Pennsylvania Route 287
Route information | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Maintained by PennDOT | ||||
Length | 63.965 mi[1] (102.942 km) | |||
Existed | 1961–present | |||
Major junctions | ||||
South end | US 220 in Piatt Township | |||
PA 973 in Salladasburg PA 184 in Pine Township Hoytville PA 660 in Wellsboro US 6 in Wellsboro PA 249 in Middlebury Township Tioga Township Tioga Junction | ||||
North end | PA 49 in Lawrenceville | |||
Location | ||||
Country | United States | |||
State | Pennsylvania | |||
Counties | Lycoming, Tioga | |||
Highway system | ||||
| ||||
|
Pennsylvania Route 287 (PA 287) is a 63.9-mile-long (102.8 km) state highway in the
The alignment of PA 287 has been successor to a set of
In 1928, US 111 was designated, and along with Pennsylvania Route 84, consisted of the alignment of PA 287. US 111 was redesignated as part of US 15. The highway was redesignated as PA 287 in 1961 when PA 84 was decommissioned in favor of Interstate 84 (I-84). The route was extended from Tioga to Lawrenceville in 2008, when the construction of US 15 was finished to the New York state line, and PA 287 was extended to PA 49.
History
Old roads
Much of the current-day alignment for PA 287 has been constructed through many different post, plank and turnpike roads in Lycoming and Tioga counties. The earliest known plank road in the area of the current day highway dates back to 1810, when a mail postal route was created along current day PA 287 from Wellsboro to Willardsburg (later known as Tioga). The mail was delivered once a week on horseback for several years, with the service discontinued in 1818. That year, the service was changed to a semi-weekly service for delivery two times a week on horseback. In 1824, this service was also discontinued when the mail route began to be used by coaches three times a week. This service was used and then decommissioned by 1835, when a new system, which stretched from Wellsboro and past Willardsburg to the community of Lawrenceville, was established.[2]
This route followed the alignment of PA 287, making stops in Middlebury Center, Holliday, Willardsburg and Mitchell's Creek before ending in Lawrenceville. This mail route was truncated back to Willardsburg in 1840, when the nearby Corning and Blossburg Railroad was completed. The stagecoach lines started working along the three-day process for about ten years, when the nearby Tioga and Wellsboro Plank Road was completed, which made stagecoaches run daily. Along with numerous competition, the service was discontinued in 1872, when the Lawrenceville and Wellsboro Railroad was completed. At that time, the stagecoach lines has ceased operation. By 1883, the only piece of mail routes in the area of Tioga County was a piece near Middlebury Center, but was not as large as the process once was.[2]
Although the Corning and Blossburg Railroad had served as a good travel connection between Wellsboro and Lawrenceville (the Tioga Valley), several communities in the
This new plank road also had the ability to extend their plank road down to Wellsboro, which repealed the acts of 1848 and 1849. The plank road was contracted and completed in a timely fashion down to Wellsboro from Tioga. In 1851, the plank road was complete from Wellsboro to Tioga, and the thoroughfare became highly used by people transporting lumber, agriculture and merchandise. This helped farmers and producers in the communities of Middlebury Center, Holliday and Delmar (now the area of Wellsboro Junction). The plank road would eventually get worn out from use, and the route was eventually changed from a plank road to a high use turnpike. The 17 miles (27 km) long piece of plank road, created in the original charter from Tioga to Lawrenceville, was never constructed.[2]
The southernmost portion of PA 287 was the location of a third plank road, this time beginning at the mouth of
By 1851, the plank road had been constructed all the way to the community of Salladasburg. With the 8 feet (2.4 m)-wide plank road came several tollhouses along the entire route to pay charge for using the roadway. A movable barrier was also installed, so people could not gain access without payment. The plank road was finished and prospered for many years. The common transport on the road was bark and hides, along with hauling leather over to the Larrys Creek Railroad. On June 1, 1889, a major flood hit the area around the plank road, and when things were all said and done, it had experienced extensive damage. In places where damage had occurred, the road was replaced by graded dirt roads. In 1900, the remains of the plank road remained only from Salladasburg to the Larrys Creek Railroad Station. Later that year, a petition was raised to make this remaining piece of road free to access. The case was closed in support of the motion and the plank road company shut down forever.[4][5]
Designation of PA 84
| |
---|---|
Existed | 1928–1961 |
On May 31, 1911, the state of Pennsylvania signed the
The designations remained in place until 1924, when actual route designations were assigned in the commonwealth. The part that was later made as part of
This remained in place for only two years, and when the
