Pennsylvania Route 611

PA Route 611
Route information
Maintained by PennDOT, City of Philadelphia, and City of Easton
Length:	109.685 mi (176.521 km)
Existed:	March 14, 1972 – present
Major junctions
South end:	I-95 in Philadelphia
	I-76 in Philadelphia I-676 / US 30 in Philadelphia US 13 in Philadelphia US 1 in Philadelphia PA 309 in Philadelphia I-276 / Penna Turnpike in Willow Grove US 202 in Doylestown US 22 in Easton I-80 / US 209 in Stroudsburg PA 33 in Stroud Township
North end:	I-380 in Coolbaugh Township
Location
Counties:	Philadelphia, Montgomery, Bucks, Northampton, Monroe
Highway system
Pennsylvania State Route System Interstate US State Scenic Byways Legislative ← PA 607 PA 612 → ← PA 301 PA 303 → ← PA 826 PA 828 →

Pennsylvania Route 611 (PA 611), formerly U.S. Route 611 (US 611), is a major state highway in Pennsylvania, United States, running from Interstate 95 south of downtown Philadelphia north to Interstate 380 in Coolbaugh Township, Pennsylvania in The Poconos.

Within Philadelphia, PA 611 is also Broad Street (except for the five blocks just south of Cheltenham Avenue, where PA 611 bears right onto Old York Road), the main north–south street in Philadelphia and the traditional route for the annual Mummers Parade.

Route description

Philadelphia County

Main article: Broad Street (Philadelphia)

This is a southbound view of South Broad Street in Philadelphia, a part of Route 611

The intersection between 611 and Cheltenham Avenue marks the southern terminus of PA 309 as well as the city line separating Cheltenham Township from Philadelphia, and Montgomery County from Philadelphia County.

PA 611 is mostly Broad Street in Philadelphia, a major avenue that runs north and south through Central Philadelphia. PA 611 is called Broad Street for most of its route in Philadelphia, except in Center City, where PA 611 runs around Philadelphia City Hall, and near the northern edge of Philadelphia, where PA 611 leaves Broad Street for Old York Road before exiting the city. The Broad Street Line, a subway line, runs under PA 611 for most of its route in Philadelphia.

PA 611 begins at an interchange with I-95 at exit 17 in South Philadelphia, a section of Philadelphia. North of the I-95 interchange, PA 611 passes west of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex, which includes Citizens Bank Park, Lincoln Financial Field, Wells Fargo Center, and Xfinity Live!. PA 611 is the main access road to all of these arenas. North of the Sports area, PA 611 meets I-76, the Schuylkill Expressway, which heads east towards the Walt Whitman Bridge into New Jersey. North of I-76, PA 611 meets streets like Moyamensing Avenue, Oregon Avenue, Passyunk Avenue, and Snyder Avenue] Near Center City, PA 611 meets South Street, Walnut Street, and Chestnut Street. As PA 611 heads for Penn Square, PA 611 divides and runs around City Hall, also meeting the eastern terminus of PA 3 (Market Street) before becoming Broad Street again. In Center City, PA 611 meets Race Street, which takes passengers to the Convention Center. PA 611 meets I-676/US 30, the Vine Street Expressway, in downtown Philadelphia. North of Center City in North Philadelphia, it goes past Temple University, as well as Spring Garden Street and Cecil B. Moore, Glenwood, Lehigh, Allegheny, and Girard Avenues. North of the Temple area, PA 611 meets US 13 (Roosevelt Boulevard). North of the intersection with US 13, PA 611 passes over US 1 with access to and from the southbound direction of that route. At the northern tip of Philadelphia, PA 611 becomes Old York Road and leaves Broad Street, which continues north to PA 309. At the Philadelphia city line and in East Oak Lane, PA 611 meets the southern terminus of PA 309 (Cheltenham Avenue) at an interchange, although neither PA 309 nor PA 611 is a limited access road.

Montgomery County

PA 611 northbound at southern terminus of PA 263 in Willow Grove

PA 611 enters Montgomery County as Old York Road after the interchange with PA 309. Old York Road is a historic road that connected Philadelphia to New York City. At the Abington Township/Cheltenham Township border, PA 611 meets PA 73 which is called Township Line Road. In Willow Grove, PA 611 meets PA 63, also called Moreland Road. The second junction in Willow Grove is the southern terminus of PA 263, southwest of Hatboro, where PA 263 becomes York Road and PA 611 becomes Easton Road. PA 611 meets I-276, the Pennsylvania Turnpike, at the Willow Grove (#343) exit. In the community of Horsham, PA 611 meets the eastern terminus of PA 463. Also in Horsham, PA 611 passes east of the Horsham Air Guard Station. PA 611 meets an important road at the Bucks - Montgomery county line; that road is called County Line Road and it divides the two counties.

