The President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Expressway, commonly referred to as the President Biden Expressway,[2][3] and formerly known as the Central Scranton Expressway, is a 0.76-mile-long (1.22 km) freeway southeast of downtown Scranton in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It runs east-southeast from U.S. Route 11 (US 11)/Pennsylvania Route 307 (PA 307) near downtown to Interstate 81 (I-81).
President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Expressway | |
|---|---|
| Central Scranton Expressway | |
 | |
| Route information | |
| Maintained by PennDOT | |
| Length | 0.755 mi[1] (1,215 m) |
| Existed | 1964–present |
| Major junctions | |
| West end |   US 11 / PA 307 in Scranton |
| East end |  I-81 in Scranton |
| Location | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Pennsylvania |
| Counties | Lackawanna |
| Highway system | |
The highway is one of only three freeways in Pennsylvania with no posted route number. In the Location Referencing System, it is designated State Route 3022 by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT). In 2021, the road was renamed after President Joe Biden, who was born in Scranton.
Route description
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The President Biden Expressway begins at an interchange with US 11/PA 307 and Cedar Avenue in Scranton, with access to northbound US 11/PA 307 and from southbound US 11/PA 307. From here, the President Biden Expressway heads east-southeast as a four-lane freeway. The road runs between residential neighborhoods to the southwest and Roaring Brook to the northeast. The freeway passes under the Harrison Avenue Bridge before ending at a directional T interchange with I-81.[4]
History
editConstruction began in 1964 alongside the adjacent section of I-81.[5] The road was built along a portion of the former Lackawanna and Wyoming Valley Railroad right-of-way passing beneath the Harrison Avenue Bridge.[6] It opened[year needed] with a temporary western terminus feeding into Front Street at Prospect Avenue. By the early 1970s,[timeframe?] the current interchange at the western terminus was opened, connecting to a new road replacing the demolished Spruce Street Bridge.
In July 2021, there was a proposal to rename the Central Scranton Expressway after incumbent U.S. President Joe Biden, who was born in Scranton.[7] On July 20, 2021, the Scranton City Council unanimously voted to rename the Central Scranton Expressway to the President Joseph R. Biden Jr. Expressway along with renaming Spruce Street to Biden Street.[8] PennDOT replaced signage on the northbound lanes of I-81 on September 29, 2021, and replaced signage on the southbound lanes of I-81 on the following day. The sign installation was completed on October 4, 2021, at the exit 185 off ramp along I-81.[2][9]
Exit list
editThe entire route is in Scranton, Lackawanna County. All exits are unnumbered.
| mi[1] | km | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.000 | 0.000 |  US 11 north / PA 307 north – Central City, University, Colleges | Western terminus |
| Cedar Avenue | Westbound exit and eastbound entrance | ||
 I-81 south – Wilkes-Barre | Eastbound exit and westbound entrance; exit 185 on I-81 | ||
| 0.755 | 1.215 |      I-81 north to I-84 east / I-380 south – Binghamton | Eastern terminus |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi | |||
See also
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References
edit- ^ a b Bureau of Maintenance and Operations (January 2021). Roadway Management System Straight Line Diagrams (Report) (2021 ed.). Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. Retrieved September 29, 2021.
- Lackawanna County (PDF)
- ^ a b Warner, Andrea (September 29, 2021). "Lane restrictions on I-81 for installation of 'Biden Expressway' signage". PAhomepage. Retrieved September 29, 2021.
- ^ "Two roads to be renamed after President Biden in his Pa. hometown". NewsNation Now. July 8, 2021. Retrieved September 29, 2021.
- ^ "Overview of Central Scranton Expressway" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved December 24, 2010.
- ^ Kitsko, Jeffrey J. (September 30, 2014). "Pennsylvania Highways: Interstate 81". Pennsylvania Highways. Retrieved September 29, 2018.[self-published source]
- ^ Henwood, James N. J.; Muncie, John G. (1986). Laurel Line: An Anthracite Region Railway. Glendale, California: Interurban Press. p. 186. ISBN 0916374726.
- ^ Butler, Cody (July 6, 2021). "Scranton City Council begins voting on 'Biden Expressway'". PAhomepage. Retrieved July 7, 2021.
- ^ Lee, Peggy (July 20, 2021). "Scranton City Council unanimously votes to rename roads after native son Biden". Scranton, PA: WNEP-TV. Retrieved July 23, 2021.
- ^ Staff (September 30, 2021). "Another new expressway sign up in Scranton". Scranton, PA: WNEP-TV. Retrieved October 3, 2021.
External links
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