Pennsylvania Route 26

"PA 26" redirects here. PA 26 may also refer to Pennsylvania's 26th congressional district.

PA Route 26
Route information
Maintained by PennDOT
Length:	128 mi[1] (206 km)
Existed:	1928 – present
Major junctions
South end:	Maryland state line in Union Township
	US 22 in Huntingdon PA 305 in McAlevys Fort PA 45 in Pine Grove Mills US 322 in State College I-99/US 220 near Bellefonte I-80 near Bellefonte
North end:	PA 150 near Howard
Location
Counties:	Fulton, Bedford, Huntingdon, Centre
Highway system
Roads in Pennsylvania Interstate • US • State • Legislative ← PA 25 PA 27 →

Pennsylvania Route 26 is a 128-mile (206 km) highway in the south-central area of Pennsylvania. Its northern terminus is at Pennsylvania Route 150 northwest of Howard, Pennsylvania; its southern terminus is at the Maryland state line near Barnes Gap in Union Township. Two major destinations along this route are Raystown Lake near Huntingdon and the Pennsylvania State University at State College.

In State College, Pennsylvania, the road divides into two one way streets, going northbound on Beaver Avenue and going southbound on College Avenue. The Centre Area Transportation Authority uses these two routes for their Campus Loop and the Town Loop.

As of November 24, 2008, a 3.6 miles (5.8 km) portion of PA 26 is concurrent with the northernmost stretch of Interstate 99 north of State College, Pennsylvania between Pleasant Gap and Interstate 80. The route also passes by the State Correctional Institution - Rockview, a state penitentiary.

Route description

Fulton and Bedford Counties

PA 26 begins at the Maryland state line (Mason-Dixon Line) in Fulton County. In Maryland it continues as N. Orleans Road. In Union Township, PA 26 begins as Clear Ridge Road and makes a 90 degree angle turn to the west while intersecting the western terminus of Pennsylvania Route 484. PA 26 enters Bedford County as Clear Ridge Road heading towards the west. Then PA 26 shifts towards the north. In Mann Township, PA 26 makes two sharp turns; first towards the west and second towards the north. PA 26 also passes through Buchanan State Forest with many turns in the forest. In Monroe Township, PA 26 begins to parallel Tussey Mountain. North of the forest, PA 26 has multiple S-curves. In West Providence Township, PA 26 passes under Interstate 70 and Interstate 76 (Pennsylvania Turnpike). North of I-70/I-76, PA 26 shifts to the west and then makes a 90 degree angle turn to the north to become State Street.

PA 26 enters the borough of Everett as Hopewell Street. Then, PA 26 makes a right turn to the west when it begins a concurrency with U.S. Route 30 Business. Then, PA 26 makes another right turn to the north to leave the US 30 concurrency to become Spring Street. At the Everett boundary, PA 26 passes under U.S. Route 30 without access. North of US 30, PA 26 is called Raystown Road. In Hopewell Township, PA 26 shifts towards the east while intersecting the southern terminus of Pennsylvania Route 36. Then PA 26 shifts towards the southeast and then the northeast. North of Hopewell, PA 26 begins to parallel the Raystown Branch of the Juniata River while intersects the northern terminus of Pennsylvania Route 915. Then, PA 26 shifts towards the north and parallels the Raystown Branch Juniata River. In Liberty Township, PA 26 intersects the western terminus of Pennsylvania Route 913. North of PA 913, PA 26 intersects the southern terminus of Pennsylvania Route 164 while entering Huntingdon County.

Huntingdon County

PA 26 also passes west of Raystown Lake while entering Huntingdon County. In Lincoln Township, PA 26 is called Raystown Road and it intersects the westerm terminus of Pennsylvania Route 994. PA 26 continues towards the northeast as Bedford Pike. In Marklesburg, PA 26 becomes Bedford Street. In Smithfield Township, PA 26 becomes Pennsylvania Avenue and intersects U.S. Route 22. North of US 22, PA 26 makes a turn towards the east and crosses the Juniata River and becomes Penn Street. PA 26 travels through most of Huntingdon as Penn Street. It then makes a turn onto 2nd Street. PA 26 then makes another turn and becomes known as Standing Stone Avenue. Aften leaving Huntingdon, PA 26 then becomes Stone Creek Road. In Jackson Township, PA 26 has a concurrency with Pennsylvania Route 305. After the concurrency, PA 26 shifts towards the northeast as McAlvey's Fort Road. PA 26 also passes by Whipple Dam State Park.

