Interstate 78 in Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Interstate 78 is an east–west route stretching from Union Township, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania
to New York City
. In the U.S. state
of Pennsylvania
, I-78 runs for about 77 miles (124 km) in Pennsylvania, from the western terminus at Interstate 81
to New Jersey
state line; I-78 continues into New Jersey
.
I-78 starts in Pennsylvania
at an interchange with Interstate 81
. It merges with U.S. Route 22
in Lebanon County
, with the median strip becoming narrow at that point; the two run together for 43 miles (69.2 km) from Bethel Township
to Kuhnsville
. Near Kuhnsville, U.S. Route 22
splits off from I-78 and becomes the Lehigh Valley Thruway
. Near Hamburg at mile marker 29, it meets a major Pennsylvania route: Pennsylvania Route 61
. At mile marker 53, after the departure of US 22, Pennsylvania Route 309
merges with I-78 for 7 miles (11.3 km). Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom
is visible from the freeway approaching exit 54 for U.S. Route 222, which leads to the park. In Summit Lawn, State Route 309 leaves the freeway toward Quakertown at exit 60. Past Allentown and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania Route 33
meets I-78 at exit 71. The last exit in Pennsylvania is Exit 75/Morgan Hill Road, which takes one to Pennsylvania Route 611
. The Interstate crosses the Delaware River
on the Interstate 78 Toll Bridge
, leaving Pennsylvania for New Jersey
.
, I-78 between PA Rt. 100 and the Berks-Lebanon county line was built mainly to 1960s standards, has characteristic soft shoulders in most locations, and, despite its rural location, a 55 mi/h speed limit that is heavily enforced by the Pennsylvania State Police
. Prior to the late 1960s, I-78 was to be routed on the Lehigh Valley Thruway
across to Phillipsburg, New Jersey
, continuing the concurrency with US Route 22
; however, because of heavy opposition by residents of Phillipsburg, PennDOT and NJDOT opted to build the new southerly alignment on which I-78 is routed today.
in Fogelsville
to the U.S. Route 22 split in Union Township
because of a winter storm
that caused two tractor-trailers to make the highway impassable. Other roads such as I-80 and I-81 were also closed. Some passengers were stuck on I-78 for more than 20 hours. Governor Ed Rendell
apologized to the hundreds of drivers who were stuck on I-78. The governor said that the I-78 mess was unacceptable and that those responsible for clearing the road had communicated poorly. I-78 reopened on February 17.
Union Township, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania
Union Township is a township in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the Lebanon, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,590 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. In the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, I-78 runs for about 77 miles (124 km) in Pennsylvania, from the western terminus at Interstate 81
Interstate 81
Interstate 81 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern part of the United States. Its southern terminus is at Interstate 40 in Dandridge, Tennessee; its northern terminus is on Wellesley Island at the Canadian border, where the Thousand Islands Bridge connects it to Highway 401, the main freeway...
to New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
state line; I-78 continues into New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
.
Route description
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
at an interchange with Interstate 81
Interstate 81
Interstate 81 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern part of the United States. Its southern terminus is at Interstate 40 in Dandridge, Tennessee; its northern terminus is on Wellesley Island at the Canadian border, where the Thousand Islands Bridge connects it to Highway 401, the main freeway...
. It merges with U.S. Route 22
U.S. Route 22 in Pennsylvania
U.S. Route 22 is an east–west route stretching from Cincinnati, Ohio in the west to Newark, New Jersey in the east. In Pennsylvania, the route runs for between the West Virginia state line at Washington County, where it is a limited-access expressway-grade route through the western suburbs...
in Lebanon County
Lebanon County, Pennsylvania
As of the census of 2000, there were 120,327 people and 32,771 families residing in the county. The population density was 332 people per square mile . There were 49,320 housing units at an average density of 136 per square mile...
