News:

The AARoads Wiki is live! Come check it out!

Main Menu

Improvements Planned for I-70 in SW PA

Started by PAHighways, August 02, 2011, 06:51:36 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

PAHighways



rickmastfan67

Quote from: mgk920 on January 05, 2012, 11:08:38 AM
Quote from: rickmastfan67 on January 05, 2012, 08:53:57 AM
I think a DDI would work perfectly for that interchange.  It's that or a SPUI.  But that cloverleaf needs to go!  Very hard to get up to speed AND merge onto I-70 EB/I-79 SB from US-19 NB in that area.

How well would 'dogbone' roundabouts work there as an option?

Mike

I don't think it would work because there is way too much traffic on US-19 there for it to work effectively.  And when you add in the traffic coming off the ramps of I-70/I-79, it would make it just as bad as the current cloverleaf IMO.

Mr_Northside

With all the talk about improving I-70 west of the Turnpike, I thought they would do something with the cloverleaf.  Prior to this news, my money would've been a SPUI.
Assuming they go thru with it, it should be interesting to see.  Sometimes it really isn't your fathers' PennDOT (to paraphrase some other saying)
I don't have opinions anymore. All I know is that no one is better than anyone else, and everyone is the best at everything

ARMOURERERIC

It would be nice if PennDOT posted a link to their meeting exhibits on line rather than only telling us about the meeting.

rickmastfan67


PAHighways


PAHighways


PAHighways

Westmoreland I-70 Plan Meets Mixed Reviews - Greensburg Tribune-Review

Unfortunately I couldn't attend the open house as I had a Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor Board meeting at the same time.

Mr_Northside

I don't have opinions anymore. All I know is that no one is better than anyone else, and everyone is the best at everything

Beltway

Quote from: Mr_Northside on February 02, 2012, 07:05:35 PM
Looks like they put up the planned New Stanton improvements on their website....

http://www.i-70projects.com/docs/NSProposedPreliminaryStudies.pdf

I see that they are going to retain the Pennsylvania Median. 
Less than the width of a traffic lane.

http://www.roadstothefuture.com
http://www.capital-beltway.com

Baloney is a reserved word on the Internet
    (Robert Coté, 2002)

rickmastfan67

I'm amazed that they aren't building the new interchange bridge to handle 3 lanes in each direction for the future (well, the WB looks like it could be 3 lanes wide, but not EB).

vdeane

In the current economic times, building for the future is not as common as it once was.  Plus widening I-70 might not be on their list of priorities; I remember someone mentioning a major bridge that would need to be rebuilt.
Please note: All comments here represent my own personal opinion and do not reflect the official position of NYSDOT or its affiliates.

PAHighways

The Mon River crossing and Smithton High-Level Bridge would both have to be replaced to accommodate a six lane roadway.

MASTERNC

Anyone been around to check the progress of the I-79 interchange?  I read somewhere it was already ahead of schedule.

rickmastfan67

Quote from: MASTERNC on April 22, 2012, 08:09:20 PM
Anyone been around to check the progress of the I-79 interchange?  I read somewhere it was already ahead of schedule.

Sorry, haven't been South of Downtown Pittsburgh lately.  If I go to Charlotte this year for any NASCAR related things, I'll be sure to take pictures and post an update here on progress. ;)

Mr_Northside

Quote from: MASTERNC on April 22, 2012, 08:09:20 PM
Anyone been around to check the progress of the I-79 interchange?  I read somewhere it was already ahead of schedule.

Went thru there this last weekend... As far as earthwork goes, they've gotten a lot done north of I-70 (where I-79 NB will meet I-70), not so much south of I-70.  Most of the structure work done so far is the replacement overpass of a local road (too lazy to look up it's name at the moment) over I-79, and they have the median dug up between the Laboratory interchange and the 70/79 JCT. (Speaking of the nearby Laboratory interchange, it looks as if they're just about done replacing the US-40 bridge that was damaged by some truck....)
I don't have opinions anymore. All I know is that no one is better than anyone else, and everyone is the best at everything

Mr_Northside

http://triblive.com/home/2175933-74/curve-ramp-interchange-penndot-south-crews-junction-maggi-project-accidents

An article on the I-79/70 South Junction.  Not very "meaty"....
Also, it has images, but they're from the I-79 Medowlands "missing ramps" project a couple miles north of the I-79/70 North junction.  Not sure why it's attached to this article.
I don't have opinions anymore. All I know is that no one is better than anyone else, and everyone is the best at everything

rickmastfan67

Guess they weren't paying attention to what images they were attaching to the article.  Wouldn't be the first time. lol.

RoadWarrior56

I have been on a road trip from Boston to southern Indiana.  While on this trip, I used I-70 in SW Pennsylvania between the Pennsylvania Turnpike and the West Virginia border yesterday.  This is the first time I have traveled this stretch of highway.

I would have to say that this section of I-70 sucks, especially the first 30 miles or so east from the Turnpike.  There are high traffic volumes with lots of trucks.  There is no median to speak of, only a Jersey barrier with no buffer from the left lanes, no clear zone to speak of on the right, mostly tiny or non-existent ramp tapers.  A nice touch are the STOP signs for entering traffic.  This road looks like it was originally constructed in the early 50's or so, and not updated in any meaningful way since then.  In a way I enjoyed driving it, it was a musieum of how limited access roadways were designed and constructed 60 or more years ago, but it is not comfortable or safe to drive.  Are there plans to upgrade this section of I-70 in the near future?  If not, is it lack of money?

The turnpike was a much better driving experience, but I almost needed another loan on my house to pay the toll.  10 cents a mile is not cheap, especially for people who drive the road frequently!!!!  The EZ Pass only saves 25%, still leaving a slightly less expensive toll.

NE2

Definitely a pre-Interstate design. Portions were already around in 1956:
http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~212148~5500250:Shell-Map-of-Pennsylvania--cover-ti
If you don't mind a slightly longer drive (adds about 40 miles Boston-southern Indiana) you can use I-68 and go via Charleston.
pre-1945 Florida route log

I accept and respect your identity as long as it's not dumb shit like "identifying as a vaccinated attack helicopter".

RoadWarrior56

I had thought about that route, but I wanted to experience the Pennsylvania Turnpike, due to its history, etc.  I had the tolls budgeted, hahaha.  I just didn't realize that I-70 was so bad.  BTW, I entered the state in the extreme NE, I-84 had good geometrics unlike I-70, but the I-84 pavement was in terrible shape.   

signalman

There was talk of improving the substandard section that you speak of. But there are more pressing issues for PennDOT, and of course funding (or lack thereof) is a contributing factor.

RoadWarrior56

I actually looked it up on Wikipedia and found that there is indeed a long term project to fix I-70 between the turnpike and the WV line.  Maybe that inflated toll I paid is helping to pay for it.

signalman

It indeed is, thanks to Act 44.

DBR96A

#49
I-70 will be under (re)construction through the remainder of this decade, and all of it except for the segment between the Speers-Belle Vernon and Smithton High-Level Bridges will be reconstructed to current Interstate standards.

The two aforementioned bridges are bound to be replaced eventually, and upgrading the segment between them will more than likely happen in conjunction.

Fixed URL - rmf67



Opinions expressed here on belong solely to the poster and do not represent or reflect the opinions or beliefs of AARoads, its creators and/or associates.