PA Turnpike News

[ekt8750]

there's also no good alternatives if you're coming from north of the city. as it is, if i'm going to the Lansdale/Collegeville/Phoenixville area, my options are to take route 1 down to the Turnpike and then back up the NE Ext or back-road the entire thing at a significant time cost - and that's not even that long a trip.

Depending on the time of day 309 is a good option. Traffic can suck at times but on a good day 309 can get you up to Lansdale and 63, 73 and 663 can get you to western Montco in a breeze.

[odditude]

there's also no good alternatives if you're coming from north of the city. as it is, if i'm going to the Lansdale/Collegeville/Phoenixville area, my options are to take route 1 down to the Turnpike and then back up the NE Ext or back-road the entire thing at a significant time cost - and that's not even that long a trip.

Depending on the time of day 309 is a good option. Traffic can suck at times but on a good day 309 can get you up to Lansdale and 63, 73 and 663 can get you to western Montco in a breeze.

309 is an alternative to the NE Extension only, not the mainline Turnpike. My backup route is actually 95-1-276-309-73 instead of 95-1-276-476.

[noelbotevera]

there's also no good alternatives if you're coming from north of the city. as it is, if i'm going to the Lansdale/Collegeville/Phoenixville area, my options are to take route 1 down to the Turnpike and then back up the NE Ext or back-road the entire thing at a significant time cost - and that's not even that long a trip.

Depending on the time of day 309 is a good option. Traffic can suck at times but on a good day 309 can get you up to Lansdale and 63, 73 and 663 can get you to western Montco in a breeze.

309 is an alternative to the NE Extension only, not the mainline Turnpike. My backup route is actually 95-1-276-309-73 instead of 95-1-276-476.

If you really wanna shunpike, you could use US 1 to PA 132 to PA 611 to PA 73/PA 309.

[Rothman]

there's also no good alternatives if you're coming from north of the city. as it is, if i'm going to the Lansdale/Collegeville/Phoenixville area, my options are to take route 1 down to the Turnpike and then back up the NE Ext or back-road the entire thing at a significant time cost - and that's not even that long a trip.

Depending on the time of day 309 is a good option. Traffic can suck at times but on a good day 309 can get you up to Lansdale and 63, 73 and 663 can get you to western Montco in a breeze.

309 is an alternative to the NE Extension only, not the mainline Turnpike. My backup route is actually 95-1-276-309-73 instead of 95-1-276-476.

My relatives in Pennsylvania refer to PA 309 as "The Old Road."  *shrug*

[odditude]

there's also no good alternatives if you're coming from north of the city. as it is, if i'm going to the Lansdale/Collegeville/Phoenixville area, my options are to take route 1 down to the Turnpike and then back up the NE Ext or back-road the entire thing at a significant time cost - and that's not even that long a trip.

Depending on the time of day 309 is a good option. Traffic can suck at times but on a good day 309 can get you up to Lansdale and 63, 73 and 663 can get you to western Montco in a breeze.

309 is an alternative to the NE Extension only, not the mainline Turnpike. My backup route is actually 95-1-276-309-73 instead of 95-1-276-476.

If you really wanna shunpike, you could use US 1 to PA 132 to PA 611 to PA 73/PA 309.

no thanks. Street Rd is to be avoided, not sought out.

[Rothman]

sus[ttc ysyIMG][/IMG]z 5et first place tIMG][/IMG]

That is so inappropriate.

[robbones]

sus[ttc ysyIMG][/IMG]z 5et first place tIMG][/IMG]

That is so inappropriate.

Sorry I pocket replied

[SignBridge]

I'm going to be visiting lower Bucks County in a few weeks. Is something happening with Street Rd. that I need to know about?

[qguy]

The non-freeway segment of US 30 east of Lancaster can be a sluggish nightmare. No place to pass. Slowpokes and road hogs aplenty. When I lived in Philadelphia and worked for PennDOT, I'd frequently need to attend meetings and conferences in Harrisburg. After becoming bored with the Turnpike and looking to skip the tolls, I'd sometimes shunpike via PA 282, US 30, and US 202. The two-lane portion was just so blasted aggravating that it more than negatively made up for the toll. It was much slower and immeasurably more annoying. If I were forced to always take that shunpike route, I would've begged and pleaded for the privilege of paying the toll and using the Turnpike.