, with the median strip becoming narrow at that point; the two run together for 43 miles (69.2 km) from Bethel Township
Bethel Township, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania
Bethel Township is a township in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the Lebanon, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 4,526 at the 2000 census...
to Kuhnsville
Kuhnsville, Pennsylvania
Kuhnsville is a small unincorporated village in Upper Macungie Township, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania. Along with the adjacent villages of Chapmans and Ruppsville , Kuhnsville forms the eastern edge of the transportation and warehousing business district centered on Fogelsville. It uses the...
. Near Kuhnsville, U.S. Route 22
U.S. Route 22
U.S. Route 22 is a west–east route and is one of the original United States highways of 1926, running from Cincinnati, Ohio, at US 27, US 42, US 127, and US 52 to Newark, New Jersey, at U.S. Route 1/9 near the Newark Liberty International Airport.US 22 also carries the names of the William...
splits off from I-78 and becomes the Lehigh Valley Thruway
Lehigh Valley Thruway
U.S. Route 22 is an east–west route stretching from Cincinnati, Ohio in the west to Newark, New Jersey in the east. In Pennsylvania, the route runs for between the West Virginia state line at Washington County, where it is a limited-access expressway-grade route through the western suburbs...
. Near Hamburg at mile marker 29, it meets a major Pennsylvania route: Pennsylvania Route 61
Pennsylvania Route 61
Pennsylvania Route 61 is an -long state highway in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The route is signed on a north–south direction, from U.S. Route 222 Business in Reading to U.S. Route 11 and U.S. Route 15 in Shamokin Dam. PA 61 meets up with Pennsylvania Route 54 in Ashland and these...
. At mile marker 53, after the departure of US 22, Pennsylvania Route 309
Pennsylvania Route 309
Pennsylvania Route 309 is a major highway which runs for 134 miles through Pennsylvania in the United States. It connects Philadelphia and its northern suburbs to Allentown, Hazleton, and Wilkes-Barre. A limited-access highway portion of PA 309 in the Wilkes-Barre area is known as the North...
merges with I-78 for 7 miles (11.3 km). Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom
Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom
Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom is an American amusement and water park located in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The park features nine roller coasters, other adult and children's rides, and a waterpark, Wildwater Kingdom....
is visible from the freeway approaching exit 54 for U.S. Route 222, which leads to the park. In Summit Lawn, State Route 309 leaves the freeway toward Quakertown at exit 60. Past Allentown and Bethlehem, Pennsylvania Route 33
Pennsylvania Route 33
Pennsylvania Route 33 is a -long limited-access state highway in eastern Pennsylvania, United States. South of the US 22 interchange, the route is called the Gen. Anthony Clement McAuliffe 101st Airborne Memorial Highway....
meets I-78 at exit 71. The last exit in Pennsylvania is Exit 75/Morgan Hill Road, which takes one to Pennsylvania Route 611
Pennsylvania Route 611
Pennsylvania Route 611 is a major state highway in Pennsylvania, United States, running from Interstate 95 south of downtown Philadelphia north to Interstate 380 in Coolbaugh Township, Pennsylvania in The Poconos....
. The Interstate crosses the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
on the Interstate 78 Toll Bridge
Interstate 78 Toll Bridge
The Interstate 78 Toll Bridge carries Interstate 78 between Williams Township, Pennsylvania and Phillipsburg, New Jersey over the Delaware River. Opened on November 21, 1989, it is operated by the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission and is one of the newest bridges across the Delaware...
, leaving Pennsylvania for New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
.
History
Although built to modern-day Interstate Highway standards east of Pennsylvania Route 100Pennsylvania Route 100
Pennsylvania Route 100 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania that runs from U.S. Route 202 in West Chester, Pennsylvania to Pennsylvania Route 309 in Pleasant Corners, Pennsylvania....
, I-78 between PA Rt. 100 and the Berks-Lebanon county line was built mainly to 1960s standards, has characteristic soft shoulders in most locations, and, despite its rural location, a 55 mi/h speed limit that is heavily enforced by the Pennsylvania State Police
Pennsylvania State Police
The Pennsylvania State Police is the state police force of Pennsylvania, responsible for statewide law enforcement. It was founded in 1905 by order of Governor Samuel Pennypacker, in response to the private police forces used by mine and mill owners to stop worker strikes and the inability or...
