U.S. Route 222

U.S. Route 222 is a spur of U.S. Route 22. It runs for 95 miles (153 km) from Conowingo, Maryland at U.S. Route 1 to Interstate 78 and Pennsylvania Route 309 in Dorneyville, Pennsylvania, where the US 222 right-of-way continues into Allentown as Pennsylvania Route 222.

Route description

Maryland

US 222 in Maryland used to extend down to Maryland Route 7 in Perryville, but was later truncated to US 1 at Conowingo, with the rest becoming Maryland Route 222. Because of hills, and also because of the narrowness of MD 222 in Port Deposit, a truck route (Maryland Route 222 Truck) also exists, with part of that truck route being a wrong-way concurrency with US 1.

Between Conowingo and the state line, US 222 follows an elongated "C-curve", curving to the west then doubling back east to cross the state line near the hamlet of Rock Springs.

Pennsylvania

The speed limits on US 222 in Pennsylvania range from 25 mph (40 km/h) through towns to 65 mph (105 km/h) on expressway portions. Insufficient shoulders throughout much of the length and the presence of horse and buggies in Lancaster and Berks County can make the road dangerous to travel on.

US 222 serves as the principal artery between the Lancaster and Reading areas and the Lehigh Valley. With increased development in the late 20th century the two-lane road became increasingly congested. To alleviate these problems a number of construction projects took place, most notably a four-lane Reading bypass, a four-lane expressway to connect Lancaster to Reading, and a four-lane expressway bypass around the town of Kutztown, which is situated between Reading and Allentown. The north-central and southern sections of the Reading bypass were under construction for quite a few years, which gave the open northern section the nickname of "The Road to Nowhere."

File:Route 222 & 422.jpg

Advance signage for US 422 on US 222 south

In Reading, US 222 has an auxiliary route, U.S. Route 222 Business, the only such route for US 222.

In Lehigh County a bypass around Trexlertown was constructed, since the area surrounding the intersection of Pennsylvania Route 100 and US 222 was one of the most problematic areas of the road. In 2005 the west half of the bypass was opened and the east half of the bypass, which was originally scheduled to open in late 2006, opened Sept. 28, 2007. That stretch carries a speed limit of 45 miles per hour (72 km/h).

History

File:Route 222 & 30.jpg

Approaching US 30 on US 222 south

When US 222 was first designated in the 1920s, it only reached as far north as Reading, but at the time US 22 dipped down from Allentown to Reading, then west to Harrisburg. US 22 was rerouted to become a straight shot from Allentown to Harrisburg, so the roadway between Reading and Allentown became part of US 222, explaining why the highway, designated as north/south, actually runs mostly east/west between the two cities.

File:Map allentown-1939.jpg

1939 USGS Allentown map. PA 222 was designated as US 222.

By the early 1930s the road then signed as US 22 became problematic for motorists in Lebanon along the current U.S. Route 422; Reading via U.S. Routes 22 and 222; and Allentown on Hamilton Street (US 22). Pennsylvania Route 43 had been aligned as a bypass between Allentown and Harrisburg. On June 8, 1931, the American Association of State Highway Officials came to a resolution to the traffic problem, by replacing the PA 43 corridor with US 22 and the William Penn Highway name to match. The state truncated PA 43 to Susquehanna Street from Allentown to Bethlehem. US 222 replaced the former US 22 alignment from Reading to Allentown. Hamilton Street was numbered as US 222, west of downtown Allentown, where it turned north onto 15th Street. This portion of US 222 was seven-blocks long which ended at Tilghman Street (then US 22). Signs were changed to reflect the new designations on May 31, 1932, with the new route designations officially in place on June 1, 1932.

With the construction of the Lehigh Valley Thruway in the early 1950s and the relocation of US 22 to that route, US 222 was extended east along Tilghman Street to 7th Street, then north on 7th Street to the interchange with the new freeway.

