U.S. Route 111
Encyclopedia
U.S. Route 111 was a U.S. Route that ran from Baltimore, Maryland north to the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
area. It replaced part of the Susquehanna Trail
and was in turn replaced by Interstate 83
. Portions of its pre-freeway alignment are now Maryland Route 45
and Interstate 83 Business. Other old sections in Pennsylvania are now unsigned Quadrant Routes or township
-maintained roads.
US 111 extended north to the Pennsylvania
-New York
state line where U.S. Route 15
now crosses it between 1926 and ca. 1936.
and Maryland
, with the segments through the various towns and cities it passes through consisting mainly of suburban and city streets. South of Hunt Valley, Maryland
, the route is heavily built up and serves as a major urban highway all the way into Baltimore.
From Baltimore to Lemoyne
, US 111 roughly followed the present Interstate 83
. Its south end was at Greenmount Avenue (now Maryland Route 45
) and North Avenue (still U.S. Route 1
) in Baltimore. The old alignment in Maryland is now Maryland Route 45
, while in Pennsylvania—except through York
, where it is now Interstate 83 Business, another major urban highway—it is mostly unsigned Quadrant Routes and township roads, many still named Susquehanna Trail
. At the intersection of 3rd Street and Market Street in Lemoyne, US 111 reached its original northern terminus on U.S. Route 11
.
- at Harrisburg. The changes made by the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO) during the next year included the creation of U.S. Route 220
from Cumberland, Maryland
north to the New York
state line at Lawrenceville. (It did not continue into New York due to the insistence of Frederick S. Greene of that state to designate only the most major highways, "thinking that [other states] wanted to justify their great amount of roads by having New York pursue the same ridiculous policy.") However, Pennsylvania soon objected (after the final plan had been approved), on the basis that the U.S. Highways did not follow the existing auto trail
s. In particular, the Washington
-Buffalo Susquehanna Trail
had four numbers in Pennsylvania - US 111 to Harrisburg, U.S. Route 11
to Northumberland, U.S. Route 120 to Williamsport, and U.S. Route 220
north to New York, as opposed to the single number - Pennsylvania Route 4
- that had been assigned in 1924. By April 1927, Pennsylvania and AASHO had come to an agreement: US 111 was extended north, concurrent with US 11 and US 120 to Williamsport, where it took over former US 220 to New York. (US 220 itself was rerouted to its current alignment along what had been U.S. Route 711.)
three times: the Market Street Bridge
between Wormleysburg and Harrisburg, the Clarks Ferry Bridge
north of Harrisburg, and the Route 11 Bridge over the West Branch Susquehanna River
at Northumberland. Between the bridges, US 11 and US 111 used the main roads along the river.
In Northumberland, US 11 and US 111 split at the intersection of Water Street (still US 11) and Duke Street (now Pennsylvania Route 147
). U.S. Route 120 also passed through Northimberland on the present alignment of PA 147, running concurrent with US 111 to Williamsport. Along this section, US 111 and US 120 roughly followed the east bank of the West Branch Susquehanna River
along PA 147, Pennsylvania Route 405
and a number of Quadrant Routes. However, between Milton and Muncy, the alignment was more inland, fairly close to the present Interstate 180
. (Much of this road is still known as Susquehanna Trail
.) At Water Street (now PA 405) in Muncy, US 111 and US 120 met U.S. Route 220
, which joined the other routes the rest of the way to Williamsport. The three routes passed through Williamsport on Washington Street, Market Street, 7th Street, Hepburn Street and Park Avenue. US 120 and US 220 split at Campbell Street, heading south and then west on 4th Street, while US 111 continued along Park Avenue and High Street. From the end of High Street, US 111 used former and current alignments of U.S. Route 15
the rest of the way to New York. (By 1940, US 111 - by then US 15 - and the other routes through Williamsport had moved to Washington Boulevard, Harris Place, Hepburn Street and High Street, with the split still occurring at Campbell Street.)
US 111 was truncated back to Lemoyne around 1936, and U.S. Route 15
was extended north from Lemoyne along the former US 111 and beyond to Rochester, New York
. Soon after 1940, US 15 was rerouted to roughly its present alignment, only crossing the Susquehanna River
once - on the Market Street Bridge at Williamsport.
Later changes to US 111 included an extension to Front Street and Walnut Street in Wormleysburg when US 11 was moved to its present alignment, relocations to the new freeway (now Interstate 83
) south of Lemoyne, and finally a relocation from Lemoyne over the John Harris Bridge
with I-83 to end at U.S. Route 22
in Lower Paxton Township. The route disappeared in 1963, by then completely replaced by I-83, and running along I-83 except inside the Baltimore Beltway (where it used present Maryland Route 45
to the end).
