Pennsylvania Route 568 (PA 568) is an 11.60-mile-long (18.67 km) state route in Berks County in east central Pennsylvania, United States. The western terminus is at U.S. Route 222 (US 222) near Adamstown, where PA 568 continues to the southwest as PA 272. The eastern terminus is at PA 724 in the Robeson Township hamlet of Gibraltar. The route is a two-lane undivided road that passes through rural areas in southern Berks County. The route intersects PA 625 in Knauers, passes through Alleghenyville, and forms a brief concurrency with PA 10 in Green Hills. PA 568 was designated onto its current alignment by 1966. The intersection with US 222 and PA 272 at the western terminus was replaced with an interchange in 2006.

Pennsylvania Route 568 marker
Pennsylvania Route 568
Map
Route information
Maintained by PennDOT
Length11.603 mi[1] (18.673 km)
Major junctions
West end US 222 / PA 272 near Adamstown
Major intersections PA 625 in Brecknock Township
PA 10 in Robeson Township
East end PA 724 in Robeson Township
Location
CountryUnited States
StatePennsylvania
CountiesBerks
Highway system
PA 566 PA 570

Route description

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PA 568 western terminus at US 222/PA 272 in Brecknock Township.

PA 568 begins at a partial cloverleaf interchange with the US 222 freeway and the northern terminus of PA 272 northeast of the borough of Adamstown in Brecknock Township, Berks County. From this interchange, the route heads east as two-lane undivided Alleghenyville Road, passing through forested areas with some fields and homes. The road continues through rural land and comes to an intersection with PA 625 in the community of Knauers. PA 568 heads southeast through forests with residential subdivisions, reaching the community of Alleghenyville. At this point, the route turns northeast as Kurtz Mill Road and crosses Allegheny Creek, curving east into a mix of farmland, woods, and homes. The road heads northeast into Robeson Township and runs through more rural areas, passing under Interstate 176 without an interchange before coming to the PA 10 junction near Green Hills. At this intersection, PA 568 turns south to briefly run concurrent with PA 10 on Morgantown Road before it splits to the east on Green Hills Road. The road winds to the northeast through forests with some homes and fields. The route follows Allegheny Creek and winds east and then north through more forested areas. PA 568 heads northeast into the residential community of Gibraltar and passes underneath the Schuylkill River Trail and a Norfolk Southern railroad line before it reaches its eastern terminus at PA 724.[2][3]

History

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PA 568 westbound past PA 10 in Robeson Township

The present-day alignment of PA 568 was not legislated as part of a route when Pennsylvania first legislated routes in 1911.[4] By 1928, the alignment between Adamstown and Alleghenyville existed as an unpaved road.[5] The roadway between Adamstown and Alleghenyville was paved by 1940.[6] By 1953, the road between Alleghenyville and Gibraltar was paved.[7] PA 568 was designated by 1966 to run from US 222 near Adamstown east to PA 724 in Gibraltar.[8] In 2006, the intersection with US 222 and PA 272 at the western terminus was replaced with an interchange as part of upgrading US 222 to a freeway.[9]

Major intersections

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The entire route is in Berks County.

Locationmi[1]kmDestinationsNotes
Brecknock Township0.0000.000  US 222 – Lancaster, Reading
 
 
PA 272 south (North Reading Road) – Adamstown
Interchange; western terminus; northern terminus of PA 272
2.1613.478  PA 625 (New Holland Road) – Reading, Blue BallHamlet of Knauers
Robeson Township7.61112.249 
 
 
 
PA 10 north (Morgantown Road) to I-176 – Green Hills
West end of PA 10 concurrency
7.68712.371 
 
PA 10 south (Morgantown Road) – Beckersville
East end of PA 10 concurrency
11.60318.673  PA 724 (Philadelphia Avenue) – Shillington, BirdsboroEastern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Bureau of Maintenance and Operations (January 2015). Roadway Management System Straight Line Diagrams (Report) (2015 ed.). Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Retrieved June 30, 2015.
  2. ^ "Pennsylvania Route 568" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved April 18, 2013.
  3. ^ Berks County, Pennsylvania Highway Map (PDF) (Map). PennDOT. 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 18, 2011. Retrieved December 22, 2014.
  4. ^ Map of Pennsylvania Showing State Highways (PDF) (Map). Pennsylvania Department of Highways. 1911. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 5, 2011. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
  5. ^ Pennsylvania Highway Map (Philadelphia Metro) (Map). Gulf Oil. 1928. Retrieved November 8, 2007.
  6. ^ Official Road Map of Pennsylvania (PDF) (Map). Pennsylvania Department of Highways. 1940. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 5, 2011. Retrieved June 24, 2010.
  7. ^ General Highway Map Berks County, Pennsylvania Sheet 1 (PDF) (Map). Pennsylvania Department of Highways. 1953. Retrieved January 6, 2015.[permanent dead link]
  8. ^ General Highway Map Berks County, Pennsylvania Sheet 1 (PDF) (Map). Pennsylvania Department of Highways. 1966. Retrieved December 14, 2012.[permanent dead link]
  9. ^ Youker, Darrin (June 18, 2006). "The wait is over". Reading Eagle. p. A9. Retrieved January 11, 2012.
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