Interstate 90 (I-90) within the US state of
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
spans , all within
Erie County, from the
Ohio
Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
border near
West Springfield to the
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
border near
North East. I-90 is the primary west–east highway in the
Erie
Erie (; ) is a city on the south shore of Lake Erie and the county seat of Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. Erie is the fifth largest city in Pennsylvania and the largest city in Northwestern Pennsylvania with a population of 94,831 a ...
area, passing south of downtown and having interchanges with
I-79
Interstate 79 (I-79) is an Interstate Highway in the eastern United States, designated from I-77 in Charleston, West Virginia, north to Pennsylvania Route 5 (PA 5) and PA 290 in Erie, Pennsylvania. It is a primary thoroughfare ...
, which connects
Downtown Erie
Downtown Erie, is the central business, cultural and government center for the city of Erie, Pennsylvania.
Erie’s Central Business District includes Gannon University, UPMC Hamot hospital, Erie Insurance, and city and county government offices ...
to southern Pennsylvania and beyond, and
I-86
Interstate 86 may refer to any of three unconnected Interstate Highways in the United States:
* Interstate 86 (Pennsylvania–New York)
* Interstate 86 (Idaho)
* Interstate 84 (Pennsylvania–Massachusetts)
Interstate 84 (I-84) is an I ...
, linking Erie to the
Southern Tier
The Southern Tier is a geographic subregion of the broader Upstate New York region of New York State, consisting of counties west of the Catskill Mountains in Delaware County and geographically situated along or very near the northern border ...
of New York.
US Route 20 (US 20), which has an interchange with I-90 near the
New York–Pennsylvania border
The New York–Pennsylvania border is the state line between the U.S. states of New York and Pennsylvania. It has three sections:
* Along the center line of the Delaware River from the Tri-States Monument tripoint with New Jersey at the confluence ...
, parallels I-90 across the county. Throughout its length, I-90 has also been designated as the AMVETS Memorial Highway, with signs posted at each state line.
Route description
I-90 enters Pennsylvania from
Ohio
Ohio () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. Of the fifty U.S. states, it is the 34th-largest by area, and with a population of nearly 11.8 million, is the seventh-most populous and tenth-most densely populated. The sta ...
in
Springfield Township,
Erie County, heading east as a four-lane freeway through rural areas of fields and woods. The road has an eastbound
rest area
A rest area is a public facility located next to a large thoroughfare such as a motorway, expressway, or highway, at which drivers and passengers can rest, eat, or refuel without exiting onto secondary roads. Other names include motorway servi ...
before it reaches an interchange with
US 6N near
West Springfield. The next exit is for
Pennsylvania Route 215
Pennsylvania Route 215 (PA 215) is a state highway located in western Erie County, Pennsylvania. The southern terminus is at U.S. Route 6N (US 6N) near Albion. The northern terminus is at PA 5 in Springfield Township.
Route description
...
(PA 215) near
East Springfield. The freeway enters
Girard Township and curves to the northeast. I-90 passes through a corner of
Platea
Plataea or Plataia (; grc, Πλάταια), also Plataeae or Plataiai (; grc, Πλαταιαί), was an ancient city, located in Greece in southeastern Boeotia, south of Thebes.Mish, Frederick C., Editor in Chief. “Plataea.” '' Webst ...
before it crosses back into Girard Township and interchanges with
PA 18. The roadway continues through more rural areas and crosses
Elk Creek. The highway crosses into
Fairview Township, where it has an exit for
PA 98. I-90 curves more to the east and heads into
McKean Township. Here, it has an interchange serving
PA 832. The highway passes through more rural areas with some nearby development and reaches a
cloverleaf interchange
A cloverleaf interchange is a two-level interchange in which all turns are handled by slip roads. To go left (in right-hand traffic; reverse directions in left-driving regions), vehicles first continue as one road passes over or under the ...
with
I-79
Interstate 79 (I-79) is an Interstate Highway in the eastern United States, designated from I-77 in Charleston, West Virginia, north to Pennsylvania Route 5 (PA 5) and PA 290 in Erie, Pennsylvania. It is a primary thoroughfare ...
, which provides access to the city of
Erie
Erie (; ) is a city on the south shore of Lake Erie and the county seat of Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. Erie is the fifth largest city in Pennsylvania and the largest city in Northwestern Pennsylvania with a population of 94,831 a ...
to the north.
![Int90eRoadPA-Exit22AB-Int79ns (32528708502)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7a/Int90eRoadPA-Exit22AB-Int79ns_%2832528708502%29.jpg)
A short distance past I-79, the freeway enters
Summit Township and heads northeast to an interchange with
US 19 in a commercial area. I-90 runs through wooded areas with nearby suburban development and comes to the
PA 97 interchange near
Presque Isle Downs & Casino. The highway passes through a corner of
Greene Township prior to entering
Millcreek Township, where it has an exit for
PA 8. The roadway briefly crosses back into Greene Township before it heads into
Harborcreek Township. Here, I-90 has an interchange with
PA 290/
PA 430 that provides access to
Penn State Erie, The Behrend College
Penn State Behrend (PSB) is a satellite campus of Pennsylvania State University and it is located in Erie, Pennsylvania. PSB is a four-year campus with over 5,000 students and over 250 faculty, in five academic programs: the Schools of Business, En ...
. The freeway heads back into rural areas of farms and woods, coming to the
PA 531 exit. I-90 crosses into
Greenfield Township, where it has a
trumpet interchange
In the field of road transport, an interchange (American English) or a grade-separated junction (British English) is a road junction that uses grade separations to allow for the movement of traffic between two or more roadways or highways, using ...
with the western terminus of
I-86
Interstate 86 may refer to any of three unconnected Interstate Highways in the United States:
* Interstate 86 (Pennsylvania–New York)
* Interstate 86 (Idaho)
* Interstate 84 (Pennsylvania–Massachusetts)
Interstate 84 (I-84) is an I ...
. The roadway enters
North East Township and continues through more rural land. The freeway reaches an interchange with
PA 89, which provides access to the borough of
North East to the north. Further northeast, the highway passes through agricultural areas and comes to an interchange serving
US 20 near
State Line. I-90 has a westbound
welcome center
A visitor center or centre (see American and British English spelling differences), visitor information center, tourist information center, is a physical location that provides tourist information to visitors.
Types of visitor center
A visi ...
before the route reaches the
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
border, where it continues east into that state as part of the tolled
New York State Thruway
{{Infobox road
, state = NY
, type = NYST
, alternate_name = Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway
, maint = NYSTA
, map = {{maplink, frame=yes, plain=yes, frame-align=center, frame-width=290, type=line, stroke-width=2, type2=line, from2=New Yor ...
.
[
]
History
What is now I-90 was originally planned as part of 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 ...
system in the 1950s. With the creation of the Interstate Highway System
The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly known as the Interstate Highway System, is a network of controlled-access highways that forms part of the National Highway System in the United States. Th ...
in 1956, this road was dropped from the turnpike system and would instead be built as a part of I-90. I-90 was completed through Pennsylvania on October 28, 1960. In 2007, a major pileup forced a 15-hour closure of the entire stretch of I-90 in Pennsylvania due to winter storm whiteout conditions.
Exit list
See also
*
*
References
External links
Pennsylvania Highways: Interstate 90
I-90 at AARoads.com
Pennsylvania Roads - I-90
{{DEFAULTSORT:Interstate 90 In Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
90
Transportation in Erie County, Pennsylvania