Pennsylvania Route 115
Encyclopedia
Pennsylvania Route 115 (also known by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
as SR 115) is a 35.1 miles (56.5 km) north–south state highway
in eastern Pennsylvania
. It stretches from U.S. Route 209 in Brodheadsville
to Interstate 81 and Pennsylvania Route 309
near Wilkes-Barre
. The road originated as the Sullivan Trail which later became known as the Easton and Wilkes-Barre Turnpike. The road serves as a connector between The Poconos
and the Wyoming Valley
.
PA 115 starts at a Y intersection with U.S. Route 209
in Brodheadsville
. In Tunkhannock Township
, PA 115 meets the northern terminus of Pennsylvania Route 903
. In Tunkhannock Township is also the home of Pocono Raceway
. In Tobyhanna Township
, PA 115 intersects Interstate 80
at exit 284. North of I-80, PA 115 meets Pennsylvania Route 940
in the town of Blakeslee. In Bear Creek Village
, PA 115 is called Bear Creek Boulevard and intersects Interstate 476
the Pennsylvania Turnpike
at exit 105 (Wilkes-Barre
interchange). In Plains Township
outside of Wilkes-Barre
, PA 115 terminates (ends) at an interchange with Interstate 81
(exit 170) and Pennsylvania Route 309
(North Cross Valley Expressway).
to Wilkes-Barre was originally a pathway made by General John Sullivan
and his forces in 1779 during the American Revolution
on their expedition
from Easton to the Wyoming Valley
. George Washington
ordered Sullivan to march upstream the Susquehanna River
to join General James Clinton
's brigade at the Bradford County town of Tioga (now known as Athens
). Soon after, Sullivan's army departed to Newtown
, New York
where they defeated the Iroquois
and Cayuga
Indians
living in Western New York. His campaign was one of the most important military movements in the American Revolution. Some segments of the original path still remain today on PA 115 as Sullivan Trail.
At the turn of the 19th century, the population and economy of Luzerne County continued to grow and there was a necessity for new roads to improve communication between distant settlements. Most of the early merchandise transportation in the area was done by Durham boat
s on the Lehigh
and Susquehanna Rivers. This led Arnold Colt, a Luzerne County clerk, to construct a turnpike
directly connecting the Wyoming and Lehigh Valley
s on Sullivan's Trail. Colt then obtained a charter to incorporate the Easton and Wilkes-Barre Turnpike on February 11, 1803. The first 46 miles (74 km) of the turnpike from Wilkes-Barre to Wind Gap were finished by 1807. The road was completed by 1815 at a total expense of US$
75,000.
The turnpike was initially used as major thoroughfare for conveying grains and plaster
during War of 1812
. When Northampton County farmers could not afford shipped plaster from the Eastern seaboard
they became interested in New York plaster. The plaster was transported from New York via the Susquehanna River
then onto the turnpike on wagons and sleds. Transporting this product became the turnpike's legacy as it transformed the road into an important commercial line.
By the 1850s, the transport industry heavily favored train
s over wagons and sleds. In 1851, the Lackawanna and Western Railroad was completed, connecting Scranton to upstate New York. The new railroad shortened the time required to ship goods between the two endpoints from ten days (by way of roads) to just one. The amount of traffic on the turnpike declined as a result. By the 1850s, the turnpike company had folded and the highway was abandoned. From Bear Creek to Tobyhanna Township
the name Easton and Wilkes-Barre Road is still marked on PA 115. The former southern extension of PA 115 from Brodheadsville to Wind Gap is marked as the Wilkes-Barre Turnpike.
to Easton was adopted as Legislative Route 166. The first traffic routes were assigned in 1924 and by 1927, the state had assigned LR 169 as Pennsylvania Route 15 only to be renumbered the following year as PA 115.
When PA 115 was commissioned in 1928, the road was mostly aligned east–west and stretched from U.S. Route 220
in Montoursville
to U.S. Route 611 in Mount Pocono
. From Swiftwater to Tobyhanna Township
the road followed present-day Pennsylvania Routes 940
and 314
. The former routing from Montoursville to Wilkes-Barre became Pennsylvania Routes 309
, 118
, 154
, and 87
. During the Great Depression
, the southern branch of PA 115 was lengthened to U.S. Route 611 in Easton
on the Sullivan Trail and the northern terminus was moved to the Montour County
municipality of Mausdale along Pennsylvania Routes 254 and 642
.
