Pennsylvania Route 320

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PA Route 320

Length:

19 mi^[1] (31 km)

Formed:

1928

South end:

PA 291 in Chester

Major
junctions:

US 1 in Springfield

US 30 in Villanova

I-76 near West Conshohocken

North end:

PA 23 in Upper Merion Township

Counties:

Delaware, Montgomery

Pennsylvania State Routes
< PA 318		PA 321 >
Legislative

Pennsylvania Route 320 is a north-south route that connects at its northern terminus at Pennsylvania Route 23 in Gladwyne, Pennsylvania and connects with Pennsylvania Route 291 in Chester, Pennsylvania at its southern terminus.

[edit] Route description

The southern terminus of Route 320 is the intersection of Madison St. and 4th Street in the City of Chester, Pennsylvania. Madison Street, a one-way northbound street, is signed as Route 320 north to East 8th street, whereupon Route 320 turns left for two blocks along East 8th Street until Avenue of the States. Route 320 then turns right along northbound Avenue of the States for a few more blocks, then after passing over a a highway overpass brdige over Interstate 95, Route 320 forks to the right (northeastbound) from the southern terminus of Providence Avenue. Route 320 follows Providence Avenue northward out of the city of Chester (whereupon Providence Avenue is renamed Providence Road) up to the junction of Providence Roadand Chester Road. At that junction, Route 320 continues northeastward along Chester Road (Providence Road continues northwestward and is signed as Pennsylvania Route 252, with this junction being the southern terminus of Route 252.

Route 320 continues variously northeastward and northward along Chester Road through the village of Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, passing the Swarthmore train station and bisecting the campus of Swarthmore College. North of Swarthmore College, Route 320 turns left along Swarthmore Avenue for one block, then right again along Cedar Lane until its junction with Baltimore Pike near Springfield Mall. At this point, Route 320 takes the name Sproul Road and retains this name through various turns at intersections. Route 320/Sproul Road continues northward across Baltimore Pike through Springfield Township, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, passing Springfield Hospital,the Springfield Golf and Country Club, and the northwestern terminus of Pennsylvania Route 420 (at Woodland Avenue. Route 320/Sproul Road then intersects U.S. Route 1 (signed as "State Road") near the Marple Crossroads Shopping Center, then passes northward into Marple Township, Pennsylvania. After crossing Interstate 476 via a non-exit overpass, Route 320/Sproul Road merges with Springfield Road and continues northward, still signed as Sproul Road, past Cardinal O'Hara High School and Lawrence Park Shopping Center. In Broomall, a community in Marple Township, Route 320 (still signed as Sproul Road) turns right at the Marple Public Library and continues northeastward across West Chester Pike Pennsylvania Route 3, then turns left at the Marple Presbyterian Church (at the western terminus of Marple Road]]. Route 320 continues northward through a corner of Haverford Township, Pennsylvania (including the westward terminus of Darby Road) and then into Radnor Township, Pennsylvania, passing the Overbrook Golf Club and Radnor Valley Country Club. Route 320/Sproul Road intersects Conestoga Road near the Radnor Friends Meetinghouse (the intersection is directly beneath another Interstate 476 overpass). Route 320 then continues northeastward to a junction with Spring Mill Road, and continues signed as Spring Mill Road across Lancaster Avenue (U.S. Route 30 in Pennsylvania), bisecting the campus of [[Villanova University. Route 320 then passes northeastward across County Line Road, passing out of Delaware County and into Montgomery County, Pennsylvania and Lower Merion Township. One block after County Line Road, Route 320 turns right (northward) along Montgomery Avenue, and continues along Montgomery Avenue until Matsonford Road, where the Matsonford Road (SEPTA Route 100 station) is located, the road changes names to South Gulph Road, and passes into Upper Merion Township, Pennsylvania. Route 320 continues northward through the village of Gulph Mills and past a large historic rock, then intersects the Schuylkill Expressway (Interstate 76). After this intersetcion, Route 320 continues northeastward along Trinity Road, Holstein Road, and Swedeland Road until its northern terminus at Pennsylvania Route 23 (Schuylkill River Road) near the Schuylkill River north of West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania.

[edit] Miscellanea

Before the construction of the Blue Route (the toll-free southern portion of Interstate 476), Route 320 was one of the most heavily traveled north-south routes across Delaware County, Pennsylvania and served as one of the most common feeder routes southward towards Interstate 95 and northward towards Interstate 76. The opening of the Blue Route has alleviated some congestion on Route 320.

Route 320 follows the Blue Route for much of its length-- the Blue Route passes over or under Route 320 four times (from south to north: near Swarthmore, at the intersection of Sproul Road and Springfield Road near the Springfield Township/Marple Township border, at the Sproul Road/Conestoga Road intersection in Radnor Township, and near Matsonford Road in Upper Merion township).