Pennsylvania Route 61 (PA 61) is an
state highway
A state highway, state road, or state route (and the equivalent provincial highway, provincial road, or provincial route) is usually a road that is either ''numbered'' or ''maintained'' by a sub-national state or province. A road numbered by a ...
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, ...
. The route is signed on a north–south direction, running from
U.S. Route 222 Business (US 222 Bus.) in
Reading
Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of Letter (alphabet), letters, symbols, etc., especially by Visual perception, sight or Somatosensory system, touch.
For educators and researchers, reading is a multifaceted process invo ...
northwest to
US 11/
US 15
U.S. Route 15 (US 15) is a -long United States highway, designated along South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New York. The route is signed north–south, from U.S. Route 17 Alternate in Walterboro, South Car ...
/
PA 147 in
Shamokin Dam. PA 61 heads north from Reading through
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 ...
to
Hamburg
(male), (female) en, Hamburger(s),
Hamburgian(s)
, timezone1 = Central (CET)
, utc_offset1 = +1
, timezone1_DST = Central (CEST)
, utc_offset1_DST = +2
, postal ...
, where it meets
Interstate 78
Interstate 78 (I-78) is an east–west Interstate Highway in the Northeastern United States, running from I-81 northeast of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, through Allentown to western and northern New Jersey and terminating at the Holland T ...
(I-78)/
US 22. The route continues into the
Coal Region
The Coal Region is a region of Northeastern Pennsylvania. It is known for being home to the largest known deposits of anthracite, anthracite coal in the world with an estimated reserve of seven billion short tons.
The region is typically define ...
in
Schuylkill County and heads through
Schuylkill Haven,
Pottsville,
Frackville (where it has an interchange with
I-81
Interstate 81 (I-81) is a north–south (physically northeast–southwest) Interstate Highway in the eastern part of the United States. Its southern terminus is at I-40 in Dandridge, Tennessee; its northern terminus is on Wellesley Isla ...
), and
Ashland. PA 61 passes through the southern part of
Columbia County, where it turns west in
Centralia
Centralia may refer to:
Places Australia
*Central Australia, sometimes called "Centralia"
Canada
* Centralia, Ontario
** RCAF Station Centralia, a former Royal Canadian Air Force training base
** Centralia (Essery Field) Aerodrome
United State ...
, before it heads into
Northumberland County and runs west through
Mount Carmel
Mount Carmel ( he, הַר הַכַּרְמֶל, Har haKarmel; ar, جبل الكرمل, Jabal al-Karmil), also known in Arabic as Mount Mar Elias ( ar, link=no, جبل مار إلياس, Jabal Mār Ilyās, lit=Mount Saint Elias/Elijah), is a c ...
,
Kulpmont,
Shamokin, and
Sunbury. The route 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 ...
into
Snyder County and soon reaches its northern terminus.
PA 61 roughly follows the alignment of the
Centre Turnpike
Centre Turnpike, also known as the Reading-Sunbury Road, was an early United States turnpike located in Pennsylvania. It followed the path of the King's Highway, which had been surveyed in 1770 by Francis Yarnall. Running from Reading to Sunbury, ...
, a
turnpike
Turnpike often refers to:
* A type of gate, another word for a turnstile
* In the United States, a toll road
Turnpike may also refer to:
Roads United Kingdom
* A turnpike road, a principal road maintained by a turnpike trust, a body with powers ...
between Reading and Sunbury that was completed in 1814. The road between Reading and Sunbury became part of
US 120 when the
U.S. Highway System
The United States Numbered Highway System (often called U.S. Routes or U.S. Highways) is an integrated network of roads and highways numbered within a nationwide grid in the contiguous United States. As the designation and numbering of these h ...
was created in 1926. In 1935, this section of road became part of
US 122, a route than ran from
US 1
U.S. Route 1 or U.S. Highway 1 (US 1) is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. It runs from Key West, Florida, north to Fort Kent, Maine, at the Canadian border, making i ...
in
Oxford
Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
north to US 11/
US 111 in
Northumberland
Northumberland () is a county in Northern England, one of two counties in England which border with Scotland. Notable landmarks in the county include Alnwick Castle, Bamburgh Castle, Hadrian's Wall and Hexham Abbey.
It is bordered by land on ...
. US 122 saw multiple upgrades and realignments in the following years. In 1963, US 122 was decommissioned and PA 61 was designated onto the former alignment of US 122 between
US 222 (now US 222 Bus.) in Reading and PA 147 in Sunbury. Upgrades and realignments continued to be made to PA 61. In 1990, the route was extended north from Sunbury to US 11/US 15 in Shamokin Dam. A section of PA 61 south of Centralia was closed in 1993 after the
Centralia mine fire
The Centralia mine fire is a coal-seam fire that has been burning in the labyrinth of abandoned coal mines underneath the borough of Centralia, Pennsylvania, United States, since at least May 27, 1962. Its original cause and start date are st ...
damaged the road and made it unsafe to travel on; this section was bypassed with a realignment to a parallel road through
Byrnesville. The closed section of PA 61 was used by pedestrians and bicyclists and was covered with
graffiti
Graffiti (plural; singular ''graffiti'' or ''graffito'', the latter rarely used except in archeology) is art that is written, painted or drawn on a wall or other surface, usually without permission and within public view. Graffiti ranges from s ...
before being blocked to public access and covered with dirt in 2020.
