Pennsylvania Route 372 (PA 372) is an east–west highway in
York
York is a cathedral city with Roman origins, sited at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. It is the historic county town of Yorkshire. The city has many historic buildings and other structures, such as a ...
,
Lancaster, and
Chester
Chester is a cathedral city and the county town of Cheshire, England. It is located on the River Dee, close to the English–Welsh border. With a population of 79,645 in 2011,"2011 Census results: People and Population Profile: Chester Loca ...
counties in the U.S. 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, ...
. Its western terminus is at
PA 74 in
Lower Chanceford Township north of
Delta
Delta commonly refers to:
* Delta (letter) (Δ or δ), a letter of the Greek alphabet
* River delta, at a river mouth
* D ( NATO phonetic alphabet: "Delta")
* Delta Air Lines, US
* Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19
Delta may also ...
and west of
Holtwood, and its eastern terminus is at
PA 82 in
Coatesville. PA 372 heads east from PA 74 in York County and crosses the
Susquehanna River
The Susquehanna River (; Lenape: Siskëwahane) is a major river located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, overlapping between the lower Northeast and the Upland South. At long, it is the longest river on the East Coast of the ...
on the
Norman Wood Bridge
The Norman Wood Bridge carries Pennsylvania Route 372 across the Susquehanna River between York County, Pennsylvania and Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
History and architectural features
Construction of this bridge took two years. It opened for ...
. The route continues through Lancaster County, intersecting
PA 272 in
Buck
Buck may refer to:
Common meanings
* A colloquialism for a dollar or similar currency
* An adult male in some animal species - see List of animal names
* Derby shoes, nicknamed "bucks" for the common use of buckskin in their making
People
*Buck ...
,
U.S. Route 222
U.S. Route 222 (US 222) is a U.S. Highway that is a spur of US 22 in the states of Maryland and Pennsylvania. It runs for from US 1 in Conowingo, Maryland, north to Interstate 78 (I-78)/Pennsylvania Route 309 (PA 309) in Dorneyville, Pennsylv ...
(US 222) and
PA 472 in
Quarryville
Quarryville is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,852 at the 2020 census, up from 2,576 at the 2010 census.
Geography
Quarryville is located in southern Lancaster County at (39.895402, -76.162175). ...
, and
PA 896 in
Georgetown. PA 372 crosses into Chester County and intersects
PA 41 in
Atglen and
PA 10 in
Parkesburg before continuing to Coatesville. PA 372 is a two-lane undivided road throughout its length.
In 1809, the state authorized for a road between Parkesburg and McCall's Ferry on the Susquehanna River. PA 372 was first designated in 1928 to run between McCall's Ferry and PA 41 in
Christiana. PA 572 was designated from PA 372 in Christiana to PA 41 in Atglen. Another section of PA 572 was designated between
PA 42 (now PA 10) in Parkesburg and PA 82 in Coatesville by 1930; these two sections were linked in 1937. In the 1940s, PA 372 was rerouted to its current eastern terminus, replacing PA 572. PA 372 was realigned to its current western terminus in 1968 following the completion of the Norman Wood Bridge. The PA 272 intersection was relocated in 2007 in order to improve safety.
Route description
PA 372 begins at an intersection with
PA 74 in
Lower Chanceford Township,
York County, heading northeast as two-lane undivided Holtwood Road. The route heads through wooded areas with some farmland and comes to the
Norman Wood Bridge
The Norman Wood Bridge carries Pennsylvania Route 372 across the Susquehanna River between York County, Pennsylvania and Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
History and architectural features
Construction of this bridge took two years. It opened for ...
over the
Susquehanna River
The Susquehanna River (; Lenape: Siskëwahane) is a major river located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, overlapping between the lower Northeast and the Upland South. At long, it is the longest river on the East Coast of the ...
, located to the south of
Holtwood Dam.
Upon crossing the river, PA 372 enters
Martic Township in
Lancaster County and passes over
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
Port Road Branch
The Columbia and Port Deposit Railroad (C&PD) was a railroad that operated in Pennsylvania and Maryland in the 19th and early 20th centuries. It operated a main line between Columbia, Pennsylvania, and Port Deposit, Maryland, generally along the ...
railroad line as it continues into forested areas. The road turns north as it passes to the west of the
Muddy Run Pumped Storage Facility
Muddy Run Pumped Storage Facility was built by the Philadelphia Electric Company and is a pumped-storage hydroelectric generation facility in Drumore Township, Pennsylvania, United States. When completed in 1968, Muddy Run was the largest pumped ...
and to the east of the community of
Holtwood. The route curves northeast into a mix of farmland and woodland with some homes near the community of
Bethesda. PA 372 crosses Muddy Run into
Drumore Township and continues through rural areas. The route reaches the community of
Buck
Buck may refer to:
Common meanings
* A colloquialism for a dollar or similar currency
* An adult male in some animal species - see List of animal names
* Derby shoes, nicknamed "bucks" for the common use of buckskin in their making
People
*Buck ...