. Prior to the late 1960s, I-78 was to be routed on the Lehigh Valley Thruway
Lehigh Valley Thruway
U.S. Route 22 is an east–west route stretching from Cincinnati, Ohio in the west to Newark, New Jersey in the east. In Pennsylvania, the route runs for between the West Virginia state line at Washington County, where it is a limited-access expressway-grade route through the western suburbs...
across to Phillipsburg, New Jersey
Phillipsburg, New Jersey
Phillipsburg, known locally as P'burg, is a town in Warren County, New Jersey, in the United States. As of 2010 United States Census, the town's population was 14,950....
, continuing the concurrency with US Route 22
Lehigh Valley Thruway
U.S. Route 22 is an east–west route stretching from Cincinnati, Ohio in the west to Newark, New Jersey in the east. In Pennsylvania, the route runs for between the West Virginia state line at Washington County, where it is a limited-access expressway-grade route through the western suburbs...
; however, because of heavy opposition by residents of Phillipsburg, PennDOT and NJDOT opted to build the new southerly alignment on which I-78 is routed today.
February 2007
On February 14, 2007, I-78 was closed from Pennsylvania Route 100Pennsylvania Route 100
Pennsylvania Route 100 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania that runs from U.S. Route 202 in West Chester, Pennsylvania to Pennsylvania Route 309 in Pleasant Corners, Pennsylvania....
in Fogelsville
Fogelsville, Pennsylvania
Fogelsville is a village in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is a suburb of Allentown, in Upper Macungie Township, in the Lehigh Valley region of the state....
to the U.S. Route 22 split in Union Township
Union Township, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania
Union Township is a township in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of the Lebanon, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,590 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
because of a winter storm
February 2007 North America Winter Storm
The February 2007 North America Winter Storm was a massive winter storm that affected most of the eastern half of North America, starting on February 12, 2007 and peaking on Valentine's Day, February 14...
that caused two tractor-trailers to make the highway impassable. Other roads such as I-80 and I-81 were also closed. Some passengers were stuck on I-78 for more than 20 hours. Governor Ed Rendell
Ed Rendell
Edward Gene "Ed" Rendell is an American politician who served as the 45th Governor of Pennsylvania. Rendell, a member of the Democratic Party, was elected Governor of Pennsylvania in 2002, and his term of office began January 21, 2003...
apologized to the hundreds of drivers who were stuck on I-78. The governor said that the I-78 mess was unacceptable and that those responsible for clearing the road had communicated poorly. I-78 reopened on February 17.
Exit list
| County | Location | Mile | Exit Exit number An exit number is a number assigned to a road junction, usually an exit from a freeway. It is usually marked on the same sign as the destinations of the exit, as well as a sign in the gore.... |
Destinations | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old | ||||||
| Lebanon Lebanon County, Pennsylvania As of the census of 2000, there were 120,327 people and 32,771 families residing in the county. The population density was 332 people per square mile . There were 49,320 housing units at an average density of 136 per square mile... |
Union Township | 0.00 | 1A | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance | ||
| 0.55 | 1B | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance | ||||
| Bethel Township | 5.85 | 1 | 6 | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance; northern terminus of PA 343 | ||
| 7.90 | 1 | 8 | West end of US 22 overlap; westbound exit and eastbound entrance | |||
| Berks Berks County, Pennsylvania -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 373,638 people, 141,570 households, and 98,532 families residing in the county. The population density was 435 people per square mile . There were 150,222 housing units at an average density of 175 per square mile... |
Bethel Township Bethel Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania Bethel Township is a township in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 4,166 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water. It is drained by the Little Swatara... |
10.21 | 2 | 10 | ||
| Bethel Bethel, Berks County, Pennsylvania Bethel is an unincorporated community in Bethel Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. With a zip code of 19507, it is located at the junction of Interstate 78/U.S. Route 22 and Pennsylvania Route 501. It is in the Susquehanna watershed and drained southward into the Little Swatara... |
