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 ...
located in western
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, ...
in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
. The western terminus of the route is at 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 ...
state line west of
Glasgow
Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...
, where PA 68 continues into Ohio as State Route 39 (SR 39). The eastern terminus is at
U.S. Route 322
U.S. Route 322 (US 322) is a long, east–west United States Highway, traversing Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. The road is a spur of U.S. Route 22 and one of the original highways from 1926. A portion of it at one time was concurrent with ...
(US 322) in
Clarion
Clarion may refer to:
Music
* Clarion (instrument), a type of trumpet used in the Middle Ages
* The register of a clarinet that ranges from B4 to C6
* A trumpet organ stop that usually plays an octave above unison pitch
* "Clarion" (song), a 2 ...
. The route runs southwest-northeast across
Beaver
Beavers are large, semiaquatic rodents in the genus ''Castor'' native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. There are two extant species: the North American beaver (''Castor canadensis'') and the Eurasian beaver (''C. fiber''). Beavers ar ...
,
Butler
A butler is a person who works in a house serving and is a domestic worker in a large household. In great houses, the household is sometimes divided into departments with the butler in charge of the dining room, wine cellar, and pantry. Some a ...
,
Armstrong Armstrong may refer to:
Places
* Armstrong Creek (disambiguation), various places
Antarctica
* Armstrong Reef, Biscoe Islands
Argentina
* Armstrong, Santa Fe
Australia
* Armstrong, Victoria
Canada
* Armstrong, British Columbia
* Armstrong ...
, and
Clarion
Clarion may refer to:
Music
* Clarion (instrument), a type of trumpet used in the Middle Ages
* The register of a clarinet that ranges from B4 to C6
* A trumpet organ stop that usually plays an octave above unison pitch
* "Clarion" (song), a 2 ...
counties. PA 68 follows the
Ohio River
The Ohio River is a long river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing southwesterly from western Pennsylvania to its mouth on the Mississippi River at the southern tip of Illino ...
between the Ohio border and
Beaver
Beavers are large, semiaquatic rodents in the genus ''Castor'' native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. There are two extant species: the North American beaver (''Castor canadensis'') and the Eurasian beaver (''C. fiber''). Beavers ar ...
Rochester
Rochester may refer to:
Places Australia
* Rochester, Victoria
Canada
* Rochester, Alberta
United Kingdom
*Rochester, Kent
** City of Rochester-upon-Medway (1982–1998), district council area
** History of Rochester, Kent
** HM Prison ...
and heads northeast away from the Ohio River. The route runs through rural areas to Butler County, where it intersects
Interstate 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 ...
(I-79) in
Zelienople
Zelienople is a borough in Butler County, Pennsylvania, Butler County, Pennsylvania, north of Pittsburgh. The population was 3,812 at the 2010 census.
Geography
Zelienople is located in southwestern Butler County, situated on the south bank of C ...
before serving
Evans City
Evans City is a borough in Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,833 at the 2010 census.
Geography
Evans City is located in southwestern Butler County at (40.769310, -80.061409), in the valley of Breakneck Creek. It is ...
and
Butler
A butler is a person who works in a house serving and is a domestic worker in a large household. In great houses, the household is sometimes divided into departments with the butler in charge of the dining room, wine cellar, and pantry. Some a ...
. PA 68 passes through a section of Armstrong County before crossing the
Allegheny River
The Allegheny River ( ) is a long headwater stream of the Ohio River in western Pennsylvania and New York (state), New York. The Allegheny River runs from its headwaters just below the middle of Pennsylvania's northern border northwesterly into ...
into Clarion County. Here, the route passes through Rimersburg and
Sligo
Sligo ( ; ga, Sligeach , meaning 'abounding in shells') is a coastal seaport and the county town of County Sligo, Ireland, within the western province of Connacht. With a population of approximately 20,000 in 2016, it is the List of urban areas ...
before it has an interchange with
I-80
Interstate 80 (I-80) is an east–west transcontinental freeway that crosses the United States from downtown San Francisco, California, to Teaneck, New Jersey, in the New York metropolitan area. The highway was designated in 1956 as one o ...
and continues to its terminus in Clarion.
