Interstate 81 in Pennsylvania

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Interstate 81 marker

Interstate 81
American Legion Memorial Highway
Template:Maplink-road
I-81 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by PennDOT
Length: 232.76 mi[1] (374.59 km)
Major junctions
South end: I-81 at the Maryland state line near Greencastle
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North end: I-81 at the New York state line near Hallstead
Location
Counties: Franklin, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lebanon, Schuylkill, Luzerne, Lackawanna, Susquehanna
Highway system
PA 80 PA 81

Interstate 81 (I-81) is a north–south Interstate Highway, stretching from Dandridge, Tennessee, northeast to Fisher's Landing, New York, at the Canada–United States border. In Pennsylvania, I-81 runs for 232.76 miles (374.59 km) from the Maryland state line near Greencastle northeast to the New York state line near Hallstead and is called the American Legion Memorial Highway. It is the longest north–south Interstate in Pennsylvania.[2]

Route description

File:I-81 NB from Lockwillow Avenue overpass.jpeg
I-81 northbound in Paxtonia northeast of Harrisburg

I-81 enters Pennsylvania at the Maryland state line about 13 miles (21 km) south of Chambersburg; it also has its first exit at the state line, junctioning with Pennsylvania Route 163 (PA 163) there. In Chambersburg at exit 16, it meets U.S. Route 30 (US 30; the Chambersburg Pike to Gettysburg). About Script error: The function "one2a" does not exist. north of Carlisle at exit 52, it meets US 11, which connects to the Pennsylvania Turnpike/I-76 (halfway between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh), since I-81 has no direct interchange with I-76.[3][4] The stretch of US 11 connecting I-81 to I-76 is known locally as the "Miracle Mile" since it contains plenty of traveler services including restaurants, gas stations, lodging, truck stops, and shops.[5] From here, I-81 travels in an almost precisely east–west direction for the next 37 miles (60 km) (until exit 89). At exit 59, it has an interchange with the western terminus of PA 581. I-81 becomes the Capital Beltway from exit 59 to exit 70. At exit 67, the road comes to a stack interchange with US 22 and US 322; US 322 merges with I-81. Exit 70 is the eastern terminus of the US 322 concurrency and the northern terminus of I-83 and is located in Colonial Park. For the entire segment between the Mason–Dixon line and I-78, I-81 runs through the Great Valley. North of Harrisburg between I-83/US 322 and I-78, the highway passes near Hershey and Fort Indiantown Gap.[3][4]

At milemarker 89, I-81 meets the western terminus of I-78; I-78 picks up the eastward route through the Great Valley and heads toward Allentown and New York City, while I-81 turns back northward, cutting through Blue Mountain at Swatara Gap. From milemarkers 141 to 146, I-81 passes near the city of Hazleton. At exit 151, I-81 meets I-80. As motorists enter Wilkes-Barre at milemarker 165, I-81 merges with PA 309 for five miles (8.0 km). At exit 175, I-81 meets with PA 315, which connects to I-476 (Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension). In Scranton at milemarker 185, there is a short freeway called the President Biden Expressway, which heads into downtown Scranton. At milemarker 187, I-81 is at the Throop Dunmore Interchange, which consists of I-84, I-380, and US 6. US 6 merges with I-81 for seven miles (11 km) from milemarkers 187 to 194. At milemarker 194 is the northern terminus of I-476. The last exit in Pennsylvania is exit 230, which is PA 171 near Hallstead. I-81 reaches the New York state line four miles (6.4 km) north of exit 230.[3][4]

History

I-81 northbound approaching Central Scranton Expressway (now President Biden Expressway) in Scranton

A toll highway along the present-day I-81 corridor through Pennsylvania was planned in the 1950s. The section from Scranton to the New York state line was planned as a continuation of the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. A new extension of the turnpike between Harrisburg and Scranton was also proposed. After the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 was passed, plans were changed to build a free Interstate Highway rather than a toll road. The first section to be built ran from PA 347 in Dunmore to US 11 in northern Scranton, this section opening in 1960. All of I-81 in Pennsylvania was completed by the 1970s. Construction cost nearly $443 million (equivalent to $NaN in 2021[6]).[2]

