Interstate 78 in Pennsylvania

Interstate 78 in Pennsylvania

 

I-78
Begin Bbindersville
End Easton
Length 75 mi
Length 121 km
Route
1 → Harrisburg / Scranton5 Fredericksburg

8

10 Camp Swatara

13 Bethel

15 Grimes Airport

16 Rehrersburg

17 Womelsdorf

19 Strausstown

23 Shartlesville

29 Pottsville / Reading

30 Hamburg

35 Lenhartsville

40 Kutztown

45 Golden Key Road

49 Trexlerstown

51 → Allentown

53 → Allentown

54-60: Allentown

54

55 Cedar Crest Boulevard

57 Lehigh Street

59 Rock Road

60 Pike Avenue

67 Bethlehem

71 → Stroudsburg

75 Easton

New Jersey

Interstate 78 or I -78 is an Interstate Highway in the US state of Pennsylvania. The highway forms an east-west route through the east of the state, beginning a little way northeast of the state capital Harrisburg at Interstate 81, and passing through the town of Allentown to the border with New Jersey. The highway is 121 kilometers long.

Travel directions

I-78 near Hamburg.

I-78 between Bethlehem and Easton.

I-78 begins at Bordnersville at an interchange with Interstate 81, about 22 miles northeast of the state capital Harrisburg. I-78 has 2×2 lanes and runs parallel to a ridge of the Appalachian Mountains in an easterly direction. The highway is characterized by long straights. The highway does not intersect other major roads until the Allentown region, also known as the Lehigh Valley. On the west side of Allentown, I-78 branches off from US 22, which forms a separate highway through the Lehigh Valley. I-78 then forms a southern bypass of the cities of Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton, a somewhat larger conurbation. There is no direct connection to Interstate 476in Allentown, but connections are possible indirectly via other highways. A small portion of I-78 has 2×3 lanes along Allentown, the remainder of the Lehigh Valley bypass has 2×2 lanes. Between Bethlehem and Easton is an interchange with State Route 33, a highway to Stroudsburg. At Easton one reaches the valley of the Delaware River, which forms the border with New Jersey. Interstate 78 then continues in New Jersey towards Newark and New York.

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History

I-78’s predecessor was US 22, the section between Fredericksburg and Easton was a direct upgrade from US 22. This was divided into two sections, west of Fredericksburg to the west side of Allentown, which would later become I-78. and the section from Allentown to the New Jersey border at Easton, also known as the Lehigh Valley Thruway, which is still numbered US 22 today. Nearly this entire highway was built during the 1950s, opening in stages between 1950 and 1959. An exception was the westernmost section, which was built over a new route separate from US 22, between the interchange with I-81 and Fredericksburg.. This section opened to traffic in 1970, when I-81 was also constructed.

It became apparent that the Lehigh Valley Thruway, with its tight profile and twisty route, was not suitable as a transit route between Pennsylvania and New Jersey. As early as 1968, it was decided that I-78 would not be routed over the Lehigh Valley Thruway (US 22), but that a new route south of Allentown, Bethlehem, and Easton was necessary. Construction of this 51-kilometre stretch began in 1984 and was opened to traffic in one go on November 21, 1989.

Opening history

van nasty length datum
Exit 8 Fredericksburg Exit 13 Bethel 8 km 00-00-1950
Exit 13 Bethel Exit 17 Schubert 6 km 00-00-1951
Exit 49 Fogelsville Exit 51 3 km 00-00-1954
Exit 17 Schubert Exit 19 Strausstown 3 km 00-00-1955
Exit 19 Strausstown Exit 23 Shartlesville 6 km 00-00-195?
Exit 23 Shartlesville Exit 45 New Smithville 35 km 00-00-1958
Exit 45 New Smithville Exit 49 Fogelsville 6 km 00-00-1959
Exit 0 Exit 8 Fredericksburg 13 km 00-00-1970
Exit 51 New Jersey state line 51 km 21-11-1989

Traffic intensities

The highway will have approximately 38,000 vehicles per day since its inception, increasing to 96,000 vehicles at Allentown. 52,000 vehicles pass through Bethlehem, and 58,000 vehicles cross the New Jersey border every day.

Interstate 579 in Pennsylvania

I-579
Get started Pittsburgh
End Pittsburgh
Length 2.5 km
Route
  • Pittsburgh

Interstate 579 or I -579 is a short Interstate Highway in the US state of Pennsylvania. The highway forms a northern arterial route from downtown Pittsburgh to Interstate 279, the major north-south access highway. The highway has 2×3 lanes with an extra alternate lane in between. The highway passes through the city’s main station, then dips deep into downtown, terminating just before Interstate 376. The route is 2.5 kilometers long.

Interstate 78 in Pennsylvania