In that time, several intersections along PA 287 tied in with several former state highways. During the 1928 numbering, the intersection with PA 414 in Hoytville was designated as PA 893, a local intersection in Antrim was designated as PA 961, and the intersection in Somers Lane was designated as PA 826. The routes were decommissioned in 1955,[16] 1946,[17] and 1941 respectively.[18] After 1946, when a mass decommissioning of state highways occurred, PA 84 remained in place for another 15 years, when the plans arose for I-84, which duplicated the state highway. Because of this duplication, PA 84 was reassigned as PA 287.[19]
US 15 conversion
During the 1960s, plans developed to widen US 15 for safety precautions. Construction progressed fast, reaching the Lycoming County line in 1968. At the time, PA 287 terminated at an intersection with US 15 at the Hammond Reservoir. Ten years later, US 15 was completed up to Tioga, and that year, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation extended PA 287 to the new interchange.[20] At that point, US 15 followed the northernmost alignment of PA 287 to Lawrenceville. This interchange was completed in late 2000 with an opening ceremony by then-governor Tom Ridge.[21]
With the proposal for the brand new I-99 following US 15's alignment,[22] construction was upgraded once again, and a new alignment for US 15 was started in 2005. The alignment was constructed for the final 5 miles (8.0 km) from Tioga to the state line. With the alignment's completion, US 15 was realigned onto the newly opened freeway on October 1, 2008. The entire project cost $102 million (2008 USD), including one new interchange and the completion of the PA 287 interchange in Tioga.[23]
Route description
Lycoming County
PA 287 begins at an interchange with westbound
PA 287 continues northward after leaving Salladasburg, paralleling PA 973 for a short distance until the two highways turn away. PA 287 heads northward, passing through deep patches of forests. This alignment and surroundings remain the same for several miles, passing a few local roads. The deep forests begin to clear as the highway enters the community of
PA 287 winds around curves, until the intersection with Lick Run Road, where it turns to the northwest, entering the isolated community of
Tioga County
After entering Tioga County, PA 287 continues to the north, entering the community of Texas, which mainly consists of large fields. The highway continues along this right-of-way, passing a large factory before entering the community of Mount Pleasant. At an intersection with Mount Pleasant Road, PA 287 turns to the northeast, bending around deep forests. The route crosses Hurney Hill Road, which is where the highway turns to the northwest. When the highway makes a curve to the northeast, PA 287 enters the community of
In Hoytville, PA 287 intersects with PA 414, which becomes concurrent with PA 287 for a distance. PA 287 and PA 414 continue to the northeast, working its way along the residential homes in Hoytville. A short distance later, the highways enter the highly developed area in Hoytville in Morris Township. At an intersection in the center of the community, PA 287 turns to the north while PA 414 turns to the south, with the two highways splitting. PA 287 turns to the northeast, leaving the downtown area of Morris Township. After Morris Township, most of the route becomes surrounded by forests, except for a distance with residential homes following the northbound lanes. The surroundings return to the deep forests in both directions, with PA 287 continuing northward for several miles.[24]
PA 287 begins to parallel a waterway, entering the community of Antrim, which is surrounded mainly by forests. After Antrim, the highway continues northward through the deep forests for several miles, until entering the community of Knapp. In Knapp, PA 287 continues to the northeast, passing several fields and intersecting with a local road towards Broughton Hollow. At an intersection with Dean Hill Road, the highway turns to the northeast through the fields, entering Coolidge Hollows, a small farming community. At an intersection with Sweetbriar Road, PA 287 turns to the north, passing some homes before turning to the northeast into the farmlands once again. Approaching the intersection with Shumway Hill Road, the highway makes a gradual bend to the northwest, passing a large pond to the west, where it gains the name of Central Avenue as the route enters the community of Wellsboro.[24]
PA 287 heads along Central Avenue through a highly developed business and residential community until the intersection with PA 660 (Main Street), where the highway turns eastward on a concurrency with PA 660. PA 287 and PA 660 continue to the northeast along Main Street in the center of the community, where the two highways intersect with US 6. At the US 6 intersection, PA 660 turns along US 6 east while PA 287 continues along US 6 westbound. US 6 and PA 287 head to the northeast through the community center, passing to the east of Wellsboro Cemetery before the two highways turn to the northwest along Tioga Street. At an intersection with Hillboldt Road, PA 287 and US 6 leave Wellsboro. The two highways enter Stokesdale, a residential community before a fork in the highway, with US 6 turning towards the west and PA 287 towards the north.[24]