12.68 | 3 | 13 | |||
| Bethel Township Bethel Township, Berks County, Pennsylvania Bethel Township is a township in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 4,166 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water. It is drained by the Little Swatara... |
14.67 | 4 | 15 | Grimes | No access across I-78. No tractor trailers. | |
| 15.40 | 5 | 16 | Midway | To Conrad Weiser Homestead Conrad Weiser Homestead Conrad Weiser Homestead is the historic home of Johann Conrad Weiser, who enlisted the Iroquois on the British side in the French and Indian War. The home, a designated National Historic Landmark, is administered as a historic house museum by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission near... |
||
| 16.58 | 6 | 17 | ||||
| Strausstown Strausstown, Pennsylvania Strausstown is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 339 at the 2000 census.-Geography and history:Strausstown is located at .... |
18.65 | 7 | 19 | |||
| Upper Bern Township Upper Bern Township, Pennsylvania Upper Bern Township is a township in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,479 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 18.2 square miles , all of it land... |
22.71 | 8 | 23 | Shartlesville Shartlesville, Pennsylvania Shartlesville, Pennsylvania is a small unincorporated community in Upper Bern Township, located in upper Berks County. It is located just south of Interstate 78 and is served by the Hamburg Area School District... |
||
| Tilden Township Tilden Township, Pennsylvania Tilden Township is a township in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,553 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 19.0 square miles , of which, 18.9 square miles of it is land and... |
29.11- 29.35 |
9 | 29 | Signed as exits 29A (south) and 29B (north) on the westbound side | ||
| Hamburg Hamburg, Pennsylvania Hamburg is a borough in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 4,114 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Hamburg, Germany.-Geography:Hamburg is located at .... |
30.19 | 10 | 30 | Hamburg | ||
| Greenwich Township Greenwich Township, Pennsylvania Greenwich Township is a township in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,386 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , all of it land. It is drained by the Maiden Creek into the Schuylkill River... |
35.23 | 11 | 35 | |||
| 40.27 | 12 | 40 | To Kutztown University | |||
| Lehigh Lehigh County, Pennsylvania -Climate:Most of the county's climate is considered to fall in the humid continental climate zone. Summers are typically hot and muggy, fall and spring are generally mild, and winter is cold. Precipitation is almost uniformly distributed throughout the year.... |
Weisenberg Township Weisenberg Township, Pennsylvania Weisenberg Township is a township in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is a suburb of Allentown, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region of the state.The population of Weisenberg Township was 4,144 at the 2000 census.-Geography:... |
44.96 | 13 | 45 | ||
| Upper Macungie Township | 49.26 | 14 | 49A | |||
| 49.55 | 14 | 49B | ||||
| 50.89 | 15 | 51 | East end of US 22 overlap; eastbound exit and westbound entrance | |||
| South Whitehall Township South Whitehall Township, Pennsylvania South Whitehall Township is a township in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is a suburb of Allentown, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley area of the state. The population of South Whitehall Township was 18,028 at the 2000 census... |
53.67 | 15 | 53 | West end of PA 309 overlap; westbound exit and eastbound entrance | ||
| 54.12- 51.51 |
16 | 54 | Signed as exits 54A (south) and 54B (north) westbound. To Reading Reading, Pennsylvania Reading is a city in southeastern Pennsylvania, USA, and seat of Berks County. Reading is the principal city of the Greater Reading Area and had a population of 88,082 as of the 2010 census, making it the fifth most populated city in the state after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown and Erie,... and Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom is an American amusement and water park located in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The park features nine roller coasters, other adult and children's rides, and a waterpark, Wildwater Kingdom.... |
|||
| 55.41 | 17 | 55 | ||||
| Allentown Allentown, Pennsylvania Allentown is a city located in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is Pennsylvania's third most populous city, after Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and the 215th largest city in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 118,032 and is currently... |
