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
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 territori ...
, unlike its parent route as well as conventionally even-numbered highways which run east-west. US 220 extends for from an intersection with
US 1 in
Rockingham, North Carolina
Rockingham is a city in Richmond County, North Carolina, United States, named after the Marquess of Rockingham. The population was 9,558 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Richmond County.
The city is the home of Rockingham Speedway, f ...
, to its interchange with the
Southern Tier Expressway
New York State Route 17 (NY 17) is a major state highway that extends for through the Southern Tier and Downstate regions of New York in the United States. It begins at the Pennsylvania state line in Mina and follows the Southern T ...
(
Interstate 86 and
New York State Route 17
New York State Route 17 (NY 17) is a major state highway that extends for through the Southern Tier and Downstate New York, Downstate regions of New York (state), New York in the United States. It begins at the New York–Pennsylvania ...
) in
South Waverly, Pennsylvania
South Waverly is a borough in Bradford County, Pennsylvania. It is part of Northeastern Pennsylvania. The population was 1,070 at the 2020 census. South Waverly is part of the Penn-York Valley (called "The Valley"), a group of four contiguous co ...
. Some sections of the route are part of the
Appalachian Development Highway System's
Corridor O as well as
I-73
Interstate 73 (I-73) is a north–south Interstate Highway, located within the US state of North Carolina. Currently, there is one continuous section of I-73, totaling , first traversing the U.S. Route 220 (US 220) freeway from ...
in
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and ...
. US 220 is designated as a spur route of US 20 but the route does not intersect US 20 or connect to other spurs of US 20.
US 220 was assigned in 1926 as part of the establishment 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 ...
. At the time, it extended from
Cumberland, Maryland
Cumberland is a U.S. city in and the county seat of Allegany County, Maryland. It is the primary city of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 19,076. Located on the Potomac River, ...
, to the
New York–Pennsylvania border
The New York–Pennsylvania border is the state line between the U.S. states of New York and Pennsylvania. It has three sections:
* Along the center line of the Delaware River from the Tri-States Monument tripoint with New Jersey at the confluen ...
at
Lawrenceville, Pennsylvania
Lawrenceville is a borough in Tioga County, Pennsylvania. The population was 690 at the 2020 census.
Geography
Lawrenceville is located at (41.996564, -77.125159). It is at the intersection of Pennsylvania Route 287 and Pennsylvania Route 49. ...
. One year later, US 220 was realigned north of
Williamsport, Pennsylvania
Williamsport is a city in, and the county seat of, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States. It recorded a population of 27,754 at the 2020 Census. It is the principal city of the Williamsport Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a popul ...
, to connect to the New York state line at
South Waverly; this supplanted most of what was originally designated U.S. Route 711. US 220 was extended south through
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
by 1935 and to its current southern terminus by 1941.
Route description
, -
,
NC
, 123.4
, 198.6
, -
,
VA
, 185.96
, 299.27
, -
,
WV
, 93
, 150
, -
,
MD
, 27.30
, 43.94
, -
,
PA
, 248
, 399
, -
, Total
, 677.66
, 1090.81
North Carolina
US 220 begins at an at-grade interchange with
US 1 (South Hancock Street) southwest of
Rockingham and northeast of US 1's grade-separated interchange with
US 74 (future
I-74
}
Interstate 74 (I-74) is an Interstate Highway in the Midwestern and Southeastern United States. Its western end is at an interchange with I-80 in Davenport, Iowa (Quad Cities); the eastern end of its Midwest segment is at an interchang ...
). Most of US 220 in North Carolina is 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 it is a
freeway
A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway and expressway. Other similar terms ...
between
I-85
Interstate 85 (I-85) is a major Interstate Highway in the Southeastern United States. Its southern terminus is at an interchange with I-65 in Montgomery, Alabama; its northern terminus is an interchange with I-95 in Petersburg, Virginia, ...
and US 1 and
US 421 in southern
Greensboro
Greensboro (; formerly Greensborough) is a city in and the county seat of Guilford County, North Carolina, United States. It is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, third-most populous city in North Carolina after Charlotte, North Car ...
