End of historic US highway 120 |
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Summa
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1926-1927
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1927-1928
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1928-1934
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1934-1967
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For the vast majority of its existence, US 120 measured 102.9 miles in length. But during the brief time it went to Reading, it was 249.5 miles long.
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The original plan for US 120 was that it would connect the port cities on opposite corners of Pennsylvania. In Philadelphia, initial plans called for US 120 to come in on Germantown Avenue, ending at the Bethlehem Pike, which carried US 309. The west end of US 120 would have been in Erie. But Pennsylvania was not satisfied with AASHO's "final" plans in 1926, and they continued to make several changes to their US highway routings and designations. Already by 1927 the west end of US 120 had been truncated to Ridgway. Additionally, US routes in Pennsylvania were probably not actually posted until sometime in 1928, and by then the east end of US 120 had been truncated to its junction with US 422 in Reading. And soon after that, much of the remainder of the route was swallowed up by the new US 122[ii] designation... so, for the vast majority of its existence, US 120 ran only between Ridgway and Lock Haven:
c. 1939, Rand McNally
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This photo shows US 120's historic endpoint in Ridgway. US 120 was changed to PA hwy. 120 in 1967; this shot was looking westbound at the terminus:
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O'Domski, Sep. 2018
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In Lock Haven, US 120 followed today's PA 120 to end at its junction with US 220, which at the time was essentially routed along what is now designated as PA 150. However, US 220 didn't always follow Main Street all the way through town (as PA 150 does now). Coming from the west, it jogged north on Jay Street, and then resumed westward along Water Street. This image was looking west on Water:
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Joseph, Jul. 2018 (linked to source)
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That was southbound US 220, which turned left on Jay (to the right is the bridge over the West Branch Susquehanna). Straight ahead on Water was the beginning of US 120 until about 1939. Then, US 220 was changed to follow Main, so US 120 was extended to the left for one block in order to junction with US 220. This 1964 shot was looking west on Main:
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Lindsay, Aug. 1964
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To the right on Jay was the west beginning of US 120. Here is a photo of modern signage looking that same direction:
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Nelson, Sep. 2007
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Today this is PA 150/PA 120, but formerly it was US 220, which continued straight ahead. To the right on Jay was the east beginning of US 120 (after a block, the route continued west on Water ).
Research and/or photo credits: Nathan Edgars; Joseph; Jeff Kitsko; Jim Lindsay; Steven Nelson; Shawn O'Domski; Dale Sanderson; Michael Summa
Page originally created 2005;
last updated June 29, 2020.
last updated June 29, 2020.