Route description
Berks County
PA 61 begins at
US 222 Bus. in the city of
Reading
Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of Letter (alphabet), letters, symbols, etc., especially by Visual perception, sight or Somatosensory system, touch.
For educators and researchers, reading is a multifaceted process invo ...
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 ...
, heading west on two-lane undivided Greenwich Street, which is maintained by the city. The road intersects Centre Avenue and North 4th Street a short distance apart, at which points the route briefly splits into the
one-way pair
A one-way pair, one-way couple, or couplet refers to that portion of a bi-directional traffic facilitysuch as a road, bus, streetcar, or light rail linewhere its opposing flows exist as two independent and roughly parallel facilities.
Descriptio ...
of Centre Avenue northbound and North 4th Street southbound and becomes state-maintained. At the intersection of North 4th Street and Centre Avenue, both directions of PA 61 continue northwest on two-lane undivided Centre Avenue, passing through urban areas of homes. The road becomes three lanes with one northbound lane and two southbound lanes and curves north, running between residences and businesses to the west and a large cemetery to the east. The route narrows to two lanes and continues past urban development. PA 61 heads into commercial areas and widens to four lanes, crossing
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 Spruce Street Industrial Track at-grade before passing to the east of
FirstEnergy Stadium
FirstEnergy Stadium is a stadium in Cleveland, Ohio, United States, primarily for American football. It is the home field of the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL), and serves as a venue for other events such as college and h ...
, the home ballpark of
Minor League Baseball's
Reading Fightin Phils
The Reading Fightin Phils (also called the Reading Fightins) are a Minor League Baseball team based in Reading, Pennsylvania, playing in the Northeast Division of the Eastern League. The team plays their home games at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Re ...
. The road heads into
Muhlenberg Township and becomes a
divided highway
A dual carriageway ( BE) or divided highway ( AE) is a class of highway with carriageways for traffic travelling in opposite directions separated by a central reservation (BrE) or median (AmE). Roads with two or more carriageways which are ...
as it reaches a
partial cloverleaf interchange
A partial cloverleaf interchange or parclo is a modification of a cloverleaf interchange.
The design has been well received, and has since become one of the most popular freeway-to-arterial interchange designs in North America. It has also bee ...
with the
PA 12 freeway (
Warren Street Bypass).
Past this interchange, the route continues north into suburban areas as Pottsville Pike, a four-lane divided highway with some intersections controlled by
jughandle
A jughandle is a type of ramp or slip road that changes the way traffic turns left at an at-grade intersection (in a country where traffic drives on the right). Instead of a standard left turn being made from the left lane, left-turning traffic ...
s. PA 61 heads past businesses and passes under Norfolk Southern's
Reading Line
The Reading Line is a main freight line in Pennsylvania owned and operated by Norfolk Southern Railway. It stretches from the Harrisburg Line at Wyomissing Junction in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania to a junction with the Lehigh Line in Bethlehem, Penn ...
. The road becomes undivided and runs through more commercial areas. The route briefly becomes a divided highway again at the Bellevue Avenue intersection, heading to the west of the Reading Outer Station along the
Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad
The Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad , sometimes shortened to Reading and Northern Railroad, is a regional railroad in eastern Pennsylvania. Its headquarters is in Port Clinton. The RBMN provides freight service on of track. Its mainl ...
. The highway transitions to 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 under the Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad's
Reading Division The Reading Division is a rail line owned and operated by the Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The line runs from Reading, Pennsylvania north and east to Packerton, Pennsylvania along former Reading C ...
line. PA 61 runs past businesses and industrial development before it heads through the community of
Tuckerton, where it passes homes and businesses. The road becomes a four-lane divided highway as it comes to a partial cloverleaf interchange with the
US 222 freeway. Following this, the route enters
Ontelaunee Township and runs along the east bank of 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 ...
as it passes through the community of
Ontelaunee. PA 61 heads farther from the river and crosses under a Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad line, entering industrial areas and passing west of the Ontelaunee Energy Facility. The road heads near more commercial development and curves northwest, crossing
Maiden Creek
Maiden Creek is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed April 1, 2011 tributary of the Schuylkill River in Berks County, Pennsylvania.Gertler, Edward. ''Keystone Canoeing'', S ...
. The route runs through farmland and comes to an intersection with the western terminus of
PA 73. Past this intersection, PA 61 passes a mix of businesses and fields before it enters the borough of
Leesport. Here, the road turns into four-lane undivided South Centre Avenue and runs past homes and some businesses. The route becomes North Centre Avenue and passes more residences, running to the east of a Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad line.
