U.S. Route 62 in Pennsylvania

U.S. Route 62 (US 62) is a signed north-south U.S. Highway in Pennsylvania, which runs diagonally southwest-northeast through the industrial northwestern part of the state. Although initial portions of the route opened in 1926 in other areas of the country, US 62 was not designated in the commonwealth until 1932. The highway connects the small cities of Sharon, Franklin, Oil City, and Warren to larger markets, such as Youngstown, Ohio and Buffalo, New York.

U.S. Route 62
US 62 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by PennDOT
Length119 mi[1] (192 km)
Existed1932[2]–present
Major junctions
South end US 62 at Ohio border in Sharon
  PA 18 in Hermitage

US 19 / PA 58 in Mercer
I-79 near Mercer
PA 173 / PA 358 in Sandy Lake
US 322 / PA 8 in Franklin
PA 36 in Tionesta

US 6 in Warren
North end US 62 at New York border in Pine Grove Township
Location
CountiesMercer, Venango, Forest, Warren
Highway system
PA 61 PA 62

Route description

U.S. Route 62 enters Pennsylvania from Ohio as part of the Shenango Valley Freeway. Four lanes, winding, and with limited stop lights, the road, which was built in 1958, bypasses the city of Sharon. A business route is signed on the former path of the highway. After passing through Sharon, the road reverts to two lane status, as it travels toward Mercer, the county seat of Mercer County. Here, it briefly joins US 19 through the center of town. The road then turns sharply toward a north-northeast alignment and features an interchange with Interstate 79. After cutting through rural Mercer and Venango counties, US 62 reaches the twin industrial towns of Franklin and Oil City. In Franklin, the highway is briefly cosigned with US 322, as it passes through the west side of town. The road then joins PA 8 to form a fourlane riverfront connector between the two towns. Immediately before entering Oil City, the roads split, with US 62 branching off to cross the Allegheny River over the Petroleum Street Bridge and serve the south side of town. After crossing this 1995 girder structure, which replaced a 1910 truss bridge, the highway remains four lanes until leaving the municipality.

The Allegheny River is only rarely out of sight as the highway winds its way through Venango and Forest Counties, crossing from the south bank to the north by way of the Hunter Station Bridge, an unusual 1934 truss design. It crosses the river a third time on the Tionesta Bridge, a 1961 girder structure that set the tone for 1980s90s replacements of a series of historic bridges along the waterway. While traveling through Forest and into Warren County, the road is oriented in a north-south direction, which is reflected in its guide signs, despite the national route’s east-west direction. The route passes through the Allegheny Islands Wilderness, crosses the river again via the Irvine Bridge, and subsequently joins with US 6 via a trumpet interchange to form part of the freeway bypass of Warren, which was constructed in 1969. The routes divide near the city center, and US 62 follows a narrow path of city streets in the old city core before becoming a fourlane highway north of the town. The highway becomes a twolane road again as it heads toward the New York boundary.

History

US 62 was designated in Pennsylvania in 1932, replacing PA 65 between the Ohio border near Sharon and Franklin, PA 8 between Franklin and Oil City, PA 57 between Oil City and Fryburg, and PA 66 between Fryburg and the New York border. Signs were installed by June 1 of that year.[2]

Major intersections

CountyLocation[3]mikmDestinationsNotes
MercerSharon US 62 west YoungstownContinues into Ohio
PA 718 / PA 760 (South Dock Street) Farrell, WheatlandInterchange
PA 518 (Stambaugh Avenue)
Hermitage PA 418 (Maple Drive)
PA 18 (South Hermitage Road) to I-376 / I-80
Mercer PA 258 north (North Maple Street) ClarkSouthern end of PA 258 concurrency
PA 158 south (South Shenango Street) to PA 318Northern terminus of PA 158
US 19 south (South Erie Street) to I-80 Zelienople
PA 58 east / PA 258 south (Diamond Street)
Northern end of PA 258 concurrency; southern end of US 19 and PA 58 concurrencies
PA 58 west (Greenville Road) GreenvilleNorthern end of PA 58 concurrency
Coolspring Township US 19 north (Perry Highway) MeadvilleNorthern end of US 19 concurrency
Jackson Township I-79 Erie, PittsburghI-79 exit 121
PA 965 east (Henderson Road) Polk, FranklinWestern terminus of PA 965
Sandy Lake Township PA 845 north (Walnut Street) StoneboroSouthern terminus of PA 845
Sandy Lake PA 173 south (South Main Street)Southern end of PA 173 concurrency
PA 173 north (North Main Street)
PA 358 west (Lake Street) to I-79
Northern end of PA 173 concurrency; eastern terminus of PA 358
VenangoVictory Township PA 965 west (Jackson Center-Polk Road) Jackson CenterEastern terminus of PA 965
French Creek Township PA 8 south (Pittsburgh Road) to I-80 ButlerSouthern end of PA 8 concurrency
Franklin US 322 west (13th Street)Southern end of US 322 concurrency
US 322 east (Liberty Street)Northern end of US 322 concurrency
Oil City PA 8 north (Main Street) Titusville
PA 428 north (Halyday Street)
Northern end of PA 8 concurrency; southern terminus of PA 428
PA 257 south CranberryNorthern terminus of PA 257
Cranberry Township PA 157 east FryburgEastern terminus of PA 157
ForestTionesta Township PA 36 north (Colonel Drake Highway) PleasantvilleSouthern end of PA 36 concurrency
Tionesta PA 36 south (Elm Street) BrookvilleNorthern end of PA 36 concurrency
Hickory Township PA 127 north (Main Street) West HickorySouthern terminus of PA 127
PA 666 east EndeavorWestern terminus of PA 666
WarrenLimestone Township PA 127 south (Buckingham Street) TidiouteNorthern terminus of PA 127
Brokenstraw Township US 6 west (Grand Army of the Republic Highway) YoungsvilleSouthern end of US 6 concurrency; interchange
Warren US 6 east (Grand Army of the Republic Highway)

US 6 Bus. begins
Northern end of US 6 concurrency; southern end of US 6 Bus. concurrency; interchange

US 6 Bus. east (Pennsylvania Avenue West)
Northern end of US 6 Bus. concurrency
Conewango Township PA 69 north (Jackson Run Road) Sugar GroveSouthern terminus of PA 69
Pine Grove Township PA 957 west Sugar GroveEastern terminus of PA 957
US 62 north JamestownContinues into New York
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

  1. Google (June 29, 2013). "U.S. Route 62 in Pennsylvania" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
  2. "No. 62 Designated As New Number Of Route Through Franklin". The News-Herald. Franklin, PA. February 18, 1932. p. 2. Retrieved May 25, 2016 via Newspapers.com.
  3. "Video Log". Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Retrieved June 10, 2016.

See also

KML is from Wikidata
  •  U.S. Roads portal
  •  Pennsylvania portal
U.S. Route 62
Previous state:
Ohio
Pennsylvania Next state:
New York
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