page_title: Pennsylvania Route 26
section_title: Centre County
hierarchical_section_title: Pennsylvania Route 26 / Route description / Centre County
caption_attribution_description: English: Downtown State College
context_page_description: Pennsylvania Route 26 is a 125.5-mile highway in the south-central area of Pennsylvania. Its northern terminus is at PA 150 northwest of Howard; its southern terminus is at the Maryland state line near Barnes Gap in Union Township. Two major destinations along this route are Raystown Lake near Huntingdon and the Pennsylvania State University at State College.
  In State College, Pennsylvania, the road divides into two one-way streets, going northbound on Beaver Avenue and going southbound on College Avenue. The Centre Area Transportation Authority uses these two routes for their Campus Loop and the Town Loop.
  As of November 24, 2008, a 3.6-mile portion of PA 26 is concurrent with the northernmost stretch of Interstate 99 north of State College, Pennsylvania between Pleasant Gap and I-80. The route also passes by two state penitentiaries: the State Correctional Institution – Rockview in Pleasant Gap and State Correctional Institution – Huntingdon, near Huntingdon.
context_section_description: At the summit of Tussey Mountain, PA 26 comes to a truck check station in both directions and a scenic overlook on the southbound side, entering Ferguson Township in Centre County. The road begins to descend the mountain, coming to a northbound runaway truck ramp before it leaves Rothrock State Forest and makes a hairpin turn to the southwest. The route turns north and reaches the base of the mountain, where it enters the Nittany Valley and heads into the residential community of Pine Grove Mills as South Water Street. PA 26 comes to an intersection with PA 45, at which point it turns east to form a concurrency with that route on East Pine Grove Road. The road soon curves northeast and passes more homes along with a few businesses. The roadway leaves Pine Grove Mills and PA 45 splits from PA 26 by turning to the northeast. PA 26 becomes West College Avenue and curves north and then northwest, heading through farmland with some residences and commercial establishments and gaining a center left-turn lane. The road heads past a mix of homes and businesses, curving north and then northeast.
  PA 26 enters the borough of State College, where it splits into the one-way pair of West Beaver Avenue northbound and West College Avenue southbound upon intersecting South Buckhout Street. The one-way pair, which carries two lanes in each direction, passes through residential areas. The route heads into the downtown area of State College, which contains businesses and high-rise buildings consisting of mixed residential and commercial uses. Here, PA 26 comes to an intersection with US 322 Bus., at which point West College Avenue becomes the southeast border of the University Park campus of Pennsylvania State University. Following this intersection, the one-way pair continues northeast through the downtown area to the southeast of the university campus. At the intersection with Allen Street to the southeast of Old Main on the Pennsylvania State University campus, the route becomes East Beaver Avenue northbound and East College Avenue southbound. PA 26 heads through more of downtown State College, with the university campus to the northwest, before the one-way pair ends at the High Street intersection. At this point, PA 26 continues northeast on four-lane undivided East College Avenue and comes to an interchange with University Drive that serves the University Park campus of Pennsylvania State University, including Beaver Stadium and the Bryce Jordan Center. Past this interchange, the road heads through woods and leaves State College for College Township, where it gains a center left-turn lane and passes through a mix of homes and businesses, running through the community of Millbrook. The route becomes a four-lane divided highway and reaches an interchange with the US 322 freeway, where the route becomes concurrent with PA 144 Truck.
  Past the US 322 interchange, PA 26 becomes a five-lane road with a center left-turn lane and runs through wooded residential areas. Farther northeast, the route heads into business areas and becomes parallel with a Nittany and Bald Eagle Railroad line to the southeast of the road. PA 26 comes to an intersection with the southern terminus of PA 150, where it turns northeast to remain along East College Avenue, a three-lane road with a center left-turn lane that continues to parallel the railroad line. The road passes southeast of the Nittany Mall before it heads between residential areas to the northwest and industrial areas to the southeast. The route narrows to two lanes as it heads into a mix of farmland and woodland and enters Benner Township, where it passes southeast of State Correctional Institution – Rockview. PA 26 crosses the Nittany and Bald Eagle Railroad line and continues northeast through rural areas with some development as West College Avenue, gaining a center left-turn lane. The road crosses into Spring Township and heads into the community of Pleasant Gap, where it becomes two lanes again and passes through residential areas with some businesses. The route comes to an intersection with PA 144
caption: PA 26 (College Avenue) in State College
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