Pennsylvania Route 17
Encyclopedia
Pennsylvania Route 17 (PA 17) is a 35.6 miles (57.3 km) long state highway
located in central Pennsylvania
. The western terminus of the route is at Pennsylvania Route 274
in Blain
. The eastern terminus is at U.S. Route 11 and U.S. Route 15 in Liverpool
.
From 1987 to 1999, PA 17 existed in two unconnected segments, with the second located in northwest Pennsylvania near Erie
.
in Blain
, heading northwest on a two-lane undivided road. The route passes homes and turns north, crossing into Jackson Township
. The road heads into open agricultural areas with a few homes, curving to the northeast. PA 17 crosses into Southwest Madison Township
and runs through more farmland with some woods and residences, passing through Hench and Stony Point. The route turns east and enters Northeast Madison Township
, coming to Pine Grove and curving northeast again. The road forms a brief concurrency
with PA 850
in Kistler
and becomes Tuscarora Path, running through more agricultural areas with occasional homes and heading more to the north. PA 17 curves northeast and heads into Saville Township
, passing through more rural areas. The route curves northwest before turning northeast onto Raccoon Valley Road and heading into the residential community of Ickesburg
, where it crosses PA 74
. Past here, the road runs through more farmland with some woods, crossing into Tuscarora Township
. In this area, PA 17 runs through wooded areas with some fields before heading into a narrow agricultural valley with a few homes. The route runs through more rural areas, passing through Donnally Mills and Gramere.
The road comes to a bridge over a Norfolk Southern railroad line and the Juniata River
, crossing into Millerstown
and becoming Sunbury Street. PA 17 passes under the US 22
/US 322
freeway and passes businesses in the center of town before continuing into residential areas as East Sunbury Street. The route heads into Greenwood Township
and becomes Sunbury Path, heading into open farmland. The road crosses the Cocolamus Creek
and runs through more agricultural areas with some woods and homes. PA 17 passes through more open farmland as it continues into Liverpool Township
, turning more to the east. The route becomes an unnamed road and turns south into forested areas and heads east and then southeast to pass through a gap in Wildcat Ridge. The road turns east through more woods and comes to a junction with PA 235
. At this point, PA 17 turns south and begins a concurrency with unsigned
PA 235, heading through wooded areas with some fields before crossing into Liverpool
and ending at US 11
/US 15
.
, the Southern Tier Expressway. The designation remained in place until 1999, when Interstate 86
was assigned to PA 17 and NY 17 between Erie and Corning
, resulting in the decommissioning of the northwest segment of PA 17.
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...
located in central 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...
. The western terminus of the route is at Pennsylvania Route 274
Pennsylvania Route 274
Pennsylvania Route 274 is an long state highway located in Franklin and Perry counties in Pennsylvania. The western terminus is at PA 75 in Fannett Township. The eastern terminus is at US 11/US 15 in Duncannon.-Route description:...
in Blain
Blain, Pennsylvania
Blain is a borough in Perry County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 252 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
. The eastern terminus is at U.S. Route 11 and U.S. Route 15 in Liverpool
Liverpool, Pennsylvania
Liverpool is a borough in Perry County, Pennsylvania, United States, about from Harrisburg. It is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area...
.
From 1987 to 1999, PA 17 existed in two unconnected segments, with the second located in northwest Pennsylvania near Erie
Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie is a city located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the United States. Named for the lake and the Native American tribe that resided along its southern shore, Erie is the state's fourth-largest city , with a population of 102,000...
.
Route description
PA 17 begins at an intersection with PA 274Pennsylvania Route 274
Pennsylvania Route 274 is an long state highway located in Franklin and Perry counties in Pennsylvania. The western terminus is at PA 75 in Fannett Township. The eastern terminus is at US 11/US 15 in Duncannon.-Route description:...
in Blain
Blain, Pennsylvania
Blain is a borough in Perry County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 252 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area.- History :...
, heading northwest on a two-lane undivided road. The route passes homes and turns north, crossing into Jackson Township
Jackson Township, Perry County, Pennsylvania
Jackson Township is a township in Perry County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 525 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:...
. The road heads into open agricultural areas with a few homes, curving to the northeast. PA 17 crosses into Southwest Madison Township
Southwest Madison Township, Pennsylvania
Southwest Madison Township is a township in Perry County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 856 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
and runs through more farmland with some woods and residences, passing through Hench and Stony Point. The route turns east and enters Northeast Madison Township
Northeast Madison Township, Pennsylvania
Northeast Madison Township is a township in Perry County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 856 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
, coming to Pine Grove and curving northeast again. The road forms a brief concurrency
Concurrency (road)
A concurrency, overlap, or coincidence in a road network is an instance of one physical road bearing two or more different highway, motorway, or other route numbers...
with PA 850
Pennsylvania Route 850
Pennsylvania Route 850 is a long state highway located in Juniata and Perry counties in Pennsylvania. The western terminus is at PA 35 in Tuscarora Township. The eastern terminus is at US 11/US 15 in Marysville.-Juniata County:...
in Kistler
Kistler, Pennsylvania
Kistler is a borough in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 344 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Kistler is located at ....
and becomes Tuscarora Path, running through more agricultural areas with occasional homes and heading more to the north. PA 17 curves northeast and heads into Saville Township
Saville Township, Pennsylvania
Saville Township is a second-class township in a mountainous part of Perry County, Pennsylvania, United States. As of the 2000 census, the township had a total population of 2,204. It was founded in 1817, dividing from Tyrone Township while the area was still part of Cumberland County...
