Pennsylvania Route 3 facts for kids

Quick facts for kids PA Route 3
Route information
Maintained by PennDOT, Borough of West Chester, and City of Philadelphia
Length	24.326 mi (39.149 km)
Existed	1937–present
Major junctions
West end	US 322 Bus. in West Chester
	US 202 / US 322 near West Chester PA 352 in Westtown Township PA 926 in Willistown Township PA 252 in Newtown Square PA 320 in Broomall I-476 near Broomall US 1 in Havertown US 13 in Philadelphia I-76 in Philadelphia
East end	PA 611 in Philadelphia
Location
Counties:	Chester, Delaware, Philadelphia
Highway system
Roads in Pennsylvania Interstate • US • State • Legislative ← PA 2 PA 4 →

Pennsylvania Route 3 (PA 3) is a state highway in southeastern Pennsylvania. It is about 24.3 miles (39.1 km) long. This road connects U.S. Route 322 Business (US 322 Bus.) in West Chester with PA 611 in Philadelphia.

The route starts in downtown West Chester. It then heads east, sometimes using a "one-way pair" of streets. This means traffic goes in opposite directions on two nearby streets. Between West Chester and Upper Darby, PA 3 is a four-lane divided highway called West Chester Pike. It goes through suburban towns like Newtown Square and Havertown.

In Upper Darby, PA 3 becomes Market Street and enters Philadelphia. In Philadelphia, it uses more one-way pairs. For example, it runs along Chestnut Street for eastbound traffic and Walnut Street for westbound traffic in West Philadelphia. It ends near Philadelphia City Hall.

This road has a long history. A dirt road linked Philadelphia and West Chester as early as 1793. Later, a company built a toll road (where you pay to use it) in 1848. This road was first made of planks, then stone. Trolleys (like electric streetcars) ran along parts of it in the 1890s. The state took over the road in 1918. PA 3 officially got its current name and route in 1937.

Exploring PA 3: A Road Trip Guide

Starting in West Chester: Chester County's Charm

PA 3 begins in West Chester, a town in Chester County. It starts at an intersection with US 322 Bus. (High Street). This is near the historic Chester County Courthouse.

From here, PA 3 uses a "one-way pair" of streets. Eastbound traffic goes on East Market Street, and westbound traffic uses East Chestnut Street. These streets have two lanes in each direction. They pass by many downtown shops and businesses.

Later, the westbound PA 3 shifts to East Gay Street. Both directions continue through commercial areas. They pass the West Chester Railroad station.

Heading East: Suburban Journeys

PA 3 leaves West Chester and enters West Goshen Township. Here, both directions of the route come together. They form a four-lane "divided highway" called West Chester Pike. A divided highway has a barrier or space separating traffic going in opposite directions.

The road passes through homes and businesses. It has an interchange (a special type of intersection) with the US 202/US 322 freeway. PA 3 then enters East Goshen Township. It continues past suburban neighborhoods.

In Westtown Township, PA 3 meets PA 352. They share the road for a short distance, which is called a "concurrency." Then PA 352 splits off. The road goes through wooded areas with homes.

PA 3 westbound past PA 926 in Willistown Township

PA 3 continues into Willistown Township. It crosses Ridley Creek. The road then enters Edgmont Township in Delaware County. It passes north of Ridley Creek State Park.

Through Delaware County: Towns and Highways

The route continues east, passing homes and businesses. It crosses Crum Creek into Newtown Township. Here, it passes the Delaware County Veterans Memorial.

PA 3 then enters business areas. It meets PA 252 in Newtown Square. After this, it continues through suburban areas.

PA 3 westbound past PA 320 in Broomall

The road crosses into Marple Township. It then meets PA 320 in Broomall. PA 3 continues near suburban neighborhoods. It then has an interchange with I-476.

After the I-476 interchange, PA 3 crosses Darby Creek. It enters Haverford Township. The road goes through Havertown. It passes homes and businesses.

Farther east, PA 3 crosses Naylors Run. It then enters Upper Darby Township. Here, it continues past suburban businesses and homes.

PA 3 eastbound in Upper Darby, with the Philadelphia skyline in the background

In Upper Darby, SEPTA (Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority) trolley tracks begin running in the middle of the road. PA 3 then heads east on Market Street. It passes the 69th Street Transportation Center. The route then becomes the border between Millbourne and Upper Darby Township.

Into Philadelphia: City Streets

PA 3 crosses Cobbs Creek and enters the big city of Philadelphia in Philadelphia County. It immediately splits from Market Street. It turns south onto Cobbs Creek Parkway.

The route then splits into another one-way pair. Eastbound PA 3 follows Chestnut Street. Westbound PA 3 follows Walnut Street, one block south. These streets go through residential areas of West Philadelphia. They pass many rowhomes (houses built in a row) and some businesses.

The streets reach the University City neighborhood. Here, Walnut Street runs along the edge of the University of Pennsylvania campus. The streets cross SEPTA trolley tracks.

Westbound PA 3 then shifts to Market Street. It runs with US 13 for a short time. Eastbound PA 3 continues on Chestnut Street. The route passes many tall commercial buildings. It runs through part of the Drexel University campus. At 33rd Street, eastbound PA 3 turns north and joins the westbound direction on Market Street.

