South end: US 422 in Myerstown Constructed 17 April 1962 | Length 22.56 km | |
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Existed: April 17, 1962 – present North end: PA 443 in Pine Grove Township | ||
Pennsylvania Route 645 (PA 645) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The route runs from U.S. Route 422 (US 422) in Myerstown, Lebanon County north to PA 443 in Pine Grove Township, Schuylkill County. PA 645 heads north from Myerstown into agricultural areas and enters Berks County, where it passes through Frystown and comes to an interchange with Interstate 78 (I-78)/US 22. Past here, the route heads across forested Blue Mountain and continues into Schuylkill County, where it reaches its northern terminus. PA 645 is a two-lane undivided road its entire length. The road was paved for a short distance north of Myerstown by 1928. The paved portion was extended to Frystown in the 1930s and north of there by 1953. PA 645 was designated onto its current alignment in 1962.
Contents
Map of PA-645, Pennsylvania, USA
Route description
PA 645 begins at an intersection with US 422 at the north edge of the borough of Myerstown in Lebanon County, where North Locust Street heads south into Myerstown. From this intersection, the route heads north on two-lane undivided North Locust Street into Jackson Township, passing near residential neighborhoods. PA 645 runs through agricultural areas with some homes, curving northwest briefly before turning north again onto Kutztown Road. The road passes through the residential community of Kutztown before it heads back into farmland. The route turns east onto East Rosebud Road before it heads north onto Hilltop Road, passing through a mix of farms and residential development and curving northwest.
The route enters Tulpehocken Township in Berks County and becomes Camp Swatara Road, running north-northwest through agricultural areas with some homes and commercial development. PA 645 crosses the Little Swatara Creek into Bethel Township, where it turns north and passes through the residential community of Frystown before running through more farmland. The route passes near businesses and comes to an interchange with I-78/US 22. Past this interchange, the road heads through farmland and woodland with some homes. PA 645 turns to the west and enters forested areas, where it begins to ascend Blue Mountain. The route turns to the north and continues to climb the mountain, heading to the northeast. At the summit of Blue Mountain, PA 645 crosses the Appalachian Trail and heads into Pine Grove Township in Schuylkill County. At this point, the name becomes Geary Wolf Road and the road winds north to descend the forested mountain. At the bottom of the mountain, the route heads through a mix of farmland and woodland with some homes, passing through the community of Brookside. PA 645 passes near residences and an industrial park, crossing Swatara Creek before it reaches its northern terminus at an intersection with PA 443 south of the borough of Pine Grove.
History
When routes were first legislated in Pennsylvania in 1911, present-day PA 645 was not given a legislative number. By 1928, the road from Myerstown to a point north of Kutztown was paved while the remainder was unpaved; at this time the road was unnumbered. The road was paved north to Frystown in the 1930s. By 1953, the road north of Frystown was paved. PA 645 was designated on April 17, 1962 to run between US 422 in Myerstown and PA 443 near Pine Grove. The route was created in order provide a route number at the Frystown interchange of I-78/US 22. PA 645 has remained on the same alignment since it was designated.