PA 32 was first designated in 1927 to run from Philadelphia northeast to Morrisville and then northwest to US 611/PA 2 in Kintnersville. The route ran concurrent with US 13 between Philadelphia and Morrisville. The southern terminus was cut back to US 1 in Morrisville in 1928. There were cancelled proposals in the 1930s to build a parkway along the corridor between Morrisville and New Hope and for a freeway in the 1960s between Interstate 95 (I-95, now I-295) in Yardley and US 202 in New Hope. PA 32 was extended to its current southern terminus in the 1980s, replacing a part of US 1 Alternate (US 1 Alt.). Parts of the road were rebuilt in the 2000s due to floods.