Bucks County

PA 611 enters Bucks County after crossing County Line Road. In Warrington Township, PA 611 meets the western terminus of PA 132 which is called Street Road. As PA 611 approaches Doylestown, PA 611 becomes a freeway to bypass Doylestown and the first exit is Main Street. In Doylestown Township west of Doylestown, the freeway meets US 202 at a cloverleaf interchange. The next interchange serves State Street; it also provides access to downtown Doylestown. The next interchange is for Broad Street, an access to the Bucks County courthouse. After that, there is a partial interchange with PA 313 with a northbound off-ramp, and a southbound on-ramp. A mile north of the PA 313 interchange, the freeway ends at a partial interchange and passengers coming from southbound lanes can access the Doylestown exit. In Bedminster Township, PA 611 meets the northern terminus of PA 413 and north of PA 413 in Tinicum Township the northern terminus of PA 113. In Nockamixon Township, PA 611 meets the southern terminus of PA 412 which is a route for Nockamixon State Park via PA 563, which meets PA 412 about one-half mile north of PA 611. In Kintnersville, PA 611 meets the northern terminus of PA 32, a road which runs along the Delaware River. North of the PA 32 intersection, PA 611 will parallel the Delaware River for most of its routing. South of Riegelsville, PA 611 meets the eastern terminus of PA 212.

Northampton County

PA 611 northbound in Easton on Larry Holmes Drive, named for former heavyweight boxing champion Larry Holmes

PA 611 enters Northampton County paralleling the Delaware River. In Williams Township, I-78 passes over PA 611 on the Interstate 78 Toll Bridge. In South Easton there are signs that lead passengers to I-78. After crossing the Lehigh River, PA 611 has entered downtown Easton as Larry Holmes Drive. In Easton, PA 611 meets Northampton Street which enters New Jersey on the Northampton Street Bridge. North of Northampton St, PA 611 meets the eastern terminus of PA 248 and meets U.S. Route 22 the Lehigh Valley Thruway at an interchange. PA 611 turns right on Garden Street and continues north. It turns right again and heads north, passing Lafayette College. As PA 611 exits the city of Easton, PA 611 is called Delaware Drive because PA 611 is paralleling the Delaware River. PA 611 does not have any major junctions in Forks, Lower Mount Bethel, and Washington Townships. In Upper Mount Bethel Township, PA 611 meets the northern terminus of PA 512. In Portland, PA 611 meets a road at an interchange that takes passengers into New Jersey crossing the Delaware River on the Portland-Columbia Toll Bridge. The road enters New Jersey and meets I-80, US 46, and Route 94 at an interchange.

Monroe County

Route 611 heading northbound through the Pocono Mountains Municipal Airport in Coolbaugh Township

PA 611 enters Monroe County paralleling the Delaware River and I-80 which is in New Jersey. PA 611 passes through the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area south east of Stroudsburg. In Delaware Water Gap, PA 611 meet these roads that connect to I-80 at exit 310. PA 611 becomes Fox Town Hill Road and enters the borough of Stroudsburg meeting with PA 191. Note passengers that want to take I-80 east/ US 209 north continue on PA 611 and passengers that want to take I-80 west/ US 209 south have to take PA 191. PA 611 meets the eastbound lanes of I-80 and the northbound lanes of US 209 and it has access to only I-80 east/ US 209 north. In downtown Stroudsburg, PA 611 briefly joins with US 209 BUS. In Stroud Township, PA 611 meets the northern terminus of PA 33 a 29-mile-long (47 km) freeway. PA 611 has access to I-80 west also at the junction with PA 33. In Pocono Township, PA 611 briefly joins with PA 715. North west of PA 715, PA 611 meets I-80 at exit 298 for the final time near The Crossings Premium Outlets, an outlet shopping center. In Swiftwater, PA 611 briefly joins with PA 314. In Mount Pocono, PA 611 joins with PA 940 meets the southern terminus of PA 196. In Coolbaugh Township, PA 611 meets PA 423 which takes passengers to I-380 south. PA 611 terminates when the lanes of PA 611 northbound enter the lanes of I-380 northbound.

History

U.S. Route 611
Location:	Philadelphia-Scranton
Existed:	1926–1972

US 611 sign at the intersection of Cheltenham Avenue and Old York Road (611) on the border of Philadelphia and Cheltenham.

Old junction US 611 sign on Easton Road in Willow Grove in 2008. The US 611 shield became missing from the sign and has been replaced with a PA 611 shield.

