Interstate 81 in Pennsylvania

This article is about the section of Interstate 81 in Pennsylvania. For the entire length of the highway, see Interstate 81.

Interstate 81
American Legion Memorial Highway
Route information
Maintained by PennDOT
Length:	232.63 mi (374.38 km)
Major junctions
South end:	I-81 at the MD state line near Hagerstown
	US 30 in Chambersburg US 11 to I-76 / Penna. Tpk. in Carlisle PA 581 near Camp Hill US 22 / US 322 in Harrisburg I-83 / US 322 in Colonial Park I-78 in Lickdale I-80 near Hazleton PA 309 in Wilkes-Barre I-84 / I-380 / US 6 near Scranton I-476 / Penna. Tpk. / US 6 near Scranton
North end:	I-81 at the NY state line near Hallstead
Highway system
Main route of the Interstate Highway System Main • Auxiliary • Business Roads in Pennsylvania Interstate • US • State • Legislative ← PA 80 PA 81 →

Interstate 81 is an 854.89-mile (1,375.81 km) long north–south Interstate Highway, stretching from Dandridge, Tennessee to Fisher's Landing, New York at the United States/Canadian border. In the state of Pennsylvania, I-81 runs for 232.63 miles (374.38 km) from the Maryland state line near Chambersburg to the New York state line near Hallstead and is called the American Legion Memorial Highway.

Route description

Maryland to Interstate 78

I-81 northbound at western terminus of I-78

I-81 enters Pennsylvania at the Maryland state line about 13 miles (21 km) south of Chambersburg. In Chambersburg at mile marker 16, it meets with a major highway; U.S. Route 30 (the Chambersburg Pike to Gettysburg). About a mile north of Carlisle at exit 52, it meets with U.S. Route 11, which takes passengers to the Pennsylvania Turnpike/ Interstate 76, since I-81 has no direct interchange with I-76. The stretch of US 11 connecting I-81 to I-76 is known locally as the "Miracle Mile" since it contains plenty of traveler services including restaurants, gas stations, lodging, truck stops, shops, etc. . From here, I-81 travels in an almost precisely east–west direction for the next 37 miles (until exit 89). At mile marker 59, it has an interchange with the western terminus of Pennsylvania Route 581, the Harrisburg Expressway. I-81 becomes the Capital Beltway from exit 59 to exit 70. As passengers approach exit 67, a major complex interchange is seen. The interchange consists of U.S. Route 22 and U.S. Route 322; US Route 322 merges with Interstate 81. Exit 70 is the eastern terminus of the US 322 concurrency and the northern terminus of Interstate 83, and is located in Colonial Park. For the entire segment between the Mason-Dixon Line and Interstate 78, I-81 runs through the Great Valley. North of Harrisburg between Interstate 83/US Route 322 and Interstate 78, the highway passes near Hershey and Fort Indiantown Gap.

Interstate 78 to New York State

I-81 northbound approaching Central Scranton Expressway in Scranton

At mile marker 89, I-81 meets the western terminus of I-78; I-78 picks up the eastward route through the Great Valley and heads toward Allentown and New York City, while I-81 turns back northward, cutting through the Blue Mountain at Swatara Gap. From mile marker 141 to mile marker 146; I-81 passes near the city of Hazleton. At exit 151, I-81 meets a major interstate; Interstate 80. As motorists enter Wilkes-Barre at mile marker 165, Interstate 81 merges with a major Pennsylvania route for 5 miles (8.0 km); Pennsylvania Route 309. At exit 175, I-81 meets with Pennsylvania Route 315, which will lead passengers to the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. In Scranton at mile marker 185, there is a short freeway called the Central Scranton Expressway which will lead passengers into downtown Scranton. At mile marker 187, I-81 is at the Throop Dunmore Interchange which consists of Interstate 84, Interstate 380, and U.S. Route 6. US 6 merges with I-81 for 7 miles (11 km) from mile marker 187 to mile marker 194. At mile marker 194, is the northern terminus of Interstate 476 which is the north east extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The last exit in Pennsylvania is exit 230 which is Pennsylvania Route 171 near Hallstead. 4 miles (6.4 km) north of exit 230, passengers have entered the state of New York.

