Pennsylvania Route 291

Route map:
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Pennsylvania Route 291 marker

Pennsylvania Route 291

Map
Route information
Maintained by PennDOT
Length14.014 mi[1] (22.553 km)
Existed1928–present
Major junctions
West end
Major intersections
East end
I-76
in Philadelphia
Location
CountryUnited States
StatePennsylvania
CountiesDelaware, Philadelphia
Highway system
PA 290 PA 292

Pennsylvania Route 291 (PA 291) is an east–west state route in

George C. Platt Memorial Bridge and continues along Penrose Avenue to I-76. It has been designated the Industrial Heritage Highway.[2][3]

PA 291 was first designated by 1928 along an unpaved road from

freeway
was proposed along the PA 291 corridor between I-95 and I-76 from 1950 until the 1970s, when it was cancelled due to funding issues. The eastern terminus was moved to its current location by 1989, with an extended PA 611 replacing PA 291 on Broad Street. Around 2000, the route was rebuilt as a five-lane road in Chester. PA 291 was realigned further to the northwest to bypass the Philadelphia International Airport in 2006.

Route description

US 13 southbound/PA 291 westbound in Chester

PA 291 begins at an intersection with

center left-turn lane as it passes more urban development and empty lots. The two routes come to ramps that provide access from the eastbound direction of US 322 and to the westbound direction of US 322 just northwest of where that route crosses the Delaware River on the Commodore Barry Bridge. The road passes under the western approach of the Commodore Barry Bridge carrying US 322.[4][5]

Following this, US 13/PA 291 passes more urban homes and businesses as it heads northwest of the

Chester Industrial Track line to the southeast, crossing the Ridley Creek out of Chester and into the borough of Eddystone.[4][5]

Past this intersection, PA 291 continues east through commercial areas with some homes, becoming Governor Printz Boulevard. The route heads northeast into the community of

Chester Secondary railroad line. At this point, PA 291 reaches the Philadelphia International Airport, where it turns north onto four-lane divided Bartram Avenue and crosses under I-95 while Industrial Highway continues east to the airport passenger terminals and Scott Way continues south to private airport parking lots and the airport cargo terminals.[4][5]

PA 291 eastbound along Bartram Avenue near the Philadelphia International Airport in Philadelphia

After crossing under I-95, PA 291 enters the city of

George C. Platt Memorial Bridge, a through truss bridge, passing near industrial areas before heading over CSAO's 60th Street Industrial Track line and crossing over the Schuylkill River.[4][6]

After crossing the river, the bridge passes over part of the large former Philadelphia Energy Solutions oil refinery. After descending off the bridge, the route continues as four-lane divided Penrose Avenue near industrial areas. PA 291 has a junction with 26th Street, which heads north to provide access to westbound

CSX's Harrisburg Subdivision railroad line before intersecting Pattison Avenue, which heads east to the South Philadelphia Sports Complex, and becoming a five-lane road with a center left-turn lane, running past homes and businesses in South Philadelphia. PA 291 reaches its eastern terminus at a partial interchange with I-76, with access to eastbound I-76 and from westbound I-76. Past this, the road continues northeast as Moyamensing Avenue.[4][6]

History

When Pennsylvania first legislated routes in 1911, what would become PA 291 was not legislated as part of any route.[7] PA 291 was first designated by 1928 to run from PA 420 in Prospect Park east to PA 191 along an unpaved road.[8] By 1930, PA 291 was extended west to US 13 in Eddystone, following PA 420 south for a short concurrency before continuing west along its current alignment. The extended alignment of PA 291 was a paved road.[9] By 1940, PA 291 was realigned to run from US 13 in Trainer east to PA 420 near Essington. The former alignment east of PA 420 became an unnumbered road.[10]

PA 291 eastbound in Ridley Township

PA 291 was extended northeast to PA 191 (80th Street) in Philadelphia by 1950, following the newly-built Industrial Highway in Tinicum Township before heading along Essington Avenue.

Center City Philadelphia, following Penrose Avenue, Moyamensing Avenue, and Broad Street to Center City Philadelphia. This section replaced the PA 191 designation along Penrose Avenue, Moyamensing Avenue, and Broad Street.[12] In the 1970s, the Airport Circle was removed.[13]

In 1950, the Philadelphia City Planning Commission proposed a PA 291

freeway along Penrose Avenue between the Delaware Expressway (I-95) near the Philadelphia International Airport and the Schuylkill Expressway (I-76) in South Philadelphia. The freeway was to split into two alignments leading to I-76: one following South 26th Street to connect to westbound I-76 and the other following Penrose Avenue to connect to eastbound I-76.[14] Plans for the PA 291 freeway were dropped in the 1970s because the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation halted a number of road projects due to funding issues.[15]

US 13 northbound/PA 291 eastbound in Chester

The eastern terminus of PA 291 was cut back from PA 3 and PA 611 at Philadelphia City Hall to I-76 by 1989. The former portion of PA 291 along Broad Street was replaced by an extended PA 611.[16] In 1999, PA 291 was realigned in Chester to a new five-lane alignment that connected 2nd Street and 4th Street to improve travel for trucks and attempt to revitalize Chester. Construction of the new alignment took two years.[17] Before this, PA 291 continued east along 2nd Street and turned north on Crosby Street to reach 4th Street.[18] Expansion of the road to five lanes through the remainder of Chester was slated to be complete in 2001.[17] In 2005, a bill was introduced into the Pennsylvania General Assembly designating the portion of PA 291 through Chester as the Rosa Parks Memorial Highway in honor of civil rights activist Rosa Parks; this bill was signed into law by Governor Ed Rendell on October 27, 2006.[19][20]