. From Rockingham, US 220 travels north through
Richmond County Richmond County may refer to places:
Australia
*Richmond County, New South Wales, a cadastral division
Canada
*Richmond County, Nova Scotia
United Kingdom
*Richmondshire, the original Richmond County in Yorkshire, England
United States
...
to
Ellerbe, where US 220 begins to follow a newly constructed four-lane bypass. This section of the route is
co-designated as I-74 and
I-73
Interstate 73 (I-73) is a north–south Interstate Highway, located within the US state of North Carolina. Currently, there is one continuous section of I-73, totaling , first traversing the U.S. Route 220 (US 220) freeway from ...
. The old US 220 alignment, signed as US 220 Alternate, passes through the towns of Ellerbe and
Norman
Norman or Normans may refer to:
Ethnic and cultural identity
* The Normans, a people partly descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France in the 10th and 11th centuries
** People or things connected with the Norm ...
while the new highway goes around the communities.
![Future73nbfuture74wb](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/73/Future73nbfuture74wb.JPG)
The two highways continue in close proximity through
Montgomery and
Randolph counties, serving the towns of
Candor
Candor or candour may refer to:
* Candor or parrhesia, the quality of speaking candidly in rhetoric
* ''Candour'' (magazine), a British far-right magazine
* "Candour", a song by Neck Deep from their 2014 album '' Wishful Thinking''
* Duty of c ...
,
Biscoe,
Star, and
Seagrove. US 220 Alternate rejoins its parent near the
North Carolina Zoo
The North Carolina Zoo is a zoo in Asheboro, North Carolina, housing 1,800 animals of more than 250 species, primarily representing Africa and North America. It is one of two state-supported zoos in the United States, with the other being the ...
, at which point the old path of US 220 continues into
Asheboro
Asheboro is a city in and the county seat of Randolph County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 25,012 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Greensboro–High Point metropolitan area of the Piedmont Triad and is home of the sta ...
and
Randleman as US 220 Business. The US 220 freeway, meanwhile, skirts the west side of both cities and proceeds to
Level Cross, a small community south of the
Guilford County
Guilford County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population is 541,299, making it the third-most populous county in North Carolina. The county seat, and largest municipality, is Greensboro. S ...
line. The business route merges back into the mainline here, and US 220 travels alone into Guilford County.
Outside
Greensboro
Greensboro (; formerly Greensborough) is a city in and the county seat of Guilford County, North Carolina, United States. It is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, third-most populous city in North Carolina after Charlotte, North Car ...
, US 220 intersects
I-85
Interstate 85 (I-85) is a major Interstate Highway in the Southeastern United States. Its southern terminus is at an interchange with I-65 in Montgomery, Alabama; its northern terminus is an interchange with I-95 in Petersburg, Virginia, ...
and
US 421 (the
Greensboro Urban Loop
The Greensboro Urban Loop is a Interstate Highway beltway that surrounds Greensboro, North Carolina
Greensboro (; formerly Greensborough) is a city in and the county seat of Guilford County, North Carolina, United States. It is the List of ...
) before intersecting
I-85 Business and eventually merging with
I-40
Interstate 40 (I-40) is a major east–west Interstate Highway running through the south-central portion of the United States. At a length of , it is the third-longest Interstate Highway in the country, after I-90 and I-80. From west to ea ...
in the city. US 220 exits I-40 later, following
US 29
U.S. Route 29 (US 29) is a north–south United States highway that runs for from Pensacola, Florida to the western suburbs of Baltimore, Maryland in the Southern United States, connecting the Florida Panhandle to the Baltimore-Washington ...
and
US 70 onto O'Henry Boulevard. The three routes separate northeast of the city center, with US 220 continuing west on
Wendover Avenue
Wendover Avenue is a road in Guilford County, North Carolina, United States. Most of the road is hybrid in character: it is like an expressway in that it has a mix of interchanges and traffic light-controlled intersections, but like a boulevard ...
along the northern edge of downtown Greensboro. It eventually exits onto Battleground Avenue, which takes the route north out of Greensboro and into
Summerfield and
Rockingham County. Another business route splits off US 220 near
Madison Madison may refer to:
People
* Madison (name), a given name and a surname
* James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States
Place names
* Madison, Wisconsin, the state capital of Wisconsin and the largest city known by this ...
to serve both Madison and
Mayodan
Mayodan is a town in Rockingham County, North Carolina, Rockingham County, North Carolina, in the United States. It is a manufacturing site for Sturm, Ruger & Co., Bridgestone#Bridgestone Aircraft Tire, Bridgestone Aircraft Tire, and General Tobac ...
