History
editOriginal route
editPA 29 was created and first signed in 1928. During this time, construction began on the segment between Tunkhannock north to Springville. A year later, the stretch between Tunkhannock and Lemon, midway Tunkhannock and Springville, opened to traffic. Lemon to Springville opened the following year, in 1930.
In 1934, work started on the section between US 6 in Tunkhannock and Franklin Forks, located midway between Montrose and the state border. The construction was complete by the following year. In 1936, two major sections of the route, stretching between Evans Falls to Rosengrants, near Tunkhannock, and from Franklin Forks to the state line, were paved. A subsequent project united PA 29 into a single route, completing the road from Hazleton to Tunkhannock. PA 29 and PA 113 switched alignments between Phoenixville and Rahns in 1937, with PA 29 now following its present alignment between those two places.[1][2]
Two years later, the section from Rosengrants to Tunkhannock was paved. In 1940, the section between Bowmans Creek and Evans Falls was paved.
The first realignment of the route came in 1946 when PA 29 was routed to its current position between West Nanticoke and Silkworth, shifting the route from Cragle Hill Road and Swamp Road to U.S. Route 11 from Shickshinny to West Nanticoke. This routing replaced Pennsylvania Route 139.
The route was split on May 9, 1966, by eliminating the section between US 309 in Allentown and US 11 in West Nanticoke, removing a number of overlaps that linked the two segments. The former alignment of PA 29 became solely US 309 (now PA 309) between Allentown and Schnecksville, newly-designated PA 873 between Schnecksville and Lehigh Gap, newly-designated PA 248 between Lehigh Gap and Weissport, solely US 209 between Weissport and Nesquehoning, an extension of PA 93 between Nesquehoning and Nescopeck, an extension of PA 239 between Nescopeck and Shickshinny, and solely US 11 between Shickshinny and West Nanticoke.[3][4]
Post-split
editIn 1969, construction began on the South Cross Valley Expressway between Sugar Notch and the Nanticoke interchange. The expressway was extended to Interstate 81 in 1971 and opened in 1972.
Prior to construction of the US 202 expressway in 1970, PA 29 travelled entirely on Phoenixville Pike between Phoenixville and West Chester. PA 29 entered West Chester on Goshen Road and Marshall Street ending at PA 100 in town. When the US 202 expressway was built, PA 29 was rerouted onto Morehall Road at Devault and ran south to junction US 202 and then end at US 30.[5] There are still today numerous road signs on Phoenixville Pike between Frazer and West Chester that label the road as PA 29.
In 1978, PA 29 was re-signed to the northern segment of the route after 12 years of not having a designation. The southern terminus was moved from West Nanticoke to the current end at I-81 exit 164 in Ashley.
There are future plans to extend the South Cross Valley Expressway in 2009.
In 2009, a roundabout was constructed at the intersection of PA 29 and PA 73 in Lower Frederick Township; crashes decreased at this junction after the roundabout opened.[6]
On December 11, 2012, an E-ZPass only interchange opened with the Pennsylvania Turnpike.[7]
In November 2020, a portion of PA 29 in Collegeville was realigned to cross Main Steeet from 2nd Avenue to 1st Avenue instead of following Main Street for a block.[8]
- ^ Official Road Map of Pennsylvania (PDF) (Map). Pennsylvania Department of Highways. 1940. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 5, 2011. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
- ^ "Phoenixville-Rahns Route Numbers Changed". Pottstown Mercury. Pottstown, PA. May 4, 1937. p. 11. Retrieved May 25, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "State Highway Traffic Route Changes Announced". Jim Thorpe Times-News. May 5, 1966. p. 1. Retrieved November 13, 2017 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Official Map of Pennsylvania (PDF) (Map). Pennsylvania Department of Highways. 1970. Retrieved November 13, 2017.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
pahwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Zlomek, Joe (September 3, 2020). "Routes 29 and 73 Roundabout Among 22 Where Crashes Decreased". Sanatoga Post. Retrieved September 3, 2020.
- ^ Davis, Carolyn (December 12, 2012). "Turnpike ramp opens – The E-ZPass-only interchange could lighten volume elsewhere". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. B01.
- ^ "Two Farms Inc. to Close Route 29 (First Avenue) for Roadway Realignment in Collegeville Borough" (Press release). Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. November 13, 2020. Retrieved December 29, 2020.
