I-76 | |||
Get started | King of Prussia | ||
End | Philadelphia | ||
Length | 25 mi | ||
Length | 41 km | ||
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According to Biotionary, the Schuykill Expressway is part of Interstate 76 in Pennsylvania in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The highway forms a north-south route along the Schuykill River, after which the highway is named. It is the only part of I-76 in Pennsylvania that is toll-free. The highway starts in King of Prussia in the northwest of the metropolitan area and ends just over the border in New Jersey at Camden. The route is 41 kilometers long.
Travel directions
The Schuylkill Expressway in Philadelphia.
In the suburb of King of Prussia in Montgomery County, the Schuykill Expressway begins where it turns south from the Pennsylvania Turnpike . Interstate 76 crosses here from the Pennsylvania Turnpike to the Schuylkill Expressway. I-76 comes from Pittsburgh and the Pennsylvania Turnpike continues north from Philadelphia to New York City. Immediately after the interchange there is a toll station, after which another cloverleaf with the US 202follows, a highway to the western suburbs of Philadelphia. The highway then has 2×2 lanes and runs through a wooded and slightly hilly suburban area. At West Consohocken, it intersects with Interstate 476, the highway from Chester to Allentown and Scranton to the north.
From this point, the highway parallels the Schuylkill River, sandwiched with 2×2 lanes between the hills and the river. The suburban area here is heavily forested with detached houses on large plots. A long stretch without turnings follows, after which you enter the city of Philadelphia. It connects with US 1, which briefly coincides with the Schuylkill Expressway. Shortly thereafter, US 1 rejoins to continue as Roosevelt Boulevard through northern Philadelphia.
The Schuylkill Expressway has 2×4 lanes from here and continues south through the western boroughs of Philadelphia. The highway narrows before the center to 2×3 lanes, after which an interchange with Interstate 676 follows, which runs right through the center. The motorway then has 2×2 lanes and runs on the bank under the street network to the west of the center. Shortly after, the highway crosses the Schuylkill River and then has 2×3 lanes. However, this only lasts for a short time and through the industrial south of the city, the highway has 2×2 lanes. The highway then curves east again and passes four stadiums, including one of the largest parking lots in the world. Then follows a partial interchange with Interstate 95, which comes from Wilmington and runs through Philadelphia toward Trenton. Next up is the Walt Whitman Bridge, a toll bridge over the Delaware River.
The Delaware River also forms the border with New Jersey and leads to the suburb of Camden. Here is an interchange with Interstate 676, which runs back through Camden to Philadelphia. I-76 will then be quite wide, with 5 lanes heading south and 6 heading north. The highway then ends at a double interchange with Interstate 295, which crosses the Delaware Bank on the New Jersey side from Wilmington to Trenton.
History
History
In 1932, the Regional Planning Federation proposed a network of parkways similar to the New York City system of parkways laid out by Robert Moses. The highway over the bank of the Schuylkill River, then called the Valley Forge Parkway, was to connect Fairmount Park in Philadelphia with the Valley Forge National Historic Park. An extension had to continue towards Pottstown and Reading. However, without the perseverance such as Moses had, the plan never got off the ground.
In 1947, initial plans were approved to develop a highway on the banks of the Schuylkill River. Contrary to the earlier parkway plan, the motorway had to be opened to all types of traffic, including trucks. In 1948, when the Pennsylvania Turnpike was extended from Harrisburg to Valley Forge, two extensions were proposed, one of which was a through connection north of Philadelphia to connect to the New Jersey Turnpike, the other to branch off into downtown Philadelphia., which was also carried out.
Construction history
Construction began on the highway on the Philadelphia border on the bank of the Schuylkill River in 1949. The first section opened on September 1, 1954 through Montgomery County. Construction then continued further south, through Philadelphia. Initially there were difficulties in acquiring the finances, but after the Interstate Highway system was rolled out in 1956, construction became easier and on June 30, 1959 the last section of the Schuylkill Expressway opened.
Later developments
As early as 1960, one year after completion, the first plans were made to widen the highway and make it safer. In 1962, there were brief plans for the parallel Manayunk Expressway on the east bank of the Schuylkill River. Another plan was to widen the highway to 2×4 lanes, with completion scheduled for 1976. Ultimately, this plan was only partially implemented. In 1972 the double numbering with US 1 was widened to 2×3 lanes. In 1970 there were also plans to widen the entire Schuylkill Expressway to 2×3 lanes. However, these plans were never implemented, and the highway still has large sections with only 2×2 lanes to this day.
In May 2021, a variable speed limit system was put into operation on the Schuylkill Expressway. This system consists of traffic signaling with traffic jam detection. This system was introduced to allow a rush -hour lane on I-76.
Opening history
From | Unpleasant | Length | Date |
King of Prussia | King of Prussia (US 202) | 1 km | 00-00-1951 |
King of Prussia (US 202) | Consohocken | 8 km | 00-00-1952 |
Consohocken | Philadelphia City Avenue | 12 km | 01-09-1954 |
34th Street? | Walt Whitman Bridge | 10 km | 16-05-1957 |
Philadelphia City Avenue | I-676 | 8 km | 00-00-1959 |
I-676 | 34th Street? | 3 km | 30-06-1959 |
Traffic intensities
Exit | Location | 2007 |
327 | King of Prussia | 50,000 |
328 | 115,000 | |
330 | Gulph Mills | 116,000 |
331 | 103,000 | |
332 | Consohocken | 87,000 |
337 | Gladwyne | 87,000 |
338 | Belmont Hills | 131,000 |
339 | 192,000 | |
340 | Roosevelt Blvd | 192,000 |
341 | Montgomery Drive | 137,000 |
342 | 137,000 | |
344 | 144,000 | |
346 | South Street | 137,000 |
347 | Passyunk Avenue | 118,000 |
350 | 118,000 |
Lane Configuration
From | Unpleasant | Lanes |
Exit 327 (I-276) | Exit 339 (U.S. 1) | 2×2 |
Exit 339 (U.S. 1) | Exit 341 | 2×4 |
Exit 341 | Exit 344 (I-676) | 2×3 |
Exit 344 (I-676) | Exit 346B | 2×2 |
Exit 346B | Exit 347B | 2×3 |
Exit 347B | Exit 349 | 2×2 |
Exit 349 | Exit 351 (I-95) | 2×3 |
Exit 351 (I-95) | Exit 2 (I-676) | 3+4 |
Exit 2 (I-676) | Exit 1C (US 130) | 5+6 |
Exit 1C (US 130) | Exit 1 (I-295) | 2×6 |