PA - US 219 Expressway Could Begin This Year

[seicer]

Are these the ghost ramps of the high speed interchange that perhaps was never built (and now again proposed)?
http://goo.gl/maps/iN90b

[BrianP]

No from this topo from 1982 that was the original off ramp for the existing interchange.



One of the proposed interchanges does go at that location. Although in that alternative the mainline of US 219 looks like it would cross Alt US 40 between that ramp and the current US 219.  The other proposed location for the I-68 interchange is west of the current interchange. 

[02 Park Ave]

Is this being done in lieu of extending the I-99 down to the I-68?

[froggie]

Is this being done in lieu of extending the I-99 down to the I-68?

Different animal entirely.

[dave19]

Now it does.

[MikeSantNY78]

Now that the section north of Meyersdale is being constructed the process for the section south of Meyersdale is being restarted:
   
PLANNING STUDY RESUMES TO IMPROVE CONNECTION BETWEEN I-68 IN GARRETT COUNTY AND MEYERSDALE, PA

And they've established a new web site:
http://www.us219md-pa.com/

The links at the top don't work since they are commented out.  So far they just goto this anyway:
http://www.us219md-pa.com/img/US219_coming-soon_page.png

So the only content other than the home page so far is the newsletter:
http://www.us219md-pa.com/docs/219%20newsletterDraftV5(FINAL).pdf

The planning meeting was last night, so now, there's plenty of preliminary info at the project site... http://www.us219md-pa.com/index.html

[BrianP]

Hmm according to this PA will build a 60' median which could accommodate future widening of the highway to six lanes using the median.  While MD is only building a 34' median.

[seicer]

Why would it ever need to be widened? It is lightly traveled northward as it is. That and vehicle miles traveled continues to drop nationwide.

[ARMOURERERIC]

Is there any web presence yet for the part currently under construction?

[Tom958]

Go with the cheapest alternative. 

To me, it's interesting that they could go either way as to how the trumpet alternatives would be oriented. Either anticipated traffic volumes would be very balanced fairly equally between I-68 east and west, or they'd be so small that it'd made little difference whether the heavier movement was relegated to a loop ramp or not.

I'm too lazy to look it up, but is an interchange with the PA Turnpike in the mix?

[MikeSantNY78]

Go with the cheapest alternative. 

To me, it's interesting that they could go either way as to how the trumpet alternatives would be oriented. Either anticipated traffic volumes would be very balanced fairly equally between I-68 east and west, or they'd be so small that it'd made little difference whether the heavier movement was relegated to a loop ramp or not.

I'm too lazy to look it up, but is an interchange with the PA Turnpike in the mix?

This project doesn't go that far north; have to build 219 between Meyersdale to Garrett and up to the Turnpike before a connection can be considered...

[okc1]

This project doesn't go that far north; have to build 219 between Meyersdale to Garrett and up to the Turnpike before a connection can be considered...

It's already underway
http://www.wjactv.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/route-219-expansion-project-makes-major-progress-somerset-county-3595.shtml

[Tom958]

Indeed. The Garrett Shortcut section is shown as UC on the 2015 Rand McNally, too.

Reread the thread and I saw little about a PA Turnpike connection, except this:

This new road will suck.

Signed, Breezewood

I'm just sayin... With the potential for this route to serve both the WV-Harrisburg (and beyond) and the DC/Baltimore-Pittsburgh (and beyond) corridors, an interchange with the Turnpike seems like an obvious thing to do. And there's a tantalizing amount of open-looking land where 219 crosses the Turnpike.

[froggie]

With the potential for this route to serve both the WV-Harrisburg (and beyond) and the DC/Baltimore-Pittsburgh (and beyond) corridors, an interchange with the Turnpike seems like an obvious thing to do. And there's a tantalizing amount of open-looking land where 219 crosses the Turnpike.

The complication is that there's a Turnpike service area immediately to the west of where 219 crosses over.  Doesn't stop the potential for a direct interchange, but does make designing and planning such an interchange more challenging and more expensive.

Another complication is the state prison right across PA 31 from the westbound Turnpike service plaza.

[Mr_Northside]

The complication is that there's a Turnpike service area immediately to the west of where 219 crosses over.  Doesn't stop the potential for a direct interchange, but does make designing and planning such an interchange more challenging and more expensive.

Another complication is the state prison right across PA 31 from the westbound Turnpike service plaza.

This. 
The service plazas are relatively rebuilt/new, so they're not gonna be going anywhere for a few decades.  And any plans would have to minimize the weaving with interchange ramps & service plaza ramps.  The NE quadrant of the TPK/219 crossing also has signs advertising land for a business park or something.  Unless money were to be no object, I'd guess the only feasible option would be something like a double-trumpet utilizing the SE quadrant (Which would be kind of ironic since the TPK would probably be AET by the time anything would get built, and depending on how implemented, wouldn't require any plaza in between the trumpets)

Of course, I've neither heard nor read of any actual plans to do anything, which is par for the course for the TPK & PennDOT in these situations.

