PA Turnpike News

[ARMOURERERIC]

I thought the game plan was that when the Southern Beltway was fully complete that the PTC was running 576 all the way to monroeville.

[Alps]

If you think Turnpike 66 was a waste, let me introduce you to the Mon-Fayette Expressway which gets half the traffic.

Turnpike 43 had very low traffic volumes before the section to I-68 south of the Pennsylvania/West Virginia border was completed.  Have they gone up since that section opened?

Somewhat, but it's still lowly traveled on the toll section (about 7500 ADT). You can see on the traffic counts there are several thousand cars a day bypassing the toll part and then getting back on.

Do the projected traffic volumes on 43 south of PA-51 increase with a connection to I-376?

Probably not much until you get a tie-in with the Southern Beltway. For traffic coming from Morgantown/Uniontown, it's still better to take US 119 to the Turnpike to I-376 if you're going to Monroeville. If you're heading towards downtown, I think PA 51 would still be better since you'd avoid Squirrel Hill Tunnel and going out of the way. Once the Southern Beltway is built, this would be useful as a bypass of downtown for people coming from the Washington County area.

If Turnpike 43 gets an Interstate designation (which it very well may), what would it be? X68? X70? X76? X79?

I don't think anything without a 76 is going to be upgraded.

[Bitmapped]

If Turnpike 43 gets an Interstate designation (which it very well may), what would it be? X68? X70? X76? X79?

There are some issues where design variances or upgrades would be needed to meet Interstate status. The Uniontown bypass would likely need interchange upgrades, a high-speed interchange would need to be built at I-68, and some of the bridges in WV might need full-width shoulders added. If the road gets an Interstate designation, I would image it would be x76 but I don't know that's really high on anyone's priority list.

[Roadsguy]

I thought the game plan was that when the Southern Beltway was fully complete that the PTC was running 576 all the way to monroeville.

IIRC, that was the plan originally, with 43 following the western leg toward downtown and 576 following the eastern leg to Monroeville. With the cancellation of the western leg, though, they may end 576 at 43.

[Hwy 61 Revisited]

I thought the game plan was that when the Southern Beltway was fully complete that the PTC was running 576 all the way to monroeville.

IIRC, that was the plan originally, with 43 following the western leg toward downtown and 576 following the eastern leg to Monroeville. With the cancellation of the western leg, though, they may end 576 at 43.

There will be no more of the Southern Beltway. AFAIK, the Beltway will be ending at 43. Not every Interstate spur needs to connect with its parent; 576 already connects to 376.

[ARMOURERERIC]

While looking over the PTC Design and Construction site this evening, I note that the mainline MP 28 to MP 31 project indicates that it went out to bid in December, contract has been awarded and NTP given in March, this a total mainline reconstruction to 6 lanes from the Cranberry Interchange to the Warrendale  mainline booths.

[rickmastfan67]

While looking over the PTC Design and Construction site this evening, I note that the mainline MP 28 to MP 31 project indicates that it went out to bid in December, contract has been awarded and NTP given in March, this a total mainline reconstruction to 6 lanes from the Cranberry Interchange to the Warrendale  mainline booths.

Hopefully they'll somehow increase the clearance some for US-19 under the turnpike then.
https://goo.gl/maps/woz3oxfuZH9w8RGx9

[Crown Victoria]

Update regarding the PTC's (and PennDOT's) current financial difficulties due to the pandemic:

https://www.post-gazette.com/news/transportation/2020/05/12/PennDOT-Pennsylvania-Turnpike-COVID-19-push-bacck-projects-roads-bridges/stories/202005120111

(Also posted on the Pennsylvania thread)

[MASTERNC]

Drove on the Turnpike for the first time since they went cashless temporarily.  For the first time, all of the cash/ticket lanes on the mainline Turnpike are mixed mode (tickets or E-ZPass), whereas the exit lanes were previously Cash Only or E-ZPass Only.  IMO they should always have been mixed mode lanes to avoid all the jockeying at the toll plazas (like NJ and NY have done).  Hopefully they stay that way in preparation for the cashless tolling conversion.

[jeffandnicole]

Drove on the Turnpike for the first time since they went cashless temporarily.  For the first time, all of the cash/ticket lanes on the mainline Turnpike are mixed mode (tickets or E-ZPass), whereas the exit lanes were previously Cash Only or E-ZPass Only.  IMO they should always have been mixed mode lanes to avoid all the jockeying at the toll plazas (like NJ and NY have done).  Hopefully they stay that way in preparation for the cashless tolling conversion.

It should be EZ Pass only or mixed mode. Purpose of EZ Pass is to keep moving. If you have all the lanes set to mixed mode you won't know if the person in front will stop or not.

[Hwy 61 Revisited]

Drove on the Turnpike for the first time since they went cashless temporarily.  For the first time, all of the cash/ticket lanes on the mainline Turnpike are mixed mode (tickets or E-ZPass), whereas the exit lanes were previously Cash Only or E-ZPass Only.  IMO they should always have been mixed mode lanes to avoid all the jockeying at the toll plazas (like NJ and NY have done).  Hopefully they stay that way in preparation for the cashless tolling conversion.