In the late 1950s, US 222 was realigned to a newly constructed bypass carrying U.S. Route 309 and PA Route 29, west of Allentown. From the south, US 222 left Hamilton Boulevard and turned north onto the freeway. US 222 terminated at an interchange with US 22, US 309, and PA 29 in South Whitehall Township. The freeway, originally signed as US 309/PA 29/US 222, dropped the PA 29 designation in 1966; in 1968, US 309 was downgraded to PA 309 and US 222 was truncated to end at the current northern termini. By the 1980s, Interstate 78 became part of the freeway that occupied PA 309.

In 1984, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation was planning to extend PA Route 145 and US 222. Traffic engineer Samuel D. Darrohh said that Allentown is one of few Pennsylvania cities without a traffic route going through it. After the plan was introduced, he said that motorists might be aided if US 222 were extended along Hamilton Boulevard to connect with the proposed PA 145 corridor.

PennDOT originally planned the road as U.S. Route 222 but AASHTO denied the extension, stating that the route "is not the shortest or best available route between major control points on the system, and therefore, does not adhere to the policies established under AASHTO's 'Purpose and Policy Statement for U.S. Numbered Highways'". In addition, the route did not meet the criteria for a business route. In 1991, it was commissioned as Pennsylvania Route 222. PA 145 was extended south of the Lehigh Valley Thruway to the I-78/PA 309 overlap near Lanark.

In 2010, officials in Berks County pushed for PennDOT to widen a portion of the two-lane road to four lanes due to traffic and safety issues. In addition to a proposed widening, a roundabout is planned at the intersection with Pennsylvania Route 662 in Richmond Township.