After World War II
, PA 115 was extended west to Pennsylvania Route 14
(currently PA 405
) in Milton
on modern PA 642. The northern terminus was moved from Milton to U.S. Route 220 in Hughesville
during the 1950s; this segment of the road followed what is now PA 118. By 1960, PA 115 was moved onto a limited-access road
(now PA 33) from Saylorsburg to Pennsylvania Route 512
. The portion of PA 115's former surface alignment in Northampton County
between Center Square in Easton and PA 191
in Stockertown
is now designated as State Route 2025, an unsigned quadrant route. By 1962, the northern terminus of PA 115 was moved from Hughesville to U.S. Route 309 (now PA 309 Business) in Wilkes-Barre Township
. In Wilkes-Barre, it used to followed Kidder Street, Butler Street, Main Street, Courtright Street, Carey Avenue, and crossed the Susquehanna River
on Pierce Street.
By 1972, the southern terminus was truncated from Easton to its current location. The road followed Sullivan Trail, Third Street, College Avenue, Catell Avenue, and Knox Avenue through Easton. PA 115 was extended back to its former alignments by 1980 via Kidder, Scott, Butler, and Pierce Streets through Wilkes-Barre and ended at U.S. Route 11
in Kingston
. The route was truncated to PA 309 at the intersection of Kidder and Spring Streets in Wilkes-Barre by 1989. A year later, the northern terminus was moved to its current location when the North Cross-Valley Expressway
(PA 309) was completed.
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation oversees transportation issues in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The administrator of PennDOT is the Pennsylvania Secretary of Transportation, currently Barry Schoch Presently, PennDOT supports over of state roads and highways, about 25,000...
as SR 115) is a 35.1 miles (56.5 km) north–south state highway
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
in eastern Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. It stretches from U.S. Route 209 in Brodheadsville
Brodheadsville, Pennsylvania
Brodheadsville is a census-designated place in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,637 at the 2000 census. The community is served by Pleasant Valley School District.-Geography:...
to Interstate 81 and Pennsylvania Route 309
Pennsylvania Route 309
Pennsylvania Route 309 is a major highway which runs for 134 miles through Pennsylvania in the United States. It connects Philadelphia and its northern suburbs to Allentown, Hazleton, and Wilkes-Barre. A limited-access highway portion of PA 309 in the Wilkes-Barre area is known as the North...
near Wilkes-Barre
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre is a city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, the county seat of Luzerne County. It is at the center of the Wyoming Valley area and is one of the principal cities in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area, which had a population of 563,631 as of the 2010 Census...
. The road originated as the Sullivan Trail which later became known as the Easton and Wilkes-Barre Turnpike. The road serves as a connector between The Poconos
The Poconos
The Pocono Mountains is a region located in northeastern Pennsylvania, United States. The Poconos, located chiefly in Monroe and Pike counties , are an upland of the larger Allegheny Plateau...
and the Wyoming Valley
Wyoming Valley
Wyoming Valley is a region of northeastern Pennsylvania. As a metropolitan area, it is also known as the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area, after its principal cities, Scranton and Wilkes-Barre....
.
Route description
U.S. Route 209
U.S. Route 209 is a long U.S. highway in the states of Pennsylvania and New York. Although the route is a spur of U.S. Route 9, US 209 never intersects US 9, making the connection via U.S. Route 9W instead. The southern terminus of the route is at Pennsylvania...
in Brodheadsville
Brodheadsville, Pennsylvania
Brodheadsville is a census-designated place in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,637 at the 2000 census. The community is served by Pleasant Valley School District.-Geography:...
. In Tunkhannock Township
Tunkhannock Township, Monroe County, Pennsylvania
Tunkhannock Township is a township in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 4,983 at the 2000 census. The Pocono Raceway is located within the township.-Geography:...
, PA 115 meets the northern terminus of Pennsylvania Route 903
Pennsylvania Route 903
Pennsylvania Route 903 is a long state highway located in Carbon and Monroe counties in Pennsylvania. The southern terminus is at US 209 in Jim Thorpe. The northern terminus is at PA 115 in Tunkhannock Township....