[
PA 61 leaves Leesport for Ontelaunee Township again, where it becomes four-lane divided Pottsville Pike and passes a few businesses. The road curves north and heads through a mix of fields and woods with some residential and commercial development to the east of the railroad tracks, with the Schuylkill River further to the west, bending northeast and entering Perry Township. The route curves north and continues through rural land with some industrial development, where it crosses a railroad spur at-grade, before the river and railroad tracks head further to the west. PA 61 runs through more farmland and woodland before it becomes the border between the borough of Shoemakersville to the west and Perry Township to the east, passing businesses and coming to an intersection with the northern terminus of PA 662. From here, the road fully enters Shoemakersville before crossing into Perry Township, heading north-northwest past homes and businesses with some farmland. The route becomes undivided and curves north in a wooded area, entering Windsor Township and passing more roadside development. PA 61 crosses into the borough of ]Hamburg
(male), (female) en, Hamburger(s),
Hamburgian(s)
, timezone1 = Central (CET)
, utc_offset1 = +1
, timezone1_DST = Central (CEST)
, utc_offset1_DST = +2
, postal ...
and runs past businesses as a four-lane divided highway. The road comes to an intersection with South 4th Street, which heads north into the center of the borough. From here, the route curves northwest as an unnamed road and passes over a Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad line, heading into wooded areas with the Schuylkill River to the southwest and businesses and industrial development to the northeast. The road passes over the river, entering Tilden Township, and continues over Old Route 22 and the Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad's Reading Division line. PA 61 comes to a partial cloverleaf interchange with I-78
Interstate 78 (I-78) is an east–west Interstate Highway in the Northeastern United States, running from I-81 northeast of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, through Allentown to western and northern New Jersey and terminating at the Holland T ...
/ US 22 and heads past businesses, passing east of a Cabela's
Cabela's Inc. is an American retailer that specializes in hunting, fishing, boating, camping, shooting and other outdoor recreation merchandise. The chain is based in Sidney, Nebraska. Cabela's was founded by Richard N. Cabela in 1961. Cabela' ...
store. The road runs through farm fields before it enters forested areas, crossing over the Schuylkill River Trail
The Schuylkill River Trail ( , ) is a multi-use trail along the banks of the Schuylkill River in southeastern Pennsylvania. Partially complete as of 2018, the trail is ultimately planned to run about from the river's headwaters in Schuylkill Co ...
and coming to a bridge over the Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad's Reading Division line and the Schuylkill River.[
]
Schuylkill County
Upon crossing the Schuylkill River, PA 61 enters the borough of Port Clinton in Schuylkill County and passes over the Appalachian Trail
The Appalachian Trail (also called the A.T.), is a hiking trail in the Eastern United States, extending almost between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine, and passing through 14 states.Gailey, Chris (2006)"Appalachian Tr ...
before heading through the Schuylkill Gap in forested Blue Mountain along with the river. The road becomes Center Street and curves north, running between homes and some businesses to the west and the mountain to the east. The route heads into West Brunswick Township, becoming Centre Turnpike
Centre Turnpike, also known as the Reading-Sunbury Road, was an early United States turnpike located in Pennsylvania. It followed the path of the King's Highway, which had been surveyed in 1770 by Francis Yarnall. Running from Reading to Sunbury, ...
and heading north through forested mountains with the Little Schuylkill River
The Little Schuylkill River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed April 1, 2011 tributary of the Schuylkill River in Northeastern Pennsylvania.
It rises south of McAdoo He ...
to the west and a tract of Weiser State Forest
Weiser State Forest is a Pennsylvania State Forest in Pennsylvania Bureau of Forestry District #18. The main offices are located in Cressona in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania in the United States.
The forest is located on several small tra ...
to the east. PA 61 heads through a mix of fields and woods and passes over the river and the Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad's Reading Division line before coming to a jughandle-controlled intersection with PA 895 in the community of Molino. At this point, PA 895 joins PA 61 for a concurrency and the two routes head northwest along a four-lane divided highway with a Jersey barrier
A Jersey barrier, Jersey wall, or Jersey bump is a modular concrete or plastic barrier employed to separate lanes of traffic. It is designed to minimize vehicle damage in cases of incidental contact while still preventing vehicle crossovers resu ...
, running through a mix of farm fields and woods. The road crosses into the borough of Deer Lake, passing through wooded areas with nearby residential neighborhoods. PA 895 splits from PA 61 at a jughandle-controlled intersection by heading southwest, with PA 61 splitting into a one-way pair carrying two lanes in each direction. The northbound direction heads past development while the southbound direction bypasses the development to the west, leaving Deer Lake for West Brunswick Township and heading through the community of Pinedale. The route becomes a four-lane divided highway with a Jersey barrier and some intersections controlled by jughandles, continuing northwest past fields and woods with some residential and commercial development. PA 61 curves to the west and becomes a four-lane undivided road, passing south of Geisinger St. Luke's Hospital, before becoming a three-lane road with one northbound lane and two southbound lanes and entering North Manheim Township. The route becomes three lanes with two northbound lanes and one southbound lanes before transitioning to a four-lane road as it passes south of the borough of Orwigsburg, briefly becoming three lanes with one northbound lane and two southbound lanes at the Greenview Road intersection. The road becomes a four-lane divided highway and reaches PA 443 at a jughandle-controlled intersection.