, where it comes to an intersection with
PA 272.
[
Here, PA 372 turns south from Holtwood Road and curves east to PA 272. Eastbound PA 372 turns north for a short concurrency with PA 272 on Lancaster Pike before turning east on Buck Road while westbound PA 372 follows Friendly Drive south and west from Buck Road to PA 272. Upon crossing PA 272, PA 372 enters East Drumore Township and continues northeast along Buck Road through agricultural areas with some woods and residences, passing through the community of Oakbottom. The route makes a sharp turn northwest before immediately turning northeast again before it enters the borough of ]Quarryville
Quarryville is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,852 at the 2020 census, up from 2,576 at the 2010 census.
Geography
Quarryville is located in southern Lancaster County at (39.895402, -76.162175). ...
.
Here, the name of the road becomes West State Street and it passes homes, reaching a junction with US 222. At this point, US 222 becomes concurrent with PA 372 and the road is lined with more residences. In the center of Quarryville, US 222 turns to the south and PA 372 continues along East State Street through the commercial downtown. The route passes homes and businesses in the eastern part of Quarryville and intersects the northern terminus of PA 472. The road comes to a bridge over the Enola Low Grade Trail
Enola may refer to:
Places
*Enola, Arkansas, USA; a town
*Enola, Nebraska, USA; an unincorporated community
* Enola, Pennsylvania, USA; a census-designated place
* Enola Reef (island), a coral atoll in the Spratley Islands
*Mount Vernon–Enola Sc ...
and leaves Quarryville for Eden Township, where the name changes to Valley Road.[ At this point, the route enters the ]Pennsylvania Dutch Country
The Pennsylvania Dutch Country (Pennsylvania Dutch: ''Deitscherei'' Dutchery', also called Pennsylvania Dutchland (Pennsylvania Dutch: ''Pennsylvania Deitschland'', german: Pennsylvania Deutschland), or simply the Dutch Country or Dutchland (Pen ...
of eastern Lancaster County, which is home to many Amish
The Amish (; pdc, Amisch; german: link=no, Amische), formally the Old Order Amish, are a group of traditionalist Anabaptist Christian church fellowships with Swiss German and Alsatian origins. They are closely related to Mennonite churches ...
farms. PA 372 heads east-northeast through farmland with some wooded areas and homes. The route continues into Bart Township and passes through more rural land before it reaches an intersection with PA 896 in the community of Green Tree. At this point, PA 372 turns north onto PA 896 and the two routes run concurrent through a mix of farms and homes along Georgetown Road.[
PA 372 splits from PA 896 by heading east on Christiana Pike, at which point PA 896 turns west towards the community of Georgetown. PA 372 continues east through farmland and crosses into Sadsbury Township, where it passes through the community of Smyrna. The road heads into wooded areas with some homes as it enters the borough of Christiana. Here, the route bypasses the center of Christiana to the south along borough-maintained Germantown Avenue. PA 372 turns southeast onto state-maintained South Bridge Street and runs through woodland with some development on the west bank of the East Branch ]Octoraro Creek
Octoraro Creek is a tributary of the Susquehanna River, joining it above the Susquehanna's mouth at Chesapeake Bay. The Octoraro rises as an East and West Branch in Pennsylvania. The East Branch and Octoraro Creek form the southern half of th ...
.[
]
The route turns east and crosses the East Branch Octoraro Creek into West Sadsbury Township in Chester County Chester County may refer to:
* Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States
* Chester County, South Carolina, United States
* Chester County, Tennessee, United States
* Cheshire or the County Palatine of Chester, a ceremonial county in the North Wes ...
