Pennsylvania Route 501
Encyclopedia
Pennsylvania Route 501 is a north–south state highway
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 south 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...

 that runs for 39 miles (62.8 km). Its southern terminus is at U.S. Route 222 and Pennsylvania Route 272
Pennsylvania Route 272
Pennsylvania Route 272 is a long highway in eastern Pennsylvania, in the Lancaster area. The southern terminus of the route is at the Mason-Dixon Line southeast of Nottingham, where it continues into Maryland as Maryland Route 272. The northern terminus is at U.S...

 north of Lancaster
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster is a city in the south-central part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is the county seat of Lancaster County and one of the older inland cities in the United States, . With a population of 59,322, it ranks eighth in population among Pennsylvania's cities...

, and its northern terminus is Pennsylvania Route 895
Pennsylvania Route 895
Pennsylvania Route 895 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is designated as an east–west route, with termini at Route 443 in Pine Grove and Route 248 in Bowmanstown. The entire course is close to the north flank of Blue Mountain.- Schuylkill County :PA 895 begins at an...

 southeast of Pine Grove
Pine Grove, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania
Pine Grove is a borough in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the borough population was 2,154.-Geography:Pine Grove is located at ....

. Its designations are Lititz Pike, Broad Street (Lititz
Lititz, Pennsylvania
Lititz is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 6 miles north of the city of Lancaster.-History:Lititz was founded by members of the Moravian Church in 1756, and was named after a castle in Bohemia near the village of Kunvald where the ancient Bohemian Brethren's Church had...

), Furnace Hills Pike, and College Avenue (Myerstown
Myerstown, Pennsylvania
Myerstown is a borough located in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. It is part of the Lebanon, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census, the borough had a total population of 3,171...

).

Lancaster County

PA 501 begins as Lititz Pike at a concurrency with U.S. Route 222 south and an intersection with U.S. Route 222 north/ Pennsylvania Route 272
Pennsylvania Route 272
Pennsylvania Route 272 is a long highway in eastern Pennsylvania, in the Lancaster area. The southern terminus of the route is at the Mason-Dixon Line southeast of Nottingham, where it continues into Maryland as Maryland Route 272. The northern terminus is at U.S...

 north of Lancaster
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster is a city in the south-central part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is the county seat of Lancaster County and one of the older inland cities in the United States, . With a population of 59,322, it ranks eighth in population among Pennsylvania's cities...

. In Manheim Township
Manheim Township, Pennsylvania
Manheim Township is the name of some places in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania:*Manheim Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania*Manheim Township, York County, Pennsylvania-Other:*West Manheim Township, York County, Pennsylvania...

, PA 501 splits off from U.S. Route 222 south while interchanging with U.S. Route 30
U.S. Route 30
U.S. Route 30 is an east–west main route of the system of United States Numbered Highways, with the highway traveling across the northern tier of the country. It is the third longest U.S. route, after U.S. Route 20 and U.S. Route 6. The western end of the highway is at Astoria, Oregon; the...

. In Neffsville
Neffsville, Pennsylvania
Neffsville, Pennsylvania is a suburban community in Manheim Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Being unincorporated, Neffsville has no boundaries. The US Geological Survey Place Names database locates Neffsville at 40°6'0"N 76°18'20"W...

, PA 501 has a concurrency with Pennsylvania Route 722
Pennsylvania Route 722
Pennsylvania Route 722 is an long, east–west state highway located in central Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The eastern terminus is at PA 272 in Oregon...

. North of Neffsville, PA 501 passes west of Lancaster Airport
Lancaster Airport (Pennsylvania)
Lancaster Airport is a public airport located four miles north of the central business district of Lancaster, a city in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, USA. The airport covers and has two runways. It is mostly used for general aviation but is also served by one commercial airline and one...

 and has an entrance from PA 501. North of Lancaster Airport, PA 501 enters the boro of Lititz
Lititz, Pennsylvania
Lititz is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, 6 miles north of the city of Lancaster.-History:Lititz was founded by members of the Moravian Church in 1756, and was named after a castle in Bohemia near the village of Kunvald where the ancient Bohemian Brethren's Church had...

 and becomes Broad Street. In downtown Lititz, PA 501 has a small concurrency with Pennsylvania Route 772
Pennsylvania Route 772
Pennsylvania Route 772 or is an east–west long state highway located in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. It is a scenic alternative to U.S. Route 30 as it roughly parallels the main highway to the north. The highway is mostly named Newport Road...

. North of Lititz, PA 501 is called Furnace Hills Pike. In Brickerville
Brickerville, Pennsylvania
Brickerville is a census-designated place in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States with a zip code of 17543. The population was 1,287 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Brickerville is located at ....

, PA 501 intersects U.S. Route 322
U.S. Route 322
U.S. Route 322 is a long, east–west United States Highway, traversing Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey. The road is a spur of U.S. Route 22 and one of the original highways from 1926...

. North of US 322 in Elizabeth Township
Elizabeth Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Elizabeth Township is a township in north central Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,833 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...

 , PA 501 passes over 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....

 (Pennsylvania Turnpike
Pennsylvania Turnpike
The Pennsylvania Turnpike is a toll highway system operated by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States. The three sections of the turnpike system total . The main section extends from Ohio to New Jersey and is long...