At this point, PA 443 heads west for a concurrency with PA 61, and the two routes run west-southwest through business areas as Center Avenue. The road passes to the south of the Penn State Schuylkill
Penn State Schuylkill is a Commonwealth Campus of the Pennsylvania State University in Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania.
History
The Schuylkill campus was originally chartered in 1934 and was located in Pottsville, approximately six miles (1 ...
university campus before it continues past more development. The two routes enter the borough of Schuylkill Haven and become a four-lane undivided road, passing homes. PA 443 splits to the south and PA 61 continues west, passing businesses and crossing back into North Manheim Township. The route widens to a four-lane divided highway with several intersections controlled by jughandles and comes to an intersection with the northern terminus of PA 183 east of the borough of Cressona. Here, the road curves north and becomes unnamed, passing between the Cressona Mall
Cressona Mall is a shopping mall in Pottsville, Pennsylvania off Route 61 and Route 183.
History
Cressona Mall opened on October 2, 1973, with Hills as its anchor. Laneco had plans to open a store at the mall in early 1982, using the former Gr ...
and businesses to the west and woodland to the east. PA 61 continues north a short distance to the east of the Schuylkill River and passes through a narrow valley straddling Second Mountain and Sharp Mountain
Sharp Mountain or Sharp Ridge (historically also spelled Sharpe) in eastern central Pennsylvania in the United States is a ridgeline (fold) of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians cut through on its east-side in the Tamaqua gap by the Little Schuylk ...
.[
Farther north, the route continues through wooded areas with some development and bends northwest, intersecting Centre Street, which crosses the Schuylkill River into the borough of Mount Carbon. PA 61 passes through a section of the borough of ]Palo Alto
Palo Alto (; Spanish for "tall stick") is a charter city in the northwestern corner of Santa Clara County, California, United States, in the San Francisco Bay Area, named after a coastal redwood tree known as El Palo Alto.
The city was estab ...
before it comes to a bridge over a Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad line and enters the city of Pottsville. Here, the road becomes South Claude A. Lord Boulevard and passes near commercial development, crossing the Schuylkill River before coming to an intersection with US 209
U.S. Route 209 (US 209) is a long U.S. Highway in the states of Pennsylvania and New York. Although the route is a spur of US 9, US 209 never intersects US 9, coming within five miles of the route and making the short ...
. Past this intersection, PA 61 turns into a four-lane undivided road and runs past businesses to the east of Center City Pottsville, with the road name changing to North Claude A. Lord Boulevard after crossing East Norwegian Street. The route heads near residential and commercial development with some wooded areas, becoming a divided highway and curving to the northeast. The road turns north and leaves Pottsville for Norwegian Township, passing through woodland as Pottsville-St. Clair Highway. PA 61 heads into business areas and passes to the east of Fairlane Village Mall
Fairlane Village Mall is a shopping mall located just outside of Pottsville, Pennsylvania off Route 61. It is anchored by Boscov's, Dunham's Sports, Kohl's, Michaels, and TJ Maxx.
History
Development of the mall was delayed by earth moving oper ...
, entering East Norwegian Township. The route bends north-northwest and enters the borough of St. Clair, where it becomes Joseph H. Long Boulevard and runs between wooded areas to the west and residential areas to the east, curving to the north and passing west of a shopping center. PA 61 leaves St. Clair for New Castle Township and becomes an unnamed four-lane undivided highway that heads into forested mountains to the west of Mill Creek. The road curves northwest and becomes a three lane road with one northbound lane and two southbound lanes that reaches the community of Darkwater, where it turns to the north. The route becomes four lanes again and continues through forests, becoming a divided highway. PA 61 turns northwest and the median widens as it winds north through mountainous areas, becoming Skyline Drive and crossing into Blythe Township. The divided road curves to the northwest through more woodland before it comes to an interchange with Schuylkill Mall
Schuylkill Mall was an shopping mall located in Frackville, Pennsylvania. Built in 1980 by Crown American, the mall originally featured Kmart, Hess's, and Sears as its anchor stores; later additions to the mall included Pomeroy's (which was later ...
Road that provides access to a commercial area to the west of the road. The median of the route narrows and it continues into Ryan Township, reaching 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-81
Interstate 81 (I-81) is a north–south (physically northeast–southwest) Interstate Highway in the eastern part of the United States. Its southern terminus is at I-40 in Dandridge, Tennessee; its northern terminus is on Wellesley Isla ...
.[
Past this interchange, PA 61 enters West Mahanoy Township and becomes South Lehigh Avenue, running north-northwest past businesses. The route narrows to a two-lane undivided road and heads into the borough of Frackville, where it is lined with homes and a few businesses. In the commercial downtown, PA 61 turns west-southwest onto West Oak Street, with PA 924 continuing north on South Lehigh Avenue. PA 61 continues past residences and a few businesses before it leaves Frackville for Butler Township and runs through the residential community of Englewood. The road heads into forested mountain areas and winds to the west, passing to the north of Ashland Reservoir before gaining a second southbound lane. The route straightens out and heads west as a three-lane road with a center left-turn lane, passing some homes and heading north of North Schuylkill Junior Senior High School. Farther west, the road becomes three lanes with one northbound lane and two southbound lanes before narrowing to two lanes. PA 61 becomes Fountain Street and heads west-southwest to the community of Fountain Springs, where it runs through residential areas and turns northwest onto Broad Street. The road gains a center turn lane and runs through forests with some homes, curving to the north. The route enters the borough of Ashland and becomes South Hoffman Boulevard, passing near commercial development and curving northeast to cross a Reading Blue Mountain and Northern Railroad line at-grade and ]Mahanoy Creek
Mahanoy Creek is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed August 8, 2011 tributary of the Susquehanna River in Northumberland and Schuylkill counties, Pennsylvania. There are ...
