Interstate 78 in Pennsylvania
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East end | ![]() | |
Location | ||
Country | United States | |
State | Pennsylvania | |
Counties | Lebanon, Berks, Lehigh, Northampton | |
Highway system | ||
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Interstate 78 (I-78) is a major east–west
Much of I-78 west of Allentown predates the Interstate Highway System as a freeway upgrade of U.S. Route 22 (US 22), which runs concurrently with I-78 between Bethel Township and Upper Macungie Township. The Interstate, originally planned as Interstate 80N (I-80N), was supposed to continue its concurrency with US 22 to the New Jersey state line but was realigned to the south due to local opposition.
Two auxiliary routes, Interstate 178 (I-178) and
Route description
Lebanon and Berks counties
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/77/2022-08-16_16_42_01_View_east_along_Interstate_78_and_U.S._Route_22_%28William_Penn_Highway%29_just_east_of_Exit_23_in_Upper_Bern_Township%2C_Berks_County%2C_Pennsylvania.jpg/220px-thumbnail.jpg)
I-78 begins at an interchange with
I-78/US 22 enters
In Tilden Township, the freeway continues northeast and reaches a
Lehigh and Northampton counties
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7a/2022-08-16_17_26_22_View_east_along_Interstate_78_and_U.S._Route_22_at_Exit_51_%28U.S._Route_22_EAST%2C_TO_Interstate_476%2C_TO_NORTH_State_Route_309%2C_PA_Turnpike%2C_LVI_Airport%29_in_Upper_Macungie_Township%2C_Lehigh_County%2C_Pennsylvania.jpg/220px-thumbnail.jpg)
I-78/US 22 enters Weisenberg Township in Lehigh County, where the freeway becomes the Walter J. Dealtrey Memorial Highway[7] and continues east through farms and woods in the Lehigh Valley, passing north of New Smithville. The road passes south of warehouses and comes to a diamond interchange with PA 863.
Following this interchange, the freeway heads to the south of more warehouses and runs through more rural areas with some homes, crossing into
At this point, PA 309 becomes concurrent with I-78 and the freeway enters Lower Macungie Township, widening to six lanes and running past commercial development to the southwest of the Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom amusement park. The freeway reaches a partial cloverleaf interchange with the northern terminus of US 222 and the southern terminus of PA 222 at Hamilton Boulevard, which provides access to the cities of Allentown and Reading. Following this interchange, the road crosses into South Whitehall Township and heads east between residential areas to the north and farm fields to the south, before entering Salisbury Township and passing north of Lehigh Valley Hospital–Cedar Crest. Past the hospital, I-78/PA 309 comes to a partial cloverleaf interchange with the northern terminus of the southern section of PA 29 at Cedar Crest Boulevard before running between residential areas to the north and office buildings to the south. The freeway enters Allentown and runs through woodland, crossing Little Lehigh Creek before it passes through a small section of Salisbury Township. The road heads back into Allentown and runs near residential areas, passing south of Allentown Queen City Municipal Airport before it comes to a partial cloverleaf interchange at Lehigh Street. I-78/PA 309 runs near industrial areas and passes over Norfolk Southern Railway's Reading Line before coming to a westbound exit ramp serving Emaus Avenue. The freeway passes near neighborhoods before it leaves Allentown for Salisbury Township, where it ascends forested South Mountain. The highway comes to an eastbound exit and westbound entrance with Rock Road that provides a connection to PA 145 in Summit Lawn, where it crosses into Upper Saucon Township. Following this, the freeway turns southeast and comes to an interchange with the southern terminus of PA 145 in Lanark, at which point PA 309 splits from I-78 by heading southeast on a surface road toward the borough of Quakertown. From here, I-78 turns northeast, narrowing to four lanes with the median changing from a Jersey barrier to a grassy median. The road heads between South Mountain to the northwest and a mix of farm fields, woods, and development to the southeast.[3][8]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7b/2022-08-16_08_31_14_View_west_along_Interstate_78_just_west_of_Exit_67_in_Bethlehem%2C_Northampton_County%2C_Pennsylvania.jpg/220px-2022-08-16_08_31_14_View_west_along_Interstate_78_just_west_of_Exit_67_in_Bethlehem%2C_Northampton_County%2C_Pennsylvania.jpg)
I-78 enters
History
Construction of the freeway between
Interstate 178
Location | Allentown, Pennsylvania |
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Existed | 1950s–1971 |
Interstate 178 (I-178) was a proposed spur from I-78 but was canceled because the Liberty Bell Museum, which had since closed, was in the path of the proposed expressway. Additionally, locals opposed the destruction of Sixth and Seventh Streets to accommodate the highway. The planned northern terminus would have been between the 15th Street and PA 145 interchanges.[12] If built, I-178 would have connected US 22, formerly designated I-78, into Allentown.[13]
This route was shown in Rand McNally atlases in the late 1960s but was not included in the 1971 federal Interstate route log.[14] The route was supposed to end near Muhlenberg College.[15]
Interstate 378
Location | Bethlehem, Pennsylvania |
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Existed | 1968–1971 |
I-378 was the designation for a spur route that would extend from I-78 into Bethlehem. At the time, I-78 was designated as the Lehigh Valley Thruway, concurrent with US 22. Unlike I-178, the route was built. When I-78 was later redirected south of this area, I-378 had no direct connection to I-78 and therefore was renumbered to PA 378. The route still remains, as a freeway with exits and their own numbers.
