PA Turnpike News

[Gnutella]

I moved to CA before that work, did they at least grade for 6 lanes?  Did they rebuild the overhead bridges for 6 lanes?

Unfortunately, no. The good news is, there are only 22 overpasses on those two segments combined.

I can see a 4-lane bottleneck existing for decades to come where the Turnpike crosses US-30 near the Juniata River as well.  That looks to be a fairly new structure (when US-30 added the other river bridge) and is only designed for 4 lanes. 

I don't see it. Based on the way the underpass is constructed, it should be relatively easy to extend the central pier and the retaining walls to widen the Turnpike.

[ARMOURERERIC]

And the PTC has a 5 miles section around Everett on the radar screen for the 6 lane reconstruction starting 1Q 2017.

[ARMOURERERIC]

I moved to CA before that work, did they at least grade for 6 lanes?  Did they rebuild the overhead bridges for 6 lanes?

Unfortunately, no. The good news is, there are only 22 overpasses on those two segments combined.

I can see a 4-lane bottleneck existing for decades to come where the Turnpike crosses US-30 near the Juniata River as well.  That looks to be a fairly new structure (when US-30 added the other river bridge) and is only designed for 4 lanes. 

I don't see it. Based on the way the underpass is constructed, it should be relatively easy to extend the central pier and the retaining walls to widen the Turnpike.

22 Bridges, Sorry but hat almost sounds as sarcasm.

[cpzilliacus]

And the PTC has a 5 miles section around Everett on the radar screen for the 6 lane reconstruction starting 1Q 2017.

Speaking of Everett, wonder it might actually get direct access to and egress from the Turnpike once all-electronic toll collection is phased-in?

[ARMOURERERIC]

The Everett project page is up at the PTC website, IIRC MP 150-156, but there was nothing about additional access.

[briantroutman]

And the PTC has a 5 miles section around Everett on the radar screen for the 6 lane reconstruction starting 1Q 2017.

Speaking of Everett, wonder it might actually get direct access to and egress from the Turnpike once all-electronic toll collection is phased-in?

That brings up an interesting question. From the '50s through the '80s in cities and towns across the country, land use and traffic patterns changed dramatically as Americans reacted to and took advantage of the mobility and access that newly constructed freeways enabled. But what would happen in a setting like Everett, where the PA Turnpike has sliced through town for three quarters of a century, yet the town has changed relatively little because of its lack of access to the highway?

[jeffandnicole]

And the PTC has a 5 miles section around Everett on the radar screen for the 6 lane reconstruction starting 1Q 2017.

Speaking of Everett, wonder it might actually get direct access to and egress from the Turnpike once all-electronic toll collection is phased-in?

That brings up an interesting question. From the ’50s through the ’80s in cities and towns across the country, land use and traffic patterns changed dramatically as Americans reacted to and took advantage of the mobility and access that newly constructed freeways enabled. But what would happen in a setting like Everett, where the PA Turnpike has sliced through town for three quarters of a century, yet the town has changed relatively little because of its lack of access to the highway?

In today's world, the town and Turnpike would probably talk.  Many towns that like their rural nature probably wouldn't want an interchange. 

[noelbotevera]

And the PTC has a 5 miles section around Everett on the radar screen for the 6 lane reconstruction starting 1Q 2017.

Speaking of Everett, wonder it might actually get direct access to and egress from the Turnpike once all-electronic toll collection is phased-in?

That brings up an interesting question. From the '50s through the '80s in cities and towns across the country, land use and traffic patterns changed dramatically as Americans reacted to and took advantage of the mobility and access that newly constructed freeways enabled. But what would happen in a setting like Everett, where the PA Turnpike has sliced through town for three quarters of a century, yet the town has changed relatively little because of its lack of access to the highway?

In today's world, the town and Turnpike would probably talk.  Many towns that like their rural nature probably wouldn't want an interchange.