, heading southeast along Valley Avenue. The road curves south and passes under the Enola Low Grade Trail before making a sharp turn to the east into the borough of Atglen. PA 372 follows Valley Avenue through residential areas before turning south onto Main Street in the commercial center of the borough. The route passes homes before it turns east onto Lower Valley Road and passes commercial establishments, reaching a junction with PA 41. A short distance past this intersection, PA 372 crosses back into West Sadsbury Township and heads through farmland with some industrial buildings and homes. The route turns north onto South Limestone Road and runs along the border between West Sadsbury Township and the borough of Parkesburg to the east before fully entering Parkesburg, passing between industrial areas to the west and residential neighborhoods to the east. PA 372 curves east and follows West First Avenue past homes, continuing into business areas further east. The route crosses PA 10 and becomes East First Avenue, passing residences.[
The road leaves Parkesburg for Sadsbury Township and heads through a mix of farmland and woodland with some homes on Valley Road, crossing Buck Run. The route turns north at the Strasburg Road intersection and turns east a short distance later, passing through the residential community of Pomeroy. PA 372 enters Valley Township and runs through wooded areas with some fields and residential neighborhoods, heading through the community of Westwood and crossing under an abandoned railroad line. The road passes between homes to the north and a ]Cleveland-Cliffs
Cleveland-Cliffs Inc., formerly Cliffs Natural Resources, is a Cleveland, Ohio-based company that specializes in the mining, beneficiation, and pelletizing of iron ore, as well as steelmaking, including stamping and tooling. It is the largest f ...
(formerly Lukens Steel Company
Lukens Steel Company, located in Coatesville, Pennsylvania, is the oldest steel mill in commission within the United States.
In 1995, it was one of the three largest producers of plate steel and the largest domestic manufacturer of alloy-plate. ...
) steel plant to the south, becoming the border between the city of Coatesville to the north and Valley Township to the south before fully entering Coatesville. PA 372 reaches its eastern terminus at an intersection with PA 82.
History
In 1809, the Pennsylvania General Assembly
The Pennsylvania General Assembly is the legislature of the U.S. commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The legislature convenes in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. In colonial times (1682–1776), the legislature was known as the Pennsylvania ...
authorized for a road between Parkesburg and McCall's Ferry on the Susquehanna River. This road, which ran through the Great Valley, became known as Valley Road or McCall's Ferry Road. When Pennsylvania first legislated routes in 1911, what is now PA 372 existed as a paved road between Quarryville and Georgetown while the remainder of the route west of Quarryville and from Georgetown and Christiana was unpaved. The route was not designated as part of a legislative route. By 1926, the road was paved between Georgetown and Christiana.
PA 372 was designated in 1928 to run from McCall's Ferry, where a ferry crossed the Susquehanna River to York County and connected to an unpaved road leading to PA 74 in Kyleville, east to PA 41 (Newport Avenue) in Christiana. The route followed Pinnacle Road and Holtwood Road to Holtwood, its current alignment between Holtwood and Christiana, and Water Street, Bridge Street, and Sadsbury Avenue through Christiana. At this time, the entire length of PA 372 was paved. PA 572 was designated to run from PA 372 in Christiana to PA 41 in Atglen on an unpaved road, following Bridge Street and Valley Avenue. At this time, the current alignment east of Atglen was unnumbered and was paved between Parkesburg and Coatesville. By 1930, a separate section of PA 572 was designated onto the paved road between PA 42 (now PA 10) in Parkesburg and PA 82 in Coatesville. In 1937, the road between Atglen and Parkesburg was paved and became a part of PA 572, resulting in a continuous route from PA 372 in Christiana to PA 82 in Coatesville.
PA 372 was rerouted to its current eastern terminus at PA 82 in Coatesville in the 1940s, replacing the PA 572 designation between Christiana and Coatesville. On August 21, 1968, the Norman Wood Bridge over the Susquehanna River was opened, and PA 372 was rerouted at Bethesda to head over the bridge to its current western terminus at PA 74. Prior to 2007, the intersection of PA 372 and PA 272 in Buck was considered by the ''Intelligencer Journal
The ''Intelligencer Journal'', known locally as the ''Intell'', was the daily, morning newspaper published by Lancaster Newspapers, Inc in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. It is the 7th oldest newspaper in the United States and was one of the oldest newsp ...
'' to be one of the deadliest intersections in Lancaster County due to the number of fatal accidents that occurred there. In 2007, the highways' intersection was moved to a new signalized intersection just south of the original stop-controlled intersection. The project also involved widening existing roads to accommodate the new intersection and allowing only right turns at the original intersection.
On September 28, 2015, the Norman Wood Bridge that carries PA 372 over the Susquehanna River was closed indefinitely after a crack was discovered in one of the steel girders. The bridge reopened with one lane of traffic on October 16, 2015 and all restrictions were removed on November 2, 2015.
Major intersections
See also
*
*
References
External links
{{commons category, Pennsylvania Route 372
Pennsylvania Highways: PA 372
Pennsylvania Roads - PA 372
372
Transportation in York County, Pennsylvania
Transportation in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Transportation in Chester County, Pennsylvania
Coatesville, Pennsylvania