Road Photo Trip 8/2/01 - Eastern Centre County Part II

by Timothy Reichard

<< Back to Part I <<

The northern segment of PA 445 goes up and down a mountain to meet PA 64.

The northern terminus of PA 445 is at PA 64 in Nittany. In the background at the intersection are PA 64 directional shields with a green mileage sign above them. Photo shot 8/2/01.

This photo is a close-up of the PA 64 directional shields at the terminus. Photo shot 8/2/01.

I took this photo to show how far I was from my starting point (State College). With only three hours to complete this trip, I'd have to make this my farthest point from State College and start heading back, but not without snapping a few more interesting photos.

I turned left and headed southward to meet PA 550 at its eastern terminus. At the junction, I drove southbound on PA 550 for a mile, turned around at a church in the small town of Zion, and came back to the intersection.

The northern terminus of PA 550 is at PA 64 just east of Zion. No END PA 550 sign is posted at this terminus. I-80 is about 12 miles to the northeast. Traffic coming from the right (PA 64 Northbound) can see the shields hidden in this view: SOUTH PA 550 <-- / NORTH PA 64 [arrow pointing up and to the right] / TO I-80 [arrow pointing up and to the right]. Photo shot 8/2/01.

If I would take PA 64 northbound, I could reach many more termini in the Lock Haven area. But that would have to wait for another day. It was 1:20 already, and I had two more destinations to reach on my way back to State College. I drove southbound to reach the first of the two.

The southern terminus of PA 64 is at PA 26 about 2 MI north of Pleasant Gap. In this photo, PA 64 moves to the right as you go away from the camera and meets PA 26 (southbound continues straight ahead and curves to the left; northbound leaves the intersection heading to the right, not visible in this view). Just one mile to the north (to the right) is the southern end of the PA 26 Bellefonte Bypass, which now begins with two long PA 26 ramps leading to the nearly complete Future I-99/Future US 220/PA 26 interchange, which is signed as Exit 81. Photo shot 8/2/01.

One more destination to go. Not a route terminus. Not a multiplex of any sort. Well, not a multiplex so far. I turned right at the intersection and drove up the PA 26 Bellefonte Bypass to the PA 550 interchange. I left the expressway at this point, drove under the overpass, and came back on the PA 26 expressway heading the opposite direction (southbound). A mile later:

I-99's most recently signed interchange is Exit 81 on the PA 26 Bellefonte Bypass. This sign appeared at the nearly completed interchange during the week of 7/16/01. Travelers on PA 26 southbound are forced to take this exit because the mainline is closed from this interchange southward. Within two years, this intersection will mark the southern split of an I-99/US 220/PA 26 triplex. The next completed and numbered I-99 exit is Exit 52 at PA 350 in Bald Eagle. Photo shot 8/2/01.

My last goal of the day was to shoot this sign with my camera. It was past 1:30, and I was left with a 15 mi drive back to State College before my deadline of 2:00 is reached. There are many more termini and multiplexes to take pictures of, many in the Lock Haven and Bellefonte areas. But those will have to wait for another day. Like Saturday...

Route Summary:

• Start: Business US 322(E) from State College to Boalsburg and Business US 322 ET
• US 322(E) to Potters Mills
• PA 144(N) to Centre Hall and PA 192 WT
• PA 144(S) to Old Fort
• PA 45(E) to Millheim and PA 445 ST
• PA 445(N)
• PA 192(E) to Rebersburg and PA 880 ST
• PA 192(W)
• PA 192(W)/PA 445(N) to Madisonburg
• PA 445(N) to Nittany and PA 445 NT
• PA 64(S) to Zion and PA 550 NT
• PA 64(S) to PA 64 ST
• PA 26(N) to PA 550 exit
• PA 550(S) from off-ramp to on-ramp to PA 26(S)
• End: PA 26(S) to State College