Pennsylvania Route 291
Encyclopedia
Pennsylvania Route 291 is an east–west route that connects U.S. Route 13
in the Trainer
/Marcus Hook
area to Interstate 76
in Southwest Philadelphia near the Walt Whitman Bridge
and the South Philadelphia
Sports Complex. Except for a short 1 miles (1.6 km) section between U.S. Route 13 and the Chester
/Trainer line, PA Route 291 is mostly a four-lane highway. It runs parallel to the Delaware River
.
and Tosco
prior to its present ownership) and after bearing left on a sharp curve, the road becomes 2nd Street. Upon entering Chester, the road widens to a five-lane road and proceeds east along the Delaware River
waterfront, passing under the Commodore Barry Bridge
at Flower Street (the old access road to the former Chester-Bridgeport
Ferry) until it reaches Concord Avenue. At Concord Avenue, the roadway, now called "Industrial Highway" curves to the left, crossing over the Chester Creek
near Chester's new City Hall and then, past Welsh and Crosby Streets, aligns itself on a pre-1994 alignment that was widened in the late 1990s as part of a total rebuild project in Chester in an attempt to bring more businesses into the economically depressed city.
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Past Morton Avenue, which connects PA Route 291 with U.S. Route 13, the road crosses over the Ridley Creek
near the new Harrah's Chester
Downs Casino, a harness racing
track and gambling parlor (featuring slot machines and table games) that opened in 2006 (for racing only), upon which the casino came into full operation in January, 2007. The race track/casino, along with a Pennsylvania Department of Corrections facility, were built on land once occupied by the Sun Ship and Drydock Company that went out of business in 1990. It is also at Ridley Creek that the PA Route 291 leaves Chester and enters Eddystone, Pennsylvania
and at the same time, becoming a physically divided highway that was built in the 1970s.
Past the Ridley Creek bridge, PA Route 291 passes two major facilities; Boeing
's Helicopter Facility and Exelon
's Eddystone Generation Facility. While the former is well-known for building helicopters for the military, especially the V-22 Osprey
and Chinook
helicopters, while the latter, opened in 1975, was the site of the massive Eddystone Munitions Plant that exploded in 1914, in which the cause was never determined, but speculated that it was an act of sabotage due to the explosion occurring during the early years of World War I
.
After crossing the Darby Creek
, PA Route 291 then enters the community of Tinicum, one of the first areas that were occupied by the Swedes
prior to the British takeover of colonial Pennsylvania. This portion of the road is dotted by hotels throughout.
, which has a one-way exit going from the northbound lanes of I-95 to the eastbound lanes of PA Route 291. Prior to 2001, this ramp was the main access to the Philadelphia International Airport
, but a new exit connecting the highway directly to the airport terminals has since eased traffic congestion.
After crossing over a small tributary, PA Route 291, now in Philadelphia, then turns left off Industrial Highway and onto Bartram Avenue. Prior to October, 2006, the road continued on Industrial Highway past the Airport, but a project to extend a north–south runway has closed off the highway, thus requiring the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) to reroute the highway into the present configuration. After the left turn, PA Route 291 then draws up next to the SEPTA Regional Rail
Airport Line, then diverges from the railroad alignment just before the Eastwick train station
, which was constructed in the late 1990s primarily for people employed at the PNC Bank office building located adjacent to the Airport. Past S. 84th Street, the road then turns right onto Island Avenue, goes under I-95, and then turns left back onto Industrial Highway.
After returning onto Industrial Highway, the road then ducks under I-95 for a second time, before crossing over the Schuylkill River
on the George C. Platt Memorial Bridge, a four-lane high-level canteliever bridge which opened to traffic in 1951. At the same time the road crosses over the Schuylkill River, it also crosses over the massive Sunoco
Oil Refinery that provides Sunoco (along with its operations in Marcus Hook), with the majority of the gasoline used in the Northeast U.S. After crossing the Schuylkill River, PA Route 291 then turns left onto S. 26th Street, and paralleling the main CSX
(former Pennsylvania Railroad
) freight line to the Delaware Waterfront, PA Route 291 ends with the roadway merging onto I-76 at the Passyunk Avenue/Oregon Avenue interchange.
U.S. Route 13
U.S. Route 13 is a north–south U.S. highway established in 1926 that runs for from Interstate 95 just north of Fayetteville, North Carolina to the northeastern suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in Morrisville. In all, it traverses five states in the Atlantic coastal plain region,...
in the Trainer
Trainer, Pennsylvania
Trainer is a borough in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,901 at the 2000 census. The borough was named after David Trainer, a local mill owner.-Geography:Trainer is located at ....