Exit list

County	Location	Exit		Destinations	Notes
		Old	New
Franklin	State Line	Maryland state line. I-81 south continues into Maryland.
		1	1	PA 163 (Mason Dixon Road)	Interchange straddles Maryland state line.  Southbound ramps are in Maryland, and northbound ramps are in Pennsylvania.
	Antrim Township	2	3	US 11 (Molly Pitcher Highway)	No access from northbound US 11 to southbound I-81
	Greencastle	3	5	PA 16 – Greencastle, Waynesboro, Mercersburg
	Guilford Township	4	10	PA 914 – Marion
	Chambersburg	5	14	PA 316 (Wayne Avenue) – Waynesboro
		6	16	US 30 (Lincoln Way) – Gettysburg
		7	17	Walker Road	To Norland Avenue and Wilson College
	Greene Township	8	20	PA 997 – Scotland	Penn State - Mont Alto and Letterkenny Army Depot
	Southampton Township	9	24	PA 696 (Fayette Street)
Cumberland	Southampton Township	10	29	PA 174 (King Street) – Shippensburg Airport
	Penn Township	11	37	PA 233 – Newville	Park and Ride Lot
	Carlisle	12	44	PA 465 – Plainfield	Carlisle Fairgrounds.
		13	45	College Street	Dickinson College, Penn State Dickinson School of Law.
		14	47	PA 34 (Hanover Street)	U.S. Army War College; split into exits 47A (south) and 47B (north)
		15	48	PA 74 (York Road)	Northbound exit, southbound entrance
		16	49	PA 641 (High Street)	Southbound exit, northbound entrance
	Middlesex Township	17	52	US 11 / I-76 / Penna. Tpk. – New Kingston, Middlesex Township	Carlisle exit on I-76/PA Turnpike; split into exits 52A (US 11 north) and 52B (I-76 / US 11 south) northbound
	Silver Spring Township	18	57	PA 114 – Mechanicsburg
	Hampden Township
		Southern terminus of I-81/Capital Beltway concurrency.
		19	59	PA 581 east (Harrisburg Expressway) / US 11 – Camp Hill	Capital Beltway; south end of concurrency with Captial Beltway
		20	61	PA 944 (Wertzville Road)
	East Pennsboro Township	21	65	US 11 / US 15 – Enola, Marysville	Central Pennsylvania College; split into exits 65A (south) and 65B (north)
Dauphin	Harrisburg	22	66	Front Street — Downtown Harrisburg	Amtrak Terminal.
		23A	67A	US 22 east (Cameron St.) / PA 230 east	Harrisburg Area Community College.
		23B	67B	US 22 west / US 322 west – Lewistown, State College	South end of concurrency with US 322
		Southern terminus of I-81/ US 322 concurrency.
		24	69	Progress Avenue	Widener University.
	Colonial Park	Northern terminus of I-81/ US 322 concurrency.  Northern terminus of I-81/Capital Beltway concurrency.
		25	70	I-83 south / US 322 east – Hershey, York	Capital Beltway. Harrisburg Airport; north end of concurrency with US 322 / Capital Beltway
	Paxtonia	26	72	US 22 – Paxtonia, Linglestown	Split into exits 72A (Linglestown) and 72B (Paxtonia to US 22) southbound
	West Hanover Township	27	77	PA 39 – Manada Hill, Hershey	Hershey Attractions.
	East Hanover Township	28	80	PA 743 – Grantville, Hershey
Lebanon	East Hanover Township	29	85	PA 934 south – Annville, Fort Indiantown Gap	Lebanon Valley College; split into exits 85A (south) and 85B (north) northbound
	Union Township	N/A	89	I-78 east – Allentown	Left exit southbound
		30	90	PA 72 – Lebanon
Schuylkill	Pine Grove Township	31	100	PA 443 – Pine Grove
	Tremont Township	32	104	PA 125 – Ravine
	Frailey Township	33	107	US 209 – Tremont, Tower City
		34	112	PA 25 – Hegins
	Foster Township	35	116	PA 901 – Minersville, Mount Carmel
	Butler Township	35A	119	Highridge Park Road – Hecksherville, Gordon
	Frackville	36	124	PA 61 – Saint Clair, Frackville, Pottsville, Shamokin	Split into exits 124A (south) and 124B (north)