PA 68 was originally designated in 1927 to run from the Ohio border northeast to Clarion before continuing to
US 6
U.S. Route 6 (US 6), also called the Grand Army of the Republic Highway, honoring the American Civil War veterans association, is a main route of the U.S. Highway system. While it currently runs east-northeast from Bishop, California, to ...
/ US 120 in Kane. The route was extended northwest to PA 59 in Kinzua in 1935. The full length of the route was paved by 1940. The northern terminus was again moved to Kane in 1961, with PA 321 replacing most of the route north of there and the former northern terminus inundated by the
Allegheny Reservoir
The Allegheny Reservoir (also known as Kinzua Lake and unofficially as Lake Perfidy) is a reservoir along the Allegheny River in Pennsylvania and New York, USA. It was created in 1965 by the construction of the Kinzua Dam along the river. Lake P ...
. The north end of PA 68 was cut back to its current location in 1970, with the road between Clarion and Kane becoming part of
PA 66
Pennsylvania Route 66 (PA 66) is a state highway in Western Pennsylvania. Its southern terminus is at U.S. Route 119 (US 119) just east of Interstate 70 (I-70) near New Stanton. Its northern terminus is at US 6 in Kane.
The southernmost ...
.
Route description
Beaver County
PA 68 begins at 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 in the borough of Ohioville in Beaver County, where the road continues west into that state as SR 39. From the state line, the route heads east-northeast on two-lane undivided Midland Road, passing between wooded areas to the north and
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 Cleveland Line to the south with industrial areas and the
Ohio River
The Ohio River is a long river in the United States. It is located at the boundary of the Midwestern and Southern United States, flowing southwesterly from western Pennsylvania to its mouth on the Mississippi River at the southern tip of Illino ...
farther south. The road crosses the
Little Beaver Creek
Little Beaver Creek is a wild and scenic area in Ohio. The Little Beaver Creek watershed is located primarily in Columbiana County in eastern Ohio, and in portions of Carroll County, Mahoning County, and western Pennsylvania, draining approxim ...
into the borough of
Glasgow
Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...
and passes north of residential areas. PA 68 heads back into Ohioville and runs east through forested areas immediately to the north of the railroad tracks and the Ohio River. The road curves east-southeast and enters the borough of Midland, becoming Midland Avenue and passing homes. The route comes to an intersection with PA 168, where that route turns southeast to form a
concurrency
Concurrent means happening at the same time. Concurrency, concurrent, or concurrence may refer to:
Law
* Concurrence, in jurisprudence, the need to prove both ''actus reus'' and ''mens rea''
* Concurring opinion (also called a "concurrence"), a ...
with PA 68, running through residential areas before heading through the commercial downtown of Midland. The road heads into industrial areas and becomes Midland Beaver Road, with PA 168 splitting to the south at an interchange to cross the Ohio River on the
Shippingport Bridge
The Shippingport Bridge is a cantilevered through truss bridge carrying Pennsylvania Route 168 across the Ohio RiverVanport Township and entering industrial areas as State Street. The road passes over the railroad tracks and runs past more commercial establishments before widening into a four-lane
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 ...
and coming to an interchange with
I-376
Interstate 376 (I-376) is a major auxiliary route of the Interstate Highway System in the US state of Pennsylvania, located within the Allegheny Plateau. It runs from I-80 near Sharon south and east to a junction with the Pennsylvania Tur ...
. After this interchange, the route becomes a two-lane undivided road again and continues through residential areas with some businesses. PA 68 becomes the border between Vanport Township to the north and the borough of
Beaver
Beavers are large, semiaquatic rodents in the genus ''Castor'' native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. There are two extant species: the North American beaver (''Castor canadensis'') and the Eurasian beaver (''C. fiber''). Beavers ar ...
to the south, where the name becomes 3rd Street. The road fully enters Beaver and runs through the commercial downtown. The route heads past homes before passing under
CSX
CSX Transportation , known colloquially as simply CSX, is a Class I freight railroad operating in the Eastern United States and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. The railroad operates approximately 21,000 route miles () of track. ...
