 concurrency in Williamsport, as Corridor U between I-180/US 220 in Williamsport and Tioga Junction, and as Corridor U-1 between Tioga Junction and the New York state line.[3]
History
Location | Shamokin Dam–Williamsport |
---|---|
Existed | 1928–1941 |
With the adoption of the U.S. Numbered Highway System, US 15 originally terminated at Harrisburg, while US 111 serviced the modern route north of that point. In 1937, US 15 was extended north to the New York state line, effectively replacing US 111 north of Harrisburg. However, instead of replacing US 111's old routing directly, US 15 ran along the east bank of the Susquehanna River between Harrisburg and Williamsport while the road on the western bank of the river was Pennsylvania Route 14 (PA 14) between Lemoyne and Duncannon, US 11 between Duncannon and Shamokin Dam, and PA 404 between Shamokin Dam and Williamsport.[4] In 1941, US 15 was rerouted to follow the western bank of the river between Harrisburg and Williamsport, replacing PA 14 between Lemoyne and Duncannon, running concurrent with US 11 between Lemoyne and Shamokin Dam, and replacing the entire length of PA 404. The former alignment of US 15 on the east side of the river became PA 14.[5][6]
On June 28, 1963, the US 15 bypass of Gettysburg was opened to traffic, with the former alignment through Gettysburg becoming US 15 Bus. The project to construct the bypass cost $8 million. No formal ceremony was held to mark the opening of the highway, as it was felt local officials were too busy preparing for events related to the centennial of the Battle of Gettysburg.[7][8]
On November 17, 2009, US 15 was widened to four lanes across Steam Valley Mountain in northern Lycomimg County with the opening of the new southbound lanes. In addition, interchanges were constructed at PA 184 and Green Mountain Road/Steam Valley Road. A ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by local officials was held.[9]
Future
The section of US 15 north of Williamsport will gain the additional designation of I-99 when the connection from I-76 to I-86 is completed. No additional work is needed to upgrade this stretch, as it is already up to Interstate standards.[10]
As part of the construction of the Central Susquehanna Valley Thruway, US 15 is planned to be rerouted to the new freeway between Selinsgrove and Union Township, bypassing Shamokin Dam. The former alignment of US 15 through Shamokin Dam will be designated as US 15 Business, partly running concurrent with US 11.[11]
Major intersections
County | Location[12] | mi[1] | km | Exit | Destinations | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Adams | Freedom Township | 0.0 | 0.0 | Continuation into Maryland | ||
1.74 | 2.80 | |||||
Cumberland Township | 5.88 | 9.46 | ||||
Mount Joy Township | 8.15 | 13.12 | Northern terminus of PA 97; access to Gettysburg National Military Park | |||
Straban Township | 10.01 | 16.11 | ||||
11.52 | 18.54 | Access to Gettysburg College | ||||
14.71 | 23.67 | Northern terminus of US 15 Bus.; access to Gettysburg College | ||||
Tyrone Township | 19.59 | 31.53 | ||||
Huntington Township | 23.59 | 37.96 | ||||
North end of freeway | ||||||
York | Dillsburg–Carroll Township line | 32.51 | 52.32 | South end of PA 74 concurrency | ||
32.72 | 52.66 | North end of PA 74 concurrency | ||||
Cumberland | Upper Allen Township | South end of freeway | ||||
36.32 | 58.45 | Lisburn Road | ||||
37.68 | 60.64 | |||||
38.72 | 62.31 | Winding Hill Road/Cumberland Parkway | ||||
39.29 | 63.23 | Exit 236 (Gettysburg Pike) on I-76/Penna Turnpike; E-ZPass or toll-by-plate | ||||
Lower Allen Township | 40.31 | 64.87 | Wesley Drive/Rossmoyne Road | |||
41.03 | 66.03 | Slate Hill Road | ||||
41.76 | 67.21 | Lower Allen Drive | ||||
Camp Hill | 42.49 | 68.38 | Exit 5 on PA 581; south end of US 11 concurrency | |||
North end of freeway | ||||||
42.99 | 69.19 | Eastern terminus of PA 641 | ||||
Camp Hill–East Pennsboro Township line | M. Harvey Taylor Bridge – Harrisburg | Northbound exit and southbound entrance | ||||
East Pennsboro Township | 47.34 | 76.19 | Eastern terminus of PA 944; no access from PA 944 to northbound US 11/US 15 | |||
50.35 | 81.03 | Exit 65 on I-81 | ||||
Perry | Marysville | 52.61 | 84.67 | Eastern terminus of PA 850 | ||
Penn Township | South end of freeway | |||||
Penn Township–Duncannon line | 60.10 | 96.72 | Eastern terminus of PA 274 | |||
Dauphin | Reed Township | 62.59 | 100.73 | |||
Perry | Watts Township | North end of freeway | ||||
Buffalo Township | 72.78 | 117.13 | Northern terminus of PA 34 | |||
Liverpool | 74.54 | 119.96 | Eastern terminus of PA 17 | |||
Liverpool Township | 78.90 | 126.98 | Southern terminus of PA 104 | |||
Juniata | No major intersections | |||||
Snyder | Penn Township | South end of freeway | ||||
91.15 | 146.69 | Northern terminus of PA 35 | ||||
Monroe Township | 95.58 | 153.82 | Northern terminus of US 522 | |||
North end of freeway | ||||||
Shamokin Dam | 96.63 | 155.51 | Interchange; northern terminus of PA 61; south end of PA 147 concurrency | |||
96.98 | 156.07 | North end of US 11 concurrency | ||||
