Pennsylvania Route 345 (PA 345) is a state highway in the
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...
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, ...
. The route runs from
PA 82 in
West Nantmeal Township,
Chester County Chester County may refer to:
* Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States
* Chester County, South Carolina, United States
* Chester County, Tennessee
Chester County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, th ...
, north to
U.S. Route 422 (US 422) near
Birdsboro,
Berks County
Berks County (Pennsylvania German: ''Barricks Kaundi'') is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 428,849. The county seat is Reading.
The Schuylkill River, a tributary of the Delaware River, ...
. The route is a two-lane road its entire length, passing through the community of
Warwick
Warwick ( ) is a market town, civil parish and the county town of Warwickshire in the Warwick District in England, adjacent to the River Avon. It is south of Coventry, and south-east of Birmingham. It is adjoined with Leamington Spa and Whi ...
,
Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site
Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site in southeastern
Berks County, near Elverson, Pennsylvania,
is an example of an American 19th century rural iron plantation, whose operations were
based around a charcoal-fired cold-blast iron blast fur ...
,
French Creek State Park
French Creek State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in North Coventry and Warwick Townships in Chester County and Robeson and Union Townships in Berks County, Pennsylvania. It straddles northern Chester County and southern Berks County along ...
, and the borough of Birdsboro. PA 345 intersects
PA 401 in
East Nantmeal Township,
PA 23 in Warwick, and
PA 724 in Birdsboro. PA 345 was first designated by 1973 between PA 82 in West Nantmeal Township and PA 724 in Birdsboro. The route was extended north to US 422 in 2008, replacing a former section of PA 82 north of Birdsboro that was initially designated in 1928.
Route description
![2022-09-16 10 59 03 will rename and categorize soon 029](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/2022-09-16_10_59_03_will_rename_and_categorize_soon_029.jpg)
PA 345 begins at an intersection with
PA 82 and Little Conestoga Road in the community of
Loag in
West Nantmeal Township,
Chester County Chester County may refer to:
* Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States
* Chester County, South Carolina, United States
* Chester County, Tennessee
Chester County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 census, th ...
, heading northeast on two-lane undivided Bulltown Road. The road heads through agricultural areas and comes to a bridge over 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 76
Interstate 76 may refer to:
Interstate Highways in the United States
* Interstate 76 (Colorado–Nebraska)
* Interstate 76 (Ohio–New Jersey), running through Pennsylvania
Video gaming
* ''Interstate '76
''Interstate '76'' is a vehicular ...
). The route crosses into
East Nantmeal Township and passes woodland and homes, curving north to reach an intersection with
PA 401. PA 345 passes between a pair of golf courses and enters
Warwick Township, where it intersects
PA 23. Past this, the route continues north before it turns east onto Warwick Road and passes through the residential community of
Warwick
Warwick ( ) is a market town, civil parish and the county town of Warwickshire in the Warwick District in England, adjacent to the River Avon. It is south of Coventry, and south-east of Birmingham. It is adjoined with Leamington Spa and Whi ...
. PA 345 turns north onto Pine Swamp Road and heads into a mix of farmland and woodland with some homes.
![PA 345 NB past Lincoln Road-Baumstown Road](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5e/PA_345_NB_past_Lincoln_Road-Baumstown_Road.jpeg)
PA 345 winds northeast into forested areas and enters
Union Township in
Berks County
Berks County (Pennsylvania German: ''Barricks Kaundi'') is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 428,849. The county seat is Reading.
The Schuylkill River, a tributary of the Delaware River, ...
, where it heads through the
Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site
Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site in southeastern
Berks County, near Elverson, Pennsylvania,
is an example of an American 19th century rural iron plantation, whose operations were
based around a charcoal-fired cold-blast iron blast fur ...
and crosses
French Creek. The road curves to the northwest and continues into
French Creek State Park
French Creek State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in North Coventry and Warwick Townships in Chester County and Robeson and Union Townships in Berks County, Pennsylvania. It straddles northern Chester County and southern Berks County along ...
, running through more dense forests. The route leaves the state park and winds north through the community of
Kulptown, with the name changing to Chestnut Street. PA 345 turns northwest before it runs north along the border between the borough of
Birdsboro to the west and Union Township to the east, passing through residential areas and heading to the west of
Daniel Boone Area High School
Daniel Boone Area High School is located in Birdsboro, Pennsylvania, part of the Daniel Boone Area School District in south-eastern Berks County. The sports and academic teams compete as the "Blazers", and the school colors are Carolina blue and ...
. The route comes to an intersection with
PA 724, at which point it turns west into Birdsboro to form a
concurrency with PA 724 on East Main Street. The road passes more homes and heads into the commercial center of Birdsboro. Both routes turn north onto North Furnace Street before PA 724 splits from PA 345 by heading to the west, crossing
Hay Creek. PA 345 crosses 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 ...
into
Exeter Township and soon passes over
Norfolk Southern
The Norfolk Southern Railway is a Class I freight railroad in the United States formed in 1982 with the merger of Norfolk and Western Railway and Southern Railway. With headquarters in Atlanta, the company operates 19,420 route miles (31, ...
's
Harrisburg Line
The Harrisburg Line is a rail line owned and operated by the Norfolk Southern Railway (NS) in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The line runs from Philadelphia west to Harrisburg.
The Harrisburg Line was formed the day Conrail began operations, ...
. The route heads north on South Center Road and runs through residential areas and woods. In the community of
Baumstown, PA 345 intersects the eastbound lanes of
US 422
U.S. Route 422 (US 422) is a long spur route of US 22 split into two segments in the U.S. states of Ohio and Pennsylvania. The western segment of US 422 runs from downtown Cleveland, Ohio, east to Ebensburg, Pennsylvania. ...
before it comes to its northern terminus at a junction with the westbound lanes of US 422.
History
When Pennsylvania first legislated routes in 1911, present-day PA 345 was not part of a route. By 1928, the present alignment of the route existed as an unpaved road; the road was unnumbered south of Birdsboro and was numbered as part of PA 82 between Birdsboro and Baumstown. The portion of PA 82 between Birdsboro and Baumstown was paved by 1930. What is now PA 345 south of Birdsboro was paved by 1940. PA 345 was designated by 1973 to run from PA 82 in Loag north to PA 724 in Birdsboro. PA 345 was extended north to US 422 in Baumstown in 2008, heading west concurrent with PA 724 and replacing PA 82 between Birdsboro and Baumstown. This extension was concurrent with the truncation of the northern terminus of PA 82 from US 422 to PA 23 in Elverson due to washed out bridges along PA 82 south of Birdsboro.
Major intersections
See also
*
*
References
External links
{{commonscat
Pennsylvania Highways: PA 345
345
Transportation in Chester County, Pennsylvania
Transportation in Berks County, Pennsylvania