, which US 220 itself bypasses to the east. It returns to US 220 north of
Stoneville, the last major community along the route before it crosses into
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
.
Virginia
US 220 enters the state from the south just south of
Martinsville. It uses freeway spurs to bypass Martinsville and
Rocky Mount. US 220 in Virginia is a divided four-lane highway with a speed limit for most of the distance between Martinsville and
Roanoke. US 220 is a winding road in several stretches, and there have been many accidents. There is also a sharp speed decrease in
Boones Mill, giving the town a reputation as a
speed trap
Speed limits are enforced on most public roadways by authorities, with the purpose to improve driver compliance with speed limits. Methods used include roadside speed traps set up and operated by the police and automated roadside ' speed camera' ...
. The proposed I-73 would generally parallel US 220 between Greensboro, North Carolina, and
Roanoke, though funds have not been allocated for the project and some local residents prefer efforts to fix US 220. It is co-signed with
I-581 from downtown Roanoke to
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 ...
north of the city.
The route continues along I-81 northbound until
Daleville, at an interchange with US 220 Alternate. US 220 leaves the freeway and once again becomes a four-lane road through
Fincastle and
Eagle Rock until just outside
Clifton Forge
Clifton Forge is a town in Alleghany County, Virginia, United States which is part of the greater Roanoke Region. The population was 3,555 at the 2020 census. The Jackson River flows through the town, which as a result was once known as J ...
, and joins up with
I-64
Interstate 64 (I-64) is an east–west Interstate Highway in the Eastern United States. Its western terminus is at I-70, U.S. Route 40 (US 40), and US 61 in Wentzville, Missouri. Its eastern terminus is at an interchang ...
westbound until
Covington. From there, it continues on a primarily two-lane mountainous path until it reaches the
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the B ...
state line.
West Virginia
The highway enters West Virginia 2 miles (3 km) south of
Harper
Harper may refer to:
Names
* Harper (name), a surname and given name
Places
;in Canada
* Harper Islands, Nunavut
*Harper, Prince Edward Island
;In the United States
*Harper, former name of Costa Mesa, California in Orange County
* Harper, Il ...
in
Pendleton County. From the state line, US 220 parallels the
South Branch Potomac River
The South Branch Potomac River has its headwaters in northwestern Highland County, Virginia near Hightown along the eastern edge of the Allegheny Front. After a river distance of ,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolu ...
as it progresses northward. 13 miles (21 km) north of Harper, US 220 passes through
Franklin
Franklin may refer to:
People
* Franklin (given name)
* Franklin (surname)
* Franklin (class), a member of a historical English social class
Places Australia
* Franklin, Tasmania, a township
* Division of Franklin, federal electoral d ...
, where it intersects with
US 33. The route crosses into
Grant County Grant County may refer to:
Places
;Australia
* County of Grant, Victoria
;United States
*Grant County, Arkansas
*Grant County, Indiana
* Grant County, Kansas
*Grant County, Kentucky
*Grant County, Minnesota
*Grant County, Nebraska
*Grant C ...
approximately north of Franklin.
Within Grant County, US 220 intersects the concurrent routes of
West Virginia Route 28 (WV 28) and
West Virginia Route 55
West Virginia Route 55 is an east–west state highway in West Virginia. The western terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 19 in Muddlety. The eastern terminus is at the Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, ...
in
Petersburg. The two state highways join US 220 eastward into
Hardy County. WV 28 and WV 55 remain concurrent to
Moorefield, where WV 55 splits from US 220 and WV 28. North of Moorefield, US 220 and WV 28 intersects
US 48. US 220 and WV 28 remain concurrent into
Hampshire County, where US 220 and WV 28 meet
US 50 in
Junction
Junction may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Junction'' (film), a 2012 American film
* Jjunction, a 2002 Indian film
* Junction (album), a 1976 album by Andrew Cyrille
* Junction (EP), by Basement Jaxx, 2002
* Junction (manga), or ''Hot ...
. WV 28 departs US 220, following US 50 to the east, while US 220 joins US 50 westward into
Mineral County. This stretch of US 220 is known as the
Northwestern Turnpike
The Northwestern Turnpike is a historic road in West Virginia (Virginia at the time the road was created), important for being historically one of the major roads crossing the Appalachians, financed by the Virginia Board of Public Works in the 183 ...