I'm going to be visiting lower Bucks County in a few weeks. Is something happening with Street Rd. that I need to know about?

Yes, but it happens every day. It's always a parking lot. I think it was born that way.

[odditude]

I'm going to be visiting lower Bucks County in a few weeks. Is something happening with Street Rd. that I need to know about?

other than the casino driving traffic far beyond what the road is designed to handle, no. avoid it like the plague during rush hour or any special event.

[SignBridge]

Thanks guys. I'll be staying at the Holiday Inn next to the casino. I was there a year ago and didn't have any traffic problems on Street Rd. Has it gotten worse since then?

[jeffandnicole]

Thanks guys. I'll be staying at the Holiday Inn next to the casino. I was there a year ago and didn't have any traffic problems on Street Rd. Has it gotten worse since then?

From a year ago?  I wouldn't say so, but then again, you can only go from worse to worser at that point.  If you last visited 10 years ago I would say you would notice a big change.

[Chris19001]

I never think of Street Road as horrible from Rt 1 to Parx.  I would consider it horrible from Rt 1 to the Northwest.  It's pretty horrible going both ways to the northwest of the Rt 1 area, and the turnpike is a no-brainer unless you're just going on Street Road to Philmont Ave to 63 as a way to get to Willow Grove.  (Even then its going to cost you some time).  All in all, the PATP is the only quick way to get between Lower Bucks/Montgomery and KOP or Valley Forge.

[jeffandnicole]

Midgets hang over BGS New E-ZPass-only Pa. turnpike ramps hit thousands with $64 bill

http://www.philly.com/philly/business/transportation/20150717_New_E-ZPass-only_Pa__turnpike_ramps_hit_thousands_with__64_bill.html

And...no surprise here...GPS is to blame for many people taking the EZ Pass exit when they don't have EZ Pass.

[iBallasticwolf2]

Midgets hang over BGS New E-ZPass-only Pa. turnpike ramps hit thousands with $64 bill

http://www.philly.com/philly/business/transportation/20150717_New_E-ZPass-only_Pa__turnpike_ramps_hit_thousands_with__64_bill.html

And...no surprise here...GPS is to blame for many people taking the EZ Pass exit when they don't have EZ Pass.

Just another reason to switch to AET on the turnpike.

[PHLBOS]

And...no surprise here...GPS is to blame for many people taking the EZ Pass exit when they don't have EZ Pass.

Given that this interchange just opened 2 weeks ago; I don't believe that all the various GPS navigation maps, info., etc. out there have been yet updated to include the interchange.  A GPS-reason for that interchange currently would be; why did one miss that interchange?

Just another reason to switch to AET on the turnpike.

Such will be coming; just not for a few years.

[iBallasticwolf2]

Just another reason to switch to AET on the turnpike.

Such will be coming; just not for a few years.

Sorry about that. I didn't make it clear I know that AET is coming to the turnpike and I meant for it to be just saying it is another reason for switching to AET.
No sarcasm intended

[Flyer78]

And...no surprise here...GPS is to blame for many people taking the EZ Pass exit when they don't have EZ Pass.

Given that this interchange just opened 2 weeks ago; I don't believe that all the various GPS navigation maps, info., etc. out there have been yet updated to include the interchange.  A GPS-reason for that interchange currently would be; why did one miss that interchange?

For "legacy" GPS head units, such as Garmin, etc. this is true. For those that use Google/Waze or Apple maps for directions, it does indeed route you off this interchange for nearby destinations. It still shows the issues of over-reliance on such technology... The PA-903 ramps even have "E-Z Pass only" on the exit ramps in addition to the yellow tag-holder only banners. Of course, there are a number of low clearance signs before a railroad bridge in Syracuse, NY that have also been ignored... so...

