Length 24.14 km | ||
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Pennsylvania Route 97 (PA 97) is one of two Pennsylvania state highways that carries the PA 97 designation; the other Pennsylvania Route 97 is in Adams County. The northern PA 97, 21 miles (34 km) in length, is a north-south highway that terminates at Pennsylvania Route 8 at both ends. The southern terminus is in Union City and the northern terminus is in Erie. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) internally designates this road SR 0197 to distinguish it from the other PA 97.
Contents
Map of PA-97, Pennsylvania, USA
Route description
PA 97 starts in Union City at the junction of PA 8 and PA 97. It travels west for about 7.5 miles (12.1 km) until it reaches Waterford. South of the borough, PA 97 merges with U.S. Route 19, joining the Perry Highway and following the U.S. route northward for 1.5 miles (2.4 km) through Waterford. North of Waterford, PA 97 splits from US 19 but remains on the Perry Highway. Although both roads head north to Erie, PA 97 takes a more easterly alignment as it travels northward.
After 8.7 miles (14.0 km), PA 97 meets Interstate 90 at exit 27 immediately south of Erie. 0.9 miles (1.4 km) from the exit, PA 97 meets the southern terminus of Pennsylvania Route 505. At PA 505, PA 97 separates from the Perry Highway and follows Old French Road north through downtown Erie to its terminus at an intersection with PA 8 two blocks south of U.S. Route 20.
History
The first designation of PA 97 existed in the 1930s, from U.S. Route 6 in Waterford to US 19 in Kearsarge on what is now U.S. Route 19. U.S. Route 6 ran along the current PA 97 designation from Waterford to Erie as the Lakes-to-Sea Highway.
By 1940, PA 97 was moved to its current alignment.
Major intersections
The entire route is in Erie County.