Until 1972, US 611 ran between US 30 in Philadelphia and I-81E (previously US 11) in Scranton. In 1970, the section of Interstate 380 between the current exit 8 and 13 opened to traffic, and the US 611 designation was moved onto that portion of highway. The original U.S. 611 still parallels Interstate 380 approximately 200 yards to the east through Gouldsboro State Park but is now known as Coolbaugh TR 627. The road is now closed to traffic. Locally, it is often known as "Old Route 611".

On December 3, 1971, the American Association of State Highway Officials approved the elimination of the US 611 designation. On March 14, 1972, US 611 was decommissioned and replaced with PA 611 between Philadelphia and I-81E in Tobyhanna and PA 435 between I-81E in Gouldsboro and Dunmore. Signs were changed by April of that year. Route 611's southern terminus had always been in Center City Philadelphia at the junction with PA 3; it was extended south to I-95 in 1987 (the stretch from City Hall south to Moyamensing Avenue had been part of PA 291).

US 611 in New Jersey and US 611 Alternate

Button copy guide sign with former US 611 designation at south end of Doylestown Bypass in 2009. This sign has since been replaced.

Until 1953, US 611 was exclusively in Pennsylvania. In late 1953, the Delaware Water Gap Toll Bridge and Portland-Columbia Toll Bridge were completed, as was the freeway through the Delaware Water Gap connecting them on the east (New Jersey) side of the Delaware River. The Delaware Bridge several miles south-east, which U.S. Route 46 used to cross, was abandoned at that point and later destroyed in 1955 by Hurricane Diane. The freeway had been planned as a realignment of U.S. Route 46, but instead US 611 was rerouted from its all-Pennsylvania route to cross the river twice in order to use the better-quality road on the New Jersey side. The Portland-Delaware Water Gap section of U.S. 611 became U.S. Route 611 Alternate. Route 46, therefore, no longer crossed into Pennsylvania; its western terminus became the junction with U.S. 611 at the intersection at the Portland-Columbia Toll Bridge.

North of the Portland-Columbia Bridge, the road widened from two to four lanes. Less than a mile north was a three-way intersection with only a caution light where Route 94 began and ran north. North of that intersection, Route 611 became a four-lane divided freeway and crossed the Delaware River a few miles further north on the Delaware Water Gap Toll bridge. After crossing into Pennsylvania, the divided highway narrowed again for a mile to a four lane road and curved into downtown Delaware Water Gap. There it intersected U.S. 611 Alternate and continued on to Stroudsburg. In 1959, it was announced that Interstate 80 would eventually be designated on the freeway. In 1964, U.S. Route 209 was moved to a newly built freeway to bypass Stroudsburg and wind south of the city. (The old alignment of U.S. 209 was redesignated as U.S. 209 Business from several miles north of East Stroudsburg to five miles south of Stroudsburg.) US 611 freeway was extended by a mile and when it ran into the then-newly built US 209 bypass, US 611 continued to run concurrently through Stroudsburg. Just west of Stroudsburg US 209 headed south and merged with 209 Business. US 611 continued west a few miles and winded slightly north and merged with US 611 alternate. The original US 611 from Delaware Water Gap past Stroudsburg was now also Alternate US 611. In 1963, the Pennsylvania Highways Department recommended replacing US 611 Alternate with US 611, with the US 611 designation to be removed from I-80. In 1965, the stretch of US 611 from the Route 94 intersection up past the Delaware Water Gap Bridge through the merger with US 611 Alternate was designated both US 611 and Interstate 80. Also past the merger with the US 209 bypass, the freeway was designated interstate 80, US 209, and US 611. Past Stroudsburg the freeway headed south and merging with US 209 Business continued to be designated as US 209. The freeway headed northwest was designated US 611 and Interstate 80. By 1972, Pennsylvania portions of Interstate 80 in the state were completed.

In 1972, when US 611 was decommissioned to a State Highway, Interstate 80 became the exclusive route for the area of freeway up to the US 209 bypass connection (US 209 is still designated on the Stroudsburg portion or the I 80 freeway). The US 611 shields all were removed that year from the freeway. In November 1973, the New Jersey portion of Interstate 80 was also complete. Soon after the Pennsylvania sections of I 80 also were complete. From 1972-73, the roads on the New Jersey side of the Delaware River were extensively realigned into a complex group of ramps. At this point, U.S. 611 was both decommissioned and realigned to its former Pennsylvania alignment and became Pennsylvania Route 611 (due to the completion of the Interstate 380 freeway, and its terminus there 25 miles (40 km) south of U.S. 11 in Scranton). PA 611 now was parallel to the Delaware River west to Delaware Water Gap, then to Stroudsburg downtown area, the shopping area north of Stroudsburg and then to Mt Pocono. Route 94 continued to serve the new Columbia interchange, as would U.S. 46. U.S. 46 was realigned to the former U.S. 611 alignment, terminating at Interstate 80 at the new interchange. The Columbia-Portland Bridge approaches on the New Jersey side were rebuilt to feed directly into Route 94 north. The only U.S. 611 shield in New Jersey is located on the approach to the Columbia-Portland bridge from U.S. 46 East.