57.20 | 18A | 57 | Lehigh Street Lehigh Street Lehigh Street is a major road that connects Emmaus, Pennsylvania in the west to Allentown, Pennsylvania in the east, in the Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania, in the United States... |
||
| 57.63 | 18B | 58 | Emaus Avenue south | Westbound exit only | ||
| Summit Lawn Summit Lawn, Pennsylvania Summit Lawn is a small unincorporated village in Lehigh County, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region of the state. Parts of Summit Lawn are in Upper Saucon Township while others are in Salisbury Township. The Salisbury Township government offices are located in Summit Lawn.Pennsylvania Route... |
58.83 | 19 | 59 | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance | ||
| 59.92 | 20A | 60A | East end of PA 309 overlap; signed as exit 60 eastbound | |||
| 60.30 | 20B | 60B | Westbound exit only | |||
| Northampton Northampton County, Pennsylvania As of the 2010 census, the county was 86.3% White, 5.0% Black or African American, 0.2% Native American or Alaskan Native, 2.4% Asian, 0.0% Native Hawaiian, 2.2% were two or more races, and 3.8% were some other race. 10.5% of the population were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry.As of the census of... |
Hellertown Hellertown, Pennsylvania Hellertown is a borough in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. Hellertown is located in the Lehigh Valley region of the state, and geographically in the Saucon Valley.The population of Hellertown was 5,606 at the 2000 census.-Geography:... |
66.36 | 21 | 67 | ||
| Bethlehem Township Bethlehem Township, Pennsylvania Bethlehem Township is a township in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. Bethlehem Township is located in the Lehigh Valley region of the state and is a suburb of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.... |
71.04 | 71 | To Pocono Mountains and Lehigh Valley International Airport Lehigh Valley International Airport Lehigh Valley International Airport , formerly Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton International Airport, is a public airport in Hanover Township, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania.... |
|||
| Williams Township Williams Township, Northampton County, Pennsylvania Williams Township is a township in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. Williams Township is located in the Lehigh Valley region of the state.The population of Williams Township was 4,470 at the 2000 census.-History:... |
75.00 | 22 | 75 | |||
| 77.10 | Interstate 78 Toll Bridge Interstate 78 Toll Bridge The Interstate 78 Toll Bridge carries Interstate 78 between Williams Township, Pennsylvania and Phillipsburg, New Jersey over the Delaware River. Opened on November 21, 1989, it is operated by the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission and is one of the newest bridges across the Delaware... over the Delaware River Delaware River The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then... |
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See also
- Interstate 78Interstate 78Interstate 78 is an Interstate Highway in the Northeast United States, running 144 miles from Interstate 81 northeast of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, through Allentown, Pennsylvania, and western and northern New Jersey to the Holland Tunnel and Lower Manhattan in New York City.I-78 is a major road...
- Interstate 78 in New JerseyInterstate 78 in New JerseyInterstate 78 is an east–west route stretching from Union Township, Lebanon County, Pennsylvania to New York City. In New Jersey, I-78 is called the Phillipsburg–Newark Expressway and the Newark Bay Extension of the New Jersey Turnpike...
- Interstate 81 in PennsylvaniaInterstate 81 in PennsylvaniaInterstate 81 is an long north–south Interstate Highway, stretching from Dandridge, Tennessee to Fisher's Landing, New York at the US/Canadian border...
- U.S. Route 22 in PennsylvaniaU.S. Route 22 in PennsylvaniaU.S. Route 22 is an east–west route stretching from Cincinnati, Ohio in the west to Newark, New Jersey in the east. In Pennsylvania, the route runs for between the West Virginia state line at Washington County, where it is a limited-access expressway-grade route through the western suburbs...
- Interstate 78 Toll BridgeInterstate 78 Toll BridgeThe Interstate 78 Toll Bridge carries Interstate 78 between Williams Township, Pennsylvania and Phillipsburg, New Jersey over the Delaware River. Opened on November 21, 1989, it is operated by the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission and is one of the newest bridges across the Delaware...