).

Lebanon County

As PA 501 enters 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...

, it is called Furnace Hills Pike. In Schaefferstown
Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania
Schaefferstown is a census-designated place in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, United States and is completely surrounded by Heidelberg Township. The population was 984 at the 2000 census. Bomberger's Distillery is located near Schaefferstown.-Geography:...

, PA 501 has a three route concurrency with Pennsylvania Route 419
Pennsylvania Route 419
Pennsylvania Route 419 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The route runs from U.S. Route 322 in West Cornwall Township, Lebanon County north to Pennsylvania Route 183 in Bethel Township, Berks County.-Route description:...

 and Pennsylvania Route 897
Pennsylvania Route 897
Pennsylvania Route 897 is a long north–south route in eastern Pennsylvania, United States. The southern terminus is at an intersection with U.S. Route 30 in Gap. The northern terminus is at U.S. Route 422 east of Lebanon. Like most Pennsylvania highways, PA 897 has no expressway...

. The concurrency is actually a wrong-way concurrency. North of the concurrency, PA 501 is called College Street. In Myerstown
Myerstown, Pennsylvania
Myerstown is a borough located in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. It is part of the Lebanon, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census, the borough had a total population of 3,171...

, PA 501 intersects U.S. Route 422
U.S. Route 422
U.S. Route 422 is a long spur route of US 22 split into two segments in the U.S. states of Ohio and Pennsylvania. The western spur begins in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, and ends at Ebensburg, Pennsylvania...

.

Berks County

In Berks County
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...

, PA 501 is called Lancaster Avenue and passing through the village of Mount Aetna. Paralleling the Little Swatara Creek
Swatara Creek
Swatara Creek is a tributary of the Susquehanna River in east central Pennsylvania in the United States. "Swatara" is an Indian word meaning "Where we feed on eels."...

, PA 501 has many turns in Tulpehocken Township
Tulpehocken Township, Pennsylvania
Tulpehocken Township is a township in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,290 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 23.3 square miles , all of it land.Adjacent townships*Bethel Township, Berks...

. In 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...

, PA 501 meets the former 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...

. North of Old 22, PA 501 intersects Interstate 78 and the current 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...

 at exit 13. North of I-78, PA 501 continues as Lancaster Avenue into Schuylkill County
Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania
-Notable people:*Boxing heavyweight great Muhammad Ali had his training camp in Deer Lake.*Charles Justin Bailey, commanding general of the 81st Division in World War I, was born in Tamaqua on June 21, 1859....

.

Schuylkill County

PA 501 enters Schuylkill County as Brookside Road and Bethel Road. Southeast of Pine Grove
Pine Grove, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania
Pine Grove is a borough in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the borough population was 2,154.-Geography:Pine Grove is located at ....

, PA 501 ends at an intersection with Pennsylvania Route 895
Pennsylvania Route 895
Pennsylvania Route 895 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is designated as an east–west route, with termini at Route 443 in Pine Grove and Route 248 in Bowmanstown. The entire course is close to the north flank of Blue Mountain.- Schuylkill County :PA 895 begins at an...

.

History

PA 501 was established in 1928, its northern terminus originally at US 422
U.S. Route 422
U.S. Route 422 is a long spur route of US 22 split into two segments in the U.S. states of Ohio and Pennsylvania. The western spur begins in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, and ends at Ebensburg, Pennsylvania...

 in Myerstown
Myerstown, Pennsylvania
Myerstown is a borough located in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. It is part of the Lebanon, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2000 census, the borough had a total population of 3,171...

. Its number is derived from its parent route of PA 1, now known as U.S. 30
U.S. Route 30 in Pennsylvania
In the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, U.S. Route 30 runs east–west across the southern part of the state, passing through Pittsburgh and Philadelphia on its way from the West Virginia state line east to the Benjamin Franklin Bridge over the Delaware River into New Jersey...

. By 1946, the terminus had been moved farther north to 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...

 in Bethel
Bethel, Pennsylvania
Bethel, Pennsylvania may refer to:*Bethel, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania*Bethel, Berks County, Pennsylvania*Bethel, Cambria County, Pennsylvania*Bethel, Mercer County, Pennsylvania*Bethel, Sullivan County, Pennsylvania*Bethel, Wayne County, Pennsylvania...

. Between 1960 and 1966, the route was extended to its current terminus in Pine Grove
Pine Grove, Pennsylvania
Pine Grove, Pennsylvania may refer to more than one place:*Pine Grove, Cambria County, Pennsylvania*Pine Grove, Clearfield County, Pennsylvania*Pine Grove, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania*Pine Grove, Perry County, Pennsylvania...

.

A realignment of PA 501 is planned in Schaefferstown
Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania
Schaefferstown is a census-designated place in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, United States and is completely surrounded by Heidelberg Township. The population was 984 at the 2000 census. Bomberger's Distillery is located near Schaefferstown.-Geography:...

, eliminating the turns the road makes in the community. The project is expected to cost $10.4 million. On September 2, 2010, a court ruling was made overturning a decision that prevented farmland from being taken to construct the road.

Major intersections

External links

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