Author Topic: PA: PA 743 slight extension?  (Read 1484 times)

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Offline dave1693

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PA: PA 743 slight extension?
« on: September 17, 2019, 12:53:21 pm »
Over the weekend I was traveling back to the DC FedroSplat and decided to make a pit stop at a relatively new Sheetz near Grantville PA. It's at the corner of US 22 and Bow Creek Rd, which turns into Laudermilch Rd south of 22 and is also PA 743. (There used to be an Italian restaurant where the Sheetz now is.)

I hadn't traveled on Bow Creek Rd south of I-81 in a few years. The signage at I-81 remains as it has long been (TO South PA 743). But just north of the Sheetz there's been some obvious work done -- the height of the peak of the road is about 4-5 feet lower than the rest of the little ridge now -- and, most surprisingly, just south of Jonestown Rd (north of US 22) there is a "South PA 743" sign assembly that I swear had not been there the last time I drove on the road. There's only one such sign north of US 22, but it's only 1/4 mile or less from Jonestown Rd to US 22. There is also a "North PA 743" assembly in the NB direction shortly after US 22 between the highway and the Sheetz parking lot.

So... what's up with this? Did PennDOT upgrade one block of Bow Creek Rd to PA 743 (presumably in conjunction with the roadway improvements)? Or is there some other reasonable explanation for the new signage? And, the obvious reason for me bringing it up here, should this affect PA 743 in the HB?

Offline rickmastfan67

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Re: PA: PA 743 slight extension?
« Reply #1 on: September 17, 2019, 02:15:55 pm »
The 'NB PA-743' shield has been there since at least Aug 2011 per StreetView, well before the Sheetz.

Mentioned for 'both' directions on US-22 WB (no NB PA-743 mention on EB US-22) in 2012, but not after.

OSM shows that section of road as PA-743.

The PDF on PennDOT's website shows it as SR-2025. So does this PDF.

So, could the shields be left overs?  Who knows, as the 'NB' one was on a new assembly in the most recent StreetView compared to the '11 imagery.

Offline Markkos1992

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Re: PA: PA 743 slight extension?
« Reply #2 on: September 17, 2019, 05:32:12 pm »
To complicate matters, the August 2012 GSV shows a PA 743 NB shield north of I-81. From what I understand, the posting of PA 743 north of US 22 has always been around in some form.  Everything on I-81 and the ramps at the interchange show "TO" banners at this time.

The best way to answer this IMO is to go back to two other routes I previously worked on with this issue (PA 27 and PA 418).

In summary, PA 27 was fully posted west to US 6/US 19 so I had no issue with extending the route in the HB. 

PA 418 was previously fully posted to US 62 BUS (Sharon), but signs were removed in 2018 for PA 418 NB north of US 62 including the END sign at US 62 BUS.   I decided at the time to leave its northern endpoint at US 62.

Ultimately, I do not believe PA 743 was extended so I see no reason to do so in the HB.  I believe that this is a case of keeping the shields the same as before without anyone looking deeper into it.