Some historic US highway endpoints in Philadelphia, PA
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Highway
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Approx. time period
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US
120
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1926-1927
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1927-1985 |
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1930-1968 |
Note: since I don't have access to a comprehensive collection
of historical road atlases, much of the info on this page is based on the
research of Robert Droz; click
here to view his site. Photo credits: Steven
Nelson
Several 3-digit US routes have ended in Philadelphia over the years. This page
discusses only those endpoints that were common to more than one route.
The photo below is looking south on Bethlehem Pike at Germantown Avenue:
Nelson,
Sep. 2007
If US 120 was ever signed into Philadelphia (it probably wasn't), its east
endpoint would've been here. That would've lasted only about a year anyway,
because US 422 replaced US 120 in 1927, and ended at the same place. And starting
in 1930, this was also the south end of US 309.
In 1935, both US 309 and US 422 were extended further south and east. US 422
used Ridge Avenue, and 309 ended up on Lincoln Drive. Both routes converged
and ended where they junctioned with Bypass US 1/13. Those routes followed City
Avenue from the south, then turned east on River Drive, so that intersection
marked the endpoint of both US 309 and 422. The photo below is from roughly
that location - it's looking west on Ridge:
Nelson, Sep. 2007
That could represent southbound Bypass US 1/13, which continued to the left
via City Av. Straight ahead was the east beginning of US 422, and to the right
on Lincoln was the south beginning of US 309. (I should point out the actual
junction was just to the south [left] of here.)
During the 1940s and 50s, US 309 and 422 were each rerouted to endpoints elsewhere
in Philadelphia; you can get more info and view photos by clicking on either
route in the chart above.
Page created 19 September 2007; last updated 21 September 2007.
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