One interesting tidbit from the article is that penalties will be reduced if you retained your entry ticket.

[rickmastfan67]

Midgets hang over BGS New E-ZPass-only Pa. turnpike ramps hit thousands with $64 bill

http://www.philly.com/philly/business/transportation/20150717_New_E-ZPass-only_Pa__turnpike_ramps_hit_thousands_with__64_bill.html

(For a driver with E-ZPass, the lowest toll at the new ramp would be $1.07.)

Find that hard to believe.  Especially if the person is coming from the Warendale Toll Plaza (not the Ohio Boarder since that section of the Turnpike is FREE after you enter the state).

[jeffandnicole]

Midgets hang over BGS New E-ZPass-only Pa. turnpike ramps hit thousands with $64 bill

http://www.philly.com/philly/business/transportation/20150717_New_E-ZPass-only_Pa__turnpike_ramps_hit_thousands_with__64_bill.html

(For a driver with E-ZPass, the lowest toll at the new ramp would be $1.07.)

Find that hard to believe.  Especially if the person is coming from the Warendale Toll Plaza (not the Ohio Boarder since that section of the Turnpike is FREE after you enter the state).

The $1.07 is someone who entered at the Pocono interchange and exited at 903, traveling 8 miles.  Someone coming from Ohio and exiting here would be paying a total of $35.11.

[PHLBOS]

For "legacy" GPS head units, such as Garmin, etc. this is true. For those that use Google/Waze or Apple maps for directions, it does indeed route you off this interchange for nearby destinations.

I'd be curious to know when did Google/Waze or Apple maps update their info. to include a brand-new interchange that opened just 2 weeks ago?

Another related-question would be: what's the percentage of GPS/navigation units out there that are legacy types (Garmin, Tom-Tom, etc.) vs. Google/Waze or Apple?  My guess would be the former for the simple reasoning that such has been on the market longer than the latter.

Side bar: The current PA State map, that came out this past year, as well as the AAA maps for PA don't yet show this new interchange.  AAA typically updates their road maps annually; PA updates their every 2 years.

True story (and I posted similar on Facebook): when the US 202 Parkway in Bucks County was only a few months old (when first opened to traffic); I directed a friend of mine (who's only a few months older than I) to a party in the Doylestown area along said-Parkway (it was a more-direct route: PA 309 from Fort Washington to US 202 North).  Later on, I receive a phone call from him stating that the factory Navigation unit on his recently-purchased vehicle (a new Chevy Equinox) did not recognize the new parkway.  I told him to just ignore his unit (it's not like these things shoot out a death ray if one ignores its directions) and simply follow the signs but I found out later that he just went a different way (using PA 611 from Willow Grove) to get to the party.

It still shows the issues of over-reliance on such technology... The PA-903 ramps even have "E-Z Pass only" on the exit ramps in addition to the yellow tag-holder only banners.

You're preaching to the choir on this one.  There seems to be no cure for stupid.  When the Virginia Drive (Exit 340) partial interchange/slip ramps (I-276 Westbound only) opened in 2000 (well before the mass proliferation & usage of GPS navigation units); I wonder what was the percentage of accidental entries/exits by non-E-ZPass users took place?

Of course, there are a number of low clearance signs before a railroad bridge in Syracuse, NY that have also been ignored... so...

Don't even get me started on that one.  I've been screaming from the mountain-tops (regarding GPS users ignoring signs) ever since I heard about a 12-ft. high bus carrying 40 or so passengers struck a 10-ft. high overpass along Soldiers Field Road (a road that has tons of signs and/or banners prohibiting overheight vehicles at every entrance ramp) in Boston several years ago and injured several passengers including a then-16-year-old who's currently in a quadriplegic state.

One interesting tidbit from the article is that penalties will be reduced if you retained your entry ticket.

It always pays to hold on to certain items.

[Flyer78]

For "legacy" GPS head units, such as Garmin, etc. this is true. For those that use Google/Waze or Apple maps for directions, it does indeed route you off this interchange for nearby destinations.

