Butler Pike is a road in
Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Montgomery County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is the third-most populous county in Pennsylvania and the 73rd-most populous county in the United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the county was 856,55 ...
, that runs northeast from
Conshohocken
Conshohocken ( ; Lenape: ''Kanshihàkink'') is a borough on the Schuylkill River in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania in suburban Philadelphia. Historically a large mill town and industrial and manufacturing center, after the decline of industry in ...
to
Horsham Township. For most of its length, it is a county road and forms a boundary between townships.
Route description
Fayette Street begins at the
Schuylkill River
The Schuylkill River ( , ) is a river running northwest to southeast in eastern Pennsylvania. The river was improved by navigations into the Schuylkill Canal, and several of its tributaries drain major parts of Pennsylvania's Coal Region. It fl ...
and is the
main street of the
Borough of Conshohocken. At 11th Avenue, the borough boundary, Fayette Street's name changes to Butler Pike, and it continues northeast along the boundary between
Plymouth Township and
Whitemarsh Township as part of State Route 3016 (SR 3016), a four-lane undivided road and an unsigned
quadrant route
In the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, state highways are generally maintained by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT). Each is assigned a four-digit State Route (SR) number in the present Location Referencing System. Traffic Routes ...
. The road passes through residential areas and intersects North Lane, where SR 3016 ends and Butler Pike becomes a county road. After this intersection, Butler Pike becomes a three-lane road with a
center left-turn lane
A reversible lane (British English: tidal flow) is a lane in which traffic may travel in either direction, depending on certain conditions. Typically, it is meant to improve traffic flow during rush hours, by having overhead traffic lights and li ...
and passes a mix of homes and businesses, coming to an junction with
Ridge Pike
Ridge Pike is a major historic road in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania that opened in 1706 that originally connected Wissahickon Creek to Perkiomen Creek. Inside Philadelphia, it is called Ridge Avenue. Going westward, it traverses many easter ...
in a commercial area in the community of
Harmonville
Harmonville () is a Communes of France, commune in the Vosges (department), Vosges Departments of France, department in Grand Est in northeastern France.
See also
*Communes of the Vosges department
References
Communes of Vosges (depa ...
. The roadway narrows to a two-lane undivided road and heads through residential neighborhoods, curving slightly to fully enter Whitemarsh Township as it bypasses the
Plymouth Friends Meetinghouse, and reaching an offset intersection with
Germantown Pike
Germantown Pike (also known as Germantown Avenue for a portion of its length) is a historic road in Pennsylvania that opened in 1687, running from Philadelphia northwest to Collegeville. The road is particularly notable for the "imposing mansi ...
in
Plymouth Meeting.
Butler Pike continues northeast along the boundary between Plymouth Township to the northwest and Whitemarsh Township to the southeast as a two-lane undivided road, passing industrial parks and heading under
Norfolk Southern
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Railroad classes, Class I freight railroad in the United States formed in 1982 with the merger of Norfolk and Western Railway and Southern Railway (U.S.), Southern Railway. With headquarters in Atlanta, the ...
's Morrisville Line (formerly the
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad (reporting mark PRR), legal name The Pennsylvania Railroad Company also known as the "Pennsy", was an American Class I railroad that was established in 1846 and headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was named ...
's
Trenton Cutoff
The Trenton Cutoff (sometimes spelled Trenton Cut Off) is a rail corridor in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania that runs from Morrisville to Glenloch. Today used by Norfolk Southern, it consists of two rail lines: the Morrisville Line, which runs ...
). The road passes near residential development and intersects Plymouth Road/Flourtown Road in the community of
Cold Point. From here, Butler Pike passes more homes and curves northwest to fully enter Plymouth Township as it bypasses Cold Point Hill, while Cold Point Hill Road continues northeast along the township line. Butler Pike makes a sharp turn to the east before curving back to the northeast, recovering its path along the township line and passing under the
Pennsylvania Turnpike
The Pennsylvania Turnpike (Penna Turnpike or PA Turnpike) is a toll highway operated by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. A controlled-access highway, it runs for across the state. The turnpike's we ...
(
Interstate 276
The Pennsylvania Turnpike (Penna Turnpike or PA Turnpike) is a toll highway operated by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. A controlled-access highway, it runs for across the state. The turnpike's we ...
). The road continues through wooded areas of homes and commercial development, at the Township Line Road intersection becoming the boundary between
Whitpain Township to the northwest and Whitemarsh Township to the southeast. The road runs through wooded residential areas before it comes to an intersection with
PA 73 in an area of businesses in the community of
Broad Axe
A broadaxe is a large (broad)-headed axe. There are two categories of cutting edge on broadaxes, both are used for shaping logs by hewing. On one type, one side is flat, and the other side beveled, a basilled edge, also called a side axe, single ...
