# Interstate 81 in Pennsylvania

Interstate 81 (I-81) is a north–south Interstate Highway, stretching from Dandridge, Tennessee, northeast to Fisher's Landing, New York, at the Canada–United States border. In Pennsylvania, I-81 runs for 232.76 miles (374.59 km) from the Maryland state line northeast to the New York state line near Hallstead and is called the American Legion Memorial Highway. The interstate enters the state near the borough of Greencastle, serving the boroughs of Chambersburg and Carlisle, before reaching Harrisburg, the capital. After that, it climbs into the Pocono Mountains to run through the Wyoming Valley, then exits into New York. It is the longest north–south Interstate in Pennsylvania.

## Route description

I-81 enters Pennsylvania at the Maryland state line about 13 miles (21 km) south of Chambersburg; it also has its first exit at the state line, junctioning with Pennsylvania Route 163 (PA 163) there. In Chambersburg at exit 16, it meets U.S. Route 30 (US 30; the Chambersburg Pike to Gettysburg). About a mile (1.6 km) north of Carlisle at exit 52, it meets US 11, which connects to the Pennsylvania Turnpike/I-76 (halfway between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh), since I-81 has no direct interchange with I-76. The stretch of US 11 connecting I-81 to I-76 is known locally as the "Miracle Mile" since it contains plenty of traveler services including restaurants, gas stations, lodging, truck stops, and shops. From here, I-81 travels in an almost precisely east–west direction for the next 37 miles (60 km) (until exit 89). At exit 59, it has an interchange with the western terminus of PA 581. I-81 becomes the Capital Beltway from exit 59 to exit 70. At exit 67, the road comes to a stack interchange with US 22 and US 322; US 322 merges with I-81. Exit 70 is the eastern terminus of the US 322 concurrency and the northern terminus of I-83 and is located in Colonial Park. For the entire segment between the Mason–Dixon line and I-78, I-81 runs through the Great Valley. North of Harrisburg between I-83/US 322 and I-78, the highway passes near Hershey and Fort Indiantown Gap.
At milemarker 89, I-81 meets the western terminus of I-78; I-78 picks up the eastward route through the Great Valley and heads toward Allentown and New York City, while I-81 turns back northward, cutting through Blue Mountain at Swatara Gap. From milemarkers 141 to 146, I-81 passes near the city of Hazleton. At exit 151, I-81 meets I-80. As motorists enter Wilkes-Barre at milemarker 165, I-81 merges with PA 309 for five miles (8.0 km). At exit 175, I-81 meets with PA 315, which connects to I-476 (Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension). In Scranton at milemarker 185, there is a short freeway called the President Biden Expressway, which heads into downtown Scranton. At milemarker 187, I-81 is at the Throop Dunmore Interchange, which consists of I-84, I-380, and US 6. US 6 merges with I-81 for seven miles (11 km) from milemarkers 187 to 194. At milemarker 194 is the northern terminus of I-476. The last exit in Pennsylvania is exit 230, which is PA 171 near Hallstead. I-81 reaches the New York state line four miles (6.4 km) north of exit 230.

## History

A toll highway along the present-day I-81 corridor through Pennsylvania was planned in the 1950s. The section from Scranton to the New York state line was planned as a continuation of the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. A new extension of the turnpike between Harrisburg and Scranton was also proposed. After the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 was passed, plans were changed to build a free Interstate Highway rather than a toll road. The first section to be built ran from PA 347 in Dunmore to US 11 in northern Scranton, this section opening in 1960. All of I-81 in Pennsylvania was completed by the 1970s. Construction cost nearly $443 million (equivalent to $2.68 billion in 2023).
On May 9, 2013, a tanker crashed and caught fire at the interchange between I-81 and US 22/US 322 in Harrisburg. The fire damaged the bridges carrying westbound US 22/US 322 and a ramp over I-81. At least one of those bridges, carrying US 22 eastbound over I-81 and several ramps, and possibly another, the ramp carrying traffic from I-81 northbound to US 22/US 322 westbound, would have to be demolished and replaced. The fire resulted in about 10 miles (16 km) of I-81 being closed in both directions, with traffic being diverted along the southern portion of the Capital Beltway. The highway was not fully reopened until the evening of May 13.

