U.S. Route 6 in Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
- Pennsylvania Route 6 redirects here. For the short-lived Pennsylvania Traffic Route, now U.S. Route 219, see Pennsylvania Route 6 (1920s).
- "PA 6" and "PA 7" redirect here. For the congressional districts, see and .
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of 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...
from the Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
state line near Pymatuning Reservoir east to the Mid-Delaware Bridge
Mid-Delaware Bridge
The Mid-Delaware Bridge, sometimes known as the Port Jervis-Matamoras Bridge or the Fourth Barrett Bridge, is a continuous truss bridge which carries U.S. Routes 6 and 209 across that river between those two communities and thus the states of New York and Pennsylvania...
over the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
into Port Jervis, New York
Port Jervis, New York
Port Jervis is a city on the Delaware River in western Orange County, New York, with a population of 8,860 at the 2000 census. The communities of Deerpark, Huguenot, Sparrowbush, and Greenville are adjacent to Port Jervis, and the towns of Montague, New Jersey and Matamoras, Pennsylvania face the...
. It is the longest highway segment in the Commonwealth. Most of it is a two-lane rural highway, with some freeway bypasses around larger towns. Except east of Scranton, where it is paralleled by Interstate 84, it is the main route in its corridor. What is now Interstate 80—the Keystone Shortway—was once planned along the US 6 corridor as a western extension of I-84. The corridor was originally the Roosevelt Highway from Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie is a city located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the United States. Named for the lake and the Native American tribe that resided along its southern shore, Erie is the state's fourth-largest city , with a population of 102,000...
to Port Jervis, New York
Port Jervis, New York
Port Jervis is a city on the Delaware River in western Orange County, New York, with a population of 8,860 at the 2000 census. The communities of Deerpark, Huguenot, Sparrowbush, and Greenville are adjacent to Port Jervis, and the towns of Montague, New Jersey and Matamoras, Pennsylvania face the...
, designated Pennsylvania Route 7 in 1924. The PA 7 designation soon disappeared, but as US 6 was extended and relocated, the Roosevelt Highway followed it. The Pennsylvania section of US 6 was renamed the Grand Army of the Republic Highway in 1946; this name was applied to its full transcontinental length by 1953.
US 6 meets with U.S. Route 19 near Meadville, where it turns north with US 19 to a point east of Edinboro. There it turns east (while U.S. Route 6N heads west to U.S. Route 20 at West Springfield) and passes through the Northern Tier of Pennsylvania. At Towanda it turns more southeasterly to reach Scranton, then turning back northeast out of Scranton to Carbondale and generally east and southeast to New York.
History
As approved by the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO) on November 11, 1926, the west end of US 6 was at Kane, where U.S. Route 120 continued west to Erie. (US 6 ended concurrent with U.S. Route 219, which ran east to Mt. Jewett along US 6 before turning north to New YorkNew 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...
.) US 6 also used present Pennsylvania Route 706
Pennsylvania Route 706
Pennsylvania Route 706 is a long state highway in Pennsylvania. The western terminus is at U.S. Route 6 in Wyalusing, and the eastern terminus is at U.S. Route 11 in Milford.- Major intersections :- History :...
, U.S. Route 11 and Pennsylvania Route 106
Pennsylvania Route 106
Pennsylvania Traffic Route 106 is a long state highway located in both Susquehanna and Lackawanna counties in Pennsylvania. Route 106 begins at a fork from U.S. Route 11 in the community of Kingsley. The route heads southeasterly for most of its length, interchanging with...
between Wyalusing and Carbondale, while U.S. Route 106 took the southerly route via Scranton.
By the end of 1927, US 6 had replaced US 120 in running west from Kane to Erie (making US 120 no longer connect to its "parent" U.S. Route 20), and had swapped places with US 106 via Scranton; this took it along the Jefferson Highway
Jefferson Highway
The Jefferson Highway was an automobile highway stretching through the central United States from New Orleans, Louisiana, to Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. The Jefferson Highway was replaced with the new numbered US Highway system in the late 1920s...
