Interstate 81 runs northeast through Pennsylvania for 232 miles from State Line adjacent to Maryland and the New York state line near Great Bend. A heavily traveled trucking corridor, I-81 provides part of a regional bypass of the New York City metropolitan area in conjunction with Interstate 84 east from Scranton. I-81 also joins the capital city of Harrisburg with the Scranton Wilkes-Barre area near the Pocono Mountains.
Interstate 81 Pennsylvania Guides
North
Entering the Keystone State alongside U.S. 11 in Franklin County, Interstate 81 travels north from Hagerstown, Maryland to Chambersburg. I-81 and U.S. 11 parallel one another northward from Bristol, Tennessee to Carlisle and Middlesex. U.S. 11 links I-81 with the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-76) at Middlesex before heading east to meet U.S. 15 at Camp Hill. U.S. 11/15 combine northward to meet I-81 between Enola and Marysville along the Susquehanna River.
I-81 spans the Susquehanna River into north Harrisburg, where U.S. 22/322 converge with the freeway at a multi level systems interchange. U.S. 322 overlaps with I-81 east for 2.5 miles to the north end if Interstate 83. I-83 leads south and west back into Harrisburg while I-81 shifts northward from Paxtonia to Interstate 78 in Lebanon County.
Continuing northeast into Schuylkill County, Interstate 81 connects with U.S. 209 west of Tremont and Pottsville and PA 61 north from Pottsville at Frackville. The freeway turns northward to bypass Hazleton in Luzerne County ahead of Interstate 80. Becoming more urban, I-81 advances along the east side of Wilkes-Barre and across I-476 (Pennsylvania Turnpike Northeastern Extension) into the city of Scranton.
I-476 bypasses Scranton to the west while I-81 angles northeast to the systems interchange with I-84/380 and U.S. 6 at Dunmore. U.S. 6 spurs 15.5 miles northeast along a freeway to Carbondale and combines with I-81 for six miles northwest to the end of the Pennsylvania Turnpike at Clarks Summit. I-476 and I-81 also form the Scranton Beltway.
The remainder of Interstate 81 in Pennsylvania parallels U.S. 11 north from Scranton into Susquehanna County. Both routes continue to Binghamton and Syracuse, New York.
 scenes |
 | High Ridge Park Road (SR 4007) west at the parclo interchange (Exit 119) with Interstate 81 in Butler township. This exchange opened in the early 2000s to support economic development and connect I-81 with the borough of Gordon. 09/18/04 |
 | Church Road (SR 2042) provides a cut off south from Nuangola Road (SR 3006) in the borough of Nuangola to Stairville Road in Rice township. Church Road converges with Nuangola Road again at the southbound entrance ramp for I-81 at Exit 159. 09/18/04 |
 | Nuangola Road (SR 3006) connects the off-ramp from I-81 at Exit 159 with Church Road (SR 2042) to Nuangola and Albert. 09/18/04 |
 | Church Road (SR 2042) west at Nuangola Road north and Interstate 81 south. 09/18/04 |
 | A state named shield for Interstate 81 formerly at the Church / Nuangola Road entrance ramp to Hazleton. 09/18/04 |
 | PA 547 (Senator Ed Jones Highway) meanders southwest from PA 848 at Gibson to a diamond interchange (Exit 217) with Interstate 81 in Hartford township. This assembly was replaced by 2007. 05/30/00 |
Photo Credits:
05/30/00, 09/18/04 by AARoads
Connect with:
Interstate 76
Interstate 78
Interstate 80
Interstate 83
Interstate 476
U.S. 15
U.S. 22
U.S. 30
U.S. 322
Route 309
Route 581
Page Updated 11-18-2022.