## Future
### Scranton Beltway

On April 28, 2016, plans were announced for a Scranton Beltway to use the Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeast Extension (I-476) as a bypass for I-81 around the heavily congested segment through Scranton and its suburbs. The turnpike between the two I-81 interchanges carries an average of 10,000 vehicles per day versus 80,000 on the parallel segment of I-81. This project will build two high-speed connections between I-476 and I-81: one south of Scranton in Dupont and one north of Scranton in South Abington Township. Tolls on the connections will be paid with E-ZPass or toll by plate. Construction of this project is expected to cost $160 million. In 2021, design work on the project resumed, with construction expected to begin in 2025.

### New interchange in Chambersburg

On October 24, 2018, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) released their plans for a new exit 12 on I-81, at Guilford Springs Road, estimated to cost around $23 million. The purpose for the exit is to improve access for trucks to the various distribution warehouses south of Chambersburg, such as Target. As such, Guilford Springs Road will be widened to three lanes as a part of this project. PennDOT has started obtaining environmental clearances and will start to seek rights-of-way in 2020 from approximately 7-10 properties. PennDOT will look at bids for construction starting in 2023.

## Exit list

| County | Location | mi | km | Old exit | New exit | Destinations | Notes |
| Franklin | Antrim Township | 0.00 | 0.00 | – | – | I-81 south – Hagerstown | Continuation into Maryland |
| Franklin | Antrim Township | 0.00 | 0.00 | – | 1 | PA 163 – State Line | Southbound ramps are in Maryland |
| Franklin | Antrim Township | 2.50 | 4.02 | 2 | 3 | US 11 (Molly Pitcher Highway) | |
| Franklin | Greencastle | 4.80 | 7.72 | 3 | 5 | PA 16 – Greencastle, Waynesboro | Serves Whitetail Ski Resort |
| Franklin | Guilford Township | 9.70 | 15.61 | 4 | 10 | PA 914 – Marion | |
| Franklin | Guilford Township | 12.20 | 19.63 | – | 12 | Guilford Springs Road | Proposed |
| Franklin | Chambersburg | 14.00 | 22.53 | 5 | 14 | PA 316 (Wayne Avenue) | Serves Chambersburg Business District |
| Franklin | Chambersburg | 15.60 | 25.11 | 6 | 16 | US 30 (Lincoln Way) | Serves Gettysburg |
| Franklin | Chambersburg | 16.70 | 26.88 | 7 | 17 | Walker Road | Serves Norland Avenue and Wilson College |
| Franklin | Greene Township | 19.80 | 31.87 | 8 | 20 | PA 997 – Scotland | Serves Penn State Mont Alto and Letterkenny Army Depot |
| Franklin | Southampton Township | 24.10 | 38.79 | 9 | 24 | PA 696 (Fayette Street) | |
| Cumberland | Southampton–Shippensburg township line | 28.40 | 45.71 | 10 | 29 | PA 174 (King Street) | Serves Shippensburg University |
| Cumberland | Penn Township | 36.80 | 59.22 | 11 | 37 | PA 233 – Newville | Serves Park and Ride Lot |
| Cumberland | South Middleton Township | 43.90 | 70.65 | 12 | 44 | PA 465 – Plainfield | Serves Carlisle Fairgrounds |
| Cumberland | Carlisle | 45.50 | 73.23 | 13 | 45 | To College Street | Access via Walnut Bottom Road; serves Penn State Dickinson Law |