.
![US 220 northbound entering Potomac Park](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/46/US_220_northbound_entering_Potomac_Park.jpg)
At the top of
Knobly Mountain
Knobly Mountain is a ridge and part of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians, located east of New Creek Mountain in Mineral and Grant counties, West Virginia, in the United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known a ...
northwest of
Ridgeville, US 220 splits from US 50 and resumes a northerly alignment as it descends into the
New Creek Valley. It is known as Cut Off Road south of
WV 972 and New Creek Drive from there to
Keyser, the county seat of Mineral County, where it becomes known as Mineral Street. In the center of the city, located 7 miles (11 km) north of US 50, US 220 intersects
WV 46. At the northern edge of Keyser, US 220 crosses the
North Branch Potomac River
The North Branch Potomac River flows from Fairfax Stone in West Virginia to its confluence with the South Branch Potomac River near Green Spring, West Virginia, where it turns into the Potomac River proper.
Course
From the Fairfax Stone, th ...
via Memorial Bridge, leaving West Virginia and entering
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
.
Maryland
US 220 enters Maryland at
McCoole,
Allegany County, and becomes known as McMullen Highway. In McCoole, US 220 intersects the eastern terminus of
Maryland Route 135 (MD 135). Past MD 135, US 220 turns to the northeast, paralleling the North Branch of the
Potomac River
The Potomac River () drains the Mid-Atlantic United States, flowing from the Potomac Highlands into Chesapeake Bay. It is long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map. Retrieved Augu ...
to the east. 12 miles (19 km) into Maryland, with West Virginia visible to the right, US 220 intersects the western terminus of
MD 956, a connector to a secondary state highway in West Virginia. Continuing north in the river valley, US 220 enters
Cresaptown, where US 220 intersects with the east end of
MD 53. 4 miles (6 km) north of Cresaptown, US 220 joins with
I-68
Interstate 68 (I-68) is a Interstate Highway in the US states of West Virginia and Maryland, connecting I-79 in Morgantown, West Virginia, to I-70 in Hancock, Maryland. I-68 is also Corridor E of the Appalachian Development Highway Syst ...
and
US 40, known as the National Freeway west of
Cumberland and the Baltimore Pike east of the city.
![Interstate 99 Exit 81](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c5/Interstate_99_Exit_81.jpg)
The three routes head across
Wills Creek and through Cumberland to exit 46, US 220 turns north again onto an upgraded roadway opened to traffic on September 18, 2000. The highway heads north for a few miles before crossing the
Mason–Dixon Line
The Mason–Dixon line, also called the Mason and Dixon line or Mason's and Dixon's line, is a demarcation line separating four U.S. states, forming part of the borders of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and West Virginia (part of Virginia ...
into
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 section of US 220 between I-68 and
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 ...
near
Bellefonte, Pennsylvania
Bellefonte is a borough in, and the county seat of, Centre County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is approximately twelve miles northeast of State College and is part of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. The bor ...
, is designated as
Corridor O by the
Appalachian Development Highway System.
Pennsylvania
After crossing the state line from Maryland, US 220 runs north through
Bedford County as Cumberland Road to
Bedford
Bedford is a market town in Bedfordshire, England. At the 2011 Census, the population of the Bedford built-up area (including Biddenham and Kempston) was 106,940, making it the second-largest settlement in Bedfordshire, behind Luton, whilst ...
, where it divides into
US 220 Business, which enters the town of Bedford, and the main branch, which joins the southern terminus of
I-99 at an interchange with the
Pennsylvania Turnpike
The Pennsylvania Turnpike (Penna Turnpike or PA Turnpike) is a toll highway operated by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. A controlled-access highway, it runs for across the state. The turnpike's w ...
(
I-70
Interstate 70 (I-70) is a major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States that runs from I-15 near Cove Fort, Utah, to a park and ride lot just east of I-695 in Baltimore, Maryland, and is the fifth-longest Interstate in the c ...
and
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 ...
). I-99 heads north along US 220, and the resulting
overlap
Overlap may refer to:
* In set theory, an overlap of elements shared between sets is called an intersection, as in a Venn diagram.