. In Tunkhannock Township is also the home of Pocono Raceway
Pocono Raceway
Pocono Raceway also known as the Tricky Triangle, is a superspeedway located in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania at Long Pond...
. In Tobyhanna Township
Tobyhanna Township, Pennsylvania
Tobyhanna Township is a township in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 6,152 at the 2000 census. Tobyhanna Township has Tobyhanna Elementary Center and Locust Lake Village.-Geography:...
, PA 115 intersects Interstate 80
Interstate 80
Interstate 80 is the second-longest Interstate Highway in the United States, following Interstate 90. It is a transcontinental artery running from downtown San Francisco, California to Teaneck, New Jersey in the New York City Metropolitan Area...
at exit 284. North of I-80, PA 115 meets Pennsylvania Route 940
Pennsylvania Route 940
Pennsylvania Route 940 is a long Pennsylvania highway located in the sparsely-developed Poconos. It runs from Pennsylvania Route 309 in Hazleton to Pennsylvania Route 191 in Paradise Valley. Large segments of PA 940 are located in densely forested areas....
in the town of Blakeslee. In Bear Creek Village
Bear Creek Village, Pennsylvania
Bear Creek Village is a borough in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 284 at the 2000 census. It was incorporated on August 25, 1993 from portions of Bear Creek Township.-Geography:...
, PA 115 is called Bear Creek Boulevard and intersects Interstate 476
Interstate 476
Interstate 476 is a auxiliary Interstate Highway in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania designated between Interstate 95 near Chester and Interstate 81 near Scranton, serving as the primary north–south Interstate corridor through eastern Pennsylvania....
the Pennsylvania Turnpike
Pennsylvania Turnpike
The Pennsylvania Turnpike is a toll highway system operated by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States. The three sections of the turnpike system total . The main section extends from Ohio to New Jersey and is long...
at exit 105 (Wilkes-Barre
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre is a city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, the county seat of Luzerne County. It is at the center of the Wyoming Valley area and is one of the principal cities in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area, which had a population of 563,631 as of the 2010 Census...
interchange). In Plains Township
Plains Township, Pennsylvania
Plains Township is a township in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania in the greater metropolitan area of the city of Wilkes-Barre. The population was 10,906 at the 2000 census. Plains Township is the location of Pennsylvania's first casino, Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs...
outside of Wilkes-Barre
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre is a city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, the county seat of Luzerne County. It is at the center of the Wyoming Valley area and is one of the principal cities in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area, which had a population of 563,631 as of the 2010 Census...
, PA 115 terminates (ends) at an interchange with Interstate 81
Interstate 81
Interstate 81 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern part of the United States. Its southern terminus is at Interstate 40 in Dandridge, Tennessee; its northern terminus is on Wellesley Island at the Canadian border, where the Thousand Islands Bridge connects it to Highway 401, the main freeway...
(exit 170) and Pennsylvania Route 309
Pennsylvania Route 309
Pennsylvania Route 309 is a major highway which runs for 134 miles through Pennsylvania in the United States. It connects Philadelphia and its northern suburbs to Allentown, Hazleton, and Wilkes-Barre. A limited-access highway portion of PA 309 in the Wilkes-Barre area is known as the North...
(North Cross Valley Expressway).
Old roads
PA 115 from EastonEaston, Pennsylvania
Easton is a city in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 26,800 as of the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Northampton County....
to Wilkes-Barre was originally a pathway made by General John Sullivan
John Sullivan
John Sullivan was the third son of Irish immigrants, a United States general in the Revolutionary War, a delegate in the Continental Congress and a United States federal judge....
and his forces in 1779 during the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
on their expedition
Sullivan Expedition
The Sullivan Expedition, also known as the Sullivan-Clinton Expedition, was an American campaign led by Major General John Sullivan and Brigadier General James Clinton against Loyalists and the four nations of the Iroquois who had sided with the British in the American Revolutionary War.The...
from Easton to the Wyoming Valley
Wyoming Valley
Wyoming Valley is a region of northeastern Pennsylvania. As a metropolitan area, it is also known as the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area, after its principal cities, Scranton and Wilkes-Barre....
. George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
ordered Sullivan to march upstream the Susquehanna River
Susquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
to join General James Clinton
James Clinton
James Clinton was an American Revolutionary War soldier who obtained the rank of major general.He was born in Ulster County in the colony of New York, in a location now part of Orange County, New York...