PA 3 (Market Street) eastbound approaching its eastern terminus at PA 611 (15th Street) on the western edge of Philadelphia City Hall

At 32nd Street, PA 3 splits into another one-way pair. Eastbound PA 3 continues on Market Street. Westbound PA 3 follows John F. Kennedy Boulevard. Both are two-way streets.

The route passes under CSX train tracks. It then comes to the 30th Street intersection near 30th Street Station. This station is a major hub for trains. Immediately east of 30th Street Station, PA 3 has an interchange with I-76. It then crosses over the Schuylkill River.

At this point, PA 3 enters Center City Philadelphia. It continues on Market Street eastbound and John F. Kennedy Boulevard westbound. These streets pass many tall downtown skyscrapers.

At 20th Street, both directions of PA 3 become one-way streets. Market Street carries eastbound traffic, and John F. Kennedy Boulevard carries westbound traffic. PA 3 reaches its eastern end at PA 611 (Broad Street) at 15th Street. This is near Philadelphia City Hall.

A Look Back: The History of PA 3

From Dirt Roads to Trolleys

Old PA 3 sign at Walnut and 44th Street in West Philadelphia

For many years, from 1793 to 1850, Philadelphia and West Chester were connected by a simple dirt road. People used horse-drawn carriages and wagons on it.

In March 1848, a company was formed to build a "turnpike" between Philadelphia and Newtown Square. A turnpike is a toll road, meaning you had to pay a fee to use it. This road was called the Philadelphia and West Chester Turnpike. It was built to help farming and manufacturing in Delaware County.

Between 1850 and 1868, the turnpike was a "plank road." This meant it was made of wooden planks. By 1885, the entire turnpike became a stone road.

Train service started on the turnpike in 1859. A horse-drawn rail line was built from Philadelphia to Upper Darby. Later, in 1895, a "trolley" service began. Trolleys are electric streetcars that run on tracks. They were first powered by steam, then by electricity. The trolley line was extended to West Chester in 1898.

In 1918, the state took over the West Chester Pike. The tolls were removed, making it a free road.

Naming the Route: PA 3's Journey

The West Chester Pike was first named Legislative Route 133 in 1911. In 1927, it became part of PA 5. This route was part of a larger road called the Lakes-to-Sea Highway.

In 1937, PA 3 was officially created. It took over the route between West Chester and Philadelphia, replacing the PA 5 name.

Modernizing the Road: Widening and Changes

The section of PA 3 known as John F. Kennedy Boulevard was once called Filbert Street. This area used to have a large train viaduct (a long bridge-like structure) that carried many train tracks. This viaduct was so big it was nicknamed the "Chinese Wall." It separated parts of the city.

In the 1950s, this "Chinese Wall" and the old train station were taken down. A wide new street, Pennsylvania Boulevard, was built in its place. This area became a business district called Penn Center. Pennsylvania Boulevard was later renamed John F. Kennedy Boulevard.

A Route 103 trolley on West Chester Pike in 1964.

In 1954, regular trolley service between Philadelphia and West Chester stopped. This was done to allow PA 3 to be widened. Buses replaced the trolleys. Today, this bus service is part of SEPTA's Route 104.

During the mid-1950s and early 1960s, the West Chester Pike part of PA 3 was widened to four lanes. By 1960, PA 3's route in Philadelphia changed. It was rerouted to end at US 13 in Southwest Philadelphia. By the 1970s, PA 3 was extended east to Philadelphia City Hall.

In 2012, a section of PA 3 in West Chester was named the Robert J. Thompson Highway. This was done to honor former State Senator Robert J. Thompson.

Major Intersections

County	Location	mi	km	Destinations	Notes
Chester	West Chester	0.000	0.000	US 322 Bus. (High Street / Chestnut Street)	Western terminus
	West Goshen Township	0.805	1.296	Paoli Pike	Eastbound exit and westbound entrance
		1.338	2.153	US 202 / US 322 (West Chester Bypass) – King of Prussia, Downingtown, Wilmington, Chester	Interchange
	Westtown Township	4.518	7.271	PA 352 north (Chester Road) – Frazer	Western terminus of concurrency with PA 352
		4.648	7.480	PA 352 south (Chester Road) – Lima	Eastern terminus of concurrency with PA 352
	Willistown Township	6.338	10.200	PA 926 west (Street Road) – Cheyney, Westtown	Eastern terminus of PA 926
Delaware	Newtown Township	11.308	18.198	PA 252 (Newtown Street Road) – Paoli, Media
	Marple Township	13.456	21.655	PA 320 (Sproul Road) – Villanova, Swarthmore
		14.560	23.432	I-476 (Mid-County Expressway) – Plymouth Meeting, Chester	Exit 9 on I-476
	Haverford–Upper Darby township line	17.117	27.547	US 1 (Township Line Road)
Philadelphia	Philadelphia	22.451	36.131	US 13 (38th Street)	Brief concurrency between westbound PA 3 and US 13
		23.321	37.532	I-76 (Schuylkill Expressway) to I-95 / I-676 – Valley Forge, Central Philadelphia, Airport	Exit 345 on I-76; access via Schuylkill Avenue
		24.326	39.149	PA 611 (John F. Kennedy Boulevard/15th Street)	Penn Square; eastern terminus
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Images for kids

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  PA 3 eastbound in Upper Darby, with the Philadelphia skyline in the distance

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  PA 3 westbound in Havertown