* In music theory, overlap is a synonym for reinterpretation of a chord at the boundary of two musical phrases
* O ...
duplex continues northeast along the west side of
Dunning and
Brush mountains. The freeway continues into
Blair County, where it serves the towns of
Altoona and
Tyrone. I-99 and US 220 soon enter
Centre County
Centre County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 158,172. Its county seat is Bellefonte. Centre County comprises the State College, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
The lands ...
in the vicinity of
Port Matilda. Here,
US 322 joins the alignment and all three routes continue eastward for to
State College.
North of State College, US 322 diverges eastward at the
Mount Nittany Interchange while US 220 and I-99 continue northward toward
Pleasant Gap. The concurrency travels past
Bellefonte to I-80, where I-99 currently ends. All of I-99 is known as the
Bud Shuster
Elmer Greinert "Bud" Shuster (; born January 23, 1932) is an American politician who represented Pennsylvania's 9th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives as a Republican from 1973 to 2001. He is best known for hi ...
Highway, named for the U.S. Representative who championed the I-99 designation. US 220 follows I-80 eastward for to
Clinton County Clinton County may refer to:
*Counties named for George Clinton, first and third Governor of New York, and later the fourth Vice President of the United States:
**Clinton County, New York
** Clinton County, Ohio
*Counties named for DeWitt Clinton, ...
before exiting northward as a recently upgraded, short section of
super-two
A super two, super two-lane highway or wide two-lane is a two-lane surface road built to highway standards with wide lanes and other safety features normally present on a freeway with more lanes, typically including partial control of access, o ...
limited-access highway before once again becoming a limited-access expressway traveling through the east side of
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 ...
. Past Lock Haven, US 220 runs alongside the west branch of the
Susquehanna River, becoming an at-grade road north of Jersey Shore for 6.2 miles until it reaches W Fourth St south of Williamsport. It finally becomes a freeway once again at
Williamsport as it joins
I-180, here an east–west highway, and
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 ...
.
![Appalachian Throughway](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cf/Appalachian_Throughway.jpg)
I-180 and US 220 head through the center of the city, briefly overlapping with
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 ...
in the downtown district, before splitting near Halls Station. The Interstate Highway turns to the south, following the Susquehanna River toward
Muncy while US 220 exits the expressway onto a two-lane road that first travels east to
Hughesville, a borough based around US 220's junction with
Pennsylvania Route 405 (PA 405). US 220 heads generally northeastward from Hughesville, passing through
Laporte on its way to
Dushore. It is here that the route changes directions for the final time, assuming a northerly alignment that it largely follows for the remainder of its routing. A short section of super-two limited-access freeway is used to bypass
Towanda, a borough north of Dushore on the banks of the main Susquehanna River. One interchange along this stretch links US 220 to
US 6.
Past Towanda, US 220 continues on a northerly path, paralleling the Susquehanna River to the borough of
Athens
Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...
. Here, US 220 becomes a freeway for the final time at an exit with
PA 199, the main north–south highway through the neighboring boroughs of Athens,
Sayre, and
South Waverly. US 220 bypasses all three to the west, proceeding toward the
New York state line. Route 220 actually crosses the border at Southern Tier Expressway but ends immediately after at an intersection with Tioga County Road 60 and Chemung St in Waverly NY.
History
Origins
US 220 was assigned as part of the establishment 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 ...
on November 11, 1926. The route began at
US 40 in
Cumberland, Maryland
Cumberland is a U.S. city in and the county seat of Allegany County, Maryland. It is the primary city of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 19,076. Located on the Potomac River, ...
, and followed its modern corridor northeast to
Williamsport, Pennsylvania
Williamsport is a city in, and the county seat of, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States. It recorded a population of 27,754 at the 2020 Census. It is the principal city of the Williamsport Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a popul ...
. The highway turned north here, proceeding northward along the current
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 ...
corridor to its end at the
New York–Pennsylvania border
The New York–Pennsylvania border is the state line between the U.S. states of New York and Pennsylvania. It has three sections:
* Along the center line of the Delaware River from the Tri-States Monument tripoint with New Jersey at the confluen ...
in
Lawrenceville. US 220 did not directly connect to
US 20, its implied parent; instead, the connection was intended to be made via
US 120, a route extending from
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...
to US 20 in
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 ...
. As originally planned, US 120 and US 220 would
overlap
Overlap may refer to:
* In set theory, an overlap of elements shared between sets is called an intersection, as in a Venn diagram.