's brigade at the Bradford County town of Tioga (now known as Athens
Athens, Pennsylvania
Athens is a borough in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, two miles south of the N. Y. State line on the Susquehanna and Chemung rivers. Population in 1900, 3,749; and in 1910, 3,796. The population was 3,415 at the 2000 census...
). Soon after, Sullivan's army departed to Newtown
Battle of Newtown
The Battle of Newtown , also known as the Battle of Chemung, was the only major battle of the Sullivan Expedition, an armed offensive led by General John Sullivan that was ordered by the Continental Congress to end the threat of the Iroquois who had sided with the British in the American...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
where they defeated the Iroquois
Iroquois
The Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
and Cayuga
Cayuga nation
The Cayuga people was one of the five original constituents of the Haudenosaunee , a confederacy of American Indians in New York. The Cayuga homeland lay in the Finger Lakes region along Cayuga Lake, between their league neighbors, the Onondaga to the east and the Seneca to the west...
Indians
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
living in Western New York. His campaign was one of the most important military movements in the American Revolution. Some segments of the original path still remain today on PA 115 as Sullivan Trail.
At the turn of the 19th century, the population and economy of Luzerne County continued to grow and there was a necessity for new roads to improve communication between distant settlements. Most of the early merchandise transportation in the area was done by Durham boat
Durham Boat
The Durham boat was a large wooden boat produced by the Durham Boat Company of Durham, Pennsylvania, starting in 1750. They were designed by company owner Robert Durham to navigate the Delaware River and thus transport the products produced by the Durham Forges and Durham Mills to Trenton, New...
s on the Lehigh
Lehigh River
The Lehigh River, a tributary of the Delaware River, is a river located in eastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. Part of the Lehigh, along with a number of its tributaries, is designated a Pennsylvania Scenic River by the state's Department of Conservation and Natural Resources...
and Susquehanna Rivers. This led Arnold Colt, a Luzerne County clerk, to construct a turnpike
Toll road
A toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
directly connecting the Wyoming and Lehigh Valley
Lehigh Valley
The Lehigh Valley, known officially by the United States Census Bureau as the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metropolitan area and referred to locally as The Valley and A-B-E, is a metropolitan region consisting of Lehigh, Northampton, Berks, and Carbon counties in eastern Pennsylvania and...
s on Sullivan's Trail. Colt then obtained a charter to incorporate the Easton and Wilkes-Barre Turnpike on February 11, 1803. The first 46 miles (74 km) of the turnpike from Wilkes-Barre to Wind Gap were finished by 1807. The road was completed by 1815 at a total expense of US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
75,000.
The turnpike was initially used as major thoroughfare for conveying grains and plaster
Plaster
Plaster is a building material used for coating walls and ceilings. Plaster starts as a dry powder similar to mortar or cement and like those materials it is mixed with water to form a paste which liberates heat and then hardens. Unlike mortar and cement, plaster remains quite soft after setting,...
during War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
. When Northampton County farmers could not afford shipped plaster from the Eastern seaboard
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
they became interested in New York plaster. The plaster was transported from New York via the Susquehanna River
Susquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
then onto the turnpike on wagons and sleds. Transporting this product became the turnpike's legacy as it transformed the road into an important commercial line.
By the 1850s, the transport industry heavily favored train
Train
A train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...
s over wagons and sleds. In 1851, the Lackawanna and Western Railroad was completed, connecting Scranton to upstate New York. The new railroad shortened the time required to ship goods between the two endpoints from ten days (by way of roads) to just one. The amount of traffic on the turnpike declined as a result. By the 1850s, the turnpike company had folded and the highway was abandoned. From Bear Creek to Tobyhanna Township
Tobyhanna Township, Pennsylvania
Tobyhanna Township is a township in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 6,152 at the 2000 census. Tobyhanna Township has Tobyhanna Elementary Center and Locust Lake Village.-Geography:...
the name Easton and Wilkes-Barre Road is still marked on PA 115. The former southern extension of PA 115 from Brodheadsville to Wind Gap is marked as the Wilkes-Barre Turnpike.