/Marcus Hook
Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania
Marcus Hook is a borough in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population peaked in the 1920s with 5,324 inhabitants. 2,314 inhabitants were counted at the recent 2000 census. Marcus Hook's current mayor is James Schiliro. The borough calls itself "The Cornerstone of Pennsylvania"....
area to Interstate 76
Interstate 76 (east)
Interstate 76 is an Interstate Highway in the United States, running 435 miles from an interchange with Interstate 71 west of Akron, Ohio, east to Interstate 295 near Camden, New Jersey....
in Southwest Philadelphia near the Walt Whitman Bridge
Walt Whitman Bridge
The Walt Whitman Bridge is a green-colored single-level suspension bridge spanning the Delaware River from Philadelphia to Gloucester City, New Jersey. Named after the poet Walt Whitman, who resided in nearby Camden toward the end of his life, the Walt Whitman Bridge is one of the larger bridges...
and the South Philadelphia
South Philadelphia
South Philadelphia, nicknamed South Philly, is the section of Philadelphia bounded by South Street to the north, the Delaware River to the east and south, and the Schuylkill River to the west.-History:...
Sports Complex. Except for a short 1 miles (1.6 km) section between U.S. Route 13 and the Chester
Chester, Pennsylvania
Chester is a city in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States, with a population of 33,972 at the 2010 census. Chester is situated on the Delaware River, between the cities of Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware.- History :...
/Trainer line, PA Route 291 is mostly a four-lane highway. It runs parallel to 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...
.
Trainer to Tinicum
PA Route 291 starts in Trainer, a small borough that is home to a Conoco-Phillips oil refinery (BPBP
BP p.l.c. is a global oil and gas company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest energy company and fourth-largest company in the world measured by revenues and one of the six oil and gas "supermajors"...
and Tosco
Tosco Corporation
Tosco was an independent US based petroleum refining and marketing corporation. It was founded in 1955 in Santa Monica, California by A&P heir Huntington Hartford, and originally focused on extracting oil from oil shale and developing alternative energy sources.-Oil shale operations:In 1964...
prior to its present ownership) and after bearing left on a sharp curve, the road becomes 2nd Street. Upon entering Chester, the road widens to a five-lane road and proceeds east along 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...
waterfront, passing under the Commodore Barry Bridge
Commodore Barry Bridge
The Commodore Barry Bridge is a cantilever bridge that spans the Delaware River from Chester, Pennsylvania to Bridgeport, in Logan Township, New Jersey, USA...
at Flower Street (the old access road to the former Chester-Bridgeport
Bridgeport, New Jersey
Bridgeport is an unincorporated area within Logan Township, located in Gloucester County, New Jersey. The area is served as United States Postal Service ZIP Code 08014....
Ferry) until it reaches Concord Avenue. At Concord Avenue, the roadway, now called "Industrial Highway" curves to the left, crossing over the Chester Creek
Chester Creek
thumb|upright=1.45|Chester Creek near [[Upland, Pennsylvania]]Chester Creek is a tributary of the Delaware River in Delaware County, Pennsylvania in the United States.-East Branch:...
near Chester's new City Hall and then, past Welsh and Crosby Streets, aligns itself on a pre-1994 alignment that was widened in the late 1990s as part of a total rebuild project in Chester in an attempt to bring more businesses into the economically depressed city.
Ridley Creek
Ridley Creek is a tributary of the Delaware River in southeast Pennsylvania in the United States. The entire drainage basin is in the suburban Philadelphia area, but the upper creek and extensive park lands on the creek retain a rural character, while the mouth of the creek has long been heavily...
near the new Harrah's Chester
Harrah's Chester
Harrah's Chester: Casino and Racetrack is a racino on the Chester, Pennsylvania waterfront.The track's first harness racing season opened on September 10, 2006. Wagering is available on live horse races from April 23 to November 23 on Sunday, Wednesday, Thursday, and some Fridays; or via simulcast...
Downs Casino, a harness racing
Harness racing
Harness racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses race at a specific gait . They usually pull a two-wheeled cart called a sulky, although racing under saddle is also conducted in Europe.-Breeds:...
track and gambling parlor (featuring slot machines and table games) that opened in 2006 (for racing only), upon which the casino came into full operation in January, 2007. The race track/casino, along with a Pennsylvania Department of Corrections facility, were built on land once occupied by the Sun Ship and Drydock Company that went out of business in 1990. It is also at Ridley Creek that the PA Route 291 leaves Chester and enters Eddystone, Pennsylvania
Eddystone, Pennsylvania
Eddystone is a borough in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 2,442 at the 2000 census.-Early history:The area at the mouth of Ridley Creek was first called "Tequirassy" by Native Americans. The land was owned by Olof Persson Stille, one of the early settlers from New...
and at the same time, becoming a physically divided highway that was built in the 1970s.
Past the Ridley Creek bridge, PA Route 291 passes two major facilities; Boeing
Boeing
The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...
's Helicopter Facility and Exelon
Exelon
Exelon Corporation is an electricity generating and distributing company headquartered in the Chase Tower in the Chicago Loop area of Chicago. It was created in October, 2000 by the merger of PECO Energy Company and Unicom, of Philadelphia and Chicago respectively. Unicom owned Commonwealth Edison...