's
Pittsburgh Subdivision
The Pittsburgh Subdivision is a railroad line owned and operated by CSX Transportation in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The line runs from McKeesport northwest through Pittsburgh to West Pittsburg (near New Castle) along a former Pittsburgh a ...
railroad line and crossing into the borough of Bridgewater, where it reaches an interchange with
PA 51
Pennsylvania Route 51 (PA 51) is a major state highway in Western Pennsylvania. It runs for from Uniontown to the Ohio state line near Darlington, where it connects with Ohio State Route 14. PA 51 is the termination point for Pennsylvania R ...
. At this point, PA 68 heads east to form a concurrency with PA 51 on a four-lane divided highway, crossing the Beaver River into the borough of
Rochester
Rochester may refer to:
Places Australia
* Rochester, Victoria
Canada
* Rochester, Alberta
United Kingdom
*Rochester, Kent
** City of Rochester-upon-Medway (1982–1998), district council area
** History of Rochester, Kent
** HM Prison ...
.
Here, the road passes over Norfolk Southern's
Fort Wayne Line
The Fort Wayne Line and Fort Wayne Secondary is a rail line owned and operated by the Norfolk Southern Railway (NS), Chicago, Fort Wayne and Eastern Railroad (CFE), and CSX Transportation in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana. The line runs from Pi ...
and comes to an interchange with PA 65, at which point PA 51 heads east along with PA 65. Here, PA 68 splits from PA 51 and heads onto two-lane undivided Adams Street, coming to a
traffic circle
A roundabout is a type of circular intersection (road), intersection or junction in which road traffic is permitted to flow in one direction around a central island, and priority is typically given to traffic already in the junction.''The N ...
with PA 18, which heads south and cross the Ohio River on the Rochester–Monaca Bridge. The route continues through residential areas with some businesses. PA 68 turns northwest onto Virginia Avenue and passes more homes, becoming the border between Rochester to the west and Rochester Township to the east. The road fully enters Rochester Township and passes through North Rochester before turning northeast and becoming Sunflower Road. The route curves east and enters Daugherty Township, winding northeast through more rural areas of homes. PA 68 runs through more rural residential areas with some fields and woods, turning east before heading southeast into New Sewickley Township. The road reaches the community of Sunflower, turning northeast to run through more wooded areas with some farms and homes. The route passes through Unionville before passing under
I-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 c ...
(
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 ...
) and intersecting the northern terminus of PA 989. PA 68 winds northeast through more farmland and woodland with some residences, crossing into Marion Township.
Butler County
PA 68 enters the borough of
Zelienople
Zelienople is a borough in Butler County, Pennsylvania, Butler County, Pennsylvania, north of Pittsburgh. The population was 3,812 at the 2010 census.
Geography
Zelienople is located in southwestern Butler County, situated on the south bank of C ...
in Butler County and becomes West Beaver Street, heading into residential areas. The road curves east and reaches an intersection with
US 19
U.S. Route 19 (US 19) is a north–south U.S. Highway in the Eastern United States. Despite encroaching Interstate Highways, the route has remained a long-haul road, connecting the Gulf of Mexico with Lake Erie.
The highway's southern ...
, where PA 68 turns north to join that route on South Main Street, passing through the commercial downtown. The road intersects the eastern terminus of PA 288, where it becomes North Main Street, before PA 68 splits from US 19 by heading east on East Grandview Avenue. The route runs past homes, crossing into the borough of
Harmony
In music, harmony is the process by which individual sounds are joined together or composed into whole units or compositions. Often, the term harmony refers to simultaneously occurring frequencies, pitches ( tones, notes), or chords. However ...
and becoming Evans City Road. PA 68 heads through residential and commercial areas a short distance to the south of
Connoquenessing Creek
Connoquenessing Creek is a tributary of the Beaver River, approximately 50 mi (80 km) long, in Western Pennsylvania in the United States.
