President Biden Expressway

{{Short description|Short highway in Scranton, Pennsylvania, US}}

{{Infobox road

|state = PA

|name = President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Expressway

|alternate_name = Central Scranton Expressway

|map =

|length_mi = 0.755

|length_ref = {{cite report |author = Bureau of Maintenance and Operations |url = http://www.penndot.gov/ProjectAndPrograms/ResearchandTesting/RoadwayManagementandTesting/Pages/RMS-Annual-SLDs-By-County.aspx#.VndVQr8VSSo |title = Roadway Management System Straight Line Diagrams |date = January 2021 |edition = 2021 |publisher = Pennsylvania Department of Transportation |accessdate = September 29, 2021 }}

[http://www.dot.state.pa.us/public/Bureaus/BOMO/RM/RITS/Annual%20Electronic%20SLDs%20by%20County/District%204/Lackawanna%20Without%20Pipes.pdf Lackawanna County] (PDF)

|length_notes =

|allocation = SR 3032 (unsigned) entire length

|established = 1964

|decommissioned =

|direction_a = West

|terminus_a = {{jct|state=PA|US|11|PA|307}} in Scranton

|beltway_city =

|junction =

|direction_b = East

|terminus_b = {{jct|state=PA|I|81}} in Scranton

|counties = Lackawanna

}}

The President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. Expressway, commonly referred to as the President Biden Expressway,{{Cite web |date = July 8, 2021 |title = Two roads to be renamed after President Biden in his Pa. hometown |url = https://www.newsnationnow.com/us-news/northeast/two-roads-to-be-renamed-after-president-biden-in-his-pa-hometown/ |access-date = September 29, 2021 |website = NewsNation Now |language = en-US }} and formerly known as the Central Scranton Expressway, is a {{convert|0.76|mi|km|adj=mid|-long}} freeway southeast of downtown Scranton in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It runs east-southeast from U.S. Route 11 (US 11)/Pennsylvania Route 307 (PA 307) near downtown to Interstate 81 (I-81).

The highway is one of only three freeways in Pennsylvania with no posted route number. In the Location Referencing System, it is designated State Route 3022 by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT). In 2021, the road was renamed after President Joe Biden, who was born in Scranton.

Route description

File:Biden Expressway eb approaching I-81, July 2023.jpg

The President Biden Expressway begins at an interchange with US 11/PA 307 and Cedar Avenue in Scranton, with access to northbound US 11/PA 307 and from southbound US 11/PA 307. From here, the President Biden Expressway heads east-southeast as a four-lane freeway. The road runs between residential neighborhoods to the southwest and Roaring Brook to the northeast. The freeway passes under the Harrison Avenue Bridge before ending at a directional T interchange with I-81.{{google maps |url = https://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&source=s_d&saddr=41.40335,+-75.66032&daddr=41.39649,+-75.64568&hl=en&geocode=FdbDdwId4IN9-w%3BFQqpdwIdEL19-w&mra=ls&sll=41.396997,-75.640354&sspn=0.01468,0.042272&ie=UTF8&t=h&z=16 |title = Overview of Central Scranton Expressway |access-date = December 24, 2010 }}

History

Construction began in 1964 alongside the adjacent section of I-81.{{Cite web |url = http://www.pahighways.com/interstates/I81.html |title = Pennsylvania Highways: Interstate 81 |first = Jeffrey J. |last = Kitsko |date = September 30, 2014 |website = Pennsylvania Highways |access-date = September 29, 2018 }}{{sps|certain=yes|date=October 2021}} The road was built along a portion of the former Lackawanna and Wyoming Valley Railroad right-of-way passing beneath the Harrison Avenue Bridge.{{Cite book |last1 = Henwood |first1 = James N. J. |last2 = Muncie |first2 = John G. |title = Laurel Line: An Anthracite Region Railway |publisher = Interurban Press |year = 1986 |location = Glendale, California |page = 186 |isbn = 0916374726 }} It opened{{year needed|date=September 2018}} with a temporary western terminus feeding into Front Street at Prospect Avenue. By the early 1970s,{{Clarify timeframe|date=November 2018}} the current interchange at the western terminus was opened, connecting to a new road replacing the demolished Spruce Street Bridge.

In July 2021, there was a proposal to rename the Central Scranton Expressway after incumbent U.S. President Joe Biden, who was born in Scranton.{{cite news |last = Butler |first = Cody |title = Scranton City Council begins voting on ‘Biden Expressway’ |work = PAhomepage |date = July 6, 2021 |url = https://www.pahomepage.com/news/scranton-city-council-begins-voting-on-biden-expressway/ |accessdate = July 7, 2021 }} On July 20, 2021, the Scranton City Council unanimously voted to rename the Central Scranton Expressway to the President Joseph R. Biden Jr. Expressway along with renaming Spruce Street to Biden Street.{{cite news |last = Lee |first = Peggy |date = July 20, 2021 |title = Scranton City Council unanimously votes to rename roads after native son Biden |publisher = WNEP-TV |location = Scranton, PA |url = https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/lackawanna-county/scranton-city-council-unanimously-votes-to-rename-roads-after-native-son-biden/523-b37ef486-906e-4323-bcbc-1954cefc20b6 |accessdate = July 23, 2021 }} PennDOT replaced signage on the northbound lanes of I-81 on September 29, 2021, and replaced signage on the southbound lanes of I-81 on the following day. The sign installation was completed on October 4, 2021, at the exit 185 off ramp along I-81.{{cite news |last = Warner |first = Andrea |title = Lane restrictions on I-81 for installation of ‘Biden Expressway’ signage |publisher = PAhomepage |date = September 29, 2021 |url = https://www.pahomepage.com/news/lane-restrictions-on-i-81-for-installation-of-biden-expressway-signage/ |accessdate = September 29, 2021 }}{{cite news |author = Staff |title = Another new expressway sign up in Scranton |publisher = WNEP-TV |location = Scranton, PA |date = September 30, 2021 |url = https://www.wnep.com/article/news/local/lackawanna-county/crews-continue-to-put-up-new-expressway-signs-president-biden-expressway-scranton/523-f268ce22-1c31-4bfe-9078-9c5fe622164e |accessdate = October 3, 2021 }}

In December 2024, local residents and multiple state politicians called for Biden's name to be removed from the expressway after he controversially commuted the sentence of Michael Conahan, a judge responsible for the kids for cash scandal that took place in neighboring Luzerne County. However, Scranton mayor Paige Cognetti and the city council declined to remove the signs.{{Cite web |last=Haberski |first=Tim |date=2024-12-17 |title=Pa. State Rep. calls for name change of Biden Expressway in Scranton |url=https://www.pahomepage.com/news/pa-state-rep-calls-for-name-change-of-biden-expressway-in-scranton/ |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=PAhomepage.com |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Lockwood |first=Jim |date=2025-01-08 |title=Biden name to remain on two roads in Scranton; council takes no action on residents’ request for removal or ballot referendum |url=https://www.thetimes-tribune.com/2025/01/08/biden-name-to-remain-on-two-roads-in-scranton-council-takes-no-action-on-residents-request-for-removal-or-ballot-referendum/ |access-date=2025-01-09 |website=Scranton Times-Tribune |language=en-US}}