Pennsylvania Route 132

Route description

PA 132 begins at an intersection with PA 611 (Easton Road) in Warrington Township, heading to the southeast on West Street Road, a four-lane road that alternates between a divided highway and an undivided five-lane road including a center left-turn lane. West of PA 611, Street Road continues as an unnumbered road to Lower State Road. It heads through commercial areas before crossing the Little Neshaminy Creek and entering residential areas. At the Valley Road intersection, the route crosses into Warminster Township and continues through suburban development. PA 132 enters commercial areas as it comes to an intersection with PA 263 (York Road). After crossing the New Hope and Ivyland Railroad at-grade about 300 feet (91 m) north of that railroad meeting SEPTA's Warminster Line, the route passes through industrial areas before intersecting PA 332 (Jacksonville Road).

Past the PA 332 intersection, the road continues through a mix of homes and businesses as East Street Road. Upon crossing Davisville Road, PA 132 enters Upper Southampton Township and passes more businesses. The road crosses PA 232 (Second Street Pike) in the community of Southampton before crossing a bridge over SEPTA's abandoned Fox Chase/Newtown Line. After passing through wooded residential areas, the road crosses into Lower Southampton Township at the Stump Road intersection and passes under Norfolk Southern's Morrisville Line.

Street Road continues past a mix of residential and commercial development as it comes to an intersection with PA 532 (Bustleton Pike) in the community of Feasterville. After crossing PA 532, the road heads past several businesses before turning south-southeast into woodland. PA 132 turns southeast again and intersects Philmont Avenue prior to entering Bensalem Township. Upon entering Bensalem, the route passes over SEPTA's West Trenton Line on a bridge as it enters commercial areas again. After a bridge over CSX's Trenton Subdivision, PA 132 passes under the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-276) immediately before an intersection with Old Lincoln Highway, becoming a divided highway.

A short distance later, the road reaches a partial cloverleaf interchange with US 1 before turning south. The route comes to an E-ZPass-only ramp that provides access to and from the eastbound Pennsylvania Turnpike; this ramp has no access from eastbound PA 132. PA 132 continues south-southeast past more businesses, becoming an undivided road again and passing the entrance to Parx Casino and Racing. The road passes more development as it reaches the PA 513 (Hulmeville Road) intersection. Farther southeast, PA 132 reaches an interchange with US 13 before ending at the I-95 interchange. Past I-95, Street Road continues as an unnumbered road to State Road.

In 2014, PA 132 had an annual average daily traffic count ranging from a high of 42,000 vehicles between Trevose Road/Old Street Road and Old Lincoln Highway to a low of 25,000 vehicles between Maple Avenue and PA 232. The entire length of PA 132 is part of the National Highway System.

History

Street Road was originally surveyed in the late 17th century, with the road being included in the original survey plans of William Penn for the Province of Pennsylvania. For much of its history it has been known as "the Street road". It was called the Street road because, contrary to present usage where "street" is a synonym for road, the original use of the word "street" was a paved road. The entire length of the road was completed by 1737. Street Road became a paved road by 1911; at the time, the route was not defined as a legislative route. By 1927, PA 132 was designated onto part of Street Road, running from US 611 (now PA 611) in Warrington Township southeast to US 13 in Bensalem Township.

In February 1950, two traffic signals were installed along the road in Bensalem. Street lights were installed along the stretch of PA 132 in Bensalem in December 1952. In August 1956, Bensalem police chief William Riempp urged for the stretch of Street Road through the township to be completely reconstructed as it was one of the most dangerous roads in the state. The state widened the portion of PA 132 through Upper Southampton and Lower Southampton townships from 22 feet (6.7 m) to 24 feet (7.3 m) in 1956; this widening was called a "useless waste of public funds" by the Lower Southampton Township planning commission as the road was not anticipated to handle increasing traffic volumes. The portion of Street Road between US 1 and US 13 in Bensalem Township was repaved in summer 1957; however the shoulders were not repaved, resulting in a drop between the travel lanes and the shoulder. In August 1958, the Pennsylvania State Highway Department (PDH) considered reducing the speed limit on the two-lane stretch of PA 132 between Davisville Road and Gravel Hill Road in Upper Southampton Township in order to make the road safer.

On January 9, 1960, the PDH awarded a contract worth $1,488,493 to James D. Morrisey, Inc. to upgrade the section of PA 132 between Neshaminy and Warminster to a four-lane divided highway. In November 1961, the portion of Street Road southeast of US 13 was closed to allow for construction of I-95 (Delaware Expressway), which would include an interchange with Street Road; this interchange was planned to be completed in 1962. In January 1962, a proposal was made to split PA 132 onto separate roadways through Feasterville, with the westbound direction using Irving Place a block north of Street Road. In January 1963, plans were made to widen the entire length of PA 132 to 80 feet (24 m) with a median strip, with a portion in Feasterville to be widened to 71 feet (22 m). The widening was originally planned to be completed in 1965. By March of that year, the widening project was shelved as the state felt they should receive federal funds to fund the project. With the widening shelved, businesses from Feeasterville and Southampton along with State Senator Marvin Keller led a push to get the portion of Street Road through the two communities paved, which was in disrepair and saw a lot of accidents.

In May 1965, construction began to widen the portion of PA 132 between US 1 and US 13 in Bensalem to a four-lane divided highway. On August 27, 1965, a 2-mile (3.2 km) stretch of new concrete pavement along PA 132 in Bensalem was completed, with work then to begin on rebuilding the original roadway to make it a divided highway. The widening of Street Road into a divided highway between US 1 and US 13 was completed in December 1965. The proposed widening of PA 132 in Feasterville drew concerns from residents who feared they would lose their homes. In July 1967, the state made plans to add left turn lanes at PA 132's intersections with US 611 in Warrington and PA 263 in Warminster in order to reduce crashes. In 1969, work was underway in widening Street Road between PA 263 and PA 332 in Warminster. The widening of PA 132 into a divided highway was completed in 1970. As a result of this improvement, a portion of the road was relocated east of Feasterville, with the former alignment becoming Old Street Road. Also by this time, the route was extended southeast to an interchange with I-95.

In May 1971, plans were announced to install a traffic signal at PA 132 and Mechanicsville Road in Bensalem Township, an intersection that saw many accidents. Plans were discussed in September 1975 to reconsturct PA 132 to handle increasing traffic volumes, with work projected to begin between 1977 and 1980. On November 22, 1976, Warminster Township supervisors voted against building sidewalks and curbs on a portion of Street Road in the township in order to not burden taxpayers. In 2005, a bill was passed designated the entire length of PA 132 as the Armed Forces and Veterans Memorial Highway. On May 28, 2007, PA 132 was officially named the Armed Forces and Veterans Memorial Highway in a ceremony held in Warminster, with State Representative Kathy Watson in attendance. On November 22, 2010, an E-ZPass only ramp with access to and from the eastbound Pennsylvania Turnpike in Bensalem Township opened, intended to provide improved access to the Parx Casino and reduce congestion at the Pennsylvania Turnpike interchange with US 1.

Major intersections

The entire route is in Bucks County.