When I-178 and I-378 were planned (and I-378 was built), I-78 ran the length of the Lehigh Valley Thruway. Later, I-78 was rerouted onto a bypass route south of the Thruway. This was due to opposition to continue the concurrency with the Lehigh Valley Thruway into New Jersey.
Improvements in Berks County
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/62/2022-09-01_10_18_56_View_west_along_Interstate_78_and_U.S._Route_22_%28William_Penn_Highway%29_from_the_overpass_for_Pennsylvania_State_Route_737_%28Krumsville_Road%29_in_Greenwich_Township%2C_Berks_County%2C_Pennsylvania.jpg/220px-thumbnail.jpg)
In 2013, PennDOT announced plans to improve a portion of I-78 in eastern Berks County. The project will redesign the PA 737 interchange, add truck lanes, widen lanes and shoulders, and raise the height of three overpasses.[16] Construction began in 2015 and is planned to be completed in 2025 at a cost of $412.6 million.[17] In 2020, a project began to improve the section of I-78 in Hamburg by reconstructing and reconfiguring the PA 61 interchange and widening and rehabilitating the bridges over the Schuylkill River and Port Clinton Avenue. Construction on this project is planned to be completed in December 2025 at a cost of $125.4 million.[18]
Exit list
County | Location | mi[19] | km | Old exit [20] | New exit [20] | Destinations | Notes |
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I-81 south – Harrisburg | Exit 89 on I-81 | ||||||
0.55 | 0.89 | 1A | ![]() ![]() I-81 north – Hazleton | ||||
Bethel Township | 5.85 | 9.41 | 1 | 6 | ![]() ![]() | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance; northern terminus of PA 343 | |
7.90 | 12.71 | 1 | 8 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Western terminus of US 22 concurrency; westbound exit and eastbound entrance | ||
Berks | Bethel Township | 10.21 | 16.43 | 2 | 10 | ![]() | |
12.68 | 20.41 | 3 | 13 | ![]() | |||
14.67 | 23.61 | 4 | 15 | Grimes | Right-in/right-out; access via Court Street eastbound, Frantz Road westbound; no access across I-78/US 22; no tractor trailers | ||
15.40 | 24.78 | 5 | 16 | Midway | Access via Midway Road | ||
16.58 | 26.68 | 6 | 17 | ![]() | Access to Conrad Weiser Homestead | ||
Upper Tulpehocken Township | 18.65 | 30.01 | 7 | 19 | ![]() | ||
Upper Bern Township | 22.71 | 36.55 | 8 | 23 | Shartlesville | Access via Mountain Road | |
Tilden Township | 29.11– 29.35 | 46.85– 47.23 | 9 | 29 | ![]() | ||
Hamburg | 30.19 | 48.59 | 10 | 30 | Hamburg | Access via North 4th Street | |
Greenwich Township | 35.23 | 56.70 | 11 | 35 | ![]() | ||
40.27 | 64.81 | 12 | 40 | ![]() Kutztown University | |||
Lehigh | Weisenberg Township | 44.96 | 72.36 | 13 | 45 | ![]() | |
Upper Macungie Township | 49.26– 49.55 | 79.28– 79.74 | 14 | 49 | ![]() | Signed as exits 49A (south) and 49B (north) | |
50.89 | 81.90 | 15 | 51 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() Penna Turnpike NE Extension / PA 309 north – Lehigh Valley International Airport | Eastern terminus of US 22 concurrency; eastbound exit and westbound entrance | ||
Penna Turnpike NE Extension – Tamaqua | Western terminus of PA 309 concurrency; westbound exit and eastbound entrance | ||||||
US 222 south / PA 222 north (Hamilton Boulevard) | Signed as exits 54A (south) and 54B (north) westbound; northern terminus of US 222; southern terminus of PA 222; access to Reading, Allentown Center City, and Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom | ||||||
Salisbury Township | 55.41 | 89.17 | 17 | 55 | ![]() ![]() | Northern terminus of southern segment of PA 29 | |
Allentown | 57.20 | 92.05 | 18 | 57 | Lehigh Street | ||
