Pennsylvania Route 48

Pennsylvania Route 48
Route information
Maintained by PennDOT
Length	18.9 mi[1] (30.4 km)
Major junctions
South end	PA 51 / PA 48 Truck / Orange Belt near Elizabeth
Major intersections	PA 148 / PA 48 Truck in McKeesport US 30 in North Versailles PA 130 in Monroeville
North end	US 22 Bus. / Orange Belt in Monroeville
Location
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
Counties	Allegheny
Highway system
Pennsylvania State Route System Interstate US State Scenic Legislative
← PA 47 → PA 49

Pennsylvania Route 48 (PA 48) is an 18.9-mile-long (30.4 km) state highway located in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania area. The route is predominantly a two-lane highway as it runs through McKeesport and other suburbs. The entire routing of PA 48 is part of the Orange Belt, both reaching their southern termini at PA 51, southeast of Elizabeth. Until 1998, the northern terminus of PA 48 was at the intersection of Old Haymaker and Center Roads, about 1/2 mile from its current terminus at U.S. Route 22 Business (US 22 Bus.) in Monroeville.^{[citation needed]}

PA 48 begins at an intersection with PA 51 in Forward Township, heading northeast on two-lane undivided Scenery Drive. PA 48 is concurrent with the Orange Belt of the Allegheny County belt system at this point, with which it remains concurrent with for the entire length. The route immediately turns to the north-northwest and forms the border between Forward Township to the west and Elizabeth Township to the east, passing through a mix of fields and woods with some homes. The road fully enters Elizabeth Township and curves north-northeast. At an intersection with Weigles Hill Road east of Elizabeth Forward High School, PA 48 makes a turn to the east, passing residences and turning to the northwest. The road passes through more areas of housing and woods, curving northeast as it passes more residential areas. The route makes a bend northeast prior to turning north at the Simpson Howell Road intersection and running past a mix of homes and businesses. PA 48 winds north through more areas of woodland and development, with the name becoming Boston Hollow Road at the Lovedale Road junction. Farther north, the road becomes the border between the borough of Lincoln to the west and Elizabeth Township to the east as it heads through more forested areas with a few homes. The route fully enters Elizabeth Township again and heads into commercial areas as it comes to the community of Boston, crossing the Youghiogheny River on the Boston Bridge.^[1][2]

At this point, PA 48 heads northwest into the borough of Versailles, passing over CSX's Keystone Subdivision railroad line and becoming Walnut Street as it passes a mix of homes and businesses. The route crosses into the city of McKeesport and widens into a divided highway as it comes to an intersection with PA 148. Here, PA 148 continues along Walnut Street and PA 48 turns east onto four-lane undivided Long Run Road, passing through more residential and commercial areas. The road curves south by more businesses prior to curving east past a mix of woods and commercial development, briefly entering Versailles again before crossing back into McKeesport. The route curves north before heading northeast and entering the borough of White Oak. Upon crossing Lincoln Way, PA 48 becomes Jacks Run Road and narrows to two lanes, entering more forested areas with occasional homes and businesses. The road continues north and heads into North Versailles Township and passes through more wooded areas of development, passing east of East Allegheny High School and turning northeast before coming to an intersection with US 30.^[1][2]

Past this junction, the route becomes Mosside Boulevard and runs past businesses prior to heading into forested areas. The road briefly passes through the borough of Wall prior to crossing back into North Versailles Township and heading into commercial areas, turning northeast. The route widens into a four-lane divided highway and passes over Norfolk Southern's Pittsburgh Line and Turtle Creek, entering the borough of Monroeville. Here, PA 48 becomes an undivided road as it comes to an intersection with PA 130. Following this, the road narrows to two lanes and passes through woods, curving more to the north. Farther north, the route enters commercial areas, widening into a four-lane road at the Haymaker Road intersection, where it passes between Gateway High School to the west and Forbes Hospital to the east. PA 48 turns northwest, passing more businesses and reaching its northern terminus at an intersection with US 22 Bus. near an interchange that has access to I-376/US 22 and I-76 (Pennsylvania Turnpike).^[1][2]

In 1963, a new PA 48 expressway was proposed to run parallel to the current PA 48 alignment from PA 51 in Elizabeth to the PA Turnpike/Parkway East Interchange in Monroeville. Although several houses and an amusement complex of swimming pool, amusement park and drive-in theater (called Rainbow Gardens) were demolished in the process, the project was scrapped by the 1970s. The route of the proposed highway is now followed roughly by the Mon–Fayette Expressway (PA 43).^[3]

The entire route is in Allegheny County.

