Alternate truck routes in Pennsylvania

Purpose

Similar to a truck route, the purpose of these routes are to bypass weight-restricted bridges. Weight-restricted bridges, or sometimes called risked-based bridges, are bridges that have a certain weight limit (mostly in tons). This alternate truck route, seen below, depicts that a weight-restricted bridge on U.S. Route 202 (US 202) is being bypassed, in this case, the US 202 bridge over Lower Gwynedd Creek in North Wales, Pennsylvania.

Alternate truck routes also relieve traffic on the main road. With a bypass around that main road, the average annual daily traffic and truck traffic are reduced.

History

Since September 5, 2013, more than half of the highways in Pennsylvania have operating truck routes bypassing weight-restricted bridges. Two districts, 1-0 and 6-0, did not have any. On November 1, 2013, nearly two months later, the alternate truck routes came into play, operating similar functions to a truck route.

US 1 Alternate Truck (Philadelphia)

U.S. Route 1 Alternate Truck (US 1 Alt. Truck) is a truck route around a weight-restricted bridge on US 1 over SEPTA's Cynwyd Line in Philadelphia, on which trucks over 36 short tons (33 t) and combination loads over 40 short tons (36 t) tons are prohibited. The route follows US 30 on Lancaster Avenue and Girard Avenue, Belmont Avenue, and a one-way pair along Belmont Avenue northbound and Conshohocken Avenue southbound.

US 1 Alternate Truck (West Grove)

U.S. Route 1 Alternate Truck (US 1 Alt. Truck) is a southbound truck route around a weight-restricted bridge that carries the southbound lanes of the US 1 freeway over Guernsey Road in West Grove, on which trucks over 36 short tons (33 t) and combination loads over 40 short tons (36 t) are prohibited. The route follows PA 841, Evergreen Street, Baltimore Pike, and PA 796.

US 13 Alternate Truck

U.S. Route 13 Alternate Truck (US 13 Alt. Truck) is a truck route around a weight-restricted bridge on US 13 over the St. Francis Creek in Bensalem Township, on which trucks over 32 short tons (29 t) and combination loads over 40 short tons (36 t) are prohibited. The route follows PA 132, PA 513, Gibson Road, and Bensalem Boulevard. US 13 Alt. Truck was signed in 2013.

US 30 Business Alternate Truck

U.S. Route 30 Business Alternate Truck (US 30 Bus. Alt. Truck) is a truck route of US 30 Bus. around a weight-restricted bridge over the East Branch Brandywine Creek in Downingtown, on which trucks over 36 short tons (33 t) and combination loads over 40 short tons (36 t) are prohibited. The route follows US 322, the US 30 freeway, and PA 113. US 30 Bus. Alt. Truck runs concurrently with US 322 Alt. Truck along US 30 and PA 113.

US 202 Alternate Truck

U.S. Route 202 Alternate Truck is a truck route of US 202 bypassing a weight-restricted bridge over the Wissahickon Creek in Lower Gwynedd Township, on which trucks over 30 short tons (27 t) and combination loads over 40 short tons (36 t) are prohibited. The route follows Morris Road, North Wales Road, and PA 63 through North Wales. It was formed in 2013.

US 322 Alternate Truck

U.S. Route 322 Alternate Truck (US 322 Alt. Truck) is a truck route of US 322 around a weight-restricted bridge over the East Branch Brandywine Creek in Downingtown, on which trucks over 36 short tons (33 t) and combination loads over 40 short tons (36 t) are prohibited. The route follows the US 30 freeway, PA 113, and US 30 Bus./US 322 Truck. US 322 Alt. Truck runs concurrent with US 30 Bus. Alt. Truck along US 30 and PA 113.

PA 23 Alternate Truck (King of Prussia)

Pennsylvania Route 23 Alternate Truck (PA 23 Alt. Truck) is a truck route around a weight-restricted bridge over the Trout Creek in Upper Merion Township, on which trucks over 32 short tons (29 t) tons and combination loads over 40 short tons (36 t) are prohibited. The route follows Gulph Road, US 202, and Henderson Road. It was signed in 2013.

PA 23 Alternate Truck (Phoenixville)

Pennsylvania Route 23 Alternate Truck (PA 23 Alt. Truck) is a truck route around a weight-restricted bridge over the French Creek in Phoenixville, on which trucks over 22 tons and combination loads over 26 tons are prohibited. The route follows PA 724, Bridge Street, Main Street, Township Line Road, and US 422. It was signed in 2014.

PA 32 Alternate Truck (Point Pleasant)

Pennsylvania Route 32 Alternate Truck is a truck route between Point Pleasant and PA 611 in Kintnersville, bypassing a weight-restricted bridge over the Delaware Canal in Tinicum Township, on which trucks over 35 short tons (32 t) are prohibited. The route follows Point Pleasant Pike, PA 413, and PA 611. It was signed in 2013.

PA 32 Alternate Truck (Morrisville)

Pennsylvania Route 32 Alternate Truck is a truck route bypassing a weight-restricted bridge over a tributary to the Delaware River in Morrisville, on which trucks over 34 short tons (31 t) are prohibited. The route follows US 1 and Pennsylvania Avenue. It was signed in 2013.

PA 63 Alternate Truck

Pennsylvania Route 63 Alternate Truck is a truck route around a weight-restricted bridge over the Unami Creek in Marlborough Township, on which trucks over 30 short tons (27 t) and combination loads over 40 short tons (36 t) are prohibited. The route follows PA 29, Park Avenue, Schwenksville Road, and Old Skippack Road. It was signed in 2013.

