PA Turnpike News

[Beltway]

On the PTC wedsite under Design and Construction, the PTC has announced that they will be replacing 2 mainline bridges using the Accelerated Bridge Construction method.  One on each side of the state.  They expect in each case for the mainline to only be shut down for a weekend.

The closing in the West will be this weekend.  Turnpike will be closed from 9 p.m. Friday to 4 a.m. Monday between I-376 (New Castle) and I-79
http://triblive.com/local/allegheny/12748809-74/weekend-turnpike-closure-means-long-detour-for-motorists

If I was going that way, I would use the combination of I-79 and I-70 to avoid this.  It is about 50 miles on the Turnpike and the detour is about 92 miles, even though I-70 between New  Stanton and Washington, Pennsylvania is having  some construction work done but still has a high suck factor.

How about using I-79 and I-80 to bypass the segment?  That is an extra 25 miles and is all-Interstate.

For through traffic on the Turnpikes, that is the approach to take.  Eastbound exits the Ohio Turnpike west of Youngstown on i-80 East to 79 South in Pittsburgh and then pick up the Pennsylvania Turnpike again.  Reverse the approach heading West.  Much quicker than the posted detour.

Local traffic would have other issues, but from the west I-376 can be used to access most of Pittsburgh.

[cpzilliacus]

For through traffic on the Turnpikes, that is the approach to take.  Eastbound exits the Ohio Turnpike west of Youngstown on i-80 East to 79 South in Pittsburgh and then pick up the Pennsylvania Turnpike again.  Reverse the approach heading West.  Much quicker than the posted detour.

That is indeed better. I assumed the closure was at the other I-376 interchange (Penn-Lincoln Parkway).

[cl94]

Long-distance traffic should just stay on I-80 to US 322 and hop on in Harrisburg. That would avoid the inevitable interchange congestion. With no traffic, difference is 15 minutes.

[thenetwork]

Sounds like the PTC wants to financially screw through traffic with more tolls by suggesting the 376/80/79 detour.  This includes those entering PA from the west, paying full price at the border to go one exit then more tolls on I-376 either way.  And those coming from I-79 will have to drop some coin somewhere if they follow the detour into Ohio.

[cl94]

Sounds like the PTC wants to financially screw through traffic with more tolls by suggesting the 376/80/79 detour.  This includes those entering PA from the west, paying full price at the border to go one exit then more tolls on I-376 either way.  And those coming from I-79 will have to drop some coin somewhere if they follow the detour into Ohio.

Well yeah, PTC doesn't want to lose money off of this detour. Note that the closed section is free, but exiting at I-376 requires paying a toll unless you utilize PA 351. They may actually MAKE money off of this thing (as shocking as that sounds).

[MASTERNC]

Sounds like the PTC wants to financially screw through traffic with more tolls by suggesting the 376/80/79 detour.  This includes those entering PA from the west, paying full price at the border to go one exit then more tolls on I-376 either way.  And those coming from I-79 will have to drop some coin somewhere if they follow the detour into Ohio.

Well yeah, PTC doesn't want to lose money off of this detour. Note that the closed section is free, but exiting at I-376 requires paying a toll unless you utilize PA 351. They may actually MAKE money off of this thing (as shocking as that sounds).

Add to the fact I-376 has gone cashless, which is sure to cause some confusion.

[thenetwork]

Sounds like the PTC wants to financially screw through traffic with more tolls by suggesting the 376/80/79 detour.  This includes those entering PA from the west, paying full price at the border to go one exit then more tolls on I-376 either way.  And those coming from I-79 will have to drop some coin somewhere if they follow the detour into Ohio.

Well yeah, PTC doesn't want to lose money off of this detour. Note that the closed section is free, but exiting at I-376 requires paying a toll unless you utilize PA 351. They may actually MAKE money off of this thing (as shocking as that sounds).

I'd love to see the Ohio Turnpike screw over the PTC by having numerous VMS's prior to Youngstown advising people of the closure and to follow Exit 218 off the pike and remain on I-80 East all the way over to I-79.  Save people the extra detour mileage and outlandish tolls in the Keystone State.   

[MASTERNC]

Sounds like the PTC wants to financially screw through traffic with more tolls by suggesting the 376/80/79 detour.  This includes those entering PA from the west, paying full price at the border to go one exit then more tolls on I-376 either way.  And those coming from I-79 will have to drop some coin somewhere if they follow the detour into Ohio.

They kind of are

https://twitter.com/OhioTurnpike/status/911292139404918784

[cl94]

They kind of are

https://twitter.com/OhioTurnpike/status/911292139404918784

Heh heh heh. WB traffic will still get screwed over, but EB is good.