Centre County

View of the PA 26/University Drive interchange in State College

After crossing over Tussey Mountain, PA 26 enters Centre County with a concurrency with Pennsylvania Route 45 in Pine Grove Mills. Then PA 26 makes a left north turn to split from PA 45 and become College Avenue. Then PA 26 shifts towards the northeast and enters State College. In State College, PA 26 divides into two one-way streets (Beaver and College Avenues) and they intersect U.S. Route 322 Business. In downtown State College, PA 26 passes along the east edge of University Park, home to Pennsylvania State University. North of US 322 Business, PA 26 travels through the commercial district of State College. Then PA 26 north merges once again with PA 26 south on College Avenue. PA 26 next has an interchange with University Drive. In College Township, PA 26 interchanges with U.S. Route 322, the Mount Nittany Expressway.

North of US 322, PA 26 intersects the southern terminus of Pennsylvania Route 150. PA 26 continues towards the northeast as College Avenue. PA 26 next passes by State Correctional Institution - Rockview, a local prison in the Nittany Valley area. In Pleasant Gap, PA 26 intersects Pennsylvania Route 144. Then PA 26 intersects the southern terminus of Pennsylvania Route 64 while PA 26 makes a left turn towards the west and beginning a concurrency with U.S. Route 220 at an interchange. Here PA 26 joins an expressway and a concurrency with US 220 and Interstate 99. East of Bellefonte, PA 26 interchanges with Pennsylvania Route 550. South of I-80, US 220/PA 26 end the expressway and turn at-grade for less than a mile. In Marion Township, US 220 enters a concurrency with Interstate 80 to the east while PA 26 continues towards the northeast as Jacksonville Road. PA 26 also roughly parallels I-80/US 220 in this area. Then PA 26 makes a 90-degree angle turn to leave Jacksonville Road and proceeds to Howard as Walnut Street. Just to the northwest of Howard in Bald Eagle State Park, PA 26 terminates at an intersection with Pennsylvania Route 150.

Major intersections

County	Location	Mile[2]	Destinations	Notes
Fulton	MD state line	0.0	North Orleans Road	Southern terminus, continuation into Maryland
	Union Township		PA 484	Western terminus of PA 484
Bedford	Everett		US 30 Bus. east (Main Street)	South end of US Bus 30 concurrency
			US 30 Bus. west (Main Street)	North end of US Bus 30 concurrency
	Hopewell Township		PA 36	Southern terminus of PA 36
			PA 915	Northern terminus of PA 915
	Liberty Township		PA 913	Eastern terminus of PA 913
			PA 164	Southern terminus of PA 164
Huntingdon	Lincoln Township		PA 994	Western terminus of PA 994
	Smithfield Township		US 22
	Jackson Township		PA 305 west	South end of PA 305 concurrency
			PA 305 east	North end of PA 305 concurrency
Centre	Pine Grove Mills		PA 45 west (Pine Grove Road)	South end of PA 45 concurrency
	Ferguson Township		PA 45 east (Shingletown Road)	North end of PA 45 concurrency
	State College		US 322 Bus. (Atherton Street)
			University Drive	Interchange
	College Township		US 322 (Mount Nittany Expressway)
			PA 150 (Benner Pike)	Southern terminus of PA 150
	Spring Township		PA 144 (Main Street)
			PA 64 (College Avenue)	Southern terminus of PA 64
			I-99 / US 220 south	Interchange, south end of US 220 concurrency
			PA 550 (Zion Road)	Interchange
			I-80 / US 220 north	Exit 161 (I-80), north end of US 220 concurrency
	Howard Township		PA 150	Northern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References

1. ^ Pennsylvania Highways - Pennsylvania Route 26
2. ^ DeLorme Street Atlas USA 2007

External links

• PA State Route 26 Ends