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
area. It replaced part of the Susquehanna Trail
Susquehanna Trail
The Susquehanna Trail was an auto trail in the United States linking Washington, D.C. with Niagara Falls, New York. It passed through Baltimore, Maryland; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Williamsport, Pennsylvania; and Buffalo, New York....
and was in turn replaced by Interstate 83
Interstate 83
Interstate 83 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern United States. Its southern terminus is in Baltimore, Maryland at the Fayette Street exit; its northern terminus is in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania at Interstate 81....
. Portions of its pre-freeway alignment are now Maryland Route 45
Maryland Route 45
Maryland Route 45 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known for most of its length as York Road, the state highway runs from U.S. Route 1 in Baltimore north to the Pennsylvania state line in Maryland Line, where the highway continues as SR 3001...
and Interstate 83 Business. Other old sections in Pennsylvania are now unsigned Quadrant Routes or township
Township
The word township is used to refer to different kinds of settlements in different countries. Township is generally associated with an urban area. However there are many exceptions to this rule. In Australia, the United States, and Canada, they may be settlements too small to be considered urban...
-maintained roads.
US 111 extended north to the 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...
-New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
state line where U.S. Route 15
U.S. Route 15
U.S. Route 15 is a -long United States highway, designated along South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New York. The route is signed north–south, from U.S. Route 17 Alternate in Walterboro, South Carolina to Interstate 86 and NY 17 in Painted Post, New York.US...
now crosses it between 1926 and ca. 1936.
Route description
The pre-freeway route of US 111 consisted primarily of two-lane rural highway through PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
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...
and Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, with the segments through the various towns and cities it passes through consisting mainly of suburban and city streets. South of Hunt Valley, Maryland
Hunt Valley, Maryland
Hunt Valley is an affluent unincorporated community in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. It lies just north of the city of Baltimore, along Highway 145 off Interstate 83. Loch Raven Reservoir...
, the route is heavily built up and serves as a major urban highway all the way into Baltimore.
From Baltimore to Lemoyne
Lemoyne, Pennsylvania
Lemoyne is a borough in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. Lemoyne was incorporated as a borough on May 23, 1905. As of the 2000 census, the borough population was 3,995. It was formerly named Bridgeport. Lemoyne lies across the Susquehanna River from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania's capital...
, US 111 roughly followed the present Interstate 83
Interstate 83
Interstate 83 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern United States. Its southern terminus is in Baltimore, Maryland at the Fayette Street exit; its northern terminus is in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania at Interstate 81....
. Its south end was at Greenmount Avenue (now Maryland Route 45
Maryland Route 45
Maryland Route 45 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known for most of its length as York Road, the state highway runs from U.S. Route 1 in Baltimore north to the Pennsylvania state line in Maryland Line, where the highway continues as SR 3001...
) and North Avenue (still U.S. Route 1
U.S. Route 1 in Maryland
U.S. Route 1 is the easternmost and longest of the major north–south routes of the United States Numbered Highway System, running from Key West, Florida to Fort Kent, Maine. In the U.S...
) in Baltimore. The old alignment in Maryland is now Maryland Route 45
Maryland Route 45
Maryland Route 45 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known for most of its length as York Road, the state highway runs from U.S. Route 1 in Baltimore north to the Pennsylvania state line in Maryland Line, where the highway continues as SR 3001...
, while in Pennsylvania—except through York
York, Pennsylvania
York, known as the White Rose City , is a city located in York County, Pennsylvania, United States which is in the South Central region of the state. The population within the city limits was 43,718 at the 2010 census, which was a 7.0% increase from the 2000 count of 40,862...
, where it is now Interstate 83 Business, another major urban highway—it is mostly unsigned Quadrant Routes and township roads, many still named Susquehanna Trail
Susquehanna Trail
The Susquehanna Trail was an auto trail in the United States linking Washington, D.C. with Niagara Falls, New York. It passed through Baltimore, Maryland; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Williamsport, Pennsylvania; and Buffalo, New York....
. At the intersection of 3rd Street and Market Street in Lemoyne, US 111 reached its original northern terminus on U.S. Route 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:...
.