's Eddystone Generation Facility. While the former is well-known for building helicopters for the military, especially the V-22 Osprey
V-22 Osprey
The Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey is an American multi-mission, military, tiltrotor aircraft with both a vertical takeoff and landing , and short takeoff and landing capability...
and Chinook
CH-47 Chinook
The Boeing CH-47 Chinook is an American twin-engine, tandem rotor heavy-lift helicopter. Its top speed of 170 knots is faster than contemporary utility and attack helicopters of the 1960s...
helicopters, while the latter, opened in 1975, was the site of the massive Eddystone Munitions Plant that exploded in 1914, in which the cause was never determined, but speculated that it was an act of sabotage due to the explosion occurring during the early years of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
After crossing the Darby Creek
Darby Creek
Darby Creek may refer to:*Darby Creek , a tributary of the Delaware River*Two streams in central Ohio:** Big Darby Creek** Little Darby Creek...
, PA Route 291 then enters the community of Tinicum, one of the first areas that were occupied by the Swedes
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
prior to the British takeover of colonial Pennsylvania. This portion of the road is dotted by hotels throughout.
Tinicum to Philadelphia
Past Tinicum, PA Route 291 draws up next to Interstate 95Interstate 95 in Pennsylvania
Interstate 95 is an Interstate highway running from Miami, Florida north to Houlton, Maine. In the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, the route is known by many as the Delaware Expressway, but is officially named The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Highway. and locally known as "95"...
, which has a one-way exit going from the northbound lanes of I-95 to the eastbound lanes of PA Route 291. Prior to 2001, this ramp was the main access to the Philadelphia International Airport
Philadelphia International Airport
Philadelphia International Airport is a major airport in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, and is the largest airport in the Delaware Valley region and in Pennsylvania...
, but a new exit connecting the highway directly to the airport terminals has since eased traffic congestion.
After crossing over a small tributary, PA Route 291, now in Philadelphia, then turns left off Industrial Highway and onto Bartram Avenue. Prior to October, 2006, the road continued on Industrial Highway past the Airport, but a project to extend a north–south runway has closed off the highway, thus requiring the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) to reroute the highway into the present configuration. After the left turn, PA Route 291 then draws up next to the SEPTA Regional Rail
SEPTA Regional Rail
The SEPTA Regional Rail system consists of commuter rail service on thirteen branches to over 150 active stations in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States and its suburbs. Service on most lines runs from 5:30 AM to midnight...
Airport Line, then diverges from the railroad alignment just before the Eastwick train station
Eastwick (SEPTA station)
Eastwick is a station along the Airport Line to Philadelphia International Airport. It is within walking distance of the Eastwick Loop of the 36 trolley which is located at Bartram Avenue near 84th Street...
, which was constructed in the late 1990s primarily for people employed at the PNC Bank office building located adjacent to the Airport. Past S. 84th Street, the road then turns right onto Island Avenue, goes under I-95, and then turns left back onto Industrial Highway.
After returning onto Industrial Highway, the road then ducks under I-95 for a second time, before crossing over the Schuylkill River
Schuylkill River
The Schuylkill River is a river in Pennsylvania. It is a designated Pennsylvania Scenic River.The river is about long. Its watershed of about lies entirely within the state of Pennsylvania. The source of its eastern branch is in the Appalachian Mountains at Tuscarora Springs, near Tamaqua in...
on the George C. Platt Memorial Bridge, a four-lane high-level canteliever bridge which opened to traffic in 1951. At the same time the road crosses over the Schuylkill River, it also crosses over the massive Sunoco
Sunoco
Sunoco Inc. is an American petroleum and petrochemical manufacturer headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, formerly known as Sun Company Inc. and Sun Oil Co. ....
Oil Refinery that provides Sunoco (along with its operations in Marcus Hook), with the majority of the gasoline used in the Northeast U.S. After crossing the Schuylkill River, PA Route 291 then turns left onto S. 26th Street, and paralleling the main CSX
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
(former Pennsylvania Railroad
Pennsylvania Railroad
The Pennsylvania Railroad was an American Class I railroad, founded in 1846. Commonly referred to as the "Pennsy", the PRR was headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
) freight line to the Delaware Waterfront, PA Route 291 ends with the roadway merging onto I-76 at the Passyunk Avenue/Oregon Avenue interchange.
Major intersections
| County | Location | Mile | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware | Trainer | 0.00 | ||
| Chester | ||||
| Former US 322 | ||||
| 3.17 | ||||
| Ridley Township | ||||
| Tinicum Township | 6.41 | |||
| Industrial Highway, Scott Way – Philadelphia International Airport Philadelphia International Airport Philadelphia International Airport is a major airport in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, and is the largest airport in the Delaware Valley region and in Pennsylvania... , Cargo City |
Former PA 291 east | |||
| Philadelphia | Philadelphia | No westbound entrance | ||
| 84th Street – John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge | ||||
| Interchange | ||||
| Island Avenue | Former PA 291 west | |||
| Interchange; westbound exit and eastbound entrance | ||||
| George C. Platt Memorial Bridge over the Schuylkill River Schuylkill River The Schuylkill River is a river in Pennsylvania. It is a designated Pennsylvania Scenic River.The river is about long. Its watershed of about lies entirely within the state of Pennsylvania. The source of its eastern branch is in the Appalachian Mountains at Tuscarora Springs, near Tamaqua in... |
||||
| – Sports Complex | ||||
| Passyunk Avenue, Oregon Avenue | Interchange; no eastbound exit | |||
| Interchange | ||||