* In music theory, overlap is a synonym for reinterpretation of a chord at the boundary of two musical phrases
* O ...
between
Lock Haven, Pennsylvania
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 ...
, and Williamsport. East of Williamsport, the modern US 220 corridor was served by US 120 from Williamsport to
Muncy and US 711 between Muncy and the New York state line at
South Waverly.
When US 120 was signed in 1927, it was altered to run only from
Reading
Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of letters, symbols, etc., especially by sight or touch.
For educators and researchers, reading is a multifaceted process involving such areas as word recognition, orthography (spelling ...
to
Ridgway, isolating both US 120 and US 220 from US 20.
In early 1927, US 220 absorbed the Muncy–South Waverly section of US 711,
which had continued south from Muncy to meet
US 11 in
Northumberland, Pennsylvania
Northumberland is a borough in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,804 at the 2010 census.
History
A brewer named Reuben Haines, a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, founded the town of Northumberland in ...
. From Williamsport to Muncy, US 220 utilized what had been planned as US 120.
Former US 220 from Williamsport north to the state line at Lawrenceville became part of an extension of
US 111, which was also assigned to the piece of old US 711 south of Muncy.
Most of this alignment of US 220 followed previously unnumbered roads, save for two areas in the vicinity of
Bald Eagle and
Williamsport, Pennsylvania
Williamsport is a city in, and the county seat of, Lycoming County, Pennsylvania, United States. It recorded a population of 27,754 at the 2020 Census. It is the principal city of the Williamsport Metropolitan Statistical Area, which has a popul ...
, where it followed short pieces of
PA 5 and
PA 4, respectively. Both routes were assigned in 1924.
Extensions and truncations
The largely intrastate route was significantly extended over the course of the next decade. It was extended past Cumberland to the
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
state line by 1930,
through Virginia to the
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and ...
state line by 1935, and finally to
US 1 in
Rockingham, North Carolina
Rockingham is a city in Richmond County, North Carolina, United States, named after the Marquess of Rockingham. The population was 9,558 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Richmond County.
The city is the home of Rockingham Speedway, f ...
, by 1941. In Virginia, US 220 replaced the piece of
SR 18 north of
Covington, all of SR 12 (
Clifton Forge
Clifton Forge is a town in Alleghany County, Virginia, United States which is part of the greater Roanoke Region. The population was 3,555 at the 2020 census. The Jackson River flows through the town, which as a result was once known as J ...
to near Roanoke), and all of US 311 in Virginia, originally designated in 1926 to run from
US 11 in
Roanoke south along
SR 33 to
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and ...
.
US 220 was extended into New York—albeit for only a half-mile (0.8 km)—by 1948. At the time, the route followed Keystone Avenue through
Sayre to South Waverly, where it turned onto Bradford Street. The highway turned again after three blocks, proceeding north on Pennsylvania Avenue to the state line and into the adjacent village of
Waverly, New York. US 220 ended five blocks into New York at an intersection with Chemung Street, then part of
NY 17.
When the Southern Tier Expressway was built, Chemung Street became a section of
NY 17C as NY 17 was moved onto the freeway. NY 17C was truncated to a junction with
NY 34
New York State Route 34 (NY 34) is a north–south New York state route located in Central New York. Its southern terminus is at the Pennsylvania state line in the village of Waverly, where it connects to Pennsylvania Route  ...
several blocks to the east in the late 2000s, leaving US 220 isolated from the rest of New York's numbered route system. In 2017, the
(AASHTO) approved a request by New York and Pennsylvania to delete US 220 north of I-86/NY 17.
Realignments
Pennsylvania
The Athens–Sayre Bypass, a
limited-access highway
A limited-access road, known by various terms worldwide, including limited-access highway, dual-carriageway, expressway, limited access freeway, and partial controlled access highway, is a highway or arterial road for high-speed traffic which ...
bypassing the
borough
A borough is an administrative division in various English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely.
