This set of five blueprint maps of State Highway 113 through the two boroughs is especially informative because the maps identify the owners of each property along the route of the highway.

 

This map, and the four others that follow, portray a highway project that was approved by the State Department of Highways in 1930.  It is known from newspaper accounts that in September 1930, the brick pavement of the Neck was torn up and a concrete pavement was laid. 

 

The designation "State Highway 113" is rarely encountered in studies of the Brownsville region, and it is difficult to find information about it.  However, as can be seen by these blueprint maps, Pennsylvania Route No. 113  followed the same route through Brownsville and South Brownsville as the National Pike.

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To Zoom in on the map below for a closer look:

Click/tap on a part of the map of interest to you, wait for up to 10-12 seconds, and a clear zoomed image will appear.

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For further information about Act 193, please scroll below the map.

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The following is the introductory paragraph of Pennsylvania Legislative Act 193 of 1911, creating the Pennsylvania Department of Highways, which was responsible for the highway project outlined in this five-map set of blueprints:

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     Providing for the establishment of a State Highway Department, by the appointment of a State Highway Commissioner, two Deputy State Highway Commissioners, chief engineer, chief draughtsman, superintendents of highways, and a staff of assistants and employes; defining their duties and the jurisdiction of the State Highway Department, and fixing salaries of commissioner and deputies and other appointees; providing for taking over from the counties or townships of the Commonwealth certain existing public roads connecting county-seats, principal cities, and towns and extending to the State line; describing and defining same by route numbers as the State Highways of the Commonwealth; providing for the improvement, maintenance and repair of said State Highways solely at the expense of the Commonwealth, and relieving the several townships or counties from any further obligation and expense to improve or maintain the same, and relieving said townships or counties of authority over same; requiring boroughs and incorporated towns to maintain certain State Highways wholly and in part; requiring the State Highway Commissioner to make maps to be complete records thereof; conferring authority on the State Highway Commissioner; providing for the payment of damages in taking of property, or otherwise, in the improvement thereof; providing for purchase or acquiring of turnpikes or toll-roads forming all or part of any State Highway, and procedure therein; providing for work of improvement of State Highways to be done by contract, except where the State Highway Commissioner decides the work be done by the State; providing aid by the State to counties and townships desiring the same in the improvement of township or county roads; defining highways and State-aid highways; providing method of application for State aid in the improvement, maintenance and repair of township or county roads and prescribing the contents of township, county, borough, or incorporated town petitions; providing for percentage of cost of improvement or repairs to be paid by State, county, township, borough, or incorporated town, and requiring contracts by counties, townships, boroughs, and incorporated towns with Commonwealth governing same; providing for the minimum width of State Highways and State-aid highways, and kind of materials to be used in the improvement; providing for payment of cost of improvement and repairs; providing penalty for injuring or destroying State Highways; making appropriations to carry out the provisions of the act; and providing for the repeal of certain acts relating to Highway Department and improvement of roads, and of all acts or parts of acts inconsistent herewith; and providing that existing contracts are not affected by provisions of this act.

 

 

 

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