. It was defined by AASHO to serve the following places in Pennsylvania: Erie, Waterford, Corry, Warren, Kane, Farmers Valley
Farmers Valley, Pennsylvania
Farmers Valley is an unincorporated community in Keating Township, McKean County, Pennsylvania, United States, between Coryville and Smethport.- References :...
, Coudersport, Wellsboro, Canoe Camp, Mansfield, Towanda, Wyalusing, Tunkhannock, Clarks Summit, Scranton, Carbondale, Honesdale, Milford, and Matamoras. By 1930 its west end was at 26th Street (U.S. Route 20) and State Street (US 6 - now Pennsylvania Route 505
Pennsylvania Route 505
Pennsylvania Route 505 is a 2 mile long state highway located in northwest Pennsylvania. The route is a continuation of Pennsylvania Route 97 along the Perry Highway and ends at U.S. Route 20 in Erie as Glenwood Park Avenue....
) in Erie. (By then U.S. Route 19 ended a block to the west on Peach Street, where it still ends today.)
This original routing deviates majorly from present US 6 in the following places, roughly using the following current routes:
- Pennsylvania Route 505Pennsylvania Route 505Pennsylvania Route 505 is a 2 mile long state highway located in northwest Pennsylvania. The route is a continuation of Pennsylvania Route 97 along the Perry Highway and ends at U.S. Route 20 in Erie as Glenwood Park Avenue....
and Pennsylvania Route 97, Erie to Union City - Pennsylvania Route 46Pennsylvania Route 46Pennsylvania Route 46 is a long state highway located in northern Pennsylvania. The southern terminus of the route is at Pennsylvania Route 120 in Emporium. The northern terminus is at the Bradford Bypass, carrying U.S...
, Pennsylvania Route 446Pennsylvania Route 446Pennsylvania Route 446 is an long state highway located in McKean county in Pennsylvania. The southern terminus is at Route 46 in the Keating Township neighborhood of Farmers Valley. The northern terminus is at the New York state line near Portville, New York. Route 446 is mountainous...
and Pennsylvania Route 155Pennsylvania Route 155Pennsylvania Route 155 is an long state highway located in Cameron, Potter and McKean counties in Pennsylvania. The southern terminus is at PA 120 in Emporium...
, Smethport to Port Allegany - Pennsylvania Route 660Pennsylvania Route 660Pennsylvania Route 660 is a long state highway located in Tioga county in Pennsylvania. The western terminus is at the entrance of Leonard Harrison State Park. The eastern terminus is at US 15 and US 15 BUS in Richmond Township.-Major intersections:...
and U.S. Route 15 Business west of Mansfield
- Pennsylvania Route 92Pennsylvania Route 92Pennsylvania Route 92 is a long north–south state highway located in northeast Pennsylvania. The southern terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 11 in West Pittston. The northern terminus is at the New York-Pennsylvania border in Oakland Township, where PA 92 continues northward as New York...
and Pennsylvania Route 307Pennsylvania Route 307Pennsylvania Route 307 is a north–south route of the Pennsylvania Highway System that runs for . The southern terminus is Pennsylvania Route 435 in Covington Township and the northern terminus is Pennsylvania Route 92 in Tunkhannock Township...
, Tunkhannock to Clarks Summit
In 1931, US 6 was extended west to Greeley, Colorado
Greeley, Colorado
The City of Greeley is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Weld County, Colorado, United States. Greeley is located in the region known as Northern Colorado. Greeley is situated north-northeast of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver. According to the...
. It left its old route - which then became U.S. Route 6N - at Waterford, and headed south on former Pennsylvania Route 5 and U.S. Route 19 and west on U.S. Route 322 and former Pennsylvania Route 77
Pennsylvania Route 77
Pennsylvania Route 77 is a long east–west state highway located in northwest Pennsylvania. The western terminus of the route is at Pennsylvania Route 27 in Meadville...
into Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. This whole section from Waterford to Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
was regarded as temporary, but the only change was a relocation by 1936 along Pennsylvania Route 79 from Union City west to US 19 south of Waterford. (Former US 6 from Mount Union to Waterford became Pennsylvania Route 97. At the same time, US 6N was moved to the rest of former PA 79 from US 19 west to U.S. Route 20 - its current route.)
Since then, only minor realignments and bypasses have been made to the route of US 6.