Pennsylvania Route 88 marker

Pennsylvania Route 88

Route information
Maintained by PennDOT
Length68.244 mi[1] (109.828 km)
Major junctions
South end US 119 in Point Marion
Major intersections
North end PA 51 / Blue Belt in Pittsburgh
Location
CountryUnited States
StatePennsylvania
CountiesFayette, Greene, Washington, Allegheny
Highway system
PA 87 PA 89

Pennsylvania Route 88 (PA 88) is a 68-mile-long (109 km) northsouth state highway located in southwestern Pennsylvania. The southern terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 119 (US 119) in Point Marion less than 2 miles (3 km) from the Pennsylvania-West Virginia border. The northern terminus is at PA 51 in Pittsburgh. PA 88 runs parallel to the Monongahela River for almost its entire length.

Signed in 1927, PA 88 is one of the oldest state highways in Pennsylvania. For a brief period between 1927 and 1928, the route followed the Perry Highway between Pittsburgh and Erie. In 1928, the Perry Highway became US 19.

Route description

PA 88 northbound past PA 21 in Cumberland Township
PA 88 in Speers

PA 88 begins in Point Marion at an intersection with US 119. PA 88 begins as Main Street then turns to the west crossing the Monongahela River into Greene County on the Albert Gallatin Memorial Bridge. After crossing the river, PA 88 turns to the north as it begins to parallel the Monongahela River to the east as well as railroad tracks to the west. After crossing the Dunkard Creek, PA 88 has entered the village of Poland Mines. In Monongahela Township, PA 88 intersects Pennsylvania Route 21. In the boro of Carmichaels, PA 88 is called Vine Street and crosses Muddy Creek. In Jefferson Township, PA 88 intersects the eastern terminus of Pennsylvania Route 188 southwest of Rices Landing.

After crossing the Tenmile Creek, PA 88 has entered Washington County as Front Street. PA 88 passes through the following villages: Milfred Terrace, Fredericktown Hill, North Fredericktown, Vesta Heights, and Vestaburg. In East Bethlehem Township and Centerville Boro. In Centerville Boro, PA 88 becomes Low Hill Rd. PA 88 has a snake like curve paralleling the Monongahela River. In Centerville Boro, PA 88 joins Pennsylvania Turnpike 43 for 2 miles (3.2 km) before leaving to join another concurrency with U.S. Route 40. East of PA 43, PA 88 leaves US 40 at a trumpet interchange in West Brownsville. North of the concurrency, PA 88 becomes a local road named California Road. In California, PA 88 becomes Wood Street then turns to the west and becomes 3rd Street. In Coal Center, PA 88 Highpoint Drive, then Spring Street, and then Highpoint Drive again. Passengers can see Turnpike 43 from PA 88 in Coal Center. As PA 88 begins to shift to the east, it enters the following boros: Elco, Roscoe, and Stockdale. As PA 88 enters these boros it becomes Highpoint Drive and Chester Avenue. North of Stockdale, PA 88 begins to turn to the north and becomes Main Street. In Speers as Pennsylvania Street, PA 88 interchanges Interstate 70 at exit 40 in a scaped shaped interchange with long ramps. In Charleroi and North Charleroi, PA 88 is called McKean Avenue. In Carroll Township, PA 88 is called Country Club Road and meets the southern terminus of Pennsylvania Route 837. In Monongahela, PA 88 begins a three route concurrency with Pennsylvania Route 136 and PA 837. Then PA 88/PA 136/PA 837 become Main Street and intersect the northern terminus of Pennsylvania Route 481. In the northern tip of Monongahela, PA 136 splits off from PA 88 and PA 837. As PA 88/PA 837 enter New Eagle, PA 837 splits from PA 88 then PA 88 becomes Union Street. In Union Township, PA 88 passes under Turnpike 43. In Finleyville, PA 88 becomes Sheridan Avenue. Finleyville is where the future Interstate 576 (Southern Beltway) will meet Turnpike 43. Then PA 88 re-enters Union Township passing several businesses and then becomes Library Road near the Allegheny County line.

The entire 8.5-mile (13.7 km) Allegheny County stretch of PA 88 is also designated as Library Road. Starting at the Washington/Allegheny County line where PA 88 becomes Library Road, PA 88 runs through South Park, Bethel Park, Castle Shannon, and the Overbrook neighborhood of Pittsburgh where PA 88/Library Rd. ends at an "Y" intersection with Pennsylvania Route 51/Saw Mill Run Blvd. Three of the six county's colored Belt Routes connect with and/or run along PA 88 (see below).

History

PA 88 originally was planned to extend from Pittsburgh all the way north to Erie, along the highway that now largely follows US 19. US 19 was first proposed for this route in 1927, but the routing at the time was turned down.[2] The route does appear as both PA 88 and US 19 on one 1928 map.[3]

In the 1930s (most likely 1935 or 1936) PA 88 was extended north to New Castle. The route is not marked as PA 88 on the official 1930 map[4] but is so marked on the 1940 map.[5] The Pittsburgh-to-New Castle section was largely split off on July 15, 1960 to form Pennsylvania Route 65, in honor of the 65th Infantry Division of the United States Army during World War II. The 7.7 mile stretch of PA 88 from PA 65's current southern terminus at the West End Bridge to PA 88's current northern terminus was decommissioned. This designation change was made to reduce the number of concurrent routes in Pittsburgh. The changes took effect a few months later and signs were changed by spring 1961.[6]