History
In the Middle A ...
s of
Athens
Athens ( ; el, Αθήνα, Athína ; grc, Ἀθῆναι, Athênai (pl.) ) is both the capital and largest city of Greece. With a population close to four million, it is also the seventh largest city in the European Union. Athens dominates ...
and Sayre, was completed in 1973. US 220 was realigned to follow the new highway, which began southwest of Athens and ended at a junction with Chemung Street less than north of the state line. Most of US 220's former alignment became
PA 199; however, the northernmost part of PA 199 was assigned to an alternate alignment to the east on Mohawk and Spring streets, both of which were already state-maintained. The Pennsylvania Avenue (former US 220) state line crossing was dismantled as part of the
Southern Tier Expressway
New York State Route 17 (NY 17) is a major state highway that extends for through the Southern Tier and Downstate regions of New York in the United States. It begins at the Pennsylvania state line in Mina and follows the Southern T ...
's construction.
US 220 originally continued northeast of
Port Matilda, along the at-grade Appalachian Thruway to 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 ...
near
Milesburg. US 220 was realigned onto US 322 and a limited-access highway running from
State College to
Bellefonte on May 30, 2003, at which point the previous route via Milesburg was redesignated as US 220 Alternate. The latter route was extended to
Tyrone when US 220 was moved onto a new section of I-99 from Tyrone to Port Matilda in 2008.
In the future, US 220 and I-99 will form a concurrency throughout much of central Pennsylvania, from the interchange with the Pennsylvania Turnpike at Bedford to the intersection with US 15 at Williamsport. I-99 will leave US 220 here to follow US 15 north to
Corning, New York
Corning is a city in Steuben County, New York, United States, on the Chemung River. The population was 10,551 at the 2020 census. It is named for Erastus Corning, an Albany financier and railroad executive who was an investor in the company t ...
.
Other areas
The southern terminus of US 220 in Rockingham was originally at the intersection of East Broad and Hancock streets (US 1 and
US 74), where a sign said "US 220 Ends Here". From here, US 220 went north on current US 74 Business, Old Ellerbe Road and Billy Covington Road before rejoining its current alignment north of the city. The four-lane portion of US 220 between Ellerbe and Rockingham roads was completed in two sections; the northern one, ending at the north end of Billy Covington Road, was finished first in the 1960s. Some of the old alignment is still visible at the north end of Billy Covington Road.
Parts of US 220 in Virginia south of Roanoke follow what used to be called the Carolina Road or the Great Road. These roads, stretching from the current day
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...
area to what is now
Atlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
(southern end of the
Appalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, (french: Appalaches), are a system of mountains in eastern to northeastern North America. The Appalachians first formed roughly 480 million years ago during the Ordovician Period. They ...
), were mostly roads built over old Indian trails. Another branch went west from present day Roanoke to
Cumberland Gap
The Cumberland Gap is a pass through the long ridge of the Cumberland Mountains, within the Appalachian Mountains, near the junction of the U.S. states of Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee. It is famous in American colonial history for its r ...
. Parts of this road in
Henry County are now known as the Old Stage Road. It crossed the Smith River just north of the current US 220 crossing. From Henry County the road crossed the
Mayo River and headed towards
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Winston-Salem is a city and the county seat of Forsyth County, North Carolina, United States. In the 2020 census, the population was 249,545, making it the second-largest municipality in the Piedmont Triad region, the 5th most populous city in ...
. The Mayo River crossing is still visible. In
Martinsville, Virginia
Martinsville is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 13,485. A community of both Southside and Southwest Virginia, it is the county seat of Henry County, althou ...
, US 220 originally passed through downtown Martinsville on West Church Street and Starling Avenue. It was moved onto the newly built Memorial Boulevard the late 1940s and onto a new bypass around
Collinsville and Martinsville in the mid-1970s. The alignment through Collinsville and Martinsviile remains signed as Business US-220.
In the vicinity of
Cumberland, Maryland
Cumberland is a U.S. city in and the county seat of Allegany County, Maryland. It is the primary city of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 19,076. Located on the Potomac River, ...
, US 220 originally proceeded into the city limits on Greene Street. It crossed
Wills Creek via Baltimore Street before connecting to Mechanic Street. From Mechanic Street to the city limits, traffic was split between two parallel one-way streets, with northbound traffic carried by Frederick Street and southbound traffic carried by a narrower Bedford Street until the streets merged as Bedford Road, now unsigned
MD 807, north of the city. The highway continued on a northeasterly track to connect to Pennsylvania at the
Mason–Dixon Line
The Mason–Dixon line, also called the Mason and Dixon line or Mason's and Dixon's line, is a demarcation line separating four U.S. states, forming part of the borders of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and West Virginia (part of Virginia ...