[MASTERNC]

They kind of are

https://twitter.com/OhioTurnpike/status/911292139404918784

Heh heh heh. WB traffic will still get screwed over, but EB is good.

There is no toll WB when they get back on the Turnpike, but there is the electronic toll on 376.

[Mergingtraffic]

The PA TPKE YouTube video says tolls are waived.

[MASTERNC]

The PA TPKE YouTube video says tolls are waived.

Guess they figure the tolls on 376 are minimal enough to take the revenue hit.

[ixnay]

The PA TPKE YouTube video says tolls are waived.

I searched "Pennsylvania Turnpike" on YT and couldn't find the vid.  Would you mind linking it, please?

ixnay

[MASTERNC]

The PA TPKE YouTube video says tolls are waived.

I searched "Pennsylvania Turnpike" on YT and couldn't find the vid.  Would you mind linking it, please?

ixnay

Sure

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAP3AUdyqv8

[Beltway]

I searched "Pennsylvania Turnpike" on YT and couldn't find the vid.  Would you mind linking it, please?
ixnay

Sure
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAP3AUdyqv8

Ghaack!  A picture is worth a thousand words.  They really did recommend that routing, huh?

[cl94]

Again, they don't want to lose the toll money at the Ohio border. $7/car adds up ($5 for E-ZPass).

[Beltway]

Again, they don't want to lose the toll money at the Ohio border. $7/car adds up ($5 for E-ZPass).

They just can't be that petty.  It is only for 3 days and for an extraordinary situation of a full highway closure.

Besides, a number of trips would still be best routed thru that section to I-376, such as to the central and to about 2/3 of the Pittsburgh area.

[cl94]

Again, they don't want to lose the toll money at the Ohio border. $7/car adds up ($5 for E-ZPass).

They just can't be that petty.  It is only for 3 days and for an extraordinary situation of a full highway closure.

Yes, they can. Act 44 means they need all the money they can get.

[Beltway]

Again, they don't want to lose the toll money at the Ohio border. $7/car adds up ($5 for E-ZPass).

They just can't be that petty.  It is only for 3 days and for an extraordinary situation of a full highway closure.

Yes, they can. Act 44 means they need all the money they can get.

If true then they should be ashamed of themselves.  What about the extra costs to motorists, their customers, if they take an unnecessarily longer route?

[ixnay]

Thanks for the vid link, Mergingtraffic.

ixnay

[jeffandnicole]

The biggest problem with detours is if they take people out of the way, will they know how to get back to the bypassed exits?

The best option WB would've been North to I-80, then west into Ohio.

EB is a bit trickier.  As NJDOT has told me, it's tough signing detours in advanced of the exit because people will ignore the signs.

It would be best if Ohio had their VMS signage announcing the closure to get people to use I-80 EB into PA.  For those that ignore that signage, or who enter beyond that 76/80 interchange, then the official detour route comes into effect.

Again, they don't want to lose the toll money at the Ohio border. $7/car adds up ($5 for E-ZPass).

They just can't be that petty.  It is only for 3 days and for an extraordinary situation of a full highway closure.

Yes, they can. Act 44 means they need all the money they can get.

If they were that petty, they would've claimed the NJ/PA Turnpike Bridge's crack was 'minor' and no need to close the bridge (no doubt NJTA would overrule that though). 

[cl94]

If anyone is curious about how Google/Waze is routing people right now:

Heading east, other direction is same
Destination along Turnpike west of Exit 57 (I-376 east): I-80 -> I-79 -> I-76
Exit 57 to Exit 242 (I-83): I-76 -> I-376 -> I-76
Exit 247 (I-283) and east: I-80 -> I-99 -> US 322 -> US 22 -> I-81 NB -> I-83 -> I-283 -> I-76

If you're starting between I-80 and the closure point, 376 is a better detour regardless of your destination.

From Google, 376 has more traffic than usual and Turnpike Exit 57 has some backups, but conditions on the Turnpike itself don't look too bad.

[ixnay]

Long-distance traffic should just stay on I-80 to US 322 and hop on in Harrisburg. That would avoid the inevitable interchange congestion. With no traffic, difference is 15 minutes.

Via exit 161, then taking I-99 down to 322 in State College?  State College would be slightly overshot this way.

ixnay

[cl94]

Long-distance traffic should just stay on I-80 to US 322 and hop on in Harrisburg. That would avoid the inevitable interchange congestion. With no traffic, difference is 15 minutes.

Via exit 161, then taking I-99 down to 322 in State College?  State College would be slightly overshot this way.

ixnay

That is indeed how Google and Waze is routing through traffic at this time. Supposedly 25 minutes faster than I-376 through Pittsburgh with current traffic.

[ARMOURERERIC]

Was the PTC smart enough to make the new bridge able to accommodate 6 lanes.