. Following this intersection, Butler Pike continues northeast through a mix of fields, woods, and homes. The road curves east-northeast to fully enter Whitemarsh Township before it heads northeast into
Upper Dublin Township and crosses Morris Road as it heads into forested areas.
The road crosses the
Wissahickon Creek
Wissahickon Creek is a tributary of the Schuylkill River in Montgomery and Philadelphia Counties, Pennsylvania.
Wissahickon Creek rises in Montgomery County, runs approximately 23 miles (37 km) passing through and dividing Northwest ...
and enters the borough of
Ambler, where the name changes to West Butler Avenue. The roadway heads east-northeast through commercial areas before it crosses
SEPTA
The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) is a regional public transportation authority that operates bus, rapid transit, commuter rail, light rail, and electric trolleybus services for nearly 4 million people in five coun ...
's
Lansdale/Doylestown Line
The Lansdale/Doylestown Line is a SEPTA Regional Rail line connecting Center City Philadelphia to Doylestown in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Until 1981, diesel-powered trains continued on the Bethlehem Branch from Lansdale to Quakertown, Bethle ...
at-grade north of
Ambler station
Ambler station is a SEPTA Regional Rail station in Ambler, Pennsylvania. It was originally built by the Reading Company as Wissahickon, until being renamed in 1869 after Mary Johnson Ambler, who helped direct the aftermath of the Great Train Wreck ...
. At this point, West Butler Avenue heads into the commercial downtown of Ambler. At the Main Street intersection, the road becomes East Butler Avenue and runs through more of the downtown area. The road heads northeast past more businesses before it runs through residential areas. On the eastern border of Ambler, the road comes to an intersection with
Bethlehem Pike
Bethlehem Pike is a historic long road in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania that connects Philadelphia and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. It began as a Native American path called the Minsi Trail which developed into a colonial highway called the King ...
. Upon crossing Bethlehem Pike, Butler Pike leaves Ambler for Upper Dublin Township and passes through residential areas, coming to an intersection with Susquehanna Road in the community of
Rose Valley. Butler Pike reaches a partial interchange with the
PA 309 freeway, with access to northbound PA 309 and access from southbound PA 309; the missing movements are provided via an interchange with Susquehanna Road. Past the PA 309 interchange, the road continues northeast through wooded residential areas and comes to a junction with Norristown Road in the community of
Three Tuns. From here, Butler Pike passes more residential neighborhoods as it heads into
Maple Glen, where it intersects
PA 63 and crosses into
Horsham Township. Butler Pike runs through wooded areas of homes and comes to its terminus at an intersection with
PA 152.
[
]
History
The route was laid out in 1712 by Simon Butler (1684–1764), a Bucks County
Bucks County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 646,538, making it the fourth-most populous county in Pennsylvania. Its county seat is Doylestown. The county is named after the English ...
miller and justice of the peace, for whom the road was later named. It provided access to the Schuylkill River at Matson's Ford (Conshohocken), and facilitated communication among the Quaker
Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of Christian denomination, denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements ("theFriends") are generally united by a belie ...
meeting houses in Plymouth Meeting, Upper Dublin, Horsham
Horsham is a market town on the upper reaches of the River Arun on the fringe of the Weald in West Sussex, England. The town is south south-west of London, north-west of Brighton and north-east of the county town of Chichester. Nearby to ...
, and central Bucks County.
In the early 19th century, Butler Pike became part of a route used in the Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was a network of clandestine routes and safe houses established in the United States during the early- to mid-19th century. It was used by enslaved African Americans primarily to escape into free states and Canada. T ...
. For more than 20 years, George and Martha Maulsby Corson sheltered fugitive slaves in their house at the corner of Germantown and Butler pikes. The Underground Railroad stops were located apart, and under cover of darkness a conductor would escort the enslaved to the next stop.
Two sections of Butler Pike were converted into turnpikes in the mid-19th century—the Whitemarsh and Plymouth Turnpike, which improved the road between Germantown Pike and Conshohocken, and operated from 1849 to 1896; and the Upper Dublin and Plymouth Turnpike, which improved the road between Germantown Pike and Limekiln Pike
Pennsylvania Route 152 (PA 152) is a state highway located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The route travels north–south from an interchange with PA 309 located in the Cedarbrook neighborhood of Cheltenham Township in ...
, and operated from 1855 to 1896.
Major intersections
See also
*
*
References
External links
*{{commonscat-inline, Butler Pike (Montgomery County, Pennsylvania)
Roads in Pennsylvania
Transportation in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Former toll roads in Pennsylvania
Historic trails and roads in Pennsylvania