In 2006, PA 291 was rerouted to use Bartram Avenue and Island Avenue around the Philadelphia International Airport instead of Industrial Highway due to runway expansion at the airport.[21] In May 2011, a $42 million project began to rehabilitate the George C. Platt Memorial Bridge. The project was completed in June 2014.[22] In 2022, US 13 was realigned to run concurrent with PA 291 between the western terminus in Trainer and Morton Avenue in Chester.[23]

Major intersections

CountyLocationmi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
US 13 Bus. north (Post Road) – Marcus Hook, Chester
Western terminus; southern terminus of US 13 Bus.; west end of US 13 overlap
Philadelphia
Interchange; entrance to westbound US 322 and exit from eastbound US 322
2.9854.804
PA 320 north (Madison Street)
Southern terminus of PA 320
3.0674.936
PA 320 south (Upland Street)
3.1525.073
US 13 north (Morton Avenue)
East end of US 13 overlap
I-95 – Morton
Southern terminus of PA 420
7.76012.489
I-95
(Delaware Expressway)
Eastbound entrance from exit 10 on northbound I-95
8.40913.533 Industrial Highway east – Philadelphia International Airport
I-95 south (Delaware Expressway) – Chester
Exit 12B on I-95; access to and from southbound I-95
10.50416.905
I-95 south (Delaware Expressway) – Chester
Exit 13 on I-95; access to southbound I-95 and from northbound I-95
11.27018.137

To
I-95 south (Delaware Expressway) – Philadelphia International Airport
Westbound exit only
George C. Platt Memorial Bridge over the Schuylkill River
13.13621.140

26th Street to
I-76 west – Valley Forge
13.37621.527


Pattison Avenue east to
I-95 – Sports Complex
14.01422.553
Eastbound exit and westbound entrance; exit 348 on I-76; eastern terminus
14.01422.553Penrose Avenue east to Moyamensing AvenueContinuation beyond I-76 flyover ramps
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

PA 291 Alternate Truck

Philadelphia
Length4.9 mi[24] (7.9 km)
Existed2023–present

Pennsylvania Route 291 Alternate Truck is a

truck route that bypasses a weight restricted bridge on mainline PA 291 on which trucks over 31 tons and combination loads over 35 tons are prohibited. The route follows PA 420 and I-95, and it was formed in 2023.[24]

PA 291 Alternate Truck westbound exiting I-95 onto PA 420 in Tinicum Township.

See also

References

  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ "Industrial Heritage Parkway Interpretive Signage Guidelines - Volume I Project Narrative" (PDF). Delaware County Planning Commission. May 2013. Retrieved March 14, 2022.
  3. ^ "Industrial Hwy Transportation Improvements, Route 291, LR-542, Chester, Delaware County: Environmental Impact Statement". Federal Highway Administration. 1986. Retrieved 8 April 2019.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Google (January 17, 2014). "Pennsylvania Route 291" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  5. ^ a b c d Delaware County, Pennsylvania Highway Map (PDF) (Map). PennDOT. 2013. Retrieved January 15, 2014.[permanent dead link]
  6. ^ a b Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania Highway Map (PDF) (Map). PennDOT. 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 18, 2011. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  7. Pennsylvania Department of Highways. 1911. Archived from the original
    (PDF) on July 5, 2011. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
  8. ^ Pennsylvania Highway Map (Philadelphia Metro) (Map). Gulf Oil. 1928. Retrieved November 8, 2007.
  9. ^ Tourist Map of Pennsylvania (PDF) (Map). Pennsylvania Department of Highways. 1930. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 5, 2011. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
  10. ^ Official Road Map of Pennsylvania (back) (PDF) (Map). Pennsylvania Department of Highways. 1940. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 18, 2011. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
  11. ^ Official Road Map of Pennsylvania (back) (PDF) (Map). Pennsylvania Department of Highways. 1950. Retrieved January 16, 2014.[permanent dead link]
  12. ^ Official Map of Pennsylvania (back) (PDF) (Map). Pennsylvania Department of Highways. 1960. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 30, 2011. Retrieved January 16, 2014.
  13. ^ Pennsylvania Official Transportation Map (back) (PDF) (Map). Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. 1980. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 24, 2011. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  14. ^ Schuylkill Expressway, Roosevelt Boulevard Expressway and Vine Street Expressway (Report). Philadelphia City Planning Commission. 1950.
  15. ^ Nussbaum, Paul (August 19, 1984). "Schuylkill Carries the Load of Many Roads Left Unbuilt". The Philadelphia Inquirer.
  16. ^ Pennsylvania Official Transportation Map (back) (PDF) (Map). Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. 1989. Retrieved January 17, 2014.[permanent dead link]
  17. ^ a b Hardy, Dan (October 8, 1999). "End Of The Road For Construction Construction On Route 291 In Chester Is Finally Complete - For Now. A New Phase Of The Project Is Set To Begin In 2001". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  18. ^ Delaware County, Pennsylvania Highway Map (PDF) (Map). PennDOT. 1996. Retrieved January 17, 2014.[permanent dead link]
  19. ^ SENATE BILL No. 599, Pennsylvania General Assembly, 2005, retrieved August 3, 2010
  20. ^ Act 127, Pennsylvania General Assembly, 2006, retrieved March 30, 2018
  21. ^ Belden, Tom (September 30, 2006). "Road near airport to be rerouted". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  22. ^ "Platt Bridge Project Overview". Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Archived from the original on October 5, 2012. Retrieved January 17, 2014.
  23. ^ "PennDOT Establishes New Business U.S. 13, Redesignates U.S. 13 over Route 291 to Improve Truck Travel in the City of Chester" (Press release). Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. February 11, 2022. Retrieved February 15, 2022.
  24. ^ a b Google (March 13, 2024). "overview of Pennsylvania Route 291 Alternate Truck" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved March 13, 2024.

External links

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