57.63 | 92.75 | 18B | 58 | Emaus Avenue south | Westbound exit only | ||
Upper Saucon Township | 58.83 | 94.68 | 19 | 59 | ![]() ![]() | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance; access via Rock Road | |
59.92 | 96.43 | 20A | 60A | ![]() ![]() | Eastern terminus of PA 309 concurrency; signed as exit 60 eastbound; access to DeSales University | ||
60.30 | 97.04 | 20B | 60B | ![]() ![]() | Westbound exit only; southern terminus of PA 145; access to Allentown Center City | ||
Northampton | Bethlehem | 66.36 | 106.80 | 21 | 67 | ![]() | Access to Lehigh University and Wind Creek Bethlehem |
Lower Saucon Township | 71.04 | 114.33 | 71 | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Southern terminus of PA 33; access to Pocono Mountains and Lehigh Valley International Airport | ||
Crayola Experience and Lafayette College | |||||||
Rest area and welcome center (westbound) | |||||||
Toll plaza (westbound only) | |||||||
Delaware River | 77.10 | 124.08 | Interstate 78 Toll Bridge | ||||
— | ![]() ![]() | Continuation into New Jersey | |||||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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See also
- U.S. Roads portal
Pennsylvania portal
References
- ^ Federal Highway Administration (December 31, 2021). "Table 1 - Main Routes". FHWA Route Log and Finder List. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
- ^ "Roxanne H. Jones Avenue, 78th Division, POW/MIA Remembrance and Prisoner of War/Missing in Action Highways and Arthur F. Detisch Memorial Bridge - Designations" (PDF). www.legis.state.pa.us. December 21, 1998. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g Google (October 16, 2019). "Interstate 78 in Pennsylvania" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved October 16, 2019.
- ^ Lebanon County, Pennsylvania Highway Map (PDF) (Map). PennDOT. 2019. Retrieved October 16, 2019.
- ^ a b c Berks County, Pennsylvania Highway Map (PDF) (Map). PennDOT. 2019. Retrieved October 16, 2019.
- ^ "CMSgt. Richard L. Etchberger Memorial Highway - Designation" (PDF). www.legis.state.pa.us. May 27, 2011. Retrieved May 30, 2022.
- ^ Steve Esack (January 30, 2004). "Section of I-78 named to honor businessman Walter J. Dealtrey - Morning Call". Articles.mcall.com. Retrieved January 29, 2013.
- ^ a b Lehigh County, Pennsylvania Highway Map (PDF) (Map). PennDOT. 2019. Retrieved October 16, 2019.
- ^ Northampton County, Pennsylvania Highway Map (PDF) (Map). PennDOT. 2019. Retrieved October 16, 2019.
- ^ Official Route Numbering for the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways (Map). American Association of State Highway Officials. August 14, 1957. Retrieved January 3, 2017.
- ^ "Interstate-Guide: Interstate 78". www.interstate-guide.com. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
- ^ "Pennsylvania's Dearly Departed Interstates".
- ^ "I-178 (cancelled) Pennsylvania".
- ^ "1963 Rand McNally".
- ^ "I-178 Map".
- ^ Devlin, Ron (January 18, 2013). "PennDOT unveils upgrade to Interstate 78". Reading Eagle. Retrieved January 18, 2013.
- ^ Winfrey, Katiera; Wivell, Dawn (March 7, 2019). "PennDOT, Berks Planning Commission provide update on I-78". 69 News. Retrieved March 16, 2019.
- ^ Lee, Christine (February 18, 2020). "Bridges on I-78, Route 61 to be upgraded, replaced". Republican Herald. Pottsville, PA. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
- ^ Calculated using DeLorme Street Atlas USA 2007
- ^ a b "Pennsylvania Exit Numbering" (PDF). Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Retrieved October 2, 2007.
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