Major intersections

County	Location	mi	km	Destinations	Notes
Philadelphia	Philadelphia	0.000	0.000	Broad Street south – Navy Yard	Continuation beyond I-95
		0.000	0.000	I-95 to I-76 east – Philadelphia International Airport, Central Philadelphia	Exit 17 on I-95; Broad Street continues south
		0.936	1.506	I-76 – Valley Forge, Walt Whitman Bridge, New Jersey	Exit 349 on I-76
		3.933	6.330	PA 3 west (Market Street / John F. Kennedy Boulevard)	One-way pair; eastern terminus of PA 3
		4.245	6.832	I-676 / US 30 to I-76 / I-95 – Philadelphia International Airport, Valley Forge	Access via Vine Street service roads
		8.464	13.621	US 13 (Roosevelt Boulevard)
		8.578	13.805	US 1 south (Roosevelt Expressway)	Interchange via local roads
Philadelphia– Montgomery	Philadelphia – Cheltenham Township	11.582	18.639	PA 309 north (Cheltenham Avenue)	Grade-separated interchange; southern terminus of PA 309
Montgomery	Cheltenham Township – Abington Township	13.494	21.716	PA 73 (Township Line Road) – Whitemarsh, Cheltenham
	Abington Township – Upper Moreland Township	17.216	27.706	PA 63 (Moreland Road)
	Upper Moreland Township	17.716	28.511	PA 263 north (York Road)	Southern terminus of PA 263
		19.205	30.907	I-276 / Penna Turnpike – Philadelphia, Harrisburg, New Jersey	Exit 343 (Willow Grove) on I-276 / PA Turnpike
	Horsham Township	20.285	32.646	PA 463 west (Horsham Road)	Eastern terminus of PA 463
Bucks	Warrington Township	23.833	38.355	PA 132 east (Street Road) – Warminster	Western terminus of PA 132
	Doylestown Township	27.813	44.761	South end of freeway
		27.813	44.761	Main Street – Business District	Northbound exit and southbound entrance
		28.646– 28.665	46.101– 46.132	US 202 – New Hope, Norristown	Cloverleaf interchange
		29.527	47.519	State Street
		30.882	49.700	Broad Street
	Doylestown Township – Plumstead Township	31.697	51.011	PA 313 – Dublin	Northbound exit and southbound entrance
	Plumstead Township	32.999	53.107	Main Street	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
		32.999	53.107	North end of freeway
	Bedminster Township	38.261	61.575	PA 413 south (Durham Road) – Pipersville
	Tinicum Township	40.156	64.625	PA 113 south (Bedminster Road)
	Nockamixon Township	43.684	70.303	PA 412 north (Durham Road) – Springtown
		48.879	78.663	PA 32 south (River Road) – Upper Black Eddy
	Durham Township	50.658	81.526	PA 212 west – Springtown
Northampton	Easton	59.306	95.444	To I-78 (Cedarville Road)
		60.906	98.019	PA 248 west (Larry Holmes Drive) – Wind Gap, Allentown
		60.995	98.162	US 22 (Lehigh Valley Thruway) – Harrisburg, New Jersey, New York	Interchange
	Upper Mount Bethel Township	77.967	125.476	PA 512 south (Mt. Bethel Highway) – Bangor
	Portland	79.603	128.109	To US 46 / I-80 / Route 94 – New Jersey, New York	Interchange
Monroe	Smithfield Township	86.200	138.725	To I-80 – New Jersey	Exit 310 on I-80
	Stroudsburg	88.534	142.482	PA 191 (Godfrey Ridge Road/Broad Street) to I-80 west – Bangor, Analomink
		88.932	143.122	I-80 east / US 209 north – Delaware Water Gap	Exit 307 on I-80/US 209
		89.156	143.483	US 209 Bus. north (Main Street)	South end of US 209 Bus. overlap
		89.337	143.774	US 209 Bus. south (Main Street)	North end of US 209 Bus. overlap
	Stroud Township	91.153	146.697	I-80 west – Hazleton	Northbound exit and southbound entrance, exit 303 on I-80
		93.525	150.514	PA 33 south to I-80 / US 209 south – Allentown, Stroudsburg, Snydersville, Hazleton
	Pocono Township	97.367	156.697	PA 715 north – Henryville	South end of PA 715 overlap
		97.435	156.806	PA 715 south to I-80 – Reeders	North end of PA 715 overlap
		98.367	158.306	I-80 east – Stroudsburg	Southbound exit and northbound entrance, exit 298 on I-80
		101.216	162.891	PA 314 east (Lower Swiftwater Road) – Henryville, Cresco	South end of PA 314 overlap
		101.436	163.245	PA 314 west (Manor Drive) – Pocono Manor, Pocono Summit	North end of PA 314 overlap
	Mount Pocono	103.960	167.307	PA 940 east – East Stroudsburg	South end of PA 940 overlap
		104.024	167.410	PA 196 north (Sterling Road) – Hamlin PA 940 west (Pocono Summit Road) to I-380 – Blakeslee	North end of PA 940 overlap
	Coolbaugh Township	108.918	175.287	PA 423 (Prospect Street) to I-380 south – Pocono Pines, Tobyhanna, South Sterling
		109.685	176.521	I-380 north – Scranton	Exit 8 on I-380
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus       Incomplete access