PA 287, after the split with US 6, heads to the northeast, entering the community of Wellsboro Junction. Wellsboro Junction is mainly fields, with the route heading as the main highway. After passing a few factories, PA 287 turns to the northeast and out of Wellsboro Junction. The highway passes a large pond, as well as a few residential homes. PA 287 continues along the rural alignment, entering a small community of residential homes and fields. The route continues to the northeast, entering the community of
The route continues northward along the eastern shore of the reservoir, until the northern end of the reservoir, where it turns to the east, entering the municipality of
Major intersections
County | Location | mi[1] | km | Destinations | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lycoming | Piatt Township | 0.000 | 0.000 | US 220 | Southern terminus of PA 287. Future Interchange for I-99 |
Waterville | Southern end of concurrency with PA 973 | ||||
3.664 | 5.897 | PA 973 east – Salladasburg | Northern end of concurrency with PA 973 | ||
Pine Township | 12.631 | 20.328 | PA 184 east | Western terminus of PA 184 | |
17.588 | 28.305 | PA 284 east – Buttonwood | Western terminus of PA 284 | ||
Hoytville | 27.691 | 44.564 | PA 414 west | South end of concurrency with PA 414 | |
Morris Township | 28.371 | 45.659 | PA 414 east – Liberty | North end of concurrency with PA 414 | |
Wellsboro | 40.082 | 64.506 | PA 660 west (Main Street) – Ansonia | South end of concurrency with PA 660 | |
40.275 | 64.816 | US 6 east / PA 660 east (East Avenue) – Mansfield | North end of concurrency with PA 660, southern end of concurrency with US 6 | ||
Delmar Township | 42.884 | 69.015 | US 6 west – Galeton | Northern end of concurrency with US 6 | |
Middlebury Township | 47.581 | 76.574 | PA 249 north | Southern terminus of PA 249 | |
US 15 exit 191 | |||||
Tioga Junction | 61.025 | 98.210 | PA 328 east – Elmira | Western terminus of PA 328 | |
Lawrenceville | 63.965 | 102.942 | PA 49 west (Cowanesque Street) to US 15 – Elkland | Eastern terminus of PA 49, northern terminus of PA 287 | |
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
|
See also
- U.S. Roads portal
- Pennsylvania portal
References
- ^ a b Bureau of Maintenance and Operations (January 2015). Roadway Management System Straight Line Diagrams (Report) (2015 ed.). Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Retrieved June 30, 2015.
- Lycoming County (PDF)
- Tioga County (PDF)
- ^ a b c d History of Tioga County, Pennsylvania. New York: W. W. Munsell & Company. 1883.
- ^ a b Beitel, Calvin Gustavus (1874). A digest of titles of corporations chartered by the legislature of Pennsylvania, between the years 1700 and 1873 inclusive: giving the dates of acts of incorporation, with the several supplements thereto, with a reference to the pages of the pamphlet laws, where they may be found (2 ed.). J. Campbell & Son. p. 412.
- ^ a b Landis, Milton W. (Summer 1967). "The Larrys Creek Plank Road". The Journal of the Lycoming County Historical Society. IV (1). Archived from the original on 2005-11-18. Retrieved 2008-02-20.
- ^ Landis, Milton W. (October 1966). "The Larrys Creek Covered Bridge in Cogan House Township". Now and then (The Journal of the Muncy, Pennsylvania Historical Society). XV (5): 258.
- ^ Map of State Roads (PDF) (Map). Pennsylvania Department of Highways. 1911. Retrieved July 24, 2009.
- ^ Tioga County (PDF) (Map). Pennsylvania Department of Highways. 1915. Retrieved July 24, 2009.
- ^ Lycoming County (PDF) (Map). Pennsylvania Department of Highways. 1916. Retrieved July 24, 2009.
- ^ "U.S. Route 22 - The William Penn Highway". United States Department of Transportation. 2009. Retrieved July 24, 2009.
- ^ Map Showing Pennsylvania State Highway Routes (Map). Cartography by Pennsylvania Department of Highways. Pennsylvania Department of Highways. 1925.
- .
- ^ Map Showing Pennsylvania State Highways (Map). Pennsylvania Department of Highways. 1928.
- ^ Map Showing Pennsylvania State Highways (Map). Pennsylvania Department of Highways. 1929.
- ^ Tourist Map of Pennsylvania State Highways (Map). Cartography by Pennsylvania Department of Highways. Pennsylvania Department of Highways. 1930.
- ^ Official Pennsylvania Road Map (Map). Cartography by Pennsylvania Department of Highways. Pennsylvania Department of Highways. 1937.
- ^ Pennsylvania Official Road Map (Map). Pennsylvania Department of Highways. 1955.
- ^ Pennsylvania Official Road Map (Map). Pennsylvania Department of Highways. 1946.
- ^ Pennsylvania Official Road Map (Map). Pennsylvania Department of Highways. 1941.
- ^ Pennsylvania (Map). Pennsylvania Department of Highways. 1961.
- PennDOT. Retrieved July 24, 2009.
- ^ "PA Gov Ridge Administration to Open Newest Section of Route 15 in Tioga County". PR Newswire. November 2, 2000.
- ^ "Map Makers Must Draw New I-99". Centre Daily Times. December 1, 1995.
- ^ "Rendell administration dedicates Route 15 project; officials from two states celebrate opening of nearly seven miles of new highway". Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. October 1, 2008. Retrieved July 24, 2009.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Microsoft; Nokia (July 15, 2015). "Overview map of Pennsylvania Route 287" (Map). Bing Maps. Microsoft. Retrieved July 15, 2015.
- ^ Official Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Map of Tioga County, showing PA 287 (PDF) (Map). Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. 2008. Retrieved July 24, 2009.
External links