I'd be curious to know when did Google/Waze or Apple maps update their info. to include a brand-new interchange that opened just 2 weeks ago?

I would be too, but I did test it before posting  ...


King of Prussia Mall to Lake Harmony, PA

Edit -- funny, looking at the map close-in, they haven't even added the fact it is a full interchange, only showing northbound exit and southbound entry...

[jeffandnicole]

For "legacy" GPS head units, such as Garmin, etc. this is true. For those that use Google/Waze or Apple maps for directions, it does indeed route you off this interchange for nearby destinations.

I'd be curious to know when did Google/Waze or Apple maps update their info. to include a brand-new interchange that opened just 2 weeks ago?

I would be too, but I did test it before posting  ...


King of Prussia Mall to Lake Harmony, PA

Edit -- funny, looking at the map close-in, they haven't even added the fact it is a full interchange, only showing northbound exit and southbound entry...

Yeah, it wouldn't be a secret that the interchange was opening.  Programs - especially those dealing with traffic - are set to automatically adjust their directions once an interchange or highway opens.

Very similar to when a highway is closed, such as when the I-495 overpass in Wilmington experienced an emergency shutdown last summer.  Within about 2 days, Google practically wiped that portion of 495 off the map, and anyone looking up directions would have been routed another way.

[PHLBOS]

I did test it before posting  ...

King of Prussia Mall to Lake Harmony, PA

Edit -- funny, looking at the map close-in, they haven't even added the fact it is a full interchange, only showing northbound exit and southbound entry...

For grins & giggles, using Google Maps, I tried using a Scranton to PA 903 (just south of the new interchange) trip and the directions would not allow using the new interchange.  Such more than proves my earlier point regarding GPS systems either not updating at all nor completely providing the updated info. when conditions change.

Yeah, it wouldn't be a secret that the interchange was opening.

True, but the exact opening date may not have been known too far in advance; and even if a target opening date was set in advance, such can be subject to change at the last minute.

Programs - especially those dealing with traffic - are set to automatically adjust their directions once an interchange or highway opens.

Not necessarily, see the above-examples regarding the US 202 Parkway (after being open for a few months) and the fore-mentioned mock itinerary from Scranton to the new PA 903 interchange.

Very similar to when a highway is closed, such as when the I-495 overpass in Wilmington experienced an emergency shutdown last summer.  Within about 2 days, Google practically wiped that portion of 495 off the map, and anyone looking up directions would have been routed another way.

The reasons for the Google's (& others') swift actions with the I-495 closure were:

1.  It was an emergency/safety-related closure.
2.  The road in question carries local as well as interstate (little i) traffic; it's a common pass-through route for out-of-state drivers.
3.  The highway's closure (& the reasons for it) were well publicized throughout the media.

When PA 23 (Valley Forge Road) at the Pickering Dam bridge was recently closed for a replacement project.  MapQuest (IIRC, MQ & Tom-Tom share the same info.) overcompensated the bridge closure to a point that when a friend of mine tried to get a set of directions from Delaware County to a conference center along PA 23 located east of the bridge (the closure should not have impacted the routing); he got a bunch of unnecessary twists & turns. 

In addtion and adding insult to injury, MQ ignored the destination and routed the itinerary onto a residence located at the end of a nearby dead-end road.  Something went clearly wrong with MQ (not sure if such has since been corrected).

When I read the directions (which were intended to be distributed for others to follow) and I tried to unsuccessfully force/alter the MQ routing but it wouldn't take.  I tried Bing Maps with the same origin & destination and got what I expected (straight-forward routing with no bridge-closure-related impacts).  I sent my friend the corrected directions and he distributed such to others and nobody (that had the corrected directions) got lost.

I guess the moral here is that there's still a human element involved regarding GPS/Map updates.  They don't just change automatically because of an opening or closure; somebody has to be programing/updating the info. or least checking/verifying such.  The partial-info. (via Google) for the PA 903 interchange and the MapQuest over-restriction for the PA 23 Pickering Dam bridge closure are examples of such glitches.

[ixnay]

How does one notify Google Maps of errors?

ixnay