Road Photo Trip 8/5/01 - Clearfield and Western Centre Counties Part II

by Timothy Reichard

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Milesburg is two miles to the north of Bellefonte. I traveled northbound on PA 144/PA 150 to the duplex's northern split in Milesburg.

This photo was shot in Milesburg just south of the northern split . Photo shot 8/5/01.

At the northern split, which is less than a mile to the right, the road meets US 220 at an interchange that serves PA 144, PA 150, and US 220. All three routes form duplexes meeting at the interchange. To the northeast of the interchange are US 220 and PA 150.

This photo was shot at the end of the on-ramp from PA 144/PA 150 northbound to US 220/PA 150 northbound. The orange sign behind the speed limit sign reads "Targeted Enforcement Area" and is one of the many such orange signs along US 220 from Bald Eagle to I-80 intended to alert travelers of the typical congestion and speeding on this road. In the background, the I-80 overpasses are visible. There are three BGSs in front of the overpasses, front left to right: I-80 East US 220 North [left arrow], I-80 West [down arrow], and PA 150 North [down arrow]. US 220 splits from PA 150 to join I-80 for a 21-mile duplex. Photo shot 8/5/01.

I turned left to park at McDonalds. I'd have to walk from there to capture my next shot. There are two instances of the southbound signs that complement the northbound signs in the above photo. One set is south of the I-80 overpasses. There was not any way to reach these except by foot, and there was not anywhere to park that was closer than the McDonalds, which is just north of the overpasses. The second instance of the southbound signs was closer, right below the I-80 westbound overpass.

Here the camera is just beyond the overpasses visible in the previous photo. This view is looking south with I-80 above. I-80 westbound/US 220 southbound dumps US 220 traffic onto PA 150 immediately behind the camera. Photo shot 8/5/01.

I bought a soda at McDonalds and headed south to the third Milesburg duplex.

This photo was shot at the end of the on-ramp from PA 144/PA 150 northbound to US 220 southbound/PA 144 northbound. One week earlier, the US 220 sign stood vertically. Photo shot 8/5/01.

PA 144 joins US 220 at a T-intersection just behind the camera. I-80 is 3 mi to the north, and the US 220/PA 150 and PA 144/PA 150 duplexes are 2 mi to the north.

Of the four north-south routes in Milesburg and Bellefonte (PA 144, PA 150, US 220, and PA 550), PA 144 is the one that always goes the "wrong way" the most, forming wrong-way duplexes with US 220 and PA 550.

I-80 and US 220 form yet another duplex to the north, where US 220 leaves PA 150 and joins I-80. I'd like photos of this multiplex, but I'll leave the interstate photography to others.

With the Bellefonte and Milesburg "Duplexland" photographed to my content, I headed to my last destination before my trip to the west. A few miles to the southwest of the southern US 220/PA 144 split, US 220 took me to Unionville.

The eastern terminus of PA 504 is at US 220 in Unionville. PA 504 connects Philipsburg and Unionville to Black Moshannon State Park without meeting any other Interstate, US, or PA routes in between. Photo shot 8/5/01.

PA 504 is a nice drive. The rural, lightly traveled route ascends a mountain to reach Black Moshannon and then descends to eastern Philipsburg. However, my trip would take me to Philipsburg via a route farther north. I backtracked on US 220 and headed northbound on PA 144 for about 15 miles, passing Snow Shoe and I-80's exit with PA 144. A few miles to the west, I began my journeys among the routes of the PA 53 family.

The northern terminus of PA 53 is at PA 144 in Moshannon. PA 144 from this junction to its southern terminus used to be PA 53. Photo shot 8/5/01.

Moshannon has another PA route terminus just the north.

The eastern terminus of PA 879 is at PA 144 just north of Moshannon. At the intersection (just around the bend to the right), PA 144 traffic has a stop sign in each direction, whereas PA 879 traffic does not stop. Photo shot 8/5/01.

I'll find the other terminus of PA 879 later on this trip. For now, back to PA 53 and a drive to Philipsburg.

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