U.S. Route 219 in Pennsylvania

U.S. Route 219 (Pennsylvania)

Company type	Highway
Industry	Transportation
Headquarters	United States
Area served	Pennsylvania
Products	Road transportation route

U.S. Route 219 (US 219) is a segment of the U.S. Highway System extending from Rich Creek, Virginia to West Seneca, New York. The portion stretching from near Grantsville, Maryland northward to Ebensburg, Pennsylvania constitutes Corridor N of the Appalachian Development Highway System. Between Meyersdale, Pennsylvania and just south of Carrolltown, Pennsylvania, the highway functions as a limited-access roadway. Beyond Carrolltown, US 219 primarily operates as a two-lane road as it passes through DuBois, Pennsylvania, where it follows Brady Street and reverts to two lanes after crossing Interstate 80.

The route traverses several communities directly, including Brockway, Ridgway, and Johnsonburg. Upon reaching Wilcox, PA Route 321 splits off toward Kane. From there, US 219 continues as a two-lane highway until it arrives at Bradford, where it resumes limited-access status until the border with New York.

On August 9, 2007, the segment of US 219 in Somerset County was officially named the Flight 93 Memorial Highway by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation in honor of the Flight 93 National Memorial.

Route description

US 219 enters Pennsylvania from Maryland within Elk Lick Township, located in Somerset County. Initially, it is a two-lane road passing through agricultural land and forested areas. The highway intersects with PA 669 in the community of Salisbury before turning northeast and expanding into a four-lane freeway that skirts the western edge of Meyersdale. A business route—US 219 Business—provides access to Meyersdale itself. Proceeding northward, US 219 bypasses Somerset on its eastern side and crosses over the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-70/I-76) with an interchange at PA 281. It also connects to the turnpike through an interchange with PA 601. Further along, US 219 intersects with US 30 east of Jennerstown, continuing through predominantly rural terrain with additional interchanges at PA 601 and PA 403 northwest of Benson.

Crossing over the Stonycreek River into Cambria County, US 219 nears suburban areas surrounding Johnstown, where it interchanges with PA 56, which briefly merges onto US 219. The route also intersects with PA 756 before PA 56 diverges at a freeway interchange. Access to The Johnstown Galleria shopping center is provided via Galleria Drive. Continuing through rural districts, US 219 features interchanges at PA 869 near the Johnstown Flood National Memorial and at PA 53 within Summerhill. Northbound exits include Tower Road before reaching Ebensburg where it connects with both US 22 and the western terminus of US 422. Past Ebensburg, the freeway section concludes; US 219 then continues as a two-lane highway through farmland and wooded areas.

South of Carrolltown, US 219 intersects with PA 553, then advances northwest to meet PA 271 in Northern Cambria. The highway follows alongside the course of the West Branch Susquehanna River, passing through forested regions and intersecting several state routes such as PA 240, PA 580 in Cherry Tree, PA 286 near Burnside, and PA 36—running concurrently eastward with PA 36 for a stretch. In Mahaffey, US 219 diverges northeastwards alongside the river corridor, intersecting PA 969 before separating from the river near Grampian at junctions with PA 729 and PA 879.

Continuing northwest through mixed woodland and farmland landscapes, US 219 briefly merges with US 322 at Luthersburg before US 322 turns west near DuBois. Approaching DuBois city limits, US 219 widens into a five-lane roadway featuring a center left-turn lane and then turns west onto a three-lane street passing through developed zones. Exiting DuBois, it becomes a four-lane divided highway intersecting with PA 830 prior to an interchange with Interstate 80 (I-80).

Upon entering Jefferson County, US 219 traverses forested and agricultural areas en route to Brockway where it meets with PA 28 and turns eastward into predominantly rural surroundings.

Within Elk County, US 219 proceeds northeast intersecting PA 153 before turning north to join PA 948 northwestward into Ridgway. A truck bypass accommodates northbound vehicles descending into Ridgway. Inside Ridgway itself, the route intersects PA 120 prior to separating from PA 948 heading north. Following this section along the Clarion River corridor leads to Johnsonburg where it intersects PA 255 once more and later connects with PA 321.

Entering into McKean County, US 219 intersects US 6 west of Mount Jewett while winding through the Allegheny National Forest with an intersection at PA 59. After passing Lewis Run, it briefly runs concurrently with PA 770 before arriving at Bradford as a four-lane divided freeway. The highway interchanges with Owens Way south of Bradford and bypasses downtown via connections to PA 346—which briefly overlaps US 219—and PA 46 before PA 346 splits off eastward. The freeway continues northward until reaching the New York state line where US 219 extends into New York.

Prospective Interstate designation

During the 1970s and 1980s, US 219 underwent upgrades to freeway standards with the ambition of integrating it into the Interstate Highway System. While it initially complied with the Interstate criteria of that era, additional enhancements are necessary to fulfill current Interstate specifications. Prior to the 1998 designation of Interstate 99 along the US 220 corridor, the closest significant north-south Interstates were Interstate 79 to the west and Interstate 81 to the east.

Throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, U.S. Representative John Murtha advocated for Congress to elevate US 219 to Interstate status, suggesting the Interstate 67 label. However, this proposal faced opposition from Representatives Bud Shuster and later his son Bill Shuster, who cited its proximity to US 220 and prioritized funding for I-99 instead. At the state level, enthusiasm diminished due to ongoing work on the Mon–Fayette Expressway, with concerns that an Interstate designation for US 219 might reduce toll revenue from Mon–Fayette. Although built to Interstate standards, Mon–Fayette is not anticipated to receive an Interstate number. By the time of Murtha's passing in 2010, momentum for upgrading US 219 to an Interstate had largely dissipated.

Renewed federal investment in 2013 revived construction on the US 219 Freeway segment between Meyersdale and Somerset. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) awarded a contract worth $110.5 million to Joseph B. Fay Company for this project. This portion opened on November 21, 2018, replacing a two-lane rural road passing through communities such as Garrett and Berlin before reconnecting with the existing four-lane freeway near Somerset.

Should US 219 be elevated to Interstate status in the future, it would probably receive a three-digit number due to constraints imposed by the Interstate numbering grid; two-digit numbers like I-67 or I-99 do not align geographically. Additionally, I-67 has been proposed for other north-south corridors more consistent with the grid system and are considered more viable candidates for Interstate upgrades than US 219.

External links

• Pennsylvania Highways: US 219
• Pennsylvania Roads – US 219