Union | Union Township | 100.21 | 161.27 | Interchange; north end of PA 147 concurrency | ||
101.83 | 163.88 | Eastern terminus of PA 304 | ||||
East Buffalo Township–Lewisburg line | 105.79 | 170.25 | ||||
Lewisburg | 106.25 | 170.99 | Eastern terminus of PA 192 | |||
Kelly Township | South end of freeway | |||||
110.21 | 177.37 | Western terminus of PA 642 | ||||
White Deer Township | 111.78 | 179.89 | New Columbia | |||
112.57 | 181.16 | Exit 210 on I-80 | ||||
114.29 | 183.93 | Watsontown, White Deer | ||||
North end of freeway | ||||||
Gregg Township | 116.81 | 187.99 | ||||
Lycoming | Clinton Township | 122.66 | 197.40 | Western terminus of PA 54 | ||
South Williamsport | 128.34 | 206.54 | Northern terminus of PA 554 | |||
128.95 | 207.52 | Eastern terminus of PA 654 | ||||
Williamsport | 129.35 | 208.17 | South end of freeway | |||
Exit 27A on I-180; south end of I-180/US 220 concurrency | ||||||
129.85 | 208.97 | 27B | Hepburn Street | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | ||
130.53 | 210.07 | 28 | Maynard Street | Access to Pennsylvania College of Technology | ||
131.67 | 211.90 | Exit 29 on I-180; north end of I-180/US 220 concurrency; western terminus of I-180; future south end of I-99 concurrency | ||||
132.09 | 212.58 | 136 | Third Street | Northbound exit and entrance | ||
132.37 | 213.03 | 136 | Fourth Street | Southbound exit and entrance | ||
Old Lycoming Township | 132.99 | 214.03 | 137 | Foy Avenue/High Street/Lycoming Creek Road | ||
Lycoming Township | 136.34 | 219.42 | 140 | Hepburnville | ||
138.90 | 223.54 | 143 | Southbound exit | |||
Lewis Township | 144.00 | 231.75 | 148 | Southern terminus of PA 14 | ||
Cogan House Township | 148.27 | 238.62 | 152 | Cogan House (Green Mountain Road)[9][13] | Southbound exit and entrance. Connected to Steam Valley Road via State Route 4011 | |
148.89 | 239.62 | 152 | Cogan House (Steam Valley Road)[9][13] | Northbound exit and entrance. Connected to Green Mountain Road via State Route 4011 | ||
150.90 | 242.85 | 155 | Eastern terminus of PA 184 | |||
Jackson Township | 153.68 | 247.32 | 158 | Eastern terminus of PA 284 | ||
Tioga | Liberty | 158.81 | 255.58 | 162 | ||
160.96 | 259.04 | 165 | Sebring | |||
Blossburg | 168.08 | 270.50 | 172 | Blossburg | ||
Richmond Township | 175.55 | 282.52 | 179 | Southern terminus of US 15 Bus.; eastern terminus of PA 660 | ||
Mansfield | 177.82 | 286.17 | 182 | Access to Hills Creek State Park and Mansfield University | ||
Richmond Township | 179.16 | 288.33 | 183 | Southbound exit, northbound entrance; northern terminus of US 15 Bus. | ||
Tioga Township | 187.65 | 301.99 | 191 | |||
Lawrence Township | 192.46 | 309.73 | 196 | Access to Cowanesque Lake | ||
Lawrenceville | 194.89 | 313.65 | Continuation into New York | |||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi |
References
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Annual Electronic Straight Line Diagrams by County". Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. 2013. Retrieved August 27, 2013.
- ^ Jump up to: a b National Highway System: Pennsylvania (PDF) (Map). Federal Highway Administration. 2010. Retrieved February 10, 2012.
- ^ "ADHS Approved Corridors and Termini". Appalachian Regional Commission. September 30, 2007. Retrieved April 23, 2012.
- ^ Official Road Map of Pennsylvania (PDF) (Map). Pennsylvania Department of Highways. 1940. Retrieved December 16, 2014.
- ^ "Local Road Route Changes Affect Harrisburg Drivers". The Evening News. Harrisburg, PA. June 20, 1941. p. 18. Retrieved August 14, 2015 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Official Road Map of Pennsylvania (PDF) (Map). Pennsylvania Department of Highways. 1950. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
- ^ Staff (June 28, 1963). "Route 15 Bypass Opens Today at 4". Gettysburg Times. Gettysburg, PA: Gettysburg Times Publishing. p. 1. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
- ^ Official Map of Pennsylvania (PDF) (Map). Pennsylvania Department of Highways. 1970. Retrieved December 17, 2014.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d "Route 15 southbound lanes opened". The Wellsboro Gazette. November 18, 2009. Retrieved February 25, 2013.
- ^ Zick, John (August 26, 2012). "Interstate 99 on the final stretch". The Leader. Corning, NY. Retrieved September 27, 2022.
- ^ "Proposed Roadway Route Designations" (PDF). Central Susquehanna Valley Transportation Project. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 14, 2015. Retrieved December 9, 2019.
- ^ "Video Log". Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Retrieved June 9, 2016.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Kitsko, Jeffrey J. (2011). "U.S. Route 15". Pennsylvania Highways. Retrieved February 25, 2013.
External links
- U.S. Highways in Pennsylvania
- U.S. Route 15
- Adams County, Pennsylvania
- York County, Pennsylvania
- Cumberland County, Pennsylvania
- Perry County, Pennsylvania
- Dauphin County, Pennsylvania
- Juniata County, Pennsylvania
- Snyder County, Pennsylvania
- Union County, Pennsylvania
- Lycoming County, Pennsylvania
- Tioga County, Pennsylvania