On May 9, 2013, a tanker crashed and caught fire at the interchange between I-81 and US 22/US 322 in Harrisburg. The fire damaged the bridges carrying westbound US 22/US 322 and a ramp over I-81. At least one of those bridges, carrying US 22 eastbound over I-81 and several ramps, and possibly another, the ramp carrying traffic from I-81 northbound to US 22/US 322 westbound, would have to be demolished and replaced. The fire resulted in about 10 miles (16 km) of I-81 being closed in both directions, with traffic being diverted along the southern portion of the Capital Beltway.[7][8] The highway was not fully reopened until the evening of May 13.[9]

Future

I-81 northbound at western terminus of I-78 in Lebanon County

Scranton Beltway

On April 28, 2016, plans were announced for a Scranton Beltway to use the Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension (I-476) as a bypass for I-81 around the heavily congested segment through Scranton and its suburbs. The turnpike between the two I-81 interchanges carries an average of 10,000 vehicles per day versus 80,000[10] on the parallel segment of I-81. This project will build two high-speed connections between I-476 and I-81: one south of Scranton in Dupont and one north of Scranton in South Abington Township. Tolls on the connections will be paid with E-ZPass or toll by plate. Construction of this project is expected to cost $160 million.[11] In 2021, design work on the project resumed, with construction expected to begin in 2025.[12]

New interchange in Chambersburg

On October 24, 2018, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) released their plans for a new exit 12 on I-81, at Guilford Springs Road, estimated to cost around $23 million.[13] The purpose for the exit is to improve access for trucks to the various distribution warehouses south of Chambersburg, such as Target.[14] As such, Guilford Springs Road will be widened to three lanes as a part of this project. PennDOT has started obtaining environmental clearances and will start to seek rights-of-way in 2020 from approximately 7-10 properties. PennDOT will look at bids for construction starting in 2023.[13][needs update]

