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U.S. Route 62 (US 62) is a signed north-south U.S. Highway that is located in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in the United States. It stretches diagonally southwest-northeast through the industrial northwestern part of the commonwealth.
U.S. Route 62 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 US 62 highlighted in red and US 62 Business in blue | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Maintained by PennDOT | ||||
| Length | 119 mi[1] (192 km) | |||
| Existed | 1932[2]–present | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| South end |  US 62 at Ohio border in Sharon | |||
| North end | US 62 at New York border in Pine Grove Township | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| State | Pennsylvania | |||
| Counties | Mercer, Venango, Forest, Warren | |||
| Highway system | ||||
| ||||
Although initial portions of the route opened in 1926 in other areas of the country, US 62 was not designated in the commonwealth until 1932. The highway connects the small cities of Sharon, Franklin, Oil City, and Warren to larger markets, such as Youngstown, Ohio and Buffalo, New York.
Route description edit
U.S. Route 62 enters Pennsylvania from Ohio as part of the Shenango Valley Freeway. Four lanes, winding, and with limited stop lights, the road, which was built in 1958, bypasses the city of Sharon. A business route is signed on the former path of the highway. After passing through Sharon, the road reverts to two lane status, as it travels toward Mercer, the county seat of Mercer County.
Here, it briefly joins US 19 through the center of town. The road then turns sharply toward a north-northeast alignment and features an interchange with Interstate 79. After cutting through rural Mercer and Venango counties, US 62 reaches the twin industrial towns of Franklin and Oil City. In Franklin, the highway is briefly cosigned with US 322, as it passes through the west side of town. The road then joins PA 8 to form a four–lane riverfront connector between the two towns.
Immediately before entering Oil City, the roads split, with US 62 branching off to cross the Allegheny River over the Petroleum Street Bridge and serve the south side of town. After crossing this 1995 girder structure, which replaced a 1910 truss bridge, the highway remains four lanes until leaving the municipality.
The Allegheny River is only rarely out of sight as the highway winds its way through Venango and Forest Counties, crossing from the south bank to the north by way of the Hunter Station Bridge, an unusual 1934 truss design. It crosses the river a third time on the Tionesta Bridge, a 1961 girder structure that set the tone for 1980s–90s replacements of a series of historic bridges along the waterway.
While traveling through Forest and into Warren County, the road is oriented in a north-south direction, which is reflected in its guide signs, despite the national route’s east-west direction. The route passes through the Allegheny Islands Wilderness, crosses the river again via the Irvine Bridge, and subsequently joins with US 6 via a trumpet interchange to form part of the freeway bypass of Warren, which was constructed in 1969. The routes divide near the city center, and US 62 follows a narrow path of city streets in the old city core before becoming a four–lane highway north of the town. The highway becomes a two–lane road again as it heads toward the New York boundary.
History edit
US 62 was designated in Pennsylvania in 1932, replacing PA 65 between the Ohio border near Sharon and Franklin, PA 8 between Franklin and Oil City, PA 57 between Oil City and Fryburg, and PA 66 between Fryburg and the New York border. Signs were installed by June 1 of that year.[2]
Major intersections edit
This section is missing mileposts for junctions. |
| County | Location[3] | mi | km | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercer | Sharon |  US 62 west – Youngstown | Continues into Ohio | ||
  US 62 Bus. north (Irvine Avenue) | Southern terminus of US 62 Bus. | ||||
  PA 718 / PA 760 (South Dock Street) – Farrell, Wheatland | Interchange | ||||
 PA 518 (Stambaugh Avenue) | |||||
| Hermitage |  PA 418 (Maple Drive) | ||||
    PA 18 (South Hermitage Road) to I-376 / I-80 | |||||
  US 62 Bus. south (State Street) to PA 18 north | Roundabout; northern terminus of US 62 Bus. | ||||
| Mercer |  PA 258 north (North Maple Street) – Clark | Southern end of PA 258 concurrency | |||
  PA 158 south (South Shenango Street) to PA 318 | Northern terminus of PA 158 | ||||
 US 19 south (South Erie Street) to I-80 – Zelienople  PA 58 east / PA 258 south (Diamond Street) | Northern end of PA 258 concurrency; southern end of US 19 and PA 58 concurrencies | ||||
| PA 58 west (Greenville Road) – Greenville | Northern end of PA 58 concurrency | ||||
| Coolspring Township | US 19 north (Perry Highway) – Meadville | Northern end of US 19 concurrency | |||
| Jackson Township |  I-79 – Erie, Pittsburgh | I-79 exit 121 | |||
 PA 965 east (Henderson Road) – Polk, Franklin | Western terminus of PA 965 | ||||
| Sandy Lake Township |  PA 845 north (Walnut Street) – Stoneboro | Southern terminus of PA 845 | |||
| Sandy Lake |  PA 173 south (South Main Street) | Southern end of PA 173 concurrency | |||
PA 173 north (North Main Street)  PA 358 west (Lake Street) to I-79 | Northern end of PA 173 concurrency; eastern terminus of PA 358 | ||||
| Venango | Victory Township | PA 965 west (Jackson Center-Polk Road) – Jackson Center | Eastern terminus of PA 965 | ||
| French Creek Township |  PA 8 south (Pittsburgh Road) to I-80 – Butler | Southern end of PA 8 concurrency | |||
| Franklin |  US 322 west (13th Street) | Southern end of US 322 concurrency | |||
| US 322 east (Liberty Street) | Northern end of US 322 concurrency | ||||
| Oil City | PA 8 north (Main Street) – Titusville  PA 428 north (Halyday Street) | Northern end of PA 8 concurrency; southern terminus of PA 428 | |||
 PA 257 south – Cranberry | Northern terminus of PA 257 | ||||
| Cranberry Township |  PA 157 east – Fryburg | Eastern terminus of PA 157 | |||
| Forest | Tionesta Township |  PA 36 north (Colonel Drake Highway) – Pleasantville | Southern end of PA 36 concurrency | ||
| Tionesta | PA 36 south (Elm Street) – Brookville | Northern end of PA 36 concurrency | |||
| Hickory Township |  PA 127 north (Main Street) – West Hickory | Southern terminus of PA 127 | |||
 PA 666 east – Endeavor | Western terminus of PA 666 | ||||
| Warren | Limestone Township | PA 127 south (Buckingham Street) – Tidioute | Northern terminus of PA 127 | ||
| Brokenstraw Township |  US 6 west (Grand Army of the Republic Highway) – Youngsville | Southern end of US 6 concurrency; interchange | |||
| Warren | US 6 east (Grand Army of the Republic Highway) US 6 Bus. begins | Northern end of US 6 concurrency; southern end of US 6 Bus. concurrency; interchange | |||
| US 6 Bus. east (Pennsylvania Avenue West) | Northern end of US 6 Bus. concurrency | ||||
| Conewango Township |  PA 69 north (Jackson Run Road) – Sugar Grove | Southern terminus of PA 69 | |||
| Pine Grove Township |  PA 957 west – Sugar Grove | Eastern terminus of PA 957 | |||
| US 62 north – Jamestown | Continues into New York | ||||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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See also edit
References edit
- ^ Google (June 29, 2013). "U.S. Route 62 in Pennsylvania" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
- ^ a b "No. 62 Designated As New Number Of Route Through Franklin". The News-Herald. Franklin, PA. February 18, 1932. p. 2. Retrieved May 25, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Video Log". Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Retrieved June 10, 2016.
External links edit