PA 73 Alternate Truck

Pennsylvania Route 73 Alternate Truck are truck routes of PA 73 that bypass a weight-restricted bridge over a branch of the Wissahickon Creek at the PA 309 interchange in Oreland, on which trucks over 36 short tons (33 t) and combination loads over 40 short tons (36 t) are prohibited. The eastbound alternate truck route follows PA 309 and Paper Mill Road. The westbound alternate truck route follows Paper Mill Road and Bethlehem Pike. There is also a PA 73 Alt. Truck for traffic from northbound PA 309 to access westbound PA 73, following PA 309 north from PA 73 to the Pennsylvania Turnpike interchange, where it utilizes the cloverleaf ramps to return to southbound PA 309 and head south to the PA 73 exit. PA 73 Alt. Truck was signed in 2013.

PA 82 Alternate Truck

Pennsylvania Route 82 Alternate Truck is a truck route around a weight-restricted bridge on PA 82 over the East Branch of Red Clay Creek in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. The route follows US 1, PA 41 and PA 841. It was established in 2013.

PA 113 Alternate Truck

Pennsylvania Route 113 Alternate Truck is a truck route of PA 113, bypassing a weight-restricted bridge over a branch of the Skippack Creek in Skippack Township, on which trucks over 34 short tons (31 t) and combination loads over 40 short tons (36 t) are prohibited. The route follows PA 29 and PA 73. It was signed in 2013.

PA 232 Alternate Truck

Pennsylvania Route 232 Alternate Truck is a truck route around a weight-restricted bridge over a branch of Mill Creek in Wrightstown Township, on which trucks over 30 short tons (27 t) and combination loads over 35 short tons (32 t) are prohibited. The route follows Swamp Road, Worthington Mill Road, and PA 413. It was signed in 2013.

PA 252 Alternate Truck

Pennsylvania Route 252 Alternate Truck is a truck route around a weight-restricted bridge over the Crum Creek at the Springton Reservoir in Marple Township, on which trucks over 34 short tons (31 t) and combination loads over 40 short tons (36 t) are prohibited. The truck route follows Providence Road and PA 3 between Upper Providence Township and Newtown Square. It was signed in 2013.

PA 282 Alternate Truck (Downingtown)

Pennsylvania Route 282 Alternate Truck is a route that goes through Downingtown bypassing a weight-restricted bridge over East Branch Brandywine Creek in which trucks over 30 short tons (27 t) and combination loads over 40 short tons (36 t) are prohibited. It follows PA 113, US 30, and Norwood Road. The route runs 4 miles in length and was signed on November 1, 2013.

PA 282 Alternate Truck (Eagle)

Pennsylvania Route 282 Alternate Truck is a truck route around a weight-restricted bridge over the Brandywine Creek in Eagle, Pennsylvania. It follows Moore Road, PA 100 and PA 113. Along PA 100, it runs concurrent with PA 401 Alternate Truck. The route is 7 miles in length and was signed in 2013.

PA 313 Alternate Truck

Being the only decommissioned alternate truck route, Pennsylvania Route 313 Alternate Truck went around a weight-restricted bridge over Beaver Run in Quakertown, on which trucks over 36 short tons (33 t) and combination loads over 40 short tons (36 t) were prohibited. The route followed PA 309, Lawn Avenue, and PA 563. It was signed in 2013, but the bridge was repaired, so it was decommissioned in 2015.

PA 401 Alternate Truck

Pennsylvania Route 401 Alternate Truck is a truck route around a weight-restricted bridge over a branch of the Pickering Creek in West Pikeland Township, on which trucks over 32 short tons (29 t) and combination loads over 40 short tons (36 t) are prohibited. It was signed on November 1, 2013 and is routed on Byers Road, Graphite Mine Road, PA 100, and PA 113. It has an interchange the Pennsylvania Turnpike at exit 312, running concurrent with PA 100.

PA 420 Alternate Truck

Pennsylvania Route 420 Alternate Truck is an alternate route for trucks that was formed in 2013. It bypasses a weight-restricted bridge in Tinicum Township, Pennsylvania and railroad crossings and old bridges and overpasses in Prospect Park, Pennsylvania. It follows PA 291 and MacDade Boulevard.

PA 532 Alternate Truck

Pennsylvania Route 532 Alternate Truck is a truck route bypassing a weight-restricted bridge over the Delaware Canal in Upper Makefield Township, on which trucks over 29 tons and combination loads over 35 tons are prohibited. Formed in 2013, it follows Taylorsville Road and PA 32.

PA 663 Alternate Truck

Pennsylvania Route 663 Alternate Truck is a truck route around a weight-restricted bridge over the Manatawny Creek in Pottstown, on which trucks over 25 short tons (23 t) and combination loads over 28 short tons (25 t) are prohibited. It follows PA 100 and PA 73 and was signed in 2013.

PA 841 Alternate Truck

Pennsylvania Route 841 Alternate Truck is a truck route bypassing a weight-restricted bridge over a branch of the West Branch of White Clay Creek in Franklin Township, on which trucks over 35 short tons (32 t) are prohibited. Formed in 2013, it follows PA 896, PA 796, Baltimore Pike, and Evergreen Street.

PA 926 Alternate Truck

Pennsylvania Route 926 Alternate Truck is a truck route bypassing a weight-restricted bridge over Radley Run in Thornbury Township, on which trucks over 36 short tons (33 t) and combination loads over 40 short tons (36 t) are prohibited. Formed in 2013, it follows PA 52, US 1, and US 202/US 322.