At this point, the direct connection is useless. Just let it be, because the PTC, FHWA, PennDOT and other agencies let the gap go and later got used to it. Then the public did.

[Mr_Northside]

Also, while there are some signals, US-30 is 4-lanes and not too bad heading either east to Breezewood, or west to Bedford.

[cpzilliacus]

At this point, the direct connection is useless. Just let it be, because the PTC, FHWA, PennDOT and other agencies let the gap go and later got used to it. Then the public did.

Unlikely that the FHWA had anything to do with the siting decisions for this part of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, since it did not exist when it was planned, engineered and built. 

But the Turnpike interchanges were limited in part because of the need to have expensive toll barriers, and attended toll collection, at each interchange, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

That will not be a constraint once the transition to all-electronic tolling (AET) is made.  The Turnpike may well want more interchanges with AET to encourage more traffic to use the Turnpike.

[noelbotevera]

At this point, the direct connection is useless. Just let it be, because the PTC, FHWA, PennDOT and other agencies let the gap go and later got used to it. Then the public did.

Unlikely that the FHWA had anything to do with the siting decisions for this part of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, since it did not exist when it was planned, engineered and built. 

But the Turnpike interchanges were limited in part because of the need to have expensive toll barriers, and attended toll collection, at each interchange, 24 hours a day, 7 days a well. 

That will not be a constraint once the transition to all-electronic tolling (AET) is made.  The Turnpike may well want more interchanges with AET to encourage more traffic to use the Turnpike.

Clearly a recipe for success (and greed)...the tolls are high already, why encourage people to use the Turnpike. Lower the tolls = more money and more traffic.

[Roadsguy]

Last week my dad and I were on the widened part of the Northeast Extension for the first time, and I'm curious about all the unused shoulder in the SB-WB ramp at the Mid County Interchange. It's still like that even with that part of the widening finished. It seemed like it was built that way so that the ramp would be moved over to the edge to accommodate full six-lane widening up to the toll plaza, or at least the SB-EB loop, but that wasn't actually done.

Anyone have any idea what else it may have been intended for?

[cpzilliacus]

Clearly a recipe for success (and greed)...the tolls are high already, why encourage people to use the Turnpike. Lower the tolls = more money and more traffic.

Because the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission has been on the hook since 2007 for billions of dollars in payments to PennDOT for things that have little or nothing to do with maintaining or operating or improving the Turnpike system.  Details here.  Most relevant parts of that page are quoted below [emphasis added]:

While the Commission's payment obligation remains at $450 million annually through Fiscal Year 2022, none of the payments are dedicated to highways and bridges. Instead, all $450 million is allocated to support transit capital, operating, multi-modal and other non-highway programs.

[MASTERNC]

I was on the Turnpike between Valley Forge and Willow Grove today and noticed another 65 MPH curve sign, this time east of Valley Forge (although there was only one, going westbound, and not a corresponding one in the other direction).  This would seem to indicate that they actually might raise the speed limit to 70 through the Philly area.

[jeffandnicole]

Just wondering...when the post advisory speeds, is there any requirement that they must be less than the posted speed limit, or can they post them because the 85th percentile speed is higher than the safe speed for the curve?

It's not common, but I have seen advisory speeds = speed limits previously, so it's not completely unheard of.

[ARMOURERERIC]

The website for the MP 12-14/Beaver River Bridge now shows on the homepage renderings of the new Beaver River Bridge that is to start 1Q 2016.  It is similar in design to the Allegheny River Bridge as a balanced cantilever design.  I am curious to inuire among engineers here:

Does that design really result in longevity and maintenance savings?  It would seem with PTC's history of upkeep that this may be hard to maintain

Also, why is MP 10-12 being left out, just odd to skip such a short section

[Chris19001]

Last week my dad and I were on the widened part of the Northeast Extension for the first time, and I'm curious about all the unused shoulder in the SB-WB ramp at the Mid County Interchange. It's still like that even with that part of the widening finished. It seemed like it was built that way so that the ramp would be moved over to the edge to accommodate full six-lane widening up to the toll plaza, or at least the SB-EB loop, but that wasn't actually done.

