ALTERNATE TRUCK routes in Pennsylvania

[Mapmikey]

Apologies if someone posted about this already...

So Pennsylvania has taken the next illogical step in their vigor in posting TRUCK routes.  Now they have postings that say, for example, PA 32 TRUCK ALTERNATE SOUTH, in full shields and banners.  I saw 5 of these yesterday (PA 41, US 30 Bus, US 322, PA 32, and US 202).  The PA 32 TRUCK ALT was posted on PA 611 from PA 32 to at least Doylestown and was a different route than the temporary Truck Detour for PA 32 that is in place.  As best I could tell, trucks were not banned from the mainline routes that were avoided by following these ALTERNATE routings.

The PA 41 ALTERNATE TRUCK SOUTH posting from PA 372 tells you to follow PA 41 NORTH.

Mike

[noelbotevera]

Apologies if someone posted about this already...

So Pennsylvania has taken the next illogical step in their vigor in posting TRUCK routes.  Now they have postings that say, for example, PA 32 TRUCK ALTERNATE SOUTH, in full shields and banners.  I saw 5 of these yesterday (PA 41, US 30 Bus, US 322, PA 32, and US 202).  The PA 32 TRUCK ALT was posted on PA 611 from PA 32 to at least Doylestown and was a different route than the temporary Truck Detour for PA 32 that is in place.  As best I could tell, trucks were not banned from the mainline routes that were avoided by following these ALTERNATE routings.

The PA 41 ALTERNATE TRUCK SOUTH posting from PA 372 tells you to follow PA 41 NORTH.

Mike

PA 997 south of Shippensburg does this for some reason. Starting at US 11, you use US 11 south (now this is where stuff gets shady, I don't remember) to PA 433. Taking the beginning of PA 433, the next intersection from US 11 (and not a side street) is...PA 997. Pointless truck detour.

[Mapmikey]

Yes, but trucks (per GMSV) are prohibited on PA 997 between US 11 and PA 433.

I'm talking about TRUCK ALT routes that appear to be optional...

At PA 611 SB there is this PA 32 TRUCK ALT shield https://goo.gl/maps/chex6awQEuK2

Even more strange is this route starts at the Upper Back Eddy bridge to NJ and follows PA 32 south to PA 611 - https://goo.gl/maps/8JhmUZU871N2

It follows PA 611 to PA 413 to point Pleasant Rd back to PA 32.

Mike

[Mapmikey]

It appears these ALT TRUCK routes are signed to bypass bridges where some trucks would exceed the weight limit?

Here is a warning sign on PA 73 WB just after the intersection where a PA 73 WEST TRUCK ALTERNATE just left...

https://goo.gl/maps/waRBziJtSx72

There is also a PA 73 EAST TRUCK ALTERNATE that uses a much shorter and mostly different route (PA 309) to avoid the same bridge located here - https://goo.gl/maps/ZRzzVBg5VrH2

Mike

[ekt8750]

It appears these ALT TRUCK routes are signed to bypass bridges where some trucks would exceed the weight limit?

Here is a warning sign on PA 73 WB just after the intersection where a PA 73 WEST TRUCK ALTERNATE just left...

https://goo.gl/maps/waRBziJtSx72

There is also a PA 73 EAST TRUCK ALTERNATE that uses a much shorter and mostly different route (PA 309) to avoid the same bridge located here - https://goo.gl/maps/ZRzzVBg5VrH2

Mike

Yeah I think the purpose of the ALT TRUCK routes are to lessen the amount of traffic the bridge gets. Also at that particular intersection there is a low railroad overpass there but the routes don't actually divert you away from it which seems odd. In fact the WB one leads you right toward it.

PA 420 in Ridley Twp has an ALT TRUCK route at MacDade Blvd that takes you down west/south on MacDade to Morton Av, eventually to PA 291. The purpose of that is the curb the amount of trucks running through the wildlife reserve in Tinicum and keep excess height trucks away from the low bridges in Prospect Park.

[PHLBOS]

PA 420 in Ridley Twp has an ALT TRUCK route at MacDade Blvd that takes you down west/south on MacDade to Morton Av, eventually to PA 291.  The purpose of that is the curb the amount of trucks running through the wildlife reserve in Tinicum and keep excess height trucks away from the low bridges in Prospect Park.

Actually, that particular truck detour, which was erected just a few years ago, is to bypass a couple of creek-crossings (via small older overpasses) along 420 (Kedron Ave.) between MacDade Blvd. & Morton.

The original long-time truck routing for PA 420; that's very sparcely signed today was to route overheight vehicles away from the low clearance train trestles in Prospect Park.  The northbound routing was to follow Chester Pike (US 13 South) until Stewart Ave. (where one would turn left).  Once on Stewart Ave., one was routed (originally via small trailblazer signs) unto I-95 South.  One would follow I-95 South for a short distance to Exit 7 (I-476 North).  From I-476 North, one would take the first exit (for MacDade Blvd. eastbound) and follow back to PA 420.  The southbound routing would obviously be the reverse of the above.

The more recent southern truck route extension onto PA 291 only applies for the southbound 420 traffic and was done to have truck traffic bypass the older, weight-restricted Darby Creek crossing (which was once a 2-way drawbridge pre-I-95).  The northbound direction does not have this detour due to the Darby Creek overpass being much newer (it was built as part of the I-95/PA 420 interchange project) and built to take heavier truck loads.

[74/171FAN]

I just realized via "search" that this thread existed.

I remember seeing US 30 BUS ALT TRUCK posted on the US 30 Coatesville/Downingtown Bypass back in December.  (so trucks in theory are supposed to leave US 30 BUS then use the bypass to past a weight-restricted bridge on a business route then head back to it)

Wouldn't it make more sense just to have signage similar to I-95 and US 58 in Emporia?  (with the weight restrictions on them instead of prohibitions, GSV link is on US 58 but I believe I-95 and maybe US 301 have the same sign)

Obviously US 30 BUS use US 30, US 322 maybe US 30 to PA 100 to US 202 (and vice versa, though US 202 SB not having a ramp to US 322 WB in West Chester may complicate that)

The elimination of PA 100 on Pottstown Pike south of Exton also complicates things because I read that it was partly done to limit truck traffic.