Location	mi[1]	km	Destinations	Notes
Elizabeth	0.0	0.0	PA 51 / PA 48 Truck north (Hayden Boulevard) / Orange Belt ends – Uniontown, McKeesport	Southern termini of PA 48 and its counterpart Truck route; southeastern terminus of Orange Belt
Youghiogheny River	7.1– 7.2	11.4– 11.6	Boston Bridge
McKeesport	8.1	13.0	PA 148 north / PA 48 Truck south (Walnut Street) – McKeesport	Northern terminus of PA 48 truck; southern terminus of PA 148
North Versailles	13.2	21.2	US 30 (Lincoln Highway) – Turtle Creek, Forest Hills, Irwin
Monroeville	15.6	25.1	PA 130 (Broadway Boulevard) – Pitcairn, Turtle Creek, Trafford
	18.9	30.4	US 22 Bus. (William Penn Highway) / Orange Belt (Haymaker Road) to I-76 Toll / Penna Turnpike / I-376 west / US 22 – Monroeville, Murrysville, Plum	Northern terminus of PA 48; northern end of concurrency with the Orange Belt which continues on Haymaker Road
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus

Pennsylvania Route 48 Truck
Location	Allegheny County
Existed	2013–present

Pennsylvania Route 48 Truck (PA 48 Truck) is a truck route of PA 48 that bypasses a weight-restricted bridge over a branch of Wylie Run in Lincoln, on which trucks over 32 tons are prohibited. The route follows PA 51, McKeesport Road, Lincoln Boulevard, Glassport-Elizabeth Road, the Clairton-Glassport Bridge over the Monongahela River, PA 837, the McKeesport-Duquesne Bridge over the Monongahela River, PA 148, PA 148 Truck, and PA 148.^[4][5] As of 2022, the route is still intact;^[6] however, any weight restrictions on Wylie Creek bridges were removed by 2021.^[7]

The entire route is in Allegheny County.

Location	mi	km	Destinations	Notes
Elizabeth	0.00	0.00	PA 48 north / Orange Belt (Scenery Drive) / PA 51 south (Hayden Boulevard) / Payday Drive – Uniontown, McKeesport	Southern terminus of PA 48 Truck; southern end of PA 51 concurrency
	3.36	5.41	PA 51 north to PA 837 / 2nd Avenue – Pittsburgh, Bunola PA 51 Truck begins	Northern end of PA 51 concurrency; southern end of PA 51 Truck concurrency
Glassport	7.21	11.60	Ohio Avenue to PA 148 – Glassport, McKeesport
Monongahela River	7.21– 7.66	11.60– 12.33	Clairton-Glassport Bridge
Clairton	7.66	12.33	PA 837 south / PA 51 Truck south (North State Street) to PA 885 / Carnegie Avenue – Clairton	Northern end of PA 51 Truck concurrency; southern end of PA 837 concurrency
Duquesne	13.10	21.08	PA 837 north / Green Belt (South Duquesne Boulevard) – Duquesne	Interchange; northern end of PA 837 concurrency; southern end of Green Belt concurrency
Monongahela River	13.10– 13.60	21.08– 21.89	McKeesport-Duquesne Bridge
McKeesport	13.60	21.89	PA 148 north / Yellow Belt (5th Avenue) / Bowman Avenue to US 30 – North Versailles, East Pittsburgh Green Belt ends	Interchange; northern end of PA 148 concurrency; northern end of Yellow Belt concurrency; southern end of Green Belt concurrency
	13.85	22.29	5th Avenue – UPMC McKeesport	No northbound entrance
	14.83	23.87	PA 148 south (Walnut Street) PA 148 Truck begins	Northern end of PA 148 concurrency; southern end of PA 148 Truck concurrency
	14.92	24.01	Yellow Belt (Lysle Boulevard) / Market Street – Dravosburg	Southern end of Yellow Belt concurrency
	15.70	25.27	PA 148 north (Walnut Street) / 13th Street PA 148 Truck ends	Southern end of PA 148 concurrency; northern end of PA 148 Truck concurrency
	17.55	28.24	PA 48 / Orange Belt (Walnut Street / Long Run Road) – North Versailles, Elizabeth PA 148 ends	Northern terminus; northern end of PA 148 concurrency
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus       Incomplete access

• U.S. Roads portal
• Pennsylvania portal
• Mon-Fayette Expressway

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Pennsylvania Route 48.

• Pennsylvania Highways: PA 48