. PA 61 turns north and becomes a two-lane divided highway that runs through residential areas, coming to an intersection with PA 54
Pennsylvania Route 54 (PA 54) is a state highway which runs for in eastern Pennsylvania. It runs from U.S. Route 15 (US 15), which is three miles (5 km) west of Montgomery, Lycoming County, in the west, to US 209 in Nesquehoning ...
. At this point, PA 61 turns west to become concurrent with PA 54 on two-lane undivided Centre Street, heading through the commercial downtown of Ashland. Farther west, the road runs past homes. PA 61 splits from PA 54 by turning north onto four-lane divided North Memorial Boulevard, passing to the west of an industrial area before heading into forests.[
]
Columbia County
PA 61 enters Conyngham Township in Columbia County and heads northeast through dense forests as an unnamed four-lane undivided road. Farther northeast, the route narrows to a three lane road with one northbound lane and two southbound lanes. PA 61 curves east and becomes two-lane undivided Byrnesville Road, which is designated State Route 2002 (SR 2002). The former divided highway alignment of PA 61 past this point has been closed because of the Centralia mine fire
The Centralia mine fire is a coal-seam fire that has been burning in the labyrinth of abandoned coal mines underneath the borough of Centralia, Pennsylvania, United States, since at least May 27, 1962. Its original cause and start date are st ...
that has made the road unsafe to travel on. PA 61 follows Byrnesville Road northeast through forests before passing through the abandoned community of Byrnesville. The route curves northwest through more woods and rejoins the closed alignment, at which point SR 2002 ends.[ At this point, PA 61 enters the borough of ]Centralia
Centralia may refer to:
Places Australia
*Central Australia, sometimes called "Centralia"
Canada
* Centralia, Ontario
** RCAF Station Centralia, a former Royal Canadian Air Force training base
** Centralia (Essery Field) Aerodrome
United State ...
, which has largely been abandoned because of the mine fire, as two-lane undivided Locust Avenue.[ The road runs north through abandoned areas of the borough which have been overgrown with trees. PA 61 turns west onto West Centre Street, with PA 42 continuing north along Locust Avenue. From here, the route heads west through more abandoned sections of Centralia. The road leaves Centralia for Conyngham Township again and becomes an unnamed four-lane divided highway, heading through forested areas and passing to the south of a large coal mine.][
]
Northumberland and Snyder counties
PA 61 enters Mount Carmel Township in Northumberland County and reaches a pair of jughandles at the county line before continuing west through forested areas. The route enters the borough of Mount Carmel
Mount Carmel ( he, הַר הַכַּרְמֶל, Har haKarmel; ar, جبل الكرمل, Jabal al-Karmil), also known in Arabic as Mount Mar Elias ( ar, link=no, جبل مار إلياس, Jabal Mār Ilyās, lit=Mount Saint Elias/Elijah), is a c ...
and becomes two-lane undivided East 5th Street, lined with homes. PA 61 turns north onto four-lane South Market Street, passing residences and businesses. The road becomes North Market Street at the intersection with East 3rd Street. The route turns west onto two-lane East Mount Carmel Avenue and is lined with homes. The road name changes to West Mount Carmel Avenue after the intersection with North Oak Street. PA 61 turns north onto North Poplar Street and crosses back into Mount Carmel Township, curving west and widening to a four-lane unnamed road that passes north of the residential community of Atlas
An atlas is a collection of maps; it is typically a bundle of maps of Earth or of a region of Earth.
Atlases have traditionally been bound into book form, but today many atlases are in multimedia formats. In addition to presenting geographic ...
. The road heads past businesses and crosses PA 54 in the community of Strong. The route passes north of homes in Strong as Front Street before it runs through wooded areas with some residential and commercial development. PA 61 heads into the borough of Kulpmont, becoming Chestnut Street and running past homes and businesses. The road narrows to two lanes and runs through the commercial downtown of Kulpmont before running through more residential areas. The route leaves Kulpmont for Coal Township and becomes an unnamed four-lane road, passing through forested areas with some businesses. PA 61 passes to the north of the community of Ranshaw and comes to a partial cloverleaf interchange with the western terminus of PA 901, which provides access to Ranshaw along with the community of Coal Run to the north. Following this interchange, the road continues through wooded areas and businesses, with several intersections controlled by jughandles, passing north of the community of Marshallton. The route enters the city of Shamokin and becomes two-lane undivided Mt. Carmel Street, heading northwest into residential areas. PA 61 turns west onto East Sunbury Street and runs past more homes and a few businesses, curving southwest. The road becomes West Sunbury Street at the North 8th Street intersection and comes to a junction with the northern terminus of PA 125. From here, the route passes more development and turns northwest onto North 6th Street.
