Pennsylvania Route 472

Pennsylvania Route 472, often called PA 472, is a two-lane road that runs from south to north through Chester and Lancaster counties in Pennsylvania. It starts near the Maryland border at PA 841 in Lewisville and ends at PA 372 in Quarryville. The road goes through quiet countryside areas and passes by the town of Oxford. In Oxford, it connects with PA 10 and has a place to get on and off U.S. Route 1.

The route was first made a state highway in 1928, running between U.S. Route 1, PA 12, and PA 42 in Oxford and PA 372 in Quarryville. By 1930, the road was extended a little further south to a place called Hickory Hill and was fully paved. In 1937, the southern end of PA 472 was moved again to end at PA 841 in Lewisville, where it is today.

Route description

PA 472 starts at a crossroads with PA 841 in the town of Lewisville in Elk Township, Chester County, just a little way north of the Maryland border. From there, the road heads west-northwest on a two-lane road called Lewisville Road. It passes through farms, homes, and woods, curving to the north and going through places like Peacedale and Hickory Hill.

The route continues into East Nottingham Township, passing more countryside and some neighborhoods. It enters the town of Oxford, where it becomes Market Street and goes through the downtown area. PA 472 crosses a railroad line and meets PA 10 before heading northwest on Lancaster Avenue. The road then leaves Oxford and goes through more farms and woods, passing Mount Vernon.

PA 472 crosses Octoraro Lake along the East Branch Octoraro Creek into Colerain Township in Lancaster County and becomes Kirkwood Pike. Here, it enters the Pennsylvania Dutch Country, where many Amish farms are found. The road continues through rural areas, passing Union and Kirkwood, then Collins, before reaching the borough of Quarryville. In Quarryville, PA 472 ends at a crossroads with PA 372.

History

Pennsylvania Route 472, known as PA 472, did not have a number when Pennsylvania first set up its roads in 1911. The route got its number, PA 472, in 1928. It started in Oxford and went northwest to Quarryville, following the same path it uses today. Back then, parts of the road near Oxford and between Kirkwood and a spot northwest of Collins were paved.

By 1930, the road was extended south from Oxford to Hickory Hill, and the whole stretch from Oxford to Quarryville was paved. In 1937, the southern end of PA 472 was moved to its current spot at PA 841 in Lewisville. Since then, the route has stayed on the same path.

Major intersections

County	Location	mi	km	Destinations
Chester	Elk Township	0.000	0.000	PA 841 (Chesterville Road) to MD 213
	Oxford	7.745	12.464	PA 10 begins (North Third Street)
		7.766	12.498	PA 10 north (North Third Street) – Cochranville
		8.708	14.014	US 1 (Kennett–Oxford Bypass) – Kennett Square, Rising Sun
Lancaster	Quarryville	20.842	33.542	PA 372 (East State Street) to US 222 – Buck, Lancaster, Christiana
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus