After beginning at US 222, PA 272 comes back to multiplex with it in Lancaster. Between those two points, 272 is more direct than US 222, so you may not be surprised to learn that originally the two had been swapped. Why they changed, I don't know, because 272 is not only more direct, it's better quality as well. North of Lancaster, PA 272 is the original US 222, while 222 now uses a freeway up to Reading. 272 ends south of there, though, splitting from Old Lancaster Pike in Adamstown and then turning into PA 568.


PA 272 NB underneath a railroad embankment in Smithville. This haphazard tunnel was the original US 222 (both directions).


Into Lancaster on the US 222/PA 272 duplex. The first photo with the wrongly-ordered assembly is northbound, and then the second photo is on Seymour St. if you follow the first sign. PA 324 only intersects 222/272 SB, so these signs take traffic in a U-turn. (PA 324 comes in on Queen St., which it hands off to 222/272, but by the time it gets to the NB side it's one-way only, preventing the sharp-angled left turn.)


Not as famous as Chocolate and Cocoa Aves., but maybe this street corner in Lancaster has aspirations of grandeur.


US 222/PA 272 SB turn onto McGovern Ave. from Lititz Pike to get over to Prince St. Of course, this kind of jog never happened when roads were all two-way. The question must be asked: why have both red ball and green arrow lit? All traffic has to go right here, there's no crosswalk, and traffic from 222/272 NB making a U-turn or going to PA 72 gets its own lane. So, there really should only be the arrows.


Odd fonts abound at PA 501, first on 222/272 NB where the Lititz Pike continues as 501 and the duplex splits onto the Oregon Pike, and then from PA 501 SB. Someone get a 272 shield out there, STAT!


Because the US 222 freeway ends at US 30, 222 gets carried back to its original route (PA 272), so the duplex starts from there about 1/2 mile north of PA 501. Heading south to that intersection, PennDOT decided to combine the two routes into one shield. There is better still to come.


This photo now appears on three pages, because it involves all three routes. It's the connector road between PA 272, US 222 (on its Lancaster-Reading freeway above), and I-76 (washed out but straight ahead). This view would primarily be seen coming from PA 272, but you could definitely photograph this sign from the US 222 offramp (and believe me, you would want to). Sadly, this last remnant (unless there's something along the NE Extension I haven't found yet) of original button copy Turnpike entrance signage is gone now.


Not content with PA 222 (seen above), PennDOT invented US 272! This is in Adamstown, just south of the beginning of PA 272. I don't have a problem with this, so long as the route connects to US 72, and there's a lot of work to be done in that regard.

Onto US 222 alone

Follow 272 into Maryland to Elk Neck
Onto the PA Tpk., I-76
Back to PA Roads
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