Just as its companion expressway on the western shore of the Susquehanna, the East Shore Expressway would have facilitated local traffic between Interstate 83 and Interstate 81 while bypassing the congestion along Front, Second, and Cameron streets through downtown Harrisburg.

The expressway would have had its southern terminus at the Second Street interchange with Interstate 83.  It then would have then crossed over the Amtrak line and paralleled the rail yard on its eastern side.  Following the Cameron Street corridor northward on the west side of that street, it would have crossed Cameron Street on the eastern side of the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex.  The East Shore Expressway would have then passed between the farm show complex and the Department of Agriculture building before terminating at the interchange where Interstate 81, and US 22/US 322 converge north of the city.  The reason for the complicated interchanges at Second Street on Interstate 83 and the Interstate 81/US 22/US 322 stack interchange on Interstate 81 was due to plans to build this expressway.  However, just as had happened across the Commonwealth, the budgetary axe fell on the East Shore Expressway in 1977.