A dirt PA 31 near Jones Mills, Westmoreland County.
Westmoreland and Fayette counties
PA 31's designation begins at Pennsylvania Route 136 near West Newton.[3] It travels east, interchanging with Interstate 70.[4] After that interchange, PA 31 does not intersect any more numbered roads until it interchanges with U.S. Route 119 in the western part of Mount Pleasant.[5] 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.[6][7]
The first intersection with a numbered road after entering the township is Pennsylvania Route 982.[9] This is the only major intersection until it reaches Donegal.[10] 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.[11]
2 miles (3 km) later, PA 31 intersects Pennsylvania Route 381. This marks the eastern terminus of the concurrency with PA 711, and the western terminus of PA 381. It is also the northern terminus of the PA 381/711 concurrency as well.[12] Before leaving Donegal Township, PA 31 approaches the eastern terminus of the concurrency with PA 381. This is the last major intersection before PA 31 winds its way through rural Pennsylvania to Somerset.[13]
Somerset County
A view of southbound PA 281 at the western terminus of the concurrency.
After winding past rural Westmoreland and Fayette Counties, PA 31 enters Somerset County and encounters the borough of Somerset.[14] Immediately after entering Somerset, PA 31 intersects Pennsylvania Route 281 and forms a concurrency on one-way pairs.[15] While being concurrent, both highways intersect the southern terminus of Pennsylvania Route 601.[15] Not a long while after, PA 31/281 end the concurrency, as PA 281 splits north, while PA 31 continues east.[15]
A view of the eastern terminus of the concurrency.
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.[18] As PA 31 nears Manns Choice, it intersects Pennsylvania Route 96 and is concurrent for 1.81 mi (2.91 km).[19] After separating, PA 31 continues for 3.44 mi (5.54 km) before terminating at U.S. Route 30.[20]
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.[21]
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.[22]
PA 31 westbound past PA 982 in Laurelville
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.[23][24]
The PA 31 designation began appearing on road maps and signage in 1927.[25][1] 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.[26] On its way eastward, PA 31 met the southern terminus of PA 28 near Avella, was concurrent with PA 18 and US 19, and traded paths with US 40 in Washington.
In September 1964, the western terminus of PA 31 was truncated to its current location at the intersection of Mount Pleasant Road and Greensburg Pike in West Newton. Two segments of the decommissioned route were renumbered. PA 136 was designated from the western terminus of PA 31 to US 40/PA 18 in Washington. PA 844 (Jefferson Avenue) was designated from PA 18 (Henderson Avenue) to the PA/WV state line. This left a gap of 1.4 miles of the former PA 31 which ran concurrently with PA 18 (and very briefly with US 40) between the termini of the newly designated routes (PA 844 east, PA 136 west). As a result, this gap did not need renumbered or any additional designations. PA 31 was truncated in order to avoid intersecting I-70 at multiple locations; the state only wanted state routes to intersect an Interstate highway once to avoid motorist confusion.[27]
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.[29][30]
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.[31]
PA 136 near West Newton
I-70 near Turkeytown
US 119 near Mount Pleasant
PA 982 in Laurelville
I-70 Toll / I-76 Toll / Penna Turnpike in Donegal
PA 711 in Donegal
PA 381 near Jones Mills
PA 281 / PA 601 in Somerset
PA 160 near Berlin
PA 96 near Manns Choice
US 30 near Bedford