Anyone have any idea what else it may have been intended for?

I noticed this when the section was first opened and am equally as curious.  Ideally, the Westbound I-276 traffic will have a full exit only lane(s) for the interchange and perhaps the geometry of the ramp will move a tad east, but the widening just north of the merge (West-I276 to North-I476) is VERY wide and fully paved.  You could easily park several 18 wheelers in that area if need be.  If anyone has a better grasp of why this looks the way it does, please fill us in.  I can only imagine it's for some kind of future widening of the bridges, a bit like the southbound-I476 far right side going into the interchange..

[Flyer78]

Looking at Historic Aerials from 1992 (shortly after Mid-County opened) it looks like it dates back to this period. It may simply be "right-of-way" control -- unfortunately there is a ~20 year gap between the images available, and in 1971 that space was trees, so it does not appear to be legacy geometry.

[Chris19001]

I can easily recall the ROW from before the Blue-Route was completed into the interchange, and it is likely a result of the original routing.  However, what is odd is that the new widening project really rebuilt the excess right hand shoulder from scratch.  (I can't imagine it was for movements during construction either)
I'm not complaining, I guess it could store snowplows during a storm but it just looks weird.

[Alps]

Just wondering...when the post advisory speeds, is there any requirement that they must be less than the posted speed limit, or can they post them because the 85th percentile speed is higher than the safe speed for the curve?

It's not common, but I have seen advisory speeds = speed limits previously, so it's not completely unheard of.

MUTCD says "at or lower than the posted speed."

[MASTERNC]

I know this had been proposed but I never knew they actually did it.  I looked towards the toll plaza at the Willow Hill interchange (between Harrisburg and Breezewood) and noticed they had the LED lane signs, with a design that looked like it had multiple lines of text and a background color different than for "Cash Only" or "E-ZPass".  I think I might have made out the word "credit" as well.  If I saw correctly, it looks like the PTC installed automated toll payment machines at at least one of the rural interchanges and may even take credit cards.

[MASTERNC]

I know this had been proposed but I never knew they actually did it.  I looked towards the toll plaza at the Willow Hill interchange (between Harrisburg and Breezewood) and noticed they had the LED lane signs, with a design that looked like it had multiple lines of text and a background color different than for "Cash Only" or "E-ZPass".  I think I might have made out the word "credit" as well.  If I saw correctly, it looks like the PTC installed automated toll payment machines at at least one of the rural interchanges and may even take credit cards.

Found the answer.  Looks like this is a test site.  However, if AET becomes standard on the Turnpike, this will be the only instance where credit cards can be used to pay a Turnpike toll on-site.

http://www.publicopiniononline.com/local/ci_27838273/state-tests-turnpike-credit-card-machines

[SteveG1988]

They had the WB Blue Mtn and Kittantny Mtn Tunnel closed. All traffic diverted to the EB tunnel

Edit:

Also, the valley forge service plaza is reopened.

https://www.paturnpike.com/press/2015/20150828085004.htm

[signalman]

They had the WB Blue Mtn and Kittantny Mtn Tunnel closed. All traffic diverted to the EB tunnel

The last time that I was on that section of the turnpike, there was 2-way traffic in the EB tunnel.  This was back in October 2011.  Perhaps it was coincidental, or it might be annual inspection/maintenance in September and October, just guessing.

[SteveG1988]

They had the WB Blue Mtn and Kittantny Mtn Tunnel closed. All traffic diverted to the EB tunnel

The last time that I was on that section of the turnpike, there was 2-way traffic in the EB tunnel.  This was back in October 2011.  Perhaps it was coincidental, or it might be annual inspection/maintenance in September and October, just guessing.

They had the blue paneling taken off above the tunnel.