It should be EZ Pass only or mixed mode. Purpose of EZ Pass is to keep moving. If you have all the lanes set to mixed mode you won't know if the person in front will stop or not.

The Mass Pike has already done this. Why not Pennsylvania?

[MASTERNC]

Drove on the Turnpike for the first time since they went cashless temporarily.  For the first time, all of the cash/ticket lanes on the mainline Turnpike are mixed mode (tickets or E-ZPass), whereas the exit lanes were previously Cash Only or E-ZPass Only.  IMO they should always have been mixed mode lanes to avoid all the jockeying at the toll plazas (like NJ and NY have done).  Hopefully they stay that way in preparation for the cashless tolling conversion.

It should be EZ Pass only or mixed mode. Purpose of EZ Pass is to keep moving. If you have all the lanes set to mixed mode you won't know if the person in front will stop or not.

Drove on the Turnpike for the first time since they went cashless temporarily.  For the first time, all of the cash/ticket lanes on the mainline Turnpike are mixed mode (tickets or E-ZPass), whereas the exit lanes were previously Cash Only or E-ZPass Only.  IMO they should always have been mixed mode lanes to avoid all the jockeying at the toll plazas (like NJ and NY have done).  Hopefully they stay that way in preparation for the cashless tolling conversion.

It should be EZ Pass only or mixed mode. Purpose of EZ Pass is to keep moving. If you have all the lanes set to mixed mode you won't know if the person in front will stop or not.

There are still E-ZPass Only lanes. The mixed mode lanes are new since cashless tolling was temporarily enabled. While you do have to be prepared to stop for a cash customer (even though each plaza has digital signs to keep moving), it does save you from having to cut across lanes if you aren't near an E-ZPass Only lane and you can't go through a cash lane. NY had all its cash lanes mixed mode from Day 1 and even NJ changed to mixed mode a few years back. Can't think of another E-ZPass agency that doesn't have all its cash lanes mixed mode.

[jeffandnicole]

Drove on the Turnpike for the first time since they went cashless temporarily.  For the first time, all of the cash/ticket lanes on the mainline Turnpike are mixed mode (tickets or E-ZPass), whereas the exit lanes were previously Cash Only or E-ZPass Only.  IMO they should always have been mixed mode lanes to avoid all the jockeying at the toll plazas (like NJ and NY have done).  Hopefully they stay that way in preparation for the cashless tolling conversion.

It should be EZ Pass only or mixed mode. Purpose of EZ Pass is to keep moving. If you have all the lanes set to mixed mode you won't know if the person in front will stop or not.

Drove on the Turnpike for the first time since they went cashless temporarily.  For the first time, all of the cash/ticket lanes on the mainline Turnpike are mixed mode (tickets or E-ZPass), whereas the exit lanes were previously Cash Only or E-ZPass Only.  IMO they should always have been mixed mode lanes to avoid all the jockeying at the toll plazas (like NJ and NY have done).  Hopefully they stay that way in preparation for the cashless tolling conversion.

It should be EZ Pass only or mixed mode. Purpose of EZ Pass is to keep moving. If you have all the lanes set to mixed mode you won't know if the person in front will stop or not.

There are still E-ZPass Only lanes. The mixed mode lanes are new since cashless tolling was temporarily enabled. While you do have to be prepared to stop for a cash customer (even though each plaza has digital signs to keep moving), it does save you from having to cut across lanes if you aren't near an E-ZPass Only lane and you can't go through a cash lane. NY had all its cash lanes mixed mode from Day 1 and even NJ changed to mixed mode a few years back. Can't think of another E-ZPass agency that doesn't have all its cash lanes mixed mode.

All of the DRPA bridges don't use mixed-mode.

The mixed-used lanes on the NJ Turnpike have certainly helped, as the usage rate is so high, especially at rush hour.

[RobbieL2415]

It looks like a current style NJTP VMS is going up near the former toll plaza at the Delaware River Bridge going East. Saw the footings already in place, and the VMS laying in the former toll plaza convergance point.

There was a classic-style neon NJTP VMS still standing just after the toll plaza, at least when I was last there to check out the I-95 connection. I think it was the last neon NJTP VMS still standing, but it clearly hadn't been maintained in years, so I don't know when it was last used. It was removed sometime between October 2018 and September 2019. Apparently the NJTA still wants a VMS there.

Can confirm this was removed.  Drove that segment of I-95 last July.  Before that I drove it in January (same year) and it was still up.

[jmacswimmer]

The last time I drove the NE Extension, I noticed that the exit numbers seem to have been fudged downward by a mile at both Lehigh Valley and Mahoning Valley. I was curious if the PTC did this, when renumbering exits to mileage-based, in order to avoid matching the exit numbers at Pittsburgh & New Stanton on the mainline?  Which are far away and (most likely) never going to be passed in the same turnpike trip, but maybe the PTC didn't want to have 2 57's and 2 75's on the toll ticket?