Exit list

County Location mi km Old exit
[15]
New exit
[15]
Destinations Notes
Franklin Antrim Township 0.00 0.00 I-81 south – Hagerstown Continuation into Maryland
1 1 PA 163 – State Line Southbound ramps are in Maryland
2.50 4.02 2 3 US 11 (Molly Pitcher Highway) No southbound entrance from US 11 north
Greencastle 4.80 7.72 3 5 PA 16 – Greencastle, Waynesboro Serves Whitetail Ski Resort
Guilford Township 9.70 15.61 4 10 PA 914 – Marion
12.20 19.63 12 Guilford Springs Road Planned interchange; bidding set to start in 2023
Chambersburg 14.00 22.53 5 14 PA 316 (Wayne Avenue) Serves Chambersburg Business District
15.60 25.11 6 16 US 30 (Lincoln Way) Serves Gettysburg
16.70 26.88 7 17 Walker Road Serves Norland Avenue and Wilson College
Greene Township 19.80 31.87 8 20 PA 997 – Scotland Serves Penn State Mont Alto and Letterkenny Army Depot
Southampton Township 24.10 38.79 9 24 PA 696 (Fayette Street)
Cumberland 28.40 45.71 10 29 PA 174 (King Street) Serves Shippensburg University
Penn Township 36.80 59.22 11 37 PA 233 – Newville Serves Park and Ride Lot
South Middleton Township 43.90 70.65 12 44 PA 465 – Plainfield Serves Carlisle Fairgrounds
Carlisle 45.50 73.23 13 45 College Street Serves Penn State Dickinson Law
46.40 74.67 14 47 PA 34 (Hanover Street) Signed as exits 47A (south) and 47B (north) southbound; serves Dickinson College, Mount Holly Springs, and Gettysburg
South Middleton Township 47.90 77.09 15 48 PA 74 (York Road) Northbound exit and southbound entrance; serves U.S. Army War College
48.40 77.89 16 49 PA 641 (High Street) Southbound exit and northbound entrance; serves U.S. Army War College
Middlesex Township 51.50 82.88 17 52 US 11 to I-76 / Penna Turnpike – New Kingstown, Middlesex Signed as exits 52A (north) and 52B (south) northbound; to Carlisle Interchange (Turnpike exit 226)
Silver Spring Township 56.70 91.25 18 57 PA 114 – Mechanicsburg
Hampden Township 59.00 94.95 19 59 PA 581 east to US 11 / I-83 – Camp Hill South end of concurrency with the Capital Beltway; I-83 signed northbound
60.70 97.69 20 61 PA 944 (Wertzville Road)
East Pennsboro Township 64.60 103.96 21 65 US 11 / US 15 – Enola, Marysville Signed as exits 65A (south) and 65B (north); serves Central Penn College
Susquehanna River 65.30 105.09 George N. Wade Memorial Bridge
Dauphin Susquehanna Township 65.80 105.89 22 66 Invalid type: road – Downtown Harrisburg Serves Harrisburg University, Harrisburg Transportation Center, and City Island
Harrisburg 67.00 107.83 23E 67A US 22 east / PA 230 east (Cameron Street) Serves Farm Show Complex and Harrisburg Area Community College
23W 67B US 22 west / US 322 west – Lewistown, State College South end of concurrency with US 322
Susquehanna Township 68.70 110.56 24 69 Progress Avenue Serves Widener University Commonwealth Law School
Lower Paxton Township 69.60 112.01 70 I-83 south / US 322 east to Penna Turnpike – South Harrisburg, Hershey, York North end of concurrency with US 322 / Capital Beltway; northern terminus of I-83; serves Harrisburg International Airport and Lancaster; South Harrisburg signed southbound; Hershey and Penna Turnpike signed northbound
72.30 116.36 26 72 To US 22 – Paxtonia, Linglestown Access via Mountain Road; signed as exits 72A (south) and 72B (north) northbound; US 22 signed northbound
West Hanover Township 76.60 123.28 27 77 PA 39 – Manada Hill, Hershey
80.30 129.23 28 80 To PA 743 – Grantville, Hershey Access via Bow Creek Road; serves Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course
Lebanon East Hanover Township 85.10 136.96 29 85 PA 934 south – Annville, Fort Indiantown Gap Northern terminus of PA 934; signed as exits 85A (south) and 85B (north) northbound; serves Lebanon Valley College
Union Township 88.50 142.43 89 I-78 east – Allentown Western terminus of I-78; exit 1 on I-78
90.10 145.00 30 90 PA 72 – Lebanon Access via Fisher Avenue
Schuylkill Pine Grove Township 99.30 159.81 31 100 PA 443 – Pine Grove
Tremont Township 104.10 167.53 32 104 PA 125 – Ravine Access via Molleystown Road
Frailey Township 106.60 171.56 33 107 US 209 – Tremont, Tower City
111.30 179.12 34 112 PA 25 – Hegins
Foster Township 115.90 186.52 35 116 PA 901 – Minersville, Mount Carmel
Butler Township 118.40 190.55 35A 119 Highridge Park Road Serves Schuylkill Highridge Business Park, Heckscherville, and Gordon