.
Major intersections
;North Carolina
: in
Rockingham
: south-southwest of
Ellerbe. I-73/US 220 travels concurrently to south of
Greensboro
Greensboro (; formerly Greensborough) is a city in and the county seat of Guilford County, North Carolina, United States. It is the List of municipalities in North Carolina, third-most populous city in North Carolina after Charlotte, North Car ...
. I-74/US 220 travels concurrently to
Randleman.
: in
Asheboro
Asheboro is a city in and the county seat of Randolph County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 25,012 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Greensboro–High Point metropolitan area of the Piedmont Triad and is home of the sta ...
: south-southwest of Randleman
: south of Greensboro
: in Greensboro
: in Greensboro. The highways travel concurrently through Greensboro.
: in Greensboro. The highways travel concurrently through Greensboro.
: east-northeast of
Stokesdale
: in
Madison Madison may refer to:
People
* Madison (name), a given name and a surname
* James Madison (1751–1836), fourth president of the United States
Place names
* Madison, Wisconsin, the state capital of Wisconsin and the largest city known by this ...
. The highways travel concurrently to
Mayodan
Mayodan is a town in Rockingham County, North Carolina, Rockingham County, North Carolina, in the United States. It is a manufacturing site for Sturm, Ruger & Co., Bridgestone#Bridgestone Aircraft Tire, Bridgestone Aircraft Tire, and General Tobac ...
.
;Virginia
: south of
Martinsville. The highways travel concurrently to
Horse Pasture.
: in
Roanoke. The highways travel concurrently to
Hollins.
: in Roanoke
: in Hollins. I-81/US 220 travels concurrently to north of
Cloverdale
: north of Cloverdale. US 11/US 220 travels concurrently for approximately .
: in
Cliftondale Park. I-64/US 220 travels concurrently to
Mallow. US 60/US 220 travels concurrently to
Covington.
: in
Monterey
Monterey (; es, Monterrey; Ohlone: ) is a city located in Monterey County on the southern edge of Monterey Bay on the U.S. state of California's Central Coast. Founded on June 3, 1770, it functioned as the capital of Alta California under bot ...
;West Virginia
: in
Franklin
Franklin may refer to:
People
* Franklin (given name)
* Franklin (surname)
* Franklin (class), a member of a historical English social class
Places Australia
* Franklin, Tasmania, a township
* Division of Franklin, federal electoral d ...
. The highways travel concurrently to north of Franklin.
: in
Moorefield
: in
Junction
Junction may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Junction'' (film), a 2012 American film
* Jjunction, a 2002 Indian film
* Junction (album), a 1976 album by Andrew Cyrille
* Junction (EP), by Basement Jaxx, 2002
* Junction (manga), or ''Hot ...
. The highways travel concurrently to southeast of
New Creek
New Creek is an U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed August 15, 2011 stream in eastern West Virginia, United States. It is the third major West Virginia tributary to the North ...
.
;Maryland
: in
Cumberland. The highways travel concurrently to northeast of Cumberland.
;Pennsylvania
: near
Bedford
Bedford is a market town in Bedfordshire, England. At the 2011 Census, the population of the Bedford built-up area (including Biddenham and Kempston) was 106,940, making it the second-largest settlement in Bedfordshire, behind Luton, whilst ...
: near Bedford. The highways travel concurrently to near
Bellefonte
: in
Duncansville
Duncansville is a borough in Blair County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the Altoona, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area. Duncansville is one of the communities that comprises the Altoona Urban Area. The population was 1,258 at the 2020 ...
: near
Port Matilda. The highways travel concurrently to
State College.
: near Bellefonte. I-80/US 220 travels concurrently to east of
Mackeyville.
: in
Williamsport. I-180/US 220 travels concurrently to southwest of
Pennsdale. US 15/US 220 travels concurrently through Williamsport.
: near
Towanda
: in
South Waverly
See also
*
Special routes of U.S. Route 220
Several special routes of U.S. Route 220 exist. In order from south to north they are as follows.
Existing
Candor–Seagrove alternate route
U.S. Route 220 Alternate (US 220 Alt), established in 1979, is an route that follows the old ...
References
External links
US 220 endpoints
{{US 11
20-2
2
20-2