Course
Connoquenessing Creek rises in eastern Butler County and flows southwest, through the L ...
and the
P&W Subdivision
The P&W Subdivision is a railroad line owned and operated by CSX Transportation, the Allegheny Valley Railroad (AVR), and the Buffalo and Pittsburgh Railroad (BPRR) in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The line runs from Rankin north through Pittsbu ...
railroad line, which is owned by CSX and operated by the
Buffalo and Pittsburgh Railroad
The Buffalo and Pittsburgh Railroad is a Class II railroad operating in New York and Pennsylvania.
The BPRR is owned by Genesee & Wyoming. Its main line runs between Buffalo, New York and Eidenau, Pennsylvania, north of Pittsburgh. Here, conne ...
. The roadway crosses into Jackson Township and becoming a four-lane divided highway as it comes to an interchange with access to and from the southbound direction of
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 ...
. The road becomes two lanes and undivided again as it continues southeast into wooded areas with some development, passing through Eidenau and Harmony Junction. The route continues to the southwest of the railroad tracks and
Breakneck Creek
Breakneck Creek is a tributary of Connoquenessing Creek that flows in a northwardly direction in Western Pennsylvania. It forms in the village of Bakerstown in Allegheny County then flows northwest through the borough of Valencia in Butler Cou ...
, reaching an intersection with PA 528.
Here, PA 528 turns southeast to form a concurrency with PA 68. The road passes through woods before heading into the borough of
Evans City
Evans City is a borough in Butler County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,833 at the 2010 census.
Geography
Evans City is located in southwestern Butler County at (40.769310, -80.061409), in the valley of Breakneck Creek. It is ...
, where it becomes West Main Street and runs past homes and businesses. The two routes curve to the east and cross the P&W Subdivision line and the Breakneck Creek into the commercial downtown of Evans City, becoming East Main Street. PA 528 splits from PA 68 by turning north onto Franklin Street and PA 68 passes more residences, turning to the northeast. The road enters Forward Township and becomes Evans City Road again, running through farmland and woodland with some residential and commercial buildings. The route passes over Connoquenessing Creek and the Buffalo and Pittsburgh Railroad's B&P Main Line Subdivision line, heading through woodland and turning north. PA 68 heads into farmland with some woods and residences, crossing into the borough of Connoquenessing, where it passes to the east of the residential center of town. The road heads into Connoquenessing Township and curves northeast, running through more agricultural and wooded areas with a few homes. The route passes through increasing areas of residential and commercial development, heading north of Butler Farm Show Airport before continuing into Butler Township. Here, PA 68 curves east and heads past more areas of housing, coming to an intersection with PA 356.
Here, PA 68 heads southeast along with PA 356 on New Castle Road, 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 ...
that runs through wooded areas and commercial development. The road enters the city of
Butler
A butler is a person who works in a house serving and is a domestic worker in a large household. In great houses, the household is sometimes divided into departments with the butler in charge of the dining room, wine cellar, and pantry. Some a ...
and becomes New Castle Street, running through residential areas with some businesses. PA 68/PA 356 heads east onto West Cunningham Street before splitting into a one-way pair, with eastbound PA 68/southbound PA 356 following West Cunningham Street and westbound PA 68/northbound PA 356 following West Jefferson Street. The two routes head into the commercial downtown of Butler, coming to an intersection with PA 8 at which point PA 356 splits from PA 68 by heading south along that route. The one-way pair carrying PA 68 becomes East Cunningham Street eastbound and East Jefferson Street westbound, with eastbound PA 68 turning north onto South McKean Street to rejoin westbound PA 68 on two-way East Jefferson Street. The road heads east through commercial areas with some homes, turning northeast into residential areas as it becomes the border between Butler to the northwest and Butler Township to the southeast. The route fully enters Butler Township again as it passes near Butler Memorial Hospital before coming to a bridge that carries the route over the
Canadian National
The Canadian National Railway Company (french: Compagnie des chemins de fer nationaux du Canada) is a Canadian Class I railroad, Class I freight railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, which serves Canada and the Midwestern United States, M ...