Bannered routes

Bucks County truck route

PA Route 611 Truck
Location:	Bedminster Township, Pennsylvania
Length:	0.4 mi (0.6 km)

Pennsylvania Route 611 Truck signs are posted to direct motorists from northbound PA 413 directly to PA 611 in Bedminster Township in Bucks County, avoiding Old Easton Road.

Monroe County truck route

PA Route 611 Truck
Location:	Bartonsville-Tannersville
Length:	5.0 mi (8.0 km)

Pennsylvania Route 611 Truck is a truck route of PA 611 that bypasses the stretch of the route between Bartonsville and Tannersville in Monroe County. PA 611 Truck northbound starts at the intersection of PA 33 and PA 611. When PA 33 interchanges with I-80, the truck route heads onto I-80 west. In Tannersville, it and I-80 reach an interchange with PA 715 at exit 299 and a mile later, PA 611 Truck leaves I-80 at exit 298 to PA 611, reaching its northern terminus. PA 611 Truck southbound starts at PA 611 and merges onto I-80 east at exit 298. It has an interchange with PA 715 at exit 299 and 3 miles later, exits I-80 onto PA 33 north. PA 611 Truck reaches its southern terminus 0.13 miles later at PA 611.

Former Philadelphia alternate route

U.S. Route 611 Alternate
Location:	Philadelphia-Willow Grove

U.S. Route 611 Alternate (US 611 Alt.) was an alternate alignment of US 611 between Philadelphia and Willow Grove. The route began at US 309, US 422, and US 309 Truck at the intersection of Germantown Avenue, Chew Avenue, and Mt. Airy Avenue in Philadelphia, heading northeast on Mt. Airy Avenue. The route became Easton Road as it entered Montgomery County, where it formed a short concurrency with PA 152 before intersecting PA 73. US 611 Alt. continued through Glenside and Roslyn before it reached Willow Grove, where it crossed PA 63 before ending at US 611 near the southern terminus of PA 263. US 611 Alt. was first designated by 1946. The alternate route was decommissioned in the 1950s.

Former Delaware Water Gap alternate route

U.S. Route 611 Alternate
Location:	Portland-Stroudsburg

U.S. Route 611 Alternate (US 611 Alt.) was an alternate alignment of US 611 that ran between Portland and Stroudsburg across the Delaware Water Gap. US 611 Alt. began at Portland in Northampton County, where US 611 crossed the Portland-Columbia Toll Bridge into New Jersey. From here, it headed north on the west bank of the Delaware River, passing through Slateford. The route traversed the Delaware Water Gap into Monroe County and passed through the community of Delaware Water Gap. US 611 Alt. curved west and headed into Stroudsburg, where it intersected PA 90 and ended at an intersection with US 209 and US 611. US 611 Alt. was designated during the 1950s on the former alignment of US 611 when US 611 was realigned to use a new alignment across the river in New Jersey, crossing the Delaware River twice on the Portland-Columbia Toll Bridge and the Delaware Water Gap Toll Bridge. In 1963, the Pennsylvania Highways Department recommended replacing US 611 Alt. with US 611, with the US 611 designation to be removed from I-80. US 611 Alt. was replaced by US 611 in the 1960s when it was rerouted out of New Jersey. I-80 had replaced the alignment of US 611 in New Jersey.

See also

• U.S. Roads portal
• Pennsylvania portal
• Philadelphia portal

External links

• PA 611 Junction List