Connections to PA 65

Nonetheless, PA 88's legacy still survives in its former northern sections. Of PA 88's five spur routes, PA 288 and PA 488 were branch routes off what is now US 19,[4] while PA 288, PA 388, PA 488, and PA 588 now appear as spur routes of 65, but still retain the "88" base numbers. (PA 88 did retain PA 188 as a spur route.) In addition, a drive-in theater known as Spotlight 88 in North Sewickley Township retained its name after the route was rebadged as 65, and is still known by that name as its current incarnation as a flea market after the drive-in was destroyed by an F3 tornado on May 31, 1985.[7][8]

Major intersections

CountyLocationmi[9]kmDestinationsNotes
FayettePoint Marion0.0000.000 US 119 (Penn Street / North Main Street) MorgantownSouthern terminus of PA 88
Monongahela River0.149–
0.291
0.240–
0.468
Point Marion Bridge
GreeneMonongahela Township11.02317.740 PA 21 (Roy E. Furman Highway) Waynesburg, Masontown
Jefferson Township17.68228.456
PA 188 west (Jefferson Road) / SR 1008 (Ferncliff Road) Waynesburg, Rices Landing, Crucible
Eastern terminus of PA 188
WashingtonCenterville27.31643.961

PA Turnpike 43 south / SR 2029 (Low Hill Road) Uniontown, West Brownsville
Exit 28 (PA 43), southern terminus of Toll PA 43 concurrency; E-ZPass or toll-by-plate on Toll PA 43
29.21647.019
US 40 west Centerville, Washington


PA Turnpike 43 north California
Exit 30A–B (PA 43), northern terminus of Toll PA 43 concurrency, southern terminus of US 40 concurrency
West Brownsville30.69049.391
US 40 east Uniontown
Interchange, northern terminus of US 40 concurrency
California33.17253.385




PA 88 Truck north (Malden Road) to I-70 / PA Turnpike 43 / Skyline Drive
Southern terminus of Truck PA 88
34.43955.424



PA 88 Truck south (3rd Street Extension) to PA Turnpike 43
Northern terminus of Truck PA 88
Speers42.234–
42.840
67.969–
68.944
I-70 Washington, Belle Vernon, New StantonExit 40 (I-70)
Carroll Township46.97475.597
PA 837 north Donora, Monessen
Southern terminus of PA 837
Monongahela48.78078.504
PA 136 east (Monongahela City Bridge)
Southern terminus of PA 136 concurrency
48.85378.621
PA 837 south (East Main Street) Donora
Southern terminus of PA 837 concurrency
49.12179.053
PA 481 south (Park Avenue)
Northern terminus of PA 481
50.19480.779


PA 136 west (Dry Run Road) to PA Turnpike 43 Eighty Four
Northern terminus of PA 136 concurrency
New Eagle51.16482.340
PA 837 north (5th Street) Elizabeth
Northern terminus of PA 837 concurrency
AlleghenyBethel Park60.57397.483 Orange Belt (Clifton Road / SR 3004) Upper Saint Clair, Pittsburgh International AirportSouthwestern terminus of Orange Belt
64.513103.824 Yellow Belt (Broughton Road / SR 2040) / Bethel Church RoadSouthern terminus of Yellow Belt concurrency
Castle Shannon65.485105.388
Yellow Belt (Connor Road / SR 3038) to US 19 Mount Lebanon, Bridgeville
Northern terminus of Yellow Belt concurrency
Pittsburgh67.716108.978 Blue Belt (McNeilly Road)Southern terminus of Blue Belt concurrency
68.244109.828 PA 51 / Blue Belt (Saw Mill Run Boulevard) Downtown, UniontownNorthern terminus of PA 88; northern terminus of concurrency with the Blue Belt
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

PA 88 Truck

Truck plate.svg

Pennsylvania Route 88 Truck marker

Pennsylvania Route 88 Truck

LocationCalifornia, Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Route 88 Truck is a 2-mile-long (3.2 km) truck route in California, Pennsylvania. The route was created to allow access to the Pennsylvania Route 43 toll freeway and to allow large vehicles to avoid the large hill into the Monongahela Valley. The center of the route is at the PA 43 interchange, with a two-lane stretch providing access to California University of Pennsylvania and the surrounding business district, as well as connecting traffic with northbound Route 88; a four-lane stretch provides a more gradual ascent of the hill on Route 88 southbound.

See also

References

  1. "U.S. 22 - The William Penn Highway". Highway History. Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved 2020-04-14.
  2. H. M. Gousha Company. "Kendall Refining Co. Map of Pennsylvania". Maps of Pennsylvania. Site by Harold Cramer. Retrieved 2020-04-14.
  3. 1 2 "Tourist Map of Pennsylvania, showing the State Highway System and Main Connecting Roads (front side)" (PDF). Historic Transportation Maps. Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Retrieved 2020-04-14.
  4. "Official Road Map of Pennsylvania" (PDF). Historic Transportation Maps. Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Retrieved 2020-04-14.
  5. "Designations Of Highways Are Changed". The Evening Standard. Uniontown, PA. July 16, 1960. p. 7. Retrieved August 28, 2015 via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  6. Pennsylvania Highways - Pennsylvania Route 88
  7. "65 Infantry Division - Pennsylvania Route 65". Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-03-13.
  8. Bureau of Maintenance and Operations (January 2019). Roadway Management System Straight Line Diagrams (Report) (2019 ed.). Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 9, 2019.
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