Major intersections

County	Location	mi	km	Destinations	Notes
Cecil	Conowingo	0.00	0.00	US 1 (Conowingo Road) to MD 222 south / MD 222 Truck south to I-95 – Bel Air, Rising Sun, Perryville	Southern terminus of US 222; northern terminus of MD 222 Truck
Mason–Dixon Line		3.61 0.000	5.81 0.000	Maryland–Pennsylvania state line
Lancaster	Fulton Township	4.054	6.524	PA 272 south (Nottingham Road) – Nottingham	South end of PA 272 overlap
		4.526	7.284	PA 272 north (Lancaster Pike) – Lancaster	North end of PA 272 overlap
	Quarryville	13.709	22.062	PA 372 east (State Street) to PA 472 – Atglen, Oxford	South end of PA 372 overlap
		14.162	22.792	PA 372 west (State Street) – Holtwood	North end of PA 372 overlap
	West Lampeter Township	22.807	36.704	PA 741 east (Village Road) – Lampeter, Strasburg	South end of PA 741 overlap
		24.180	38.914	PA 272 south (Willow Street Pike) – Buck, Wakefield, Baltimore PA 741 west (Long Lane) – New Danville	North end of PA 741 overlap; south end of PA 272 overlap
	Lancaster Township	26.991	43.438	PA 324 south (New Danville Pike) – New Danville	No direct access from northbound US 222 / PA 272 to PA 324
	Lancaster	27.708	44.592	PA 72 north (Queen Street)	No access from southbound US 222 / PA 272
		28.127	45.266	PA 462 east (King Street)
		28.345	45.617	PA 23 east (Chestnut Street) – New Holland
		28.454	45.792	PA 23 / PA 462 west (Walnut Street) – Marietta, Columbia
		29.210	47.009	PA 72 north (Prince Street) – Manheim, Lebanon	No direct access between northbound US 222 / PA 272 and PA 72
	Manheim Township	29.839	48.021	PA 501 north (Lititz Pike) – Lititz	South end of PA 501 overlap with southbound US 222; no direct access from southbound PA 501 to northbound US 222
		30.280	48.731	South end of freeway
		30.280	48.731	US 30 west / PA 283 west – York, Harrisburg PA 272 north (Oregon Pike) PA 501 north (Lititz Pike) – Lititz	Diamond interchange with collector-distributor lanes along US 30 freeway; north end of PA 501 overlap with southbound US 222; north end of PA 272 overlap; south end of US 30 overlap
		30.920	49.761	US 30 east – Coatesville, Philadelphia	Trumpet interchange; north end of US 30 overlap
		34.112	54.898	To PA 272 (Oregon Pike)	Complementary half-diamond interchanges
	West Earl Township	36.849	59.303	PA 772 – Rothsville, Brownstown	Partial cloverleaf interchange
	Ephrata Township	41.235	66.361	US 322 – Ephrata	Diamond interchange
	East Cocalico Township	46.385	74.649	I-76 / Penna Turnpike / PA 272 – Denver	Diamond interchange; I-76 Exit 286 (Reading)
Berks	Brecknock Township	51.185	82.374	PA 272 south / PA 568 east – Adamstown, Knauers	Partial cloverleaf interchange
	Spring Township	53.120	85.488	Gouglersville	Diamond interchange, access via Mohns Hill Road
	Cumru Township	54.629	87.917	Mohnton	Diamond interchange, access via Grings Hill Road
		55.065	88.619	US 222 Bus. north (Lancaster Avenue) – Shillington	Northbound exit, southbound entrance, southbound exit to Mohnton only; no access from US 222 south to US 222 BUS or from US 222 BUS to US 222 nortbound
	Spring Township	56.388	90.748	PA 724 – Sinking Spring, Shillington	Partial cloverleaf interchange
	Wyomissing	57.813	93.041	US 422 west / US 422 Bus. east (Penn Avenue) – Lebanon	Partial cloverleaf interchange with flyovers; south end of US 422 overlap
		58.745	94.541	State Hill Road	Partial cloverleaf interchange
		59.232	95.325	Crossing Drive / Paper Mill Road	Partial cloverleaf interchange
		59.907	96.411	US 422 east – Pottstown PA 12 east – Pricetown	Partial cloverleaf interchange with flyovers; no access from westbound PA 12 to northbound US 222 or from southbound US 222 to eastbound PA 12; north end of US 422 overlap
	Spring Township	61.090	98.315	Broadcasting Road	Diamond interchange
		61.775	99.417	Spring Ridge Drive	Diamond interchange
	Bern Township	63.157	101.641	PA 183 (Bernville Road) – Strausstown	Partial cloverleaf interchange
	Muhlenberg Township	66.369	106.811	PA 61 – Pottsville, Tuckerton
	Ontelaunee Township	68.266	109.863	US 222 Bus. south – Laureldale	Trumpet interchange
		68.266	109.863	North end of freeway
	Maidencreek Township	69.793	112.321	PA 73 (Main Street) – Leesport, Oley, Boyertown
	Richmond Township	73.896	118.924	PA 662 (Moselem Springs Road) – Shoemakersville, Fleetwood
		75.508	121.518	South end of freeway
		75.508	121.518	Virginville, Kutztown	Northbound exit, southbound entrance, access via Kutztown Road
		76.437	123.013	Virginville	Southbound exit, northbound entrance, access via Crystal Cave Road
	Kutztown	78.200	125.851	PA 737 north – Krumsville	Partial cloverleaf interchange
	Maxatawny Township	79.717	128.292	Kutztown	Southbound exit, northbound entrance, access via East Main Street
		79.717	128.292	North end of freeway
Lehigh	Upper Macungie Township	83.226	133.939	PA 863 north (Independent Road) – New Smithville
		85.693	137.910	To PA 100 south / Hamilton Boulevard – Trexlertown	Northbound exit, southbound entrance
		86.073	138.521	PA 100 south – Macungie, Pottstown	Southbound exit, northbound entrance; south end of PA 100 overlap
		87.454	140.744	PA 100 north – Fogelsville, Trexlertown	Diamond interchange; north end of PA 100 overlap
	Lower Macungie Township	90.533	145.699	Brookside Road	Southbound exit only
	South Whitehall Township	91.354	147.020	I-78 / PA 309 – Bethlehem, Quakertown, Harrisburg, Tamaqua PA 222 north (Hamilton Boulevard) – Allentown	I-78 Exit 54; northern terminus of US 222; southern terminus of PA 222
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Bannered routes

