U.S. Route 62 in Pennsylvania

U.S. Route 62
Route highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by PennDOT
Length:	119 mi[1] (192 km)
Existed:	1932[2] – present
Major junctions
South end:	US 62 at Ohio border in Sharon
	PA 18 in Hermitage US 19 / PA 58 in Mercer I-79 near Mercer PA 173 / PA 358 in Sandy Lake US 322 / PA 8 in Franklin PA 36 in Tionesta US 6 in Warren
North end:	US 62 at New York border in Pine Grove Township
Location
Counties:	Mercer, Venango, Forest, Warren
Highway system
United States Numbered Highway System List Bannered Divided Replaced Pennsylvania State Route System Interstate US State Scenic Byways Legislative ← PA 61 PA 62 →

U.S. Route 62 is a signed north-south U.S. Highway in Pennsylvania, which runs diagonally southwest-northeast through the industrial northwestern part of the state. Although initial portions of the route opened in 1926 in other areas of the country, U.S. 62 was not designated in the commonwealth until 1932. The highway connects the small cities of Sharon, Franklin, Oil City, and Warren to larger markets, such as Youngstown, Ohio and Buffalo, New York.

Route description

U.S. Route 62 enters Pennsylvania from Ohio as part of the Shenango Valley Freeway. Four lanes, winding, and with limited stop lights, the road, which was built in 1958, bypasses the city of Sharon. A business route is signed on the former path of the highway. After passing through Sharon, the road reverts to two lane status, as it travels toward Mercer, the county seat of Mercer County. Here, it briefly joins US 19 through the center of town. The road then turns sharply toward a north-northeast alignment and features an interchange with Interstate 79. After cutting through rural Mercer and Venango counties, US 62 reaches the twin industrial towns of Franklin and Oil City. In Franklin, the highway is briefly cosigned with US 322, as it passes through the west side of town. The road then joins PA 8 to form a four–lane riverfront connector between the two towns. Immediately before entering Oil City, the roads split, with US 62 branching off to cross the Allegheny River over the Petroleum Street Bridge and serve the south side of town. After crossing this 1995 girder structure, which replaced a 1910 truss bridge, the highway remains four lanes until leaving the municipality.

The Allegheny River is only rarely out of sight as the highway winds its way through Venango and Forest Counties, crossing from the south bank to the north by way of the Hunter Station Bridge, an unusual 1934 truss design. It crosses the river a third time on the Tionesta Bridge, a 1961 girder structure that set the tone for 1980s–90s replacements of a series of historic bridges along the waterway. While traveling through Forest and into Warren County, the road is oriented in a north-south direction, which is reflected in its guide signs, despite the national route’s east-west direction. The route passes through the Allegheny Islands Wilderness, crosses the river again via the Irvine Bridge, and subsequently joins with US 6 to form part of the freeway bypass of Warren, which was constructed in 1969. The routes divide near the city center, and US 62 follows a narrow path of city streets in the old city core before becoming a four–lane highway north of the town. The highway becomes a two–lane road again as it heads toward the New York boundary.

History

US 62 was designated in Pennsylvania in 1932, replacing PA 65 between the Ohio border near Sharon and Franklin, PA 8 between Franklin and Oil City, PA 57 between Oil City and Fryburg, and PA 66 between Fryburg and the New York border. Signs were installed by June 1 of that year.^[2]

Major intersections

County	Location[3]	mi	km	Destinations	Notes
Mercer	Sharon			US 62 west	Continues into Ohio
				PA 718 / PA 760 (South Dock Street) – Farrell, Wheatland	Interchange
				PA 518 (Stambaugh Avenue)
	Hermitage			PA 418 (Maple Drive)
				PA 18 (South Hermitage Road) to I-376 / I-80
	Mercer			PA 258 north (North Maple Street) – Clark	South end of PA 258 overlap
				PA 158 south (South Shenango Street) to PA 318
				US 19 south (South Erie Street) to I-80 – Zelienople PA 58 east / PA 258 south (Diamond Street)	North end of PA 258 overlap, south end of US 19/PA 58 overlap
				PA 58 west (Greenville Road) – Greenville	North end of PA 58 overlap
	Coolspring Township			US 19 north (Perry Highway) – Meadville	North end of US 19 overlap
	Jackson Township			I-79 – Erie, Pittsburgh	I-79 exit 121
				PA 965 east (Henderson Road) – Polk, Franklin
	Sandy Lake Township			PA 845 north (Walnut Street) – Stoneboro
	Sandy Lake			PA 173 south (South Main Street)	South end of PA 173 overlap
				PA 173 north (North Main Street) PA 358 west (Lake Street) to I-79	North end of PA 173 overlap
Venango	Victory Township			PA 965 west (Jackson Center-Polk Road) – Jackson Center
	French Creek Township			PA 8 south (Pittsburgh Road) to I-80 – Butler	South end of PA 8 overlap
	Franklin			US 322 west (13th Street)	South end of US 322 overlap
				US 322 east (Liberty Street)	North end of US 322 overlap
	Oil City			PA 8 north (Main Street) – Titusville PA 428 north (Halyday Street)	North end of PA 8 overlap
				PA 257 south – Cranberry
	Cranberry Township			PA 157 east – Fryburg
Forest	Tionesta Township			PA 36 north (Colonel Drake Highway) – Pleasantville	South end of PA 36 overlap
	Tionesta			PA 36 south (Elm Street) – Brookville	North end of PA 36 overlap
	Hickory Township			PA 127 north (Main Street) – West Hickory
				PA 666 east – Endeavor
Warren	Limestone Township			PA 127 south (Buckingham Street) – Tidioute
	Brokenstraw Township			US 6 west (Grand Army of the Republic Highway) – Youngsville	Interchange, south end of US 6 overlap
	Warren			US 6 east (Grand Army of the Republic Highway) US 6 Bus. begins	Interchange, north end of US 6 overlap, south end of US 6 Bus. overlap
				US 6 Bus. east (Pennsylvania Avenue West)	North end of US 6 Bus. overlap
	Conewango Township			PA 69 north (Jackson Run Road) – Sugar Grove
	Pine Grove Township			PA 957 west – Sugar Grove
				US 62 north	Continues into New York
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

1. Google (June 29, 2013). "U.S. Route 62 in Pennsylvania" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved June 29, 2013.
2. "No. 62 Designated As New Number Of Route Through Franklin". The News-Herald. Franklin, PA. February 18, 1932. p. 2. Retrieved May 25, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
3. "Video Log". Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Retrieved June 10, 2016.

See also

Route map: Bing / Google

• U.S. Roads portal
• Pennsylvania portal