Local Area Info: Pennsylvania Route 501

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.

PA 501 begins at an intersection with US 222/PA 272 in the community of Glen Moore in Manheim Township, Lancaster County, north of the city of Lancaster. From here, the route heads north on Lititz Pike, a five-lane road with a center left-turn lane, with the southbound direction running concurrent with southbound US 222. The road passes through business areas and runs to the east of a residential neighborhood before reaching an interchange with the US 30 freeway, where the road is a four-lane divided highway. At this point, the concurrency with southbound US 222 ends and PA 501 continues north as a three-lane road with a center left-turn lane. The route heads through suburban residential areas with some businesses, passing through Overlook and Brooklawn. Farther north, the road narrows to two lanes. In the community of Neffsville, PA 501 intersects PA 722, with that route turning north for a concurrency before it splits to the east on East Oregon Road. Past this, PA 501 passes near more suburban residential and commercial development, gaining a center left-turn lane again. The road becomes two lanes again and runs between farm fields to the west and the Lancaster Airport to the east before it crosses into Warwick Township.