PA 61 leaves Shamokin for Coal Township again, becoming an unnamed road and passing over the Shamokin Valley Railroad
The Shamokin Valley Railroad is a short line railroad that operates 27 miles of track in southern Northumberland County, Pennsylvania in the United States. It is part of the North Shore Railroad System.
The line runs generally southeast bet ...
and the Shamokin Creek
Shamokin Creek (also known as Great Shamokin Creek or Middle Branch Shamokin Creek) is a tributary of the Susquehanna River in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is approximately long and flows through Mount Carmel, M ...
before coming to an intersection with the northern terminus of PA 225. The road curves north and runs through forested areas, with PA 225 parallel to the west and the creek and railroad line parallel to the east as it traverses a gap in Big Mountain. PA 225 curves away to the west and the route bends northwest and widens to a four-lane divided highway, passing southwest of the residential community of Uniontown and curving to the west. PA 61 crosses the Shamokin Creek and turns to the north, heading through a gap in forested Little Mountain with the creek to the west and the Shamokin Valley Railroad to the east and entering Ralpho Township. The road passes commercial development and a coal mine in the community of Weigh Scales before it crosses to the west side of the Shamokin Creek, at which point it enters Shamokin Township. The route winds north through more woodland with some commercial areas, with the Shamokin Valley Railroad and the Shamokin Creek to the east. PA 61 curves northwest and intersects the southern terminus of PA 487 in the community of Paxinos. From here, the road curves west runs to the north of the residential community of Sunfftown before narrowing to a two-lane undivided road and heading through woodland. The route continues west through woodland with some farm fields and homes, running through the community of Stonington and bending to the northwest.[
PA 61 heads west and becomes the border between Upper Augusta Township to the north and Rockefeller Township to the south, passing through forests with some fields and residential development. The road fully enters Upper Augusta Township and runs through residential areas with some nearby farmland and woodland, becoming State Street. The route comes to an intersection with the northern terminus of PA 890 in the community of ]Hamilton Hamilton may refer to:
People
* Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname
** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland
** Lord Hamilt ...
. From here, PA 61 turns north and crosses under the Shamokin Valley Railroad, at which point it enters the city of Sunbury. The road becomes Market Street and curves west, coming to a bridge over the Shamokin Creek. The route passes near businesses and bends southwest, coming to an intersection with the southern terminus of southbound PA 61 Truck at Wolverton Street. PA 61 curves west and becomes lined with homes, bending to the west-northwest and passing a mix of homes and businesses. The road enters the commercial downtown of Sunbury and intersects the beginning of northbound PA 61 Truck at North 5th Street. The route passes through more of the downtown and crosses Norfolk Southern's Buffalo Line
The Buffalo Line is a railroad line owned by the Norfolk Southern Railway in the U.S. states of New York and Pennsylvania. The line runs from Buffalo, New York southeast to Rockville, Pennsylvania near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania along a former Penns ...
at-grade, at which point it splits into a one-way pair with a town square
A town square (or square, plaza, public square, city square, urban square, or ''piazza'') is an open public space, commonly found in the heart of a traditional town but not necessarily a true square, geometric square, used for community gathe ...
between the one-way streets and passes north of the Northumberland County Courthouse
Northumberland County Courthouse is a historic county courthouse located at Sunbury, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. It was built in 1865, and is a three-story, brick building in the Italianate style. A three-story wing was added in 1911. ...
. PA 61 becomes a two-lane road again and passes homes before it reaches an intersection with the southern terminus of PA 405 on the east bank of 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 ...
. At this point, PA 61 turns south-southwest onto South Front Street, intersecting the beginning of southbound PA 61 Truck at Chestnut Street. The route continues south between the river to the west and a mix of homes and commercial areas to the east. Farther south, the road runs to the west of residential areas. PA 61 comes to an interchange with PA 147, which becomes concurrent with PA 61. The two routes head west as a four-lane undivided road to cross the Susquehanna River on the Veterans Memorial Bridge, leaving Sunbury and running through Upper Augusta Township while crossing the river.[ Upon crossing the river, the road enters the borough of Shamokin Dam in Snyder County and comes to 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 US 11
{{Infobox road
, country=USA
, type=US
, route=11
, map={{maplink, frame=yes, plain=yes, frame-align=center, frame-width=290, frame-height=330, type=line, from=U.S. Route 11.map
, map_custom=yes
, map_notes=US 11 in red, US 11E in blue, US 11W in ...
/US 15
U.S. Route 15 (US 15) is a -long United States highway, designated along South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New York. The route is signed north–south, from U.S. Route 17 Alternate in Walterboro, South Car ...
, where PA 61 reaches its northern terminus and PA 147 continues north along US 11/US 15.
History
On March 25, 1805, the Centre Turnpike Road Company was chartered to build the Centre Turnpike
Centre Turnpike, also known as the Reading-Sunbury Road, was an early United States turnpike located in Pennsylvania. It followed the path of the King's Highway, which had been surveyed in 1770 by Francis Yarnall. Running from Reading to Sunbury, ...
, a turnpike
Turnpike often refers to:
* A type of gate, another word for a turnstile
* In the United States, a toll road
Turnpike may also refer to:
Roads United Kingdom
* A turnpike road, a principal road maintained by a turnpike trust, a body with powers ...
running from Reading northwest to Sunbury along the rough alignment of present-day PA 61. Construction of the Centre Turnpike began in 1808 and was completed in 1814. Following the passage of the Sproul Road Bill in 1911, what is now PA 61 was designated as Legislative Route 160 between Reading and Hamburg, Legislative Route 141 between Hamburg and Schuylkill Haven, Legislative Route 140 between Schuylkill Haven and Pottsville, and Legislative Route 161 between Pottsvile and Sunbury.
With the creation of the U.S. Highway System
The United States Numbered Highway System (often called U.S. Routes or U.S. Highways) is an integrated network of roads and highways numbered within a nationwide grid in the contiguous United States. As the designation and numbering of these h ...
in 1926, the road between Reading and Sunbury was designated as part of US 120, a route that ran from Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
northwest to 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 ...
. At this time, the entire length of US 120 between US 22 in Reading and Sunbury was paved. In 1927, PA 42 was designated concurrent with US 120 between Reading and Centralia, PA 45 was designated concurrent with US 120 between Ashland and Shamokin, and PA 55 was designated concurrent on the section of US 120 between Shamokin and Sunbury. The concurrent state routes were removed from US 120 between Reading and Sunbury in 1928.
In May 1935, the eastern terminus of US 120 was truncated to US 220
U.S. Route 220 (US 220) is a spur route of US 20. It runs in a north–south layout in the eastern United States, unlike its parent route as well as conventionally even-numbered highways which run east-west. US 220 extends for fr ...
in Lock Haven
Lock Haven is the county seat of Clinton County, in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Located near the confluence of the West Branch Susquehanna River and Bald Eagle Creek, it is the principal city of the Lock Haven Micropolitan Statistical Area ...
. US 122 was designated in April 1935 to run from US 1
U.S. Route 1 or U.S. Highway 1 (US 1) is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. It runs from Key West, Florida, north to Fort Kent, Maine, at the Canadian border, making i ...
in Oxford
Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...
north to US 11/ US 111 in Northumberland
Northumberland () is a county in Northern England, one of two counties in England which border with Scotland. Notable landmarks in the county include Alnwick Castle, Bamburgh Castle, Hadrian's Wall and Hexham Abbey.
It is bordered by land on ...
, replacing PA 42 between Oxford and Reading and US 120 between Reading and Northumberland, effective in May 1935.[ ] US 122 was rerouted to bypass Orwigsburg to the southwest by 1940, having previously followed Brick Hill Road, Market Street, and present-day PA 443 through the town. In the 1930s, US 122 was widened to a multilane road between Reading and Leesport, from a point north of Shoemakersville to Hamburg, between a point south of Schuylkill Haven and Pottsville, for a short distance south of Frackville, and for a short distance north of Shamokin. US 122 was upgraded to a multilane road in the 1940s between Leesport and north of Shoemakersville, between Port Clinton and south of Orwigsburg, between St. Clair and south of Frackville, between Frackville and Shamokin, between north of Weigh Scales and north of Paxinos, and for a short distance north of Stonington. In the 1940s, US 122 was realigned to bypass Center City Pottsville to the east along Pottsville Boulevard between US 209 in Pottsville and south of St. Clair, having previously followed Centre Street through Center City Pottsville and Nichols Street and Ann Street between Pottsville and St. Clair By 1953, US 122 was rerouted to bypass Hamburg to the west on a divided highway between south of Hamburg and Port Clinton, having previously followed 4th Street and Port Clinton Avenue between Hamburg and Port Clinton. US 122 was upgraded to a divided highway in the 1950s between north of Leesport and north of Shoemakersville, along the bypass of Orwigsburg, from north of St. Clair to south of Frackville, between Ashland and the border between Columbia and Northumberland counties, and between Weigh Scales and Paxinos. In the 1950s, US 122 was upgraded to a divided highway from Schuylkill Haven through Pottsville to south of St. Clair, being realigned to bypass Mount Carbon. This alignment of US 122 bypassed the previous alignment that followed Centre Street through Mount Carbon north to US 209 in Pottsville.
US 122, which had been replaced with PA 10 between Oxford and Morgantown in the 1950s, was decommissioned in 1963. The section of US 122 between Morgantown and Reading became a northern extension of PA 10 while the section between Reading and Sunbury was designated PA 61.[ ] When designated, PA 61 ran from US 222 (now US 222 Bus.) in Reading northwest to PA 147 (Front Street) in Sunbury. In 1966, PA 54 was designated concurrent with PA 61 between Ashland and north of Atlas.[ ] In the 1960s, PA 61 was upgraded to a divided highway between north of Tuckerton and north of Leesport, between north of Shoemakersville and south of Hamburg, and between Port Clinton and Deer Lake. The section of PA 61 through Pottsville was renamed Claude A. Lord Boulevard in the 1960s. By 1989, PA 61 was realigned to bypass St. Clair to the west along a divided highway, having previously followed 2nd Street through the town. In 1990, the northern terminus of PA 61 was extended from PA 147 in Sunbury across the Susquehanna River to US 11/US 15 in Shamokin Dam.