[ARMOURERERIC]

Be careful what you wish for, I could see PennDOT/PTC satisfying public desires for an interchange with a diamond slip ramp.

[Tom958]

Well, considering the astronomical costs of the rest of the project, it would seem to be epic fail not to provide a connection, even with the constructability issues. Estimated costs for the I-68 to Meyersdale segment alone range from $280m to $425m: do the cheap alternative, then have $145m left for an interchange with the Turnpike. 

Even a south-to-east connection would be better than nothing.

I think this would be a fun thing for our interchange redesign bunnies to have a go at, if they haven't already. 

EDIT: This is interesting: The bridges carrying US 219 over the Turnpike have enough room for another lane westbound, but not eastbound. Wassup with that? They also appear to have enough room for single lane roadways outboard of the mainline, between the end bents and the abutments. Maybe they could cram six lanes under the existing main span and have one-lane CD's connecting a trumpet to the service plaza. Or, they could replace the bridges and do a full-standard mainline plus either two-lane CD's or auxiliary lanes.

[Gnutella]

Well, considering the astronomical costs of the rest of the project, it would seem to be epic fail not to provide a connection, even with the constructability issues. Estimated costs for the I-68 to Meyersdale segment alone range from $280m to $425m: do the cheap alternative, then have $145m left for an interchange with the Turnpike. 

Even a south-to-east connection would be better than nothing.

I think this would be a fun thing for our interchange redesign bunnies to have a go at, if they haven't already. 

EDIT: This is interesting: The bridges carrying US 219 over the Turnpike have enough room for another lane westbound, but not eastbound. Wassup with that? They also appear to have enough room for single lane roadways outboard of the mainline, between the end bents and the abutments. Maybe they could cram six lanes under the existing main span and have one-lane CD's connecting a trumpet to the service plaza. Or, they could replace the bridges and do a full-standard mainline plus either two-lane CD's or auxiliary lanes.

The Turnpike lanes aren't centered under the overpasses. If the overpasses remain, then the median barrier on the Turnpike after a six-lane widening would be located where the existing westbound yellow line is, and the middle westbound lane would be located about where the existing westbound exterior shoulder is.

The distance between the piers of each overpass is approximately 110', which is enough room for a six-lane highway with full 12' exterior shoulders, but only 4' interior shoulders. However, that segment of U.S. 219 was designed in the late 1960s and built in the early 1970s, so maybe AASHTO standards didn't require full 12' interior shoulders on six-lane highways at the time. It might not even matter, though, because those overpasses are over 40 years old, so they're getting close to the ends of their engineered lifespans anyway.

I bet those overpasses will be replaced if the segment of the Turnpike under them is eventually widened to six lanes. Even if not, the worst-case scenario is that the Turnpike would briefly squeeze the interior shoulders down to 4' as it passes under. As for a direct interchange, I bet one will eventually be built in the southeastern quadrant of the junction of the two highways.

[Tom958]

The Turnpike lanes aren't centered under the overpasses. If the overpasses remain, then the median barrier on the Turnpike after a six-lane widening would be located where the existing westbound yellow line is, and the middle westbound lane would be located about where the existing westbound exterior shoulder is.

The distance between the piers of each overpass is approximately 110', which is enough room for a six-lane highway with full 12' exterior shoulders, but only 4' interior shoulders. However, that segment of U.S. 219 was designed in the late 1960s and built in the early 1970s, so maybe AASHTO standards didn't require full 12' interior shoulders on six-lane highways at the time. It might not even matter, though, because those overpasses are over 40 years old, so they're getting close to the ends of their engineered lifespans anyway.

I bet those overpasses will be replaced if the segment of the Turnpike under them is eventually widened to six lanes. Even if not, the worst-case scenario is that the Turnpike would briefly squeeze the interior shoulders down to 4' as it passes under. As for a direct interchange, I bet one will eventually be built in the southeastern quadrant of the junction of the two highways.

Thanks for that, Gnutella! 

Now, back to the issue: Completion of the 219 freeway to I-68 will change traffic patterns whether or not a connection is built. Surely DC-Pittsburgh travelers would endure a couple of miles of PA 281 and friends to save, what, $5 in tolls? Especially since they'd miss Breezewood by doing so. From what I've gathered, the case would be less compelling for the Morgantown-Harrisburg axis, since the non-freeway portion of US 220 is pretty decent and travelers who went that way instead of using 219 would save a significant amount in tolls.