's
Bessemer Subdivision
The Bessemer and Lake Erie Railroad is a class II railroad that operates in northwestern Pennsylvania and northeastern Ohio.
The railroad's main route runs from the Lake Erie port of Conneaut, Ohio, to the Pittsburgh suburb of Penn Hills, Penns ...
railroad line, a Buffalo and Pittsburgh Railroad line, and Connoquenessing Creek, crossing into Summit Township. PA 68 comes to an interchange with the
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. ...
freeway, where it also intersects the southern terminus of PA 38; here, the road is a four-lane divided highway.
Past this, the road becomes two lanes and undivided, with the name becoming Chicora Road as it enters wooded areas with some homes. The route heads into a mix of farms and woods with some residences as it crosses into Oakland Township. PA 68 winds northeast through more wooded areas with some homes, passing through Woodbine. The road runs through more farmland and woodland with scattered residences, heading through North Oakland. The route crosses into Donegal Township and turns north, at which point it begins to run to the west of the Buffalo and Pittsburgh Railroad's Northern Subdivision line. PA 68 curves northeast and east, heading into the borough of
Chicora
Chicora was a legendary Native Americans in the United States, Native American kingdom or tribe sought during the 16th century by various European explorers in present-day South Carolina. The legend originated after Spanish slave traders capture ...
and crossing under the railroad tracks. The road curves northeast and becomes South Main Street, passing homes before becoming North Main Street in the center of town, where it passes a few businesses. After running past more residences, the route curves northeast and crosses into Fairview Township, becoming Chicora Road again and winding through agricultural and wooded areas with some homes. The road turns east and crosses PA 268 in Kepples Corners.
Armstrong and Clarion counties
PA 68 heads into Bradys Bend Township in Armstrong County and becomes an unnamed road, heading through forested areas with some homes, passing through Kaylor. The road turns east before a curve to the north, coming to the residential community of Brady's Bend. Past this, the route turns southeast through more forests.
PA 68 crosses the
Allegheny River
The Allegheny River ( ) is a long headwater stream of the Ohio River in western Pennsylvania and New York (state), New York. The Allegheny River runs from its headwaters just below the middle of Pennsylvania's northern border northwesterly into ...
Clarion County
Clarion County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 37,241. Its county seat is Clarion. The county was formed on March 11, 1839, from parts of Venango and Armstrong counties. Clarion Cou ...
, becoming Bridge Street. The route turns southwest onto Kellys Way and passes homes with some businesses. PA 68 turns southeast onto 3rd Street and runs through residential areas before curving east as Simpson Road and heading through wooded areas. The road enters Brady Township and runs northeast through more woodland with some fields and homes. The route continues into Madison Township and runs through more rural areas, passing through New Athens and Maple Grove. PA 68 heads into the borough of Rimersburg and becomes Main Street, passing homes. The road intersects the western terminus of PA 861, where it becomes the border between Rimersburg to the west and Toby Township to the east before fully entering Toby Township and passing through Rimersburg Station.
The route becomes unnamed as it passes through wooded areas with some farm fields and homes, heading to the north. PA 68 briefly heads through Piney Township before entering the borough of
Sligo
Sligo ( ; ga, Sligeach , meaning 'abounding in shells') is a coastal seaport and the county town of County Sligo, Ireland, within the western province of Connacht. With a population of approximately 20,000 in 2016, it is the List of urban areas ...
and passing homes on Colerain Street. The route intersects the eastern terminus of PA 58 and turns east onto Front Street, running past more residences. The road heads back into Piney Township and becomes unnamed, continuing through agricultural areas with some woods and homes, turning northeast into Monroe Township. The route runs through more farmland and woodland with some residences, turning north and heading through Reidsburg, where it crosses an abandoned railroad line and Piney Creek. PA 68 runs north through more rural areas before passing through Williamsburg and becoming a four-lane divided highway as it reaches an interchange with
I-80
Interstate 80 (I-80) is an east–west transcontinental freeway that crosses the United States from downtown San Francisco, California, to Teaneck, New Jersey, in the New York metropolitan area. The highway was designated in 1956 as one o ...