| Cumberland | Carlisle | 46.40 | 74.67 | 14 | 47 | PA 34 (Hanover Street) | Signed as exits 47A (south) and 47B (north) southbound; serves Dickinson College, Mount Holly Springs, and Gettysburg |
| Cumberland | South Middleton Township | 47.90 | 77.09 | 15 | 48 | PA 74 (York Road) | Northbound exit and southbound entrance; serves U.S. Army War College |
| Cumberland | South Middleton–Middlesex township line | 48.40 | 77.89 | 16 | 49 | PA 641 (High Street) | Southbound exit and northbound entrance; serves U.S. Army War College |
| Cumberland | Middlesex Township | 51.50 | 82.88 | 17 | 52 | US 11 to I-76 Toll / Penna Turnpike – New Kingstown, Middlesex | Signed as exits 52A (north) and 52B (south) northbound |
| Cumberland | Silver Spring Township | 56.70 | 91.25 | 18 | 57 | PA 114 – Mechanicsburg | |
| Cumberland | Hampden Township | 59.00 | 94.95 | 19 | 59 | PA 581 east to I-83 / US 11 – Camp Hill | I-83 not signed southbound; western terminus and exits 1A-B on PA 581 |
| Cumberland | Hampden Township | 60.70 | 97.69 | 20 | 61 | PA 944 (Wertzville Road) | |
| Cumberland | East Pennsboro Township | 64.60 | 103.96 | 21 | 65 | US 11 / US 15 – Enola, Marysville | Signed as exits 65A (south) and 65B (north); serves Central Penn College |
| Susquehanna River | Susquehanna River | 65.30 | 105.09 | George N. Wade Memorial Bridge | George N. Wade Memorial Bridge | George N. Wade Memorial Bridge | George N. Wade Memorial Bridge |
| Dauphin | Susquehanna Township | 65.80 | 105.89 | 22 | 66 | Front Street – Downtown Harrisburg | Serves Harrisburg University, Harrisburg Transportation Center, and City Island |
| Dauphin | Harrisburg | 67.00 | 107.83 | 23 | 67 | US 22 / US 322 west to PA 230 east (Cameron Street) – Lewiston, State College | Southern end of US 322 concurrency; signed as exits 67A (east) and 67B (west); serves Harrisburg Area Community College |
| Dauphin | Susquehanna Township | 68.70 | 110.56 | 24 | 69 | Progress Avenue | Serves Widener University Commonwealth Law School |
| Dauphin | Lower Paxton Township | 69.60 | 112.01 | 25 | 70 | I-83 south / US 322 east to I-76 Toll / Penna Turnpike – South Harrisburg, Hershey, York | Northern end of US 322 concurrency; northern terminus and exits 51B-A on I-83; serves Harrisburg International Airport and Lancaster |
| Dauphin | Lower Paxton Township | 72.30 | 116.36 | 26 | 72 | To US 22 – Paxtonia, Linglestown | Signed as exits 72A (US 22) and 72B (Linglestown) northbound; access via Mountain Road; US 22 not signed southbound |
| Dauphin | West Hanover Township | 76.60 | 123.28 | 27 | 77 | PA 39 – Manada Hill, Hershey | |
| Dauphin | West Hanover Township | 80.30 | 129.23 | 28 | 80 | To PA 743 south – Grantville, Hershey | Access via Bow Creek Road; serves Hollywood Casino at Penn National Race Course |
| Lebanon | East Hanover Township | 85.10 | 136.96 | 29 | 85 | PA 934 south – Annville, Fort Indiantown Gap | Access to Fort Indiantown Gap via Fisher Avenue; signed as exits 85A (PA 934) and 85B (Fort Indiantown) northbound |