Creation and original routing
In the preliminary 1925 plan for what were then called "Interstate Highways", US 111 was assigned to the Baltimore-Harrisburg route; it met its "parent" - U.S. Route 11U.S. Route 11
U.S. Route 11 is a north–south United States highway extending 1,645 miles across the eastern United States. The southern terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 90 in the Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge in eastern New Orleans, Louisiana. The northern terminus is at the United...
- at Harrisburg. The changes made by the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO) during the next year included the creation of U.S. Route 220
U.S. Route 220
U.S. Route 220 is a long U.S. Route in the eastern United States.US 220 is a spur route of U.S. Route 20 but at present, the two routes do not intersect nor do they connect via other spurs of US 20. The former U. S. Route 120, which was signed in Pennsylvania between 1926 and 1967, intersected...
from Cumberland, Maryland
Cumberland, Maryland
Cumberland is a city in the far western, Appalachian portion of Maryland, United States. It is the county seat of Allegany County, and the primary city of the Cumberland, MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area. At the 2010 census, the city had a population of 20,859, and the metropolitan area had a...
north to the New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
state line at Lawrenceville. (It did not continue into New York due to the insistence of Frederick S. Greene of that state to designate only the most major highways, "thinking that [other states] wanted to justify their great amount of roads by having New York pursue the same ridiculous policy.") However, Pennsylvania soon objected (after the final plan had been approved), on the basis that the U.S. Highways did not follow the existing auto trail
Auto trail
The system of auto trails was an informal network of marked routes that existed in the United States and Canada in the early part of the 20th century. Marked with colored bands on telephone poles, the trails were intended to help travellers in the early days of the automobile.Auto trails were...
s. In particular, the Washington
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
-Buffalo Susquehanna Trail
Susquehanna Trail
The Susquehanna Trail was an auto trail in the United States linking Washington, D.C. with Niagara Falls, New York. It passed through Baltimore, Maryland; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Williamsport, Pennsylvania; and Buffalo, New York....
had four numbers in Pennsylvania - US 111 to Harrisburg, U.S. Route 11
U.S. Route 11
U.S. Route 11 is a north–south United States highway extending 1,645 miles across the eastern United States. The southern terminus of the route is at U.S. Route 90 in the Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge in eastern New Orleans, Louisiana. The northern terminus is at the United...
to Northumberland, U.S. Route 120 to Williamsport, and U.S. Route 220
U.S. Route 220
U.S. Route 220 is a long U.S. Route in the eastern United States.US 220 is a spur route of U.S. Route 20 but at present, the two routes do not intersect nor do they connect via other spurs of US 20. The former U. S. Route 120, which was signed in Pennsylvania between 1926 and 1967, intersected...
north to New York, as opposed to the single number - Pennsylvania Route 4
Pennsylvania Route 4
The former Pennsylvania Route 4 was formed in 1924, and ran south to north from the Maryland state line near Shrewsbury to the New York state line near Lawrenceville for a distance of...
- that had been assigned in 1924. By April 1927, Pennsylvania and AASHO had come to an agreement: US 111 was extended north, concurrent with US 11 and US 120 to Williamsport, where it took over former US 220 to New York. (US 220 itself was rerouted to its current alignment along what had been U.S. Route 711.)
Extension to New York
US 111 was extended beyond its northern terminus at 3rd and Market Streets in Lemoyne; it ran concurrent with US 11 to Northumberland. The combined US 11 and US 111 crossed the Susquehanna RiverSusquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
three times: the Market Street Bridge
Market Street Bridge (Harrisburg)
The Market Street Bridge is a stone arch bridge that spans the Susquehanna River between Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and Wormleysburg, Pennsylvania...
between Wormleysburg and Harrisburg, the Clarks Ferry Bridge
Clarks Ferry Bridge
The Clarks Ferry Bridge, carries U.S. Routes 22 and 322 across the Susquehanna River near Duncannon, Pennsylvania about 20 miles north of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. It is a 4 lane expressway standard bridge. The bridge also provides safe passage for hikers, bikers, and pedestrians using the...
north of Harrisburg, and the Route 11 Bridge over the West Branch Susquehanna River
West Branch Susquehanna River
The West Branch Susquehanna River is one of the two principal branches, along with the North Branch, of the Susquehanna River in the northeastern United States. The North Branch, which rises in upstate New York, is generally regarded as the extension of the main branch, with the shorter West Branch...
at Northumberland. Between the bridges, US 11 and US 111 used the main roads along the river.
In Northumberland, US 11 and US 111 split at the intersection of Water Street (still US 11) and Duke Street (now Pennsylvania Route 147
Pennsylvania Route 147
Pennsylvania Route 147 is a north–south route that runs for along the east shore of the Susquehanna River in central Pennsylvania, United States. The northern terminus is at an interchange with Interstate 80 and Interstate 180 in Turbot Township. The southern terminus is at an interchange...