	Mahanoy Township	37	131	PA 54 – Hometown, Mahanoy City, Shenandoah	Split into exits 131A (east) and 131B (west)
	Delano Township	38	134	Delano
	Kline Township	39	138	PA 309 – McAdoo, Tamaqua
Luzerne	Hazle Township	39A	141	PA 424 / PA 309 – Hazleton
		40	143	PA 924 – Hazleton
	Sugarloaf Township	41	145	PA 93 – West Hazleton	Penn State University Hazleton Campus.
	Butler Township	N/A	151	I-80 – Bloomsburg, Stroudsburg	Split into exits 151A (east) and 151B (west)
	Dorrance	42	155	Dorrance
	Nuangola	43	159	Nuangola
	Hanover Township	44	164	PA 29 north (South Cross Valley Expressway) – Nanticoke	Luzerne County Community College.
	Wilkes-Barre	45	165	PA 309 south / PA 309 Bus. – Wilkes-Barre, Mountain Top	Bus. 309 left exit; 309 South right offramp; split into exit 165A (south) and 165B (north); south end of concurrency with PA 309
		Southern terminus of I-81/ PA 309 concurrency.
		46	168	Highland Park Boulevard —  Wilkes-Barre	Access to Wachovia Arena and Downtown Wilkes-Barre.
	Plains Township	Northern terminus of I-81/ PA 309 concurrency.
		47	170	PA 115 east / PA 309 north (North Cross Valley Expressway) – Bear Creek, Wilkes-Barre, King's College	Split into exits 170A (PA 115) and 170B (PA 309).
	Pittstown Township	48	175	PA 315 / I-476 / Penna. Tpk. – Pittston, Dupont	Wilkes-Barre exit of PA Turnpike Northeast Extension.
	Avoca	49	178	PA 315 – Avoca, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport
Lackawanna	Moosic	50	180	US 11 / PA 502 – Moosic	No access from southbound I-81 to northbound US 11
	Scranton	51	182	Montage Mountain Road, Davis Street	Access to PNC Field and Snö Mountain ski area
		52A	184	PA 307 (River St.)	Northbound exit, southbound entrance
		52B	184	PA 307 (Moosic St.)	Southbound exit, northbound entrance
		53	185	Central Scranton Expressway	Access to Scranton Memorial Stadium and  University of Scranton.
	Dunmore	54	186	Drinker Street	Northbound exit, southbound entrance
		N/A	187	I-84 east to I-380 south / US 6 east – Milford, Mount Pocono, Carbondale	Throop Dunmore Interchange; south end of concurrency with US 6
		Southern terminus of I-81/ US 6 concurrency.
		55	188	PA 347 – Throop, Dunmore	Access to Penn State- Worthington Scranton Campus and Marywood University.
	Scranton	56	190	Main Avenue – Dickson City
		57	191	US 6 Bus. / US 11 (North Scranton Expressway) – Dickson City, North Scranton	Split into exits 191A (US 6 Bus.) and 191B (US 11)
	South Abington Township	Northern terminus of I-81/ US 6 concurrency.
		58	194	US 6 west / US 11 south / I-476 / Penna. Tpk. – Clarks Summit	Clarks Summit exit of PA Turnpike Northeast Extension. Northern terminus of Northeast Extension; north end of concurrency with US 6
	Scott Township	59	197	PA 632 – Waverly
		60	199	PA 524 – Scott Township
		61	201	PA 438 – East Benton
	Benton Township	62	202	PA 107 – Fleetville, Tompkinsville
Susquehanna	Lenox Township	63	206	PA 374 – Glenwood, Lenoxville
		64A	211	PA 106 – Lenox	Northbound exit, southbound entrance
		64B	211	PA 92 – Lenox	Southbound exit, northbound entrance
	Harford Township	65	217	PA 547 – Harford
	New Milford Township	66	219	PA 848 – Gibson
	New Milford	67	223	PA 492 – New Milford, Lakeside
	Hallstead	68	230	PA 171 – Great Bend, Susquehanna	Last exit in Pennsylvania.
New York state line. I-81 north continues into New York.

See also

• Interstate 81
• Throop Dunmore Interchange

External links

• Interstate 81 exits in Pennsylvania

Interstate 81
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