Designation
When Pennsylvania began maintenance over roads by the way of the Sproul Road Bill in May 1911, the Luzerne County portion of present-day PA 115 was adopted as Legislative Route 169, the primary connector between Wilkes-Barre and the Poconos. The former southernmost segment of the route from SaylorsburgHamilton Township, Monroe County, Pennsylvania
Hamilton Township is a township in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 8,235 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water...
to Easton was adopted as Legislative Route 166. The first traffic routes were assigned in 1924 and by 1927, the state had assigned LR 169 as Pennsylvania Route 15 only to be renumbered the following year as PA 115.
When PA 115 was commissioned in 1928, the road was mostly aligned east–west and stretched from U.S. Route 220
U.S. Route 220
U.S. Route 220 is a long U.S. Route in the eastern United States.US 220 is a spur route of U.S. Route 20 but at present, the two routes do not intersect nor do they connect via other spurs of US 20. The former U. S. Route 120, which was signed in Pennsylvania between 1926 and 1967, intersected...
in Montoursville
Montoursville, Pennsylvania
Montoursville is a borough in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the borough population was 4,777. It is part of the Williamsport, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. It was named for Madame Montour, a Native American leader and skilled interpreter...
to U.S. Route 611 in Mount Pocono
Mount Pocono, Pennsylvania
Mount Pocono is a borough in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is located in the Poconos region of the state.As of the 2000 census, the borough population was 2,742.-Geography:Mount Pocono is located at ....
. From Swiftwater to Tobyhanna Township
Tobyhanna Township, Pennsylvania
Tobyhanna Township is a township in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 6,152 at the 2000 census. Tobyhanna Township has Tobyhanna Elementary Center and Locust Lake Village.-Geography:...
the road followed present-day Pennsylvania Routes 940
Pennsylvania Route 940
Pennsylvania Route 940 is a long Pennsylvania highway located in the sparsely-developed Poconos. It runs from Pennsylvania Route 309 in Hazleton to Pennsylvania Route 191 in Paradise Valley. Large segments of PA 940 are located in densely forested areas....
and 314
Pennsylvania Route 314
Pennsylvania Route 314 is an state highway located in Monroe County, Pennsylvania. The western terminus is at PA 940 in Pocono Summit. The eastern terminus is at PA 715 in Pocono Township.-Route description:...
. The former routing from Montoursville to Wilkes-Barre became Pennsylvania Routes 309
Pennsylvania Route 309
Pennsylvania Route 309 is a major highway which runs for 134 miles through Pennsylvania in the United States. It connects Philadelphia and its northern suburbs to Allentown, Hazleton, and Wilkes-Barre. A limited-access highway portion of PA 309 in the Wilkes-Barre area is known as the North...
, 118
Pennsylvania Route 118
Route 118 is a long state route located in northeastern Pennsylvania. The western terminus of the route is at PA 405 in Hughesville. The eastern terminus is at PA 415 in Dallas...
, 154
Pennsylvania Route 154
Pennsylvania Route 154 is a 32-mile-long northwest-southeast state highway located in northern Pennsylvania. The southern terminus is at U.S. Route 220 in Laporte. The northern terminus of the route is at PA 414 in Canton....
, and 87
Pennsylvania Route 87
Pennsylvania Route 87 is a long north–south state highway located in northern Pennsylvania. The southern terminus of the route is at exit 21 of Interstate 180 and U.S. Route 220 in Montoursville. The northern terminus is at U.S. Route 6 in Washington Township.The road is called Loyalsock...
. During the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, the southern branch of PA 115 was lengthened to U.S. Route 611 in Easton
Easton, Pennsylvania
Easton is a city in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 26,800 as of the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Northampton County....
on the Sullivan Trail and the northern terminus was moved to the Montour County
Montour County, Pennsylvania
Montour County is located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. In 2010, the county's population was 18,267. Its county seat is Danville. It is named for Andrew Montour, a prominent métis interpreter who served with George Washington during the French and Indian War. The county is part of the...
municipality of Mausdale along Pennsylvania Routes 254 and 642
Pennsylvania Route 642
Pennsylvania Route 642 is an long state highway located in Union, Northumberland, Montour, and Columbia counties in Pennsylvania. The western terminus is at US 15 in Kelly Township. The eastern terminus is at PA 254 in Madison Township....
.
