Route 61

Pennsylvania Route 61Former U.S. 122

PA 61 forms an 81.3 mile long arc from Reading to Shamokin Dam in east central Pennsylvania. The state route branches west from U.S. 222 Business in Reading along Centre Avenue. Paralleling U.S. 222 Business along Pottsville Pike, PA 61 proceeds north to Tuckerton and U.S. 222. Beyond the freeway bypass of Reading, PA 61 provides the main route linking the Reading area with Interstate 78 at Hamburg.

North of I-78/U.S. 222, PA 61 traverses Blue Mountain to Port Clinton and Schuylkill County. The state route turns west ahead of Deer Lake to Orwigsburg and Schuylkill Haven, then north again into Pottsville.

PA 61 meets Interstate 81 outside Frackville and a westerly turn onto Ashland Mountain. PA 61 zigzags north into Ashland along Broad Street and with PA 54 along Centre Street. PA 54/61 overlap north to Centralia and west along Locust Mountain to Mount Carmel.

West from Mount Carmel, PA 61 advances to Kulpmont, Shamokin and Sunbury. The state route crosses the Susquehanna River on the Veterans Memorial Bridge between interchanges with PA 147 (Front Street) and U.S. 11/15 in the borough of Shamokin Dam.

Pennsylvania Route 61 was designated in 1963 over what was U.S. 122 between Reading and Sunbury. A four lane section of PA 61 leading into Centralia was abandoned due to the decades old Centralia mine fires underground. The route was realigned onto Byrnsville Road (SR 2002).

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Page Updated Saturday January 02, 2021.