). U.S. Route 120 also passed through Northimberland on the present alignment of PA 147, running concurrent with US 111 to Williamsport. Along this section, US 111 and US 120 roughly followed the east bank of the West Branch Susquehanna River
West Branch Susquehanna River
The West Branch Susquehanna River is one of the two principal branches, along with the North Branch, of the Susquehanna River in the northeastern United States. The North Branch, which rises in upstate New York, is generally regarded as the extension of the main branch, with the shorter West Branch...
along PA 147, Pennsylvania Route 405
Pennsylvania Route 405
Pennsylvania Route 405 is a state highway that runs for in north central Pennsylvania, United States. The southern terminus of Pennsylvania Route 147 in West Chillisquaque Township...
and a number of Quadrant Routes. However, between Milton and Muncy, the alignment was more inland, fairly close to the present Interstate 180
Interstate 180 (Pennsylvania)
Interstate 180 is a spur highway that connects Williamsport, Pennsylvania to Interstate 80 near Milton, Pennsylvania. The length of the highway is . It was also the designation of present-day Interstate 176 between Morgantown, Pennsylvania and Reading, when the Pennsylvania Turnpike carried the...
. (Much of this road is still known as Susquehanna Trail
Susquehanna Trail
The Susquehanna Trail was an auto trail in the United States linking Washington, D.C. with Niagara Falls, New York. It passed through Baltimore, Maryland; Harrisburg, Pennsylvania; Williamsport, Pennsylvania; and Buffalo, New York....
.) At Water Street (now PA 405) in Muncy, US 111 and US 120 met U.S. Route 220
U.S. Route 220
U.S. Route 220 is a long U.S. Route in the eastern United States.US 220 is a spur route of U.S. Route 20 but at present, the two routes do not intersect nor do they connect via other spurs of US 20. The former U. S. Route 120, which was signed in Pennsylvania between 1926 and 1967, intersected...
, which joined the other routes the rest of the way to Williamsport. The three routes passed through Williamsport on Washington Street, Market Street, 7th Street, Hepburn Street and Park Avenue. US 120 and US 220 split at Campbell Street, heading south and then west on 4th Street, while US 111 continued along Park Avenue and High Street. From the end of High Street, US 111 used former and current alignments of U.S. Route 15
U.S. Route 15
U.S. Route 15 is a -long United States highway, designated along South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New York. The route is signed north–south, from U.S. Route 17 Alternate in Walterboro, South Carolina to Interstate 86 and NY 17 in Painted Post, New York.US...
the rest of the way to New York. (By 1940, US 111 - by then US 15 - and the other routes through Williamsport had moved to Washington Boulevard, Harris Place, Hepburn Street and High Street, with the split still occurring at Campbell Street.)
Truncation and deletion
U.S. Route 15
U.S. Route 15 is a -long United States highway, designated along South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New York. The route is signed north–south, from U.S. Route 17 Alternate in Walterboro, South Carolina to Interstate 86 and NY 17 in Painted Post, New York.US...
was extended north from Lemoyne along the former US 111 and beyond to Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
. Soon after 1940, US 15 was rerouted to roughly its present alignment, only crossing the Susquehanna River
Susquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
once - on the Market Street Bridge at Williamsport.
Later changes to US 111 included an extension to Front Street and Walnut Street in Wormleysburg when US 11 was moved to its present alignment, relocations to the new freeway (now Interstate 83
Interstate 83
Interstate 83 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern United States. Its southern terminus is in Baltimore, Maryland at the Fayette Street exit; its northern terminus is in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania at Interstate 81....
) south of Lemoyne, and finally a relocation from Lemoyne over the John Harris Bridge
John Harris Bridge
The John Harris Bridge, also known locally as the South Bridge, carries Interstate 83 across the Susquehanna River connecting downtown Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and its western suburbs in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. The South Bridge officially opened on January 22, 1960 and was later widened...
with I-83 to end at 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...
in Lower Paxton Township. The route disappeared in 1963, by then completely replaced by I-83, and running along I-83 except inside the Baltimore Beltway (where it used present Maryland Route 45
Maryland Route 45
Maryland Route 45 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. Known for most of its length as York Road, the state highway runs from U.S. Route 1 in Baltimore north to the Pennsylvania state line in Maryland Line, where the highway continues as SR 3001...
to the end).