Pennsylvania Route 987
Encyclopedia
Pennsylvania Route 987 is a state highway
in the U.S. state
of Pennsylvania
, running north from U.S. Route 22 past Lehigh Valley International Airport
to Pennsylvania Route 946
.
and named Airport Road, the most notable attraction along the route, the Lehigh Valley International Airport, is in Lehigh County
.
(US 22) as Airport Road northeast of Allentown
in Bethlehem
. The road travels north, running along the east side of the airport. Route 987 maintains this alignment as it enters Northampton County northeast of the airport.
and forms a concurrency with the route northeast to Bath
. Just west of the borough center, the concurrency ends at Route 248
, at which Route 329 ends. Route 987 continues north into Chapman
, turning to the northwest and terminating at an intersection with Route 946
in Klecknersville.
in Northampton County and the New Jersey
border at the Delaware River
. This alignment remained in place from 1928 to 1936. Four years later, the designation resurfaced at its current location.
The southern terminus was relocated from Union Boulevard
in Allentown to US 22 in 1955.
State highway
State highway, state road or state route can refer to one of three related concepts, two of them related to a state or provincial government in a country that is divided into states or provinces :#A...
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...
, running north from U.S. Route 22 past 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....
to Pennsylvania Route 946
Pennsylvania Route 946
Pennsylvania Route 946 is a rural Pennsylvania highway that runs approximately from Berlinsville, Pennsylvania to Newburg, Pennsylvania in Northampton County, Pennsylvania.-Route description:...
.
Route description
Though the vast majority of Route 987 is located in Northampton CountyNorthampton 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...
and named Airport Road, the most notable attraction along the route, the Lehigh Valley International Airport, is in Lehigh County
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....
.
Lehigh County
Route 987 begins at the Lehigh Valley ThruwayLehigh 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...
(US 22) as Airport Road northeast of 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...
in Bethlehem
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Bethlehem is a city in Lehigh and Northampton Counties in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 74,982, making it the seventh largest city in Pennsylvania, after Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie,...
. The road travels north, running along the east side of the airport. Route 987 maintains this alignment as it enters Northampton County northeast of the airport.
Northampton County
Past the airport, the route turns north near Hanoverville and leaves Airport Road. After a short distance, Route 987 intersects Route 329Pennsylvania Route 329
Pennsylvania Route 329 is a Pennsylvania highway which runs for through Lehigh and Northampton counties. It runs from Bath, Pennsylvania to the North Whitehall Township hamlet of Neffs.-Lehigh County:...
and forms a concurrency with the route northeast to Bath
Bath, Pennsylvania
Bath is a borough in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is named for Bath, Somerset, England. It is located in the Lehigh Valley region of the state.The population of Bath was 2,693 at the 2010 census.-History:...
. Just west of the borough center, the concurrency ends at Route 248
Pennsylvania Route 248
Pennsylvania Route 248 is a long state highway in eastern portions of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The western terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 209 in Weissport. The eastern terminus is at Pennsylvania Route 611 in Easton....
, at which Route 329 ends. Route 987 continues north into Chapman
Chapman, Pennsylvania
Chapman is a borough in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. Chapman is located in the Lehigh Valley region of the state.The population of Chapman was 234 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Chapman is located at ....
, turning to the northwest and terminating at an intersection with Route 946
Pennsylvania Route 946
Pennsylvania Route 946 is a rural Pennsylvania highway that runs approximately from Berlinsville, Pennsylvania to Newburg, Pennsylvania in Northampton County, Pennsylvania.-Route description:...
in Klecknersville.
History
Route 987 was originally given to the portion of the road between PortlandPortland, Pennsylvania
Portland is a borough in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. Portland is located in the Lehigh Valley region of the state. It is part of Pennsylvania's Slate Belt.The population of Portland was 579 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
in Northampton County and the 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...
border at 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...
. This alignment remained in place from 1928 to 1936. Four years later, the designation resurfaced at its current location.
The southern terminus was relocated from Union Boulevard
State Route 1002 (Lehigh County, Pennsylvania)
State Route 1002 ', locally known as Tilghman Street and Union Boulevard, is a major long east–west road in the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton metropolitan area of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The majority of the roadway is the former alignment of U.S...
in Allentown to US 22 in 1955.