With the creation of the U.S. Highway System in 1926, a spur of US 30 called U.S. Route 230 (US 230) was designated from US 22/PA 3/PA 13 at Cameron and Mulberry streets in Harrisburg southeast to US 1 in Conowingo, Maryland.

The eastern terminus was cut to its current location by 1972 with PA 283 replacing the route on the freeway into Lancaster.

The route crosses under Norfolk Southern's Harrisburg Line and comes to an intersection with Paxton Street, which provides access to I-83.

The route narrows to two lanes and crosses the Capital Area Greenbelt trail and Spring Creek before it leaves Harrisburg for Swatara Township, where it heads past commercial development.

A short distance later, the road enters the borough of Steelton and becomes North Front Street, passing a mix of homes and businesses.

The route heads southeast between residential and business areas to the northeast and a large Cleveland-Cliffs steel mill to the southwest.

The road continues through industrial areas and passes under a railroad spur serving the steel mill.

[2][3] PA 230 passes under the Susquehanna River Bridge carrying the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-76) and continues southeast into the borough of Highspire along 2nd Street, running past homes and businesses.

The route gains a center left-turn lane and passes businesses before it leaves Highspire for Lower Swatara Township.

The route crosses the Middletown and Hummelstown Railroad at-grade before it comes to a bridge over the Swatara Creek.

[2][3] Upon crossing the creek, the road enters Londonderry Township and becomes Harrisburg Pike, passing through farmland.

PA 230 continues southeast through woodland with homes and fields, briefly gaining a second westbound lane.

The route heads through farmland with some woods and development as a two-lane road, passing to the southwest of a golf course.

The road runs through wooded areas with some development, passing the southern end of the Conewago Recreation Trail before curving east and briefly gaining a second eastbound lane.

The route continues as a two-lane road and enters the borough of Elizabethtown, where it passes a few businesses before coming to a junction with PA 241/PA 743.

The road heads into the downtown area of Elizabethtown, where it crosses Conoy Creek and PA 241 splits to the southwest.

PA 230/PA 743 continue along South Market Street out of the downtown, where the roadway gains a center left-turn lane and is lined with homes.

PA 230 heads southeast through farmland alongside the railroad tracks and becomes the border between Mount Joy Township to the north and East Donegal Township to the south before it heads away from the Amtrak line and enters the borough of Mount Joy.

The road passes more residential and commercial establishments and crosses a Norfolk Southern railroad spur at-grade before it reaches an intersection with PA 772.

[5] Following the passage of the Sproul Road Bill in 1911, Legislative Route 129 was designated between Harrisburg and Lancaster, passing through Middletown, Elizabethtown, and Mount Joy.

[6] With the creation of the U.S. Highway System on November 11, 1926, US 230, a spur of US 30, was designated to run from US 22/PA 3/PA 13 at Mulberry and Cameron streets in Harrisburg southeast to US 1 east of Conowingo, Maryland.

The route headed southeast from Harrisburg through Middletown, Elizabethtown, and Mount Joy to Lancaster, where it turned south, passing through Quarryville and crossing the state line into Maryland before reaching its terminus.

[16][17][18] On June 28, 1965, the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO) approved the elimination of the US 230 designation.

continued southeast as an undivided surface road and crossed PA 441 near Oberlin before reaching the Harrisburg East interchange with the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-80S).