The next thing to look at is the interests of the PTC. They'd like to keep I-70 traffic on the current I-70, and they'll likely be resistant to spending a lot of money on a project that'll reduce their cash flow. Conversely, a connection for the Morgantown-Harrisburg axis would likely entice some travelers to use what would be an all-freeway/Turnpike route, even if it cost more in tolls, especially since a direct connection would save five miles or so compared to backtracking though Somerset.

Or so says my common sense.  I wonder what an actual traffic study would find, keeping in mind my earlier observation that projected traffic volumes at I-68 and US 219 are apparently small enough to be accommodated on a loop ramp.

The service plazas are relatively rebuilt/new, so they're not gonna be going anywhere for a few decades.  And any plans would have to minimize the weaving with interchange ramps & service plaza ramps.  The NE quadrant of the TPK/219 crossing also has signs advertising land for a business park or something.  Unless money were to be no object, I'd guess the only feasible option would be something like a double-trumpet utilizing the SE quadrant (Which would be kind of ironic since the TPK would probably be AET by the time anything would get built, and depending on how implemented, wouldn't require any plaza in between the trumpets)

That would certainly be the most straightforward option. And it would serve all movements, unlike...

Tom958, who has never set foot in Pennsylvania, suggests:

1. A connection for the Morgantown-Harrisburg axis via a loop ramp in the NW quadrant and a direct ramp in the SE. Not good to add an accel lane to a 40 year old bridge, though. 

2. Someday, if and when traffic problems become impossible to ignore, a connection for the DC-Pittsburgh axis via

a. A loop ramp in the NE quadrant, plus a CD along the westbound Turnpike to serve it and the previously mentioned loop ramp. The CD could rejoin the Turnpike by skirting the outside margin of the service area, requiring an overpass for local access to the service area. Obviously, this would require replacement of the 219 bridges over the Turnpike.

b. A braided direct ramp from the Turnpike eastbound to 219 southbound, starting opposite the service plaza buildings and bridging over the onramp from the service plaza, which would have to be relocated to the east.

[ARMOURERERIC]

Or they could just widen Mt Pleasant avenue to 4 lanes as an interim solution

[Tom958]

Or they could just widen Mt Pleasant avenue to 4 lanes as an interim solution

But where's the fun in that? 

[Mr_Northside]

Leaders rev up for final stage of Route 219 South

The way page 2 of this article makes it sound, Maryland seems more financially determined/capable of getting actual work done on the Meyersdale/I-68 section than PA.  (And the re-established web page for the project has a section showing maps of possible temporary "tie-ins" should all the work not be done at once)

[NE2]

Are these the ghost ramps of the high speed interchange that perhaps was never built (and now again proposed)?
http://goo.gl/maps/iN90b

Has to be. The grade for the 219 south to 68 east ramp is obviously raised (check street view). The layout is very clear on the 1979 aerial/topo hybrid (22 MB).

Here are the relevant right-of-way plats from south to north, even showing ramp configurations:
43013
43014
43015
43016
43017
43024
43025
43026
43027
43028
43029

[Tom958]

Leaders rev up for final stage of Route 219 South

The way page 2 of this article makes it sound, Maryland seems more financially determined/capable of getting actual work done on the Meyersdale/I-68 section than PA.  (And the re-established web page for the project has a section showing maps of possible temporary "tie-ins" should all the work not be done at once)

Well, yeah. PA would do the fiscal heavy lifting and endure most of the impacts, while MD would receive substantial benefit.

Maybe I'm overreacting, but I'd like to think that somewhere there's an analysis of the potential for for diversion of I-70 traffic to the US 219-I-68 corridor. Right now, according to Google Maps, the latter route (using the Garrett Shortcut) is only eight miles and eighteen minutes longer than I-70 and avoids $4.49 in tolls ($6.45 for those who don't use EZPass). Completion of the Meyersdale-Somerset section will further shorten the travel time. Beyond that, the 219-68 route will likely become more appealing when construction begins at the Allegheny Tunnel and/or six-laning the Turnpike.

It isn't often that a highway project has such potential for rearranging a significant portion of a region's highway network, and the ramifications fascinate me.

[wphiii]

Maybe I'm overreacting, but I'd like to think that somewhere there's an analysis of the potential for for diversion of I-70 traffic to the US 219-I-68 corridor. Right now, according to Google Maps, the latter route (using the Garrett Shortcut) is only eight miles and eighteen minutes longer than I-70 and avoids $4.49 in tolls ($6.45 for those who don't use EZPass). Completion of the Meyersdale-Somerset section will further shorten the travel time. Beyond that, the 219-68 route will likely become more appealing when construction begins at the Allegheny Tunnel and/or six-laning the Turnpike.

I hope I-68 doesn't get too popular, I like how empty it is now