Overview
Pennsylvania Route 31 (PA 31) is a state highway located in Western Pennsylvania, paralleling U.S. Route 30 (US 30) and the Pennsylvania Turnpike for most of its length. The designation begins at PA 136 near West Newton and ends at US 30 near Bedford.
Westmoreland and Fayette counties
PA 31's designation begins at Pennsylvania Route 136 near West Newton. When PA 31 interchanges US 119, it turns from a two-lane surface road into first a four-lane road, and then into a city street as it goes through Mount Pleasant. As PA 31 progresses through Mount Pleasant, it forms a concurrency with Pennsylvania Route 981. When it does reach Donegal, there is an entrance ramp to the Pennsylvania Turnpike, and immediately following that is the western terminus of the concurrency with Pennsylvania Route 711.
Somerset County
Just after crossing the Westmoreland County/Somerset County line (the dividing line between the Pittsburgh metropolitan area and the Johnstown, Pennsylvania metro area, PA 31 provides entrance to the Hidden Valley Ski Resort area. After winding past rural Westmoreland and Fayette Counties, PA 31 enters Somerset County and encounters the borough of Somerset. Immediately after entering Somerset, PA 31 intersects Pennsylvania Route 281 and forms a concurrency on one-way pairs. PA 31 continues toward Roxbury, running along the border between Stonycreek Township and Brothersvalley Township. The intersection with Pennsylvania Route 160 is the last intersection in Somerset County and the only one in Roxbury. After this intersection, PA 31 generally parallels the Turnpike and winds through hilly terrain, passing through Allegheny Township on its way east.
Bedford County
Entering Bedford County, there are no major intersections with any numbered roads until PA 31 enters Manns Choice. Instead, it winds through hilly terrain that parallels the Turnpike. As PA 31 nears Manns Choice, it intersects Pennsylvania Route 96 and is concurrent for . After separating, PA 31 continues for before terminating at U.S. Route 30, adjacent to the historic Jean Bonnet Tavern.
History
The portion of the highway that runs through Mount Pleasant borough is said to have evolved from a Native American path that predated European settlers. With the coming of European settlers, it became an important access road to the western wilderness and to more settled areas to the east. As early as 1772, a road called Glades Road had originally led from Somerset to Bedford, which were the places of two Underground Railroad stations. The road would become PA 31 and would go through the towns of West Newton, Mount Pleasant, Monongahela, and Washington that had also organized underground railroad stations. In 1911, the Sproul Road Bill defined Legislative Route 181 for the segment between Washington and West Newton, LR 186 between West Newton and Somerset, LR 364 between Somerset and Dividing Ridge, and LR 49 between Dividing Ridge and Bedford.
The PA 31 designation began appearing on road maps and signage in 1927. At that time, the western terminus was at the West Virginia line at West Virginia Route 27. The east end back then was still at US 30, unchanged from today.
Glades Pike Inn
The Glades Pike Inn is a notable inn situated on the Glades Pike section of PA 31 in Somerset. Since 1842, the inn was a place for weary travelers to unhitch their horses for a good place to eat and sleep. The modern day visitors of the inn use it for different reasons of traveling. The inn is located in the Laurel Mountains recreational area.
Glades Pike Winery
The Glades Pike Winery is situated on the section of PA 31 known as Glades Pike, between Somerset and Donegal. Established in 1994, the winery is the place where visitors are offered samples of the award-winning wine varieties.
Notes
# May be hard to see, as it is a JPEG map scan.
External links
*Pennsylvania Highways: PA 31