| Lebanon | Union Township | 88.50 | 142.43 | – | 89 | I-78 east – Allentown | Western terminus and exits 1B-A on I-78 |
| Lebanon | Union Township | 90.10 | 145.00 | 30 | 90 | PA 72 – Lebanon | Access via Fisher Avenue |
| Schuylkill | Pine Grove Township | 99.30 | 159.81 | 31 | 100 | PA 443 – Pine Grove | |
| Schuylkill | Tremont Township | 104.10 | 167.53 | 32 | 104 | PA 125 – Ravine | Access via Molleystown Road |
| Schuylkill | Frailey Township | 106.60 | 171.56 | 33 | 107 | US 209 – Tremont, Tower City | |
| Schuylkill | Frailey Township | 111.30 | 179.12 | 34 | 112 | PA 25 – Hegins | |
| Schuylkill | Foster Township | 115.90 | 186.52 | 35 | 116 | PA 901 – Minersville, Mount Carmel | |
| Schuylkill | Butler Township | 118.40 | 190.55 | 35A | 119 | Highridge Park Road | Serves Schuylkill Highridge Business Park, Heckscherville, and Gordon |
| Schuylkill | Frackville | 123.70 | 199.08 | 36 | 124 | PA 61 – Saint Clair, Frackville | Signed as exits 124A (south) and 124B (north) |
| Schuylkill | Mahanoy Township | 130.70 | 210.34 | 37 | 131 | PA 54 – Hometown, Mahanoy City | Signed as exits 131A (east) and 131B (west) |
| Schuylkill | Delano Township | 133.50 | 214.85 | 38 | 134 | Delano | Access via Lakeside Avenue |
| Schuylkill | Kline Township | 137.60 | 221.45 | 39 | 138 | To PA 309 – McAdoo, Tamaqua | |
| Luzerne | Hazle Township | 141.10 | 227.08 | 39A | 141 | PA 424 east to PA 309 | Western terminus of PA 424 |
| Luzerne | Hazle Township | 142.50 | 229.33 | 40 | 143 | PA 924 – Hazleton | Serves Humboldt Industrial Park |
| Luzerne | Sugarloaf Township | 145.20 | 233.68 | 41 | 145 | PA 93 – West Hazleton | Serves Penn State Hazleton |
| Luzerne | Butler Township | 150.50 | 242.21 | – | 151 | I-80 – Bloomsburg, Stroudsburg | Signed as exits 151A (east) and 151B (west); exits 260A-B on I-80 |
| Luzerne | Dorrance Township | 154.20 | 248.16 | 42 | 155 | Dorrance | Access via Blue Ridge Trail |
| Luzerne | Nuangola | 158.70 | 255.40 | 43 | 159 | Nuangola | Access via Church Road |
| Luzerne | Hanover Township | 163.90 | 263.77 | 44 | 164 | PA 29 north – Nanticoke | Southern terminus of PA 29 |
| Luzerne | Wilkes-Barre Township | 164.70 | 265.06 | 45 | 165 | PA 309 south / PA 309 Bus. north – Wilkes-Barre, Mountain Top | Southern end of PA 309 concurrency; signed as exits 165A (south) and 165B (north) northbound; southern terminus of PA 309 Bus. |
| Luzerne | Wilkes-Barre Township | 167.90 | 270.21 | 46 | 168 | Highland Park Boulevard – Wilkes-Barre | Serves Mohegan Sun Arena |
| Luzerne | Plains Township | 169.80 | 273.27 | 47 | 170 | PA 115 south / PA 309 north – Wilkes-Barre, Bear Creek | Northern end of PA 309 concurrency; signed as exits 170A (south) and 170B (north); northern terminus of PA 115 |
| Luzerne | Pittston Township | | | 48 | 175 | PA 315 north to I-476 Toll (Penna Turnpike NE Extension) – Dupont, Pittston | Northbound exit and southbound entrance |
| Luzerne | Pittston Township | 174.90 | 281.47 | 48 | 175 | PA 315 to I-476 Toll (Penna Turnpike NE Extension) – Dupont, Pittston | Southbound exit and northbound entrance; signed as exits 175A (south) and 175B (north) |
