Pennsylvania Route 56
PA 56 highlighted in red and PA 56 Truck in blue | ||||
Route information | ||||
Maintained by PennDOT and City of New Kensington | ||||
Length | 108.055 mi[1] (173.898 km) | |||
Major junctions | ||||
West end | C.L. Schmitt Bridge in New Kensington | |||
East end | ![]() | |||
Location | ||||
Country | United States | |||
State | Pennsylvania | |||
Counties | Westmoreland, Armstrong, Indiana, Cambria, Somerset, Bedford | |||
Highway system | ||||
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Pennsylvania Route 56 (PA 56) is a 108-mile-long (174 km) state highway that is located in west central Pennsylvania in the United States.
Its western terminus is situated at the eastern end of the C.L. Schmitt Bridge in New Kensington. Its eastern terminus is located on U.S. Route 30 (US 30) west of Bedford.
Route description
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/27/2022-05-15_17_41_23_View_east_along_Pennsylvania_State_Route_56_%28Johnstown_Expressway%29_just_east_of_the_exit_for_Bedford_Street_in_Johnstown%2C_Cambria_County%2C_Pennsylvania.jpg/220px-thumbnail.jpg)
PA 56 starts at the intersection of Industrial Boulevard and 9th Street in New Kensington, Westmoreland County; this is also the eastern end of the C.L. Schmitt Bridge, across the Allegheny River from the PA 28 freeway. In New Kensington, PA 56 first heads south along Industrial Boulevard before turning east onto 7th Street where it first encounters a short city-maintained section of road before transitioning back to state maintenance. In the east part of New Kensington, it has a concurrency with PA 366 before entering the city of Lower Burrell. Also in Westmoreland County, it has concurrencies with PA 356 and PA 66 Alternate.
After crossing the Kiskiminetas River, PA 56 merges with PA 66 for a short distance in Armstrong County. It then travels east and eventually merges with PA 156, crossing into Indiana County. At this point, it merges with US 422 and heads toward Indiana. In Indiana, US 422 and PA 56 become a short freeway. At the U.S. 119 exit, PA 56 merges with US 119, heading south.[2][failed verification]
PA 56 ends its concurrency with US 119 in Homer City and continues east on a two-lane road. Approaching Armagh, it crosses US 22 at an interchange. The route then enters Westmoreland County again briefly, passing through its extreme northeastern corner. It is at this point, that PA 56 crosses through Seward. A short time after passing through Seward, it crosses into Cambria County. Continuing east, it travels along the southern side of the Conemaugh River through the Conemaugh Gap. It then emerges into the city of Johnstown.[2][failed verification]
PA 56 travels through the heart of the West End section of Johnstown on two-lane city streets. It then merges with PA 403 on Broad Street, a four-lane road containing many traffic signals. At the final signal, it breaks away from PA 403 and becomes a freeway entitled Johnstown Expressway. PA 56 enters the four-lane expressway and meets US 219. It eventually exits US 219 at Scalp Avenue, the original interchange, and continues east toward Windber.
The route enters Somerset County at Windber. Once past Windber, 56 returns to two lanes. It enters Bedford County at the top of Laurel Ridge at 2,700 feet (820 m) above sea level. The descent down the eastern slope contains a dangerous hairpin curve that has been the site of many accidents over the years.[citation needed]
It then crosses Interstate 99 (I-99) US 220 at an interchange near Cessna. After a short distance, PA 56 crosses over I-99 and US 220, then later passes under the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-76 and I-70). The route ends at a T intersection with US 30 in Wolfsburg, west of Bedford.[2][failed verification]
Major intersections
[edit]County | Location | mi[1] | km | Destinations | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Westmoreland | New Kensington | 0.000 | 0.000 | ![]() ![]() | Western terminus; west end of Orange Belt concurrency |
0.223 | 0.359 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Western terminus of PA 56 Truck; east end of Orange Belt concurrency | ||
0.864 | 1.390 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | West end of PA 366 concurrency; eastern terminus of PA 56 Truck | ||
0.999 | 1.608 | ![]() ![]() | Western terminus of PA 780 | ||
1.552– 1.839 | 2.498– 2.960 | ![]() ![]() | Trumpet interchange; east end of PA 366 concurrency | ||
Allegheny Township | 9.081 | 14.614 | ![]() ![]() | West end of PA 356 concurrency | |
9.612 | 15.469 | ![]() ![]() | East end of PA 356 concurrency | ||
Vandergrift | 13.277 | 21.367 | ![]() ![]() ![]() | West end of PA 66 Alt. concurrency; eastbound PA 56 only | |
Armstrong | North Vandergrift | 13.831 | 22.259 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | West end of PA 66 concurrency; east end of PA 66 Alt. concurrency |
Apollo | 16.403 | 26.398 | ![]() ![]() | East end of PA 66 concurrency | |
Kiskiminetas Township | 23.693 | 38.130 | ![]() ![]() | West end of PA 156 concurrency | |
South Bend Township | 29.823 | 47.995 | ![]() ![]() | Southern terminus of PA 210 | |