/
PA 66
Pennsylvania Route 66 (PA 66) is a state highway in Western Pennsylvania. Its southern terminus is at U.S. Route 119 (US 119) just east of Interstate 70 (I-70) near New Stanton. Its northern terminus is at US 6 in Kane.
The southernmost ...
. Past this, the road heads through business areas and passes east of the Clarion Mall before becoming undivided and heading into wooded areas with some homes in Clarion Township as South 5th Avenue. PA 68 enters the borough of
Clarion
Clarion may refer to:
Music
* Clarion (instrument), a type of trumpet used in the Middle Ages
* The register of a clarinet that ranges from B4 to C6
* A trumpet organ stop that usually plays an octave above unison pitch
* "Clarion" (song), a 2 ...
and runs north-northeast past more residences before ending at
US 322
U.S. Route 322 (US 322) is a long, east–west United States Highway, traversing Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. The road is a spur of U.S. Route 22 and one of the original highways from 1926. A portion of it at one time was concurrent with ...
in the commercial downtown.
History
When Pennsylvania first legislated routes in 1911, what would become PA 68 was designated as Legislative Route 243 between the Ohio border and Rochester, Legislative Route 78 between Rochester and Butler, Legislative Route 214 between Butler and Clarion, and Legislative Route 98 in a portion of Forest County. PA 68 was designated in 1927 to run from the Ohio border in Beaver County northeast to
US 6
U.S. Route 6 (US 6), also called the Grand Army of the Republic Highway, honoring the American Civil War veterans association, is a main route of the U.S. Highway system. While it currently runs east-northeast from Bishop, California, to ...
/
US 119
U.S. Route 119 (US 119) is a spur of US 19. It is a north–south route (on a northeast-southwest alignment) that was an original United States highway of 1926. It is Corridor G of the Appalachian Development Highway System (ADHS) east of US ...
/ US 120/ PA 6/ PA 7 in Kane, running along its current routing to Clarion before continuing to Kane. At this time, the entire route was paved between the Ohio border and Clarion except for a portion between Rimersburg and Sligo. Between Clarion and Kane, the entire route was unpaved except for a portion near Marienville and to the southwest of Kane. A year later, the route between Rimersburg and Sligo was paved. By 1930, PA 68 paved between US 322 northwest of Clarion and Paint Mills, Arthurs and Snydersburg, and around Leeper while the state highway was under construction between Paint Mills and Arthurs, Snydersburg and southwest of Leeper, and the Clarion/Forest county line and Roses.
In the 1930s, the entire length of the route between Clarion and Kane was paved. PA 68 was extended northwest from Kane along a paved road to PA 59 in Kinzua in 1935. In 1961, the Pennsylvania Department of Highways approved moving the northern terminus of PA 68 to US 6 in Kane, with PA 321 replacing much of the route north of Kane. The former northern terminus at PA 59 in Kinzua was inundated with the creation of the
Allegheny Reservoir
The Allegheny Reservoir (also known as Kinzua Lake and unofficially as Lake Perfidy) is a reservoir along the Allegheny River in Pennsylvania and New York, USA. It was created in 1965 by the construction of the Kinzua Dam along the river. Lake P ...
. In 1970, the north end of PA 68 was cut back to its current location at US 322 in Clarion, with the route between US 322 northwest of Clarion and US 6 in Kane replaced by a rerouted PA 66. This change was made to keep truck traffic away from the Toby Bridge, which had a 15-ton weight limit and collapsed from an incident with a truck in 1969. Northbound trucks were instead directed to follow I-80 and PA 66 to avoid the bridge along the former PA 68 alignment.