Erie, Pennsylvania

Erie is a city located in Erie County, Pennsylvania, on the coast of Lake Erie. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 103,717. It is county seat of Erie County{{GR|6}}.

Transportation

Erie is well-situated on major transportation lines, leading in part to its relative health as an light-to-medium industrial center in the face of dramatic declines in the Great Lakes states.

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Three interstate highways join in or near the city: Interstate 90 (Boston to Seattle); Interstate 79, which begins in Erie and ends in Charleston, West Virginia; and Interstate 86 (east), the "Southern Tier Expressway," which begins in Erie and runs along the southern half New York State to Binghamton and beyond. Also running through or near the city are the arterial roads U.S. Highway 20, U.S. Highway 19, and U.S. Highway 6N.

Related Topics:
Interstate 90 - Interstate 79 - Charleston, West Virginia - Interstate 86 (east) - Binghamton - U.S. Highway 20 - U.S. Highway 19 - U.S. Highway 6N

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The former "Water Level Route" of the New York Central Railroad (now the CSX mainline) travels directly through Erie. This is a major mainline for the railroad and sees scores of trains a day. Less busy is the mainline of the Norfolk Southern Railroad. This line was once notable for running directly down the middle of 19th Street in the city.

Related Topics:
New York Central - CSX - Norfolk Southern

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An Amtrak train calls on the city twice daily (actually, in the middle of the night) at Union Station in downtown Erie: the Lake Shore Limited, running between New York, Boston, and Chicago. Although there has been much discussion in recent years in favor of adding daylight trains along the southern shore of Lake Erie to link Buffalo with Cleveland, and beyond, in light of Amtrak's perpetual budget woes, this will likely not take place in the near future.

Related Topics:
Amtrak - Lake Shore Limited - New York - Boston - Chicago - Lake Erie - Buffalo - Cleveland

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Erie International Airport (IATA: ERI; IACO: KERI), located 5 miles southwest of the city, hosts general aviation, charter, and scheduled airline service. Airlines currently serving Erie include Comair (Delta Air Lines Connection), Continental Connection, US Airways and Northwest Airlines. The Erie airport has recently been recognized by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation as the fastest-growing airport in the state.

Related Topics:
Erie International Airport - IATA - IACO - General aviation - Airline - Comair - Delta Air Lines - Continental Connection - US Airways - Northwest Airlines - Pennsylvania

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Greyhound Lines runs regular scheduled bus service to and from Erie from many hubs, including Pittsburgh, Chicago, and New York City.

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The Port of Erie is an under-utilized facility located within Presque Isle Bay, a fine natural harbor. Currently, there is very little commercial shipping activity through the Port, save sand and gravel and miscellaneous coal shipments.

Related Topics:
Presque Isle Bay - Coal

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