Because of the long-term coal mine fire in Centralia, the original alignment of PA 54/PA 61, which went from Centralia to Ashland, has been permanently closed because the road has severely opened up and buckled extensively. This branch was repaired in 1983 for $500,000; then in 1992 it was deemed too expensive to repair again. In 1993, the branch was permanently closed, and graffiti
Graffiti (plural; singular ''graffiti'' or ''graffito'', the latter rarely used except in archeology) is art that is written, painted or drawn on a wall or other surface, usually without permission and within public view. Graffiti ranges from s ...
were scattered along the closed portion of the roadway. In 1999, Byrnesville Road (SR 2002), located directly south of the closed section of PA 61, was upgraded and now carries PA 61, bypassing the section of PA 61 which was damaged by the underground mine fire in Centralia. By 2000, PA 54 was rerouted from PA 61 between Ashland and Atlas to bypass Centralia to the southwest along PA 901 and three quadrant routes. The closed section of the road was used by pedestrians and bicyclists and was covered with graffiti. The closed portion of PA 61 was known as "Graffiti Highway".[ In 2018, the ]Pennsylvania Department of Transportation
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) oversees transportation issues in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The administrator of PennDOT is the Pennsylvania Secretary of Transportation, currently Yassmin Gramian. Presently, Pe ...
(PennDOT) vacated ownership of the closed section of PA 61, which reverted to adjacent property owners, mostly to Pitreal Corporation, a subsidiary of Pagnotti Enterprises. Work on blocking public access by covering the abandoned highway with dirt took place in April 2020.
In September 2012, PennDOT began a project to widen and improve the section of PA 61 through Deer Lake as the road saw a high accident rate.[ The project, which cost $35 million, widened the road from three lanes to four lanes between the south end of the PA 895 concurrency in Molino and Brick Hill Road north of Deer Lake and added traffic lights and jughandles at intersections. In addition, a new southbound roadway was built through Deer Lake, with the original roadway becoming the northbound lanes.][ The widening of PA 61 through Deer Lake was completed in 2015.]
Future
As part of the construction of the Central Susquehanna Valley Thruway
The Central Susquehanna Valley Thruway (CSVT), also known as the Central Susquehanna Valley Transportation Project, is a partially-completed bypass (road), highway bypass along the U.S. Route 15 in Pennsylvania, U.S. Route 15 (US 15) corrid ...
, PA 61 is planned to continue westward from its current northern terminus, ending instead at a junction with a new limited-access roadway carrying US 15. Instead of joining with PA 147 briefly in Sunbury, the two will run together from the southern end of the current duplex to the new northern terminus at US 15.
Major intersections
PA 61 Truck
Reading
Pennsylvania Route 61 Truck (PA 61 Truck) was a truck route
A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo, carry specialized payloads, or perform other utilitarian work. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, but the vast majority feature body-on-frame constructi ...
of PA 61 bypassing a weight-restricted bridge over Laurel Run in Muhlenberg Township, on which trucks over 34 tons and combination loads over 40 tons are prohibited. The route followed PA 12, PA 183, and US 222. PA 61 Truck was signed in 2013. In recent years, PennDOT has determined that the bridge carrying PA 61 is in "fair condition", and the bridge is currently open with no restriction. PA 61 Truck signs were also removed from major highways that it follows in 2017, so the route is effectively removed from PennDOT.
Sunbury
Pennsylvania Route 61 Truck (PA 61 Truck) is a truck route
A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo, carry specialized payloads, or perform other utilitarian work. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, but the vast majority feature body-on-frame constructi ...
of PA 61 in Sunbury that helps larger vehicles avoid a narrow town square area and a tight intersection with PA 147. The northbound truck route splits from PA 61 in the downtown area by heading north on two-lane undivided North 5th Street for two blocks. Northbound PA 61 Truck turns west-northwest onto one-way Arch Street, passing a mix of homes and businesses and crossing Norfolk Southern's Buffalo Line at-grade. The northbound truck route ends at PA 147 on the east bank of the Susquehanna River, which heads south to provide access to PA 61. The southbound truck route begins at PA 61/PA 147 on the east bank of the Susquehanna River, heading east-southeast on one-way Chestnut Street. Southbound PA 61 Truck runs past residences and businesses, crossing Norfolk Southern's Buffalo Line at-grade. The truck route continues southeast onto Wolverton Street, passing between homes to the north and industry to the south and curving east. The road runs to the north of the Shamokin Valley Railroad and bends northeast past more homes and commercial establishments. Southbound PA 61 Truck ends at an intersection with PA 61 in the eastern part of Sunbury.
See also
*
*
References
External links
{{commons category
Pennsylvania Highways: PA 61
PA 61 at AARoads.com
Pennsylvania Roads - PA 61
061
Transportation in Berks County, Pennsylvania
Transportation in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania
Transportation in Columbia County, Pennsylvania
Transportation in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania
Transportation in Snyder County, Pennsylvania