, passing through more rural areas. The route curves northwest before turning northeast onto Raccoon Valley Road and heading into the residential community of Ickesburg
Ickesburg, Pennsylvania
Ickesburg is a village in Perry County, Pennsylvania, United States at the junction of Routes 17 and 74. It is located on the Panther Creek, which flows into the Buffalo Creek, a tributary of the Juniata River. Ickesburg is within Saville Township and, although it seems large, it is an...
, where it crosses PA 74
Pennsylvania Route 74
Pennsylvania Route 74 is a long north–south state highway located in central Pennsylvania. The southern terminus of the route is at the Mason-Dixon Line southwest of Delta, where PA 74 continues into Maryland as Maryland Route 165...
. Past here, the road runs through more farmland with some woods, crossing into Tuscarora Township
Tuscarora Township, Perry County, Pennsylvania
Tuscarora Township is a township in Perry County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,122 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 29.5 square miles , of which, 29.4 square miles of it is land and...
. In this area, PA 17 runs through wooded areas with some fields before heading into a narrow agricultural valley with a few homes. The route runs through more rural areas, passing through Donnally Mills and Gramere.
The road comes to a bridge over a Norfolk Southern railroad line and the Juniata River
Juniata River
The Juniata River is a tributary of the Susquehanna River, approximately long, in central Pennsylvania in the United States. The river is considered scenic along much of its route, having a broad and shallow course passing through several mountain ridges and steeply-lined water gaps...
, crossing into Millerstown
Millerstown, Pennsylvania
Millerstown is a borough in Perry County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 679 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
and becoming Sunbury Street. PA 17 passes under the US 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...
/US 322
U.S. Route 322 in Pennsylvania
U.S. Route 322 is a U.S. highway running from Cleveland, Ohio east to Atlantic City, New Jersey. In the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, the route runs from the Ohio border in West Shenango Township southeast to the Commodore Barry Bridge over the Delaware River in Chester, at which point the route...
freeway and passes businesses in the center of town before continuing into residential areas as East Sunbury Street. The route heads into Greenwood Township
Greenwood Township, Perry County, Pennsylvania
Greenwood Township is a township in Perry County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,010 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.-Demographics:As of the census of...
and becomes Sunbury Path, heading into open farmland. The road crosses the Cocolamus Creek
Cocolamus Creek
Cocolamus Creek is a tributary of the Juniata River in Juniata and Perry counties, Pennsylvania, in the United States.Cocolamus Creek joins the Juniata River approximately 0.9 mile downstream of the borough of Millerstown, approximately 16.5 miles upstream of the Susquehanna...
and runs through more agricultural areas with some woods and homes. PA 17 passes through more open farmland as it continues into Liverpool Township
Liverpool Township, Pennsylvania
Liverpool Township is a township in Perry County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 966 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 21.0 square miles , of which, 21.0 square miles of it is land and...
, turning more to the east. The route becomes an unnamed road and turns south into forested areas and heads east and then southeast to pass through a gap in Wildcat Ridge. The road turns east through more woods and comes to a junction with PA 235
Pennsylvania Route 235
-Perry County:PA 235 officially begins at an intersection with US 11/US 15 in Liverpool, Perry County, heading north as an unsigned highway that is concurrent with PA 17. The road heads into Liverpool Township and runs through wooded areas with some fields...
. At this point, PA 17 turns south and begins a concurrency with unsigned
Unsigned highway
An unsigned highway is a highway that has been assigned a route number, but does not bear conventional road markings that would normally be used to identify the route with that number...
PA 235, heading through wooded areas with some fields before crossing into Liverpool
Liverpool, Pennsylvania
Liverpool is a borough in Perry County, Pennsylvania, United States, about from Harrisburg. It is part of the Harrisburg–Carlisle Metropolitan Statistical Area...
and ending at US 11
U.S. Route 11 in Pennsylvania
U.S. Route 11 roughly parallels Interstate 81 in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It serves Harrisburg and Scranton. Between those two cities, US 11 follows the Susquehanna River, while I-81 follows a shorter route over the mountains.-Route description:...
/US 15
U.S. Route 15 in Pennsylvania
U.S. Route 15 is a north-south U.S. Highway in Pennsylvania.-Route description:US 15 enters Pennsylvania south of Gettysburg, Adams County. The route heads to the north toward Harrisburg. It joins with U.S. 11 going along the west shore of the Susquehanna River until they split across the river...
.
History
In 1987, PA 17 was also assigned to the expressway connecting Interstate 90 with New York State Route 17New York State Route 17
New York State Route 17 is a state highway that extends for through the Southern Tier and Downstate regions of New York in the United States...
, the Southern Tier Expressway. The designation remained in place until 1999, when Interstate 86
Interstate 86 (east)
Interstate 86 is an Interstate Highway that extends for through northwestern Pennsylvania and southern New York in the United States...
was assigned to PA 17 and NY 17 between Erie and Corning
Corning (city), New York
Corning is a city in Steuben County, New York, United States, on the Chemung River. The population was 10,842 at the 2000 census. It is named for Erastus Corning, an Albany financier and railroad executive who was an investor in the company that developed the community.- Overview :The city of...
, resulting in the decommissioning of the northwest segment of PA 17.