Capital Beltway | ||||
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Harrisburg Expressway | ||||
Route information | ||||
Maintained by PennDOT | ||||
Length: | 27.6 mi (44.4 km) PA 581: 7.36 mi (11.84 km) |
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Existed: | 1997 – present | |||
Component highways: |
I-83 from Lemoyne to Colonial Park I-81 from Colonial Park to west of Enola PA 581 from west of Enola to Lemoyne |
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Major junctions | ||||
Beltway around Harrisburg | ||||
I-83 in Lemoyne I-283 / US 322 in Lawnton I-81 in Colonial Park I-81 west of Enola |
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Location | ||||
Counties: | Cumberland, Dauphin | |||
Highway system | ||||
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The Capital Beltway is a beltway surrounding Harrisburg, Pennsylvania in the United States. It is co-designated as Interstate 81 (I-81), I-83, U.S. Route 11 (US 11), US 322, and Pennsylvania Route 581 (PA 581) at various locations along the route. The beltway is primarily located in the suburbs of Harrisburg; however, part of its southern leg passes along the southern edge of downtown. The southwestern section of the highway is named the Harrisburg Expressway. All of the beltway was complete by 1995; however, it was not designated as the Capital Beltway until 1997.
The Capital Beltway begins at the interchange of the eastern terminus of PA 581 and I-83 2 miles (3.2 km) west of Harrisburg in Lemoyne. This junction is colloquially known as the "York split". From the split, the beltway crosses the Susquehanna River on the John Harris Bridge, connecting Harrisburg to its west shore (a colloquialism of the western bank of the Susquehanna across from Harrisburg) suburbs of the city.
Continuing on I-83, the beltway parallels Paxton Street (formerly US 322), passing the Harrisburg Mall as the road approaches the Eisenhower Interchange. At the junction, the Capital Beltway continues on I-83 as it turns north, while beginning a concurrency with US 322. Continuing for three miles (5 km), I-83 ends at I-81 at an interchange locally known as the "81/83 split". US 322 and the Capital Beltway continue on I-81 south.