Pennsylvania Route 501

Pennsylvania Route 501
PA 501 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by PennDOT
Length	38.695 mi[1] (62.274 km)
Existed	1928–present
Major junctions
South end	US 222 / PA 272 in Lancaster
Major intersections	US 30 / US 222 in Lancaster PA 722 in Neffsville PA 772 in Lititz US 322 in Brickerville PA 419 / PA 897 in Schaefferstown US 422 in Myerstown I-78 / US 22 in Bethel
North end	PA 895 near Pine Grove
Location
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
Counties	Lancaster, Lebanon, Berks, Schuylkill
Highway system
Pennsylvania State Route System Interstate US State Scenic Legislative
← I-495 → PA 502
← PA 242 PA 243 → PA 244

Pennsylvania Route 501 (PA 501) is a north–south state highway in south central Pennsylvania that runs for 38.7 miles (62.3 km). Its southern terminus is at U.S. Route 222 (US 222) and PA 272 north of Lancaster, and its northern terminus is PA 895 southeast of Pine Grove. The route heads north from Lancaster and runs through suburban and rural areas in northern Lancaster County, passing through Lititz and crossing US 322 in Brickerville. PA 501 continues into Lebanon County and heads into the Lebanon Valley, where it passes through Schaefferstown and intersects US 422 in Myerstown. The route passes through western Berks County, where it has an interchange with Interstate 78 (I-78)/US 22 near the community of Bethel. PA 501 crosses Blue Mountain into Schuylkill County and continues to its northern terminus.

The portion of the road in northern Lancaster County was originally established as two private turnpikes in the 19th century, becoming a public road in 1926. PA 501 was designated in 1928 to run from PA 72 in Lancaster north to PA 5 (now US 322) in Brickerville while PA 243 was designated onto the road running between US 22/PA 3 (now US 422) in Myerstown and PA 43 in Bethel. PA 501 was extended north to US 422 in Myerstown during the 1930s. By 1946, the route replaced PA 243 and continued north to US 22 in Bethel. PA 501 was extended to a new alignment of US 22 north of Bethel by 1953. The southern terminus was cut back to its current location by 1960 to eliminate a concurrency with US 222. By 1966, PA 501 was extended north to PA 895. In 2013, the route was realigned to bypass the center of Schaefferstown to the west.