Indiana | Shelocta | 32.801 | 52.788 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | West end of US 422 concurrency; east end of PA 156 concurrency; Northern terminus of PA 156 |
Armstrong Township | 37.694 | 60.663 | West end of freeway | ||
37.694– 38.048 | 60.663– 61.232 | ![]() ![]() ![]() | Western terminus of US 422 Bus.; interchange | ||
White Township | 39.879– 40.360 | 64.179– 64.953 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Western terminus of PA 286 Truck; to Indiana University of Pennsylvania; diamond interchange | |
42.295– 42.729 | 68.067– 68.766 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | West end of US 119 concurrency; east end of US 422 / PA 286 Truck concurrencies; cloverleaf interchange | ||
43.064– 43.402 | 69.305– 69.849 | ![]() ![]() ![]() | Eastern terminus of US 422 Bus.; trumpet interchange | ||
44.004 | 70.818 | East end of freeway | |||
Homer City | 45.872 | 73.824 | ![]() ![]() | East end of US 119 concurrency | |
Center Township | 48.690 | 78.359 | ![]() ![]() | Southern terminus of PA 954 | |
Brush Valley Township | 51.397 | 82.715 | ![]() ![]() | West end of PA 259 concurrency | |
51.453 | 82.806 | ![]() ![]() | East end of PA 259 concurrency | ||
Armagh | 57.571– 57.704 | 92.652– 92.866 | ![]() | Partial cloverleaf interchange | |
East Wheatfield Township | 60.058 | 96.654 | ![]() ![]() | West end of PA 711 concurrency | |
Westmoreland | Seward | 60.695 | 97.679 | ![]() ![]() | East end of PA 711 concurrency |
Cambria | Johnstown | 68.104 | 109.603 | ![]() ![]() | West end of PA 403 concurrency |
69.942 | 112.561 | ![]() ![]() | East end of PA 403 concurrency | ||
69.942 | 112.561 | West end of freeway | |||
70.826 | 113.983 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance; partial diamond interchange | ||
71.854– 71.931 | 115.638– 115.762 | Geistown, Dale | Eastbound entrance and exit; access via Bedford Street | ||
72.156– 72.437 | 116.124– 116.576 | Widman Street | Diamond interchange | ||
Richland Township | 74.215– 74.595 | 119.437– 120.049 | Walters Avenue | Partial cloverleaf interchange | |
75.285– 75.558 | 121.159– 121.599 | ![]() ![]() | West end of US 219 concurrency; trumpet interchange | ||
76.289– 76.601 | 122.775– 123.277 | ![]() | Diamond interchange | ||
77.021– 77.296 | 123.953– 124.396 | ![]() ![]() | East end of US 219 concurrency; partial cloverleaf interchange | ||
77.231 | 124.291 | East end of freeway | |||
Somerset | Paint | 79.425– 79.629 | 127.822– 128.150 | ![]() | Northern terminus of PA 601; partial cloverleaf interchange |
Windber | 81.106 | 130.527 | ![]() | ||
Bedford | Pleasantville | 96.147 | 154.734 | ![]() | |
Bedford Township | 104.007– 104.198 | 167.383– 167.690 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Interstate 99 exit 3; diamond interchange | |
104.743 | 168.568 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Northern terminus of US 220 Bus. | ||
108.055 | 173.898 | ![]() | Eastern terminus | ||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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PA 56 Truck
[edit]Current
[edit]Location | New Kensington, Pennsylvania |
---|---|
Existed | 1980–present |
Pennsylvania Route 56 Truck is a 2-mile-long (3.2 km) truck route in the Pittsburgh industrial suburb of New Kensington, Pennsylvania. The route's western terminus also marks the end of its parent, as each formulate a different way of travel for those who have crossed the C.L. Schmitt Bridge. While Route 56 makes several turns as it passes through the stop light-filled center of the community, the truck route runs as the four-lane Industrial Boulevard along the Allegheny River, before turning back north as it is multiplexed with Pennsylvania Route 366.
Former
[edit]Location | Indiana County, Pennsylvania |
---|---|
Existed | 2013–2015 |
Pennsylvania Route 56 Truck was an east-west truck route bypassing a weight-restricted bridge over Little Brush Creek in Brush Valley, on which trucks over 29 tons and combination loads over 40 tons were prohibited. It was formed and established in 2013 and it used to follow US 119 and US 22. As of October 2015, the "Truck PA 56" signs were removed off of US 22 and US 119.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b Bureau of Maintenance and Operations (January 2019). Roadway Management System Straight Line Diagrams (Report) (2019 ed.). Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 11, 2019.
- Westmoreland County (PDF)
- Armstrong County (PDF)
- Indiana County (PDF)
- Cambria County (PDF)
- Somerset County (PDF)
- Bedford County (PDF)
- ^ a b c Google Maps Directions - Pennsylvania Route 56
External links
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- State highways in Pennsylvania
- Limited-access roads in Pennsylvania
- Transportation in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
- Transportation in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania
- Transportation in Indiana County, Pennsylvania
- Transportation in Cambria County, Pennsylvania
- Transportation in Somerset County, Pennsylvania
- Transportation in Bedford County, Pennsylvania
- Transportation in Johnstown, Pennsylvania