[PHLBOS]

Drove on the Turnpike for the first time since they went cashless temporarily.  For the first time, all of the cash/ticket lanes on the mainline Turnpike are mixed mode (tickets or E-ZPass), whereas the exit lanes were previously Cash Only or E-ZPass Only.  IMO they should always have been mixed mode lanes to avoid all the jockeying at the toll plazas (like NJ and NY have done).  Hopefully they stay that way in preparation for the cashless tolling conversion.

It should be EZ Pass only or mixed mode. Purpose of EZ Pass is to keep moving. If you have all the lanes set to mixed mode you won't know if the person in front will stop or not.

The Mass Pike has already done this. Why not Pennsylvania?

The Mass Pike went full AET several years ago.  All the toll plazas were taken down & replaced with mainline AET gantries.  Cash toll collections ended when all the AET gantries were erected & went live. 

The PA Turnpike still has conventional toll plazas.  Their move to go cashless prior to replacing the toll plazas was only intended to be a temporary measure until this pandemic subsides.  The PTC does plan to ultimately go full AET down the road but not just yet.

Case & point, the DPRA has since resumed cash toll collections for their 4 bridges.

[amroad17]

The last time I drove the NE Extension, I noticed that the exit numbers seem to have been fudged downward by a mile at both Lehigh Valley and Mahoning Valley. I was curious if the PTC did this, when renumbering exits to mileage-based, in order to avoid matching the exit numbers at Pittsburgh & New Stanton on the mainline?  Which are far away and (most likely) never going to be passed in the same turnpike trip, but maybe the PTC didn't want to have 2 57's and 2 75's on the toll ticket?

I believe that you are correct in your assessment of why Lehigh Valley is Exit 56 and Mahoning Valley is Exit 74--no duplication of Interchanges 57 and 75 on the toll ticket.

[Hwy 61 Revisited]

The last time I drove the NE Extension, I noticed that the exit numbers seem to have been fudged downward by a mile at both Lehigh Valley and Mahoning Valley. I was curious if the PTC did this, when renumbering exits to mileage-based, in order to avoid matching the exit numbers at Pittsburgh & New Stanton on the mainline?  Which are far away and (most likely) never going to be passed in the same turnpike trip, but maybe the PTC didn't want to have 2 57's and 2 75's on the toll ticket?

I believe that you are correct in your assessment of why Lehigh Valley is Exit 56 and Mahoning Valley is Exit 74--no duplication of Interchanges 57 and 75 on the toll ticket.

Then why not just mark them as A57 and A75?

[jeffandnicole]

The last time I drove the NE Extension, I noticed that the exit numbers seem to have been fudged downward by a mile at both Lehigh Valley and Mahoning Valley. I was curious if the PTC did this, when renumbering exits to mileage-based, in order to avoid matching the exit numbers at Pittsburgh & New Stanton on the mainline?  Which are far away and (most likely) never going to be passed in the same turnpike trip, but maybe the PTC didn't want to have 2 57's and 2 75's on the toll ticket?

I believe that you are correct in your assessment of why Lehigh Valley is Exit 56 and Mahoning Valley is Exit 74--no duplication of Interchanges 57 and 75 on the toll ticket.

Then why not just mark them as A57 and A75?

Most motorists will ignore the A.  A slight variation to the exit number won't be noticed by travelers.

[Crown Victoria]

The PTC will lay off its toll collectors and make cashless tolling permanent, effective immediately:

https://triblive.com/news/pennsylvania/pennsylvania-turnpike-to-lay-off-500-employees-make-cashless-tolling-permanent/

[MASTERNC]

The PTC will lay off its toll collectors and make cashless tolling permanent, effective immediately:

https://triblive.com/news/pennsylvania/pennsylvania-turnpike-to-lay-off-500-employees-make-cashless-tolling-permanent/

Definitely a shock but the reasons make sense.

What is strange is the Mon-Fayette appears to still accept cash, even though I think all of the lanes have the equipment. That was the only road still accepting cash during COVID and the only road other than the mainline Turnpike accepting cash until the pandemic.

Cash will not be accepted anywhere on the PA Turnpike's ticket system

[Roadrunner75]

How were the EZ-Pass only exits affected by this so far?  Did they still remain EZ-Pass only when the rest of the system went to temporary (now permanent) cashless, or are they allowing toll by plate at these exits too? 

[MASTERNC]

How were the EZ-Pass only exits affected by this so far?  Did they still remain EZ-Pass only when the rest of the system went to temporary (now permanent) cashless, or are they allowing toll by plate at these exits too? 

That is unknown.  The way they had the temporary setup was that cash customers were supposed to still use "cash"  lanes (which were effectively mixed mode lanes) rather than E-ZPass ONLY lanes (which would include express lanes or the slip ramps).  It might not be immediate but my guess is the slip ramps will eventually permit Toll by Plate (they all have the cameras set up overhead).

[SignBridge]

This whole decision by the PTC stinks. They're going to throw 500 employees out in the street at a time like this when unemployment is already breaking records because of the Coronavirus. Where are these people supposed to find work?

[ipeters61]

This whole decision by the PTC stinks. They're going to throw 500 employees out in the street at a time like this when unemployment is already breaking records because of the Coronavirus. Where are these people supposed to find work?

Do keep in mind that this is the same agency that thinks the inflation rate is 6%.