Former Maryland truck route

See also: Maryland Route 222 Truck

U.S. Route 222 Truck was a 12.49-mile (20.10 km) truck bypass of US 222 from US 222 in Perryville to US 1 and US 222 in Conowingo. The signed route followed MD 275 from US 222 in Perryville north to MD 276 in Woodlawn. US 222 Truck continued north on MD 276 from Woodlawn north to US 1 west of Rising Sun. The truck route then headed west on US 1 to US 222 in Conowingo. US 222 Truck was downgraded to Maryland Route 222 Truck when US 222 became MD 222 between Perryville and Conowingo.

Reading business loop

Main article: U.S. Route 222 Business (Reading, Pennsylvania)

U.S. Route 222 Business (US 222 Bus.) is a 12.17-mile (19.59 km) business route of US 222 located in Reading, Pennsylvania. The southern terminus is at US 222 in Cumru Township. Its northern terminus is at US 222 in Ontelaunee Township. The route begins at the US 222 freeway and heads through the southwestern suburbs of Reading as Lancaster Avenue, intersecting Pennsylvania Route 724 (PA 724) in Shillington. US 222 Bus. continues into Reading on Lancaster Avenue and intersects the northern termini of PA 625 and PA 10 before reaching an interchange with the US 422 freeway. The business route crosses the Schuylkill River and becomes Bingaman Street. US 222 Bus. turns north on 5th Street and intersects US 422 Bus. in downtown Reading and the southern terminus of PA 61 to the north of downtown. The route interchanges with the PA 12 freeway and continues north through suburban Muhlenberg Township as 5th Street Highway. US 222 Bus. reaches Temple and continues northeast to its northern terminus as Allentown Pike. US 222 Bus. is the only auxiliary route of US 222 in Pennsylvania.

With the creation of the U.S. Highway System in 1926, the road between Reading and Lancaster was designated US 222 while the road between Reading and Allentown was part of US 22, which ran along what was designated the William Penn Highway in 1916 and PA 3 in 1924. In the late 1920s, US 222 briefly ran concurrent with PA 41 and PA 240 at different times. PA 42 originally ran north-south through Reading starting in 1927. By 1930, the concurrent state route designations were removed from US 222 and US 22. US 222 entered Reading along with PA 73 along Lancaster Avenue and Bingaman Street before turning north on 9th Street along with PA 83 to end at US 22 and US 422 at Penn Street. US 22 continued north on 9th Street out of Reading and continued along Kutztown Road through Temple toward Allentown. US 120 began at US 222 at Bingaman Street and headed north on 4th Street and Center Street out of Reading. In 1931, US 22 was moved to a more direct alignment between Harrisburg and Allentown, and US 222 was extended north along the former alignment between Reading and Allentown. US 222 was shifted to use Lancaster Avenue, Bingaman Street, and 5th Street and 5th Street Highway through the Reading area in the 1930s, running concurrent with US 122 through downtown Reading. The US 122 and PA 73 concurrencies were removed by 1966. In 1975, US 222 was rerouted to bypass Reading on the West Shore Bypass and the Warren Street Bypass, with the former alignment through the city becoming US 222 Bus. In 1998, US 222 Bus. was extended north to its current terminus following the rerouting of US 222 to a new outer bypass of Reading. The business route was extended south to its current endpoint in 2004 with the completion of the US 222 freeway south of Reading to Mohnton.

See also

• U.S. Roads portal
• Maryland Roads portal
• Pennsylvania portal
• Lancaster, Pennsylvania portal

External links

• US 222 @ MDRoads.com