| Luzerne | Avoca | 177.50 | 285.66 | 49 | 178 | PA 315 south – Avoca, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Airport | Northern terminus of PA 315; access to Airport via Terminal Road |
| Lackawanna | Moosic | 179.20 | 288.39 | 50 | 180 | US 11 / PA 502 – Moosic | No southbound access to US 11 north |
| Lackawanna | Scranton | 181.50 | 292.10 | 51 | 182 | Montage Mountain Road / Davis Street | Serves PNC Field and Montage Mountain Ski Resort |
| Lackawanna | Scranton | 183.90 | 295.96 | 52 | 184 | River Street to PA 307 | No southbound exit |
| Lackawanna | Scranton | 184.20 | 296.44 | 52 | 184 | PA 307 (Moosic Street) | Southbound exit only |
| Lackawanna | Scranton | 184.30 | 296.60 | 53 | 185 | President Biden Expressway west | Eastern terminus of President Biden Expressway |
| Lackawanna | Dunmore | 186.70 | 300.46 | 54 | 186 | Drinker Street | Northbound exit and southbound entrance |
| Lackawanna | Dunmore | 187.10 | 301.11 | – | 187 | I-84 east / I-380 south / US 6 east – Milford, Mount Pocono, Carbondale | Southern end of US 6 concurrency; Throop Dunmore Interchange; western terminus of I-84; northern terminus of I-380 |
| Lackawanna | Dunmore | 188.10 | 302.72 | 55 | 188 | PA 347 – Throop, Dunmore | Serves Penn State Worthington Scranton and Marywood University |
| Lackawanna | Scranton | 189.80 | 305.45 | 56 | 190 | Main Avenue – Dickson City | |
| Lackawanna | Scranton | 191.00 | 307.38 | 57 | 191 | US 11 (North Scranton Expressway) / US 6 Bus. east – Dickson City, North Scranton | Signed as exits 191A (US 6 Bus.) and 191B (US 11); western terminus of US 6 Bus. |
| Lackawanna | South Abington Township | 193.40 | 311.25 | 58 | 194 | I-476 Toll south / Penna Turnpike NE Extension south / US 6 west / US 11 – Clarks Summit | Northern end of US 6 concurrency; northern terminus and exit 131 on I-476 / Turnpike |
| Lackawanna | Scott Township | 197.20 | 317.36 | 59 | 197 | PA 632 – Waverly | |
| Lackawanna | Scott Township | 198.80 | 319.94 | 60 | 199 | PA 524 – Scott | |
| Lackawanna | Scott Township | 200.50 | 322.67 | 61 | 201 | PA 438 – East Benton | |
| Lackawanna | Benton Township | 201.60 | 324.44 | 62 | 202 | PA 107 – Fleetville, Tompkinsville | Serves Keystone College |
| Susquehanna | Lenox Township | 206.00 | 331.52 | 63 | 206 | PA 374 – Glenwood, Lenoxville | Serves Elk Mountain Ski Area |
| Susquehanna | Lenox Township | 211.10– 211.40 | 339.73– 340.22 | 64 | 211 | PA 92 / PA 106 – Lenox | Signed for PA 92 southbound, PA 106 northbound |
| Susquehanna | Harford Township | 216.60 | 348.58 | 65 | 217 | PA 547 – Harford | |
| Susquehanna | New Milford Township | 219.30 | 352.93 | 66 | 219 | PA 848 – Gibson | |
| Susquehanna | New Milford | 223.50 | 359.69 | 67 | 223 | PA 492 – New Milford, Lakeside | |
| Susquehanna | Great Bend Township | 230.40 | 370.79 | 68 | 230 | PA 171 – Great Bend, Susquehanna | |
| Susquehanna | Great Bend Township | 232.63 | 374.38 | – | – | I-81 north – Binghamton | Continuation into New York |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Concurrency terminus Incomplete access Unopened ||||||||