Frackville 123.70 199.08 36 124 PA 61 – Saint Clair, Frackville Signed as exits 124A (south) and 124B (north)
Mahanoy Township 130.70 210.34 37 131 PA 54 – Hometown, Mahanoy City Signed as exits 131A (east) and 131B (west)
Delano Township 133.50 214.85 38 134 Delano Access via Lakeside Avenue
Kline Township 137.60 221.45 39 138 PA 309 – McAdoo, Tamaqua
Luzerne Hazle Township 141.10 227.08 39A 141 PA 424 east (Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce Beltway) to PA 309 Western terminus of PA 424
142.50 229.33 40 143 PA 924 – Hazleton Serves Humboldt Industrial Park
Sugarloaf Township 145.20 233.68 41 145 PA 93 – West Hazleton Serves Penn State Hazleton
Butler Township 150.50 242.21 151 I-80 – Bloomsburg, Stroudsburg Signed as exits 151A (east) and 151B (west); exit 260 on I-80
Dorrance Township 154.20 248.16 42 155 Dorrance Access via Blue Ridge Trail
Nuangola 158.70 255.40 43 159 Nuangola Access via Church Road
Hanover Township 163.90 263.77 44 164 PA 29 north – Nanticoke Southern terminus of northern segment of PA 29
Wilkes-Barre Township 164.70 265.06 45 165
PA 309 south / PA 309 Bus. north – Wilkes-Barre, Mountain Top
South end of concurrency with PA 309; southern terminus of PA 309 Bus.; signed as exits 165A (south) and 165B (north) northbound
167.90 270.21 46 168 Invalid type: road – Wilkes-Barre Serves Mohegan Sun Arena
Plains Township 169.80 273.27 47 170A PA 115 south – Bear Creek Northern terminus of PA 115
47 170B PA 309 north – Wilkes-Barre Northern terminus of concurrency with PA 309; serves King's College, Wilkes University, Misericordia University, and Penn State Wilkes-Barre
Pittston Township 174.90 281.47 48 175 PA 315 to I-476 / Penna Turnpike NE Extension – Pittston, Dupont To Wyoming Valley Interchange (I 476 / Turnpike exit 115)
Avoca 177.50 285.66 49 178 PA 315 – Avoca, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Airport
Lackawanna Moosic 179.20 288.39 50 180 US 11 / PA 502 – Moosic No southbound access to US 11 north
Scranton 181.50 292.10 51 182 Montage Mountain Road / Davis Street Serves PNC Field and Montage Mountain Ski Resort
183.90 295.96 52 184 To PA 307 / Invalid type: road No southbound exit
184.20 296.44 PA 307 (Moosic Street) Southbound exit only
184.30 296.60 53 185 President Biden Expressway Eastern terminus of President Biden Expressway; serves Steamtown National Historic Site, University of Scranton, and Lackawanna College
Dunmore 186.70 300.46 54 186 Drinker Street Northbound exit and southbound entrance
187.10 301.11 187 I-84 east / I-380 south / US 6 east – Milford, Mount Pocono, Carbondale Throop Dunmore Interchange; south end of concurrency with US 6; western terminus of I-84 and northern terminus of I-380
188.10 302.72 55 188 PA 347 – Throop, Dunmore Serves Penn State Worthington Scranton and Marywood University
Scranton 189.80 305.45 56 190 Invalid type: road – Dickson City
191.00 307.38 57 191
US 6 Bus. / US 11 (North Scranton Expressway) – Dickson City, North Scranton
Signed as exits 191A (US 6 Bus.) and 191B (US 11)
South Abington Township 193.40 311.25 58 194 US 6 west / US 11 / I-476 south / Penna Turnpike NE Extension south – Clarks Summit Clarks Summit Interchange (I-476 / Turnpike exit 131); north end of concurrency with US 6; northern terminus of I-476 / Turnpike Extension
Scott Township 197.20 317.36 59 197 PA 632 – Waverly
198.80 319.94 60 199 PA 524 – Scott
200.50 322.67 61 201 PA 438 – East Benton
Benton Township 201.60 324.44 62 202 PA 107 – Fleetville, Tompkinsville Serves Keystone College
Susquehanna Lenox Township 206.00 331.52 63 206 PA 374 – Glenwood, Lenoxville Serves Elk Mountain Ski Area
211.10 339.73 64 211 PA 106 – Lenox Northbound exit and southbound entrance
211.40 340.22 PA 92 – Lenox Southbound exit and northbound entrance
Harford Township 216.60 348.58 65 217 PA 547 – Harford
New Milford Township 219.30 352.93 66 219 PA 848 – Gibson
New Milford 223.50 359.69 67 223 PA 492 – New Milford, Lakeside
Great Bend Township 230.40 370.79 68 230 PA 171 – Great Bend, Susquehanna
232.63 374.38 I-81 north – Binghamton Continuation into New York
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

References

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External links

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Interstate 81
Previous state:
Maryland
Pennsylvania Next state:
New York