After World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, PA 115 was extended west to Pennsylvania Route 14
Pennsylvania Route 14
Pennsylvania Route 14 is a Pennsylvania highway that runs for . It runs from U.S. Route 15 in Trout Run, Pennsylvania to the New York-Pennsylvania border at Fassett, Pennsylvania, co-signed with U.S. Route 6 for a short distance in Troy...
(currently PA 405
Pennsylvania Route 405
Pennsylvania Route 405 is a state highway that runs for in north central Pennsylvania, United States. The southern terminus of Pennsylvania Route 147 in West Chillisquaque Township...
) in Milton
Milton, Pennsylvania
Milton is a borough in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, on the Susquehanna River, north of Harrisburg. Settled in 1770, it was incorporated in 1817, and is governed by a charter that was revised in 1890...
on modern PA 642. The northern terminus was moved from Milton to U.S. Route 220 in Hughesville
Hughesville, Pennsylvania
Hughesville is a borough in Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,220 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Williamsport, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
during the 1950s; this segment of the road followed what is now PA 118. By 1960, PA 115 was moved onto a limited-access road
Limited-access road
A limited-access road known by various terms worldwide, including limited-access highway, dual-carriageway and expressway, is a highway or arterial road for high-speed traffic which has many or most characteristics of a controlled-access highway , including limited or no access to adjacent...
(now PA 33) from Saylorsburg to Pennsylvania Route 512
Pennsylvania Route 512
Pennsylvania Route 512 is a long state route in eastern Pennsylvania. The southern terminus is at U.S. Route 22 north of Bethlehem. The northern terminus is at Pennsylvania Route 611 in Upper Mount Bethel Township.-Route description:...
. The portion of PA 115's former surface alignment in Northampton County
Northampton County, Pennsylvania
As of the 2010 census, the county was 86.3% White, 5.0% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American or Alaskan Native, 2.4% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian, 2.2% were two or more races, and 3.8% were some other race. 10.5% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry.As of the census of...
between Center Square in Easton and PA 191
Pennsylvania Route 191
Pennsylvania Route 191 is a -long state highway in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The route, a major non-freeway corridor connecting the Lehigh Valley to The Poconos in eastern Pennsylvania, is designated from U.S...
in Stockertown
Stockertown, Pennsylvania
Stockertown is a borough in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located in the Lehigh Valley region of the state.The small borough contains large industries, such as, Hercules Cement, Polymer Products, and Praxair. The Borough is located within a 2-mile radius and provides...
is now designated as State Route 2025, an unsigned quadrant route. By 1962, the northern terminus of PA 115 was moved from Hughesville to U.S. Route 309 (now PA 309 Business) in Wilkes-Barre Township
Wilkes-Barre Township, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre Township is a township in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,235 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Wilkes-Barre Township is located at ....
. In Wilkes-Barre, it used to followed Kidder Street, Butler Street, Main Street, Courtright Street, Carey Avenue, and crossed the Susquehanna River
Susquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
on Pierce Street.
By 1972, the southern terminus was truncated from Easton to its current location. The road followed Sullivan Trail, Third Street, College Avenue, Catell Avenue, and Knox Avenue through Easton. PA 115 was extended back to its former alignments by 1980 via Kidder, Scott, Butler, and Pierce Streets through Wilkes-Barre and ended at U.S. Route 11
U.S. Route 11
U.S. Route 11 is a north–south United States highway extending 1,645 miles across the eastern United States. The southern terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 90 in the Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge in eastern New Orleans, Louisiana. The northern terminus is at the United...
in Kingston
Kingston, Pennsylvania
Kingston is a municipality located in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States, on the Susquehanna River opposite Wilkes Barre. Kingston was incorporated as a borough in 1857. Kingston has adopted a home rule charter which became effective in January 1976. It is part of the greater metropolitan...
. The route was truncated to PA 309 at the intersection of Kidder and Spring Streets in Wilkes-Barre by 1989. A year later, the northern terminus was moved to its current location when the North Cross-Valley Expressway
Pennsylvania Route 309
Pennsylvania Route 309 is a major highway which runs for 134 miles through Pennsylvania in the United States. It connects Philadelphia and its northern suburbs to Allentown, Hazleton, and Wilkes-Barre. A limited-access highway portion of PA 309 in the Wilkes-Barre area is known as the North...
(PA 309) was completed.