Breezewood

[vdeane]

I don't even know why Breezewood gets roadgeeks so worked up. It's two traffic lights on an interstate in the middle of nowhere, barely causing any traffic. So what? I see nobody complaining about

-I-78 in Jersey City
-US 31 in Benton Harbor, Michigan
-CA 2 in Los Angeles
-The Bedford Interchange

Breezewood takes on the outrage it does because it's a gap in the freeway in the middle of an interstate.  I-78 could just as easily be fixed by truncating it, as it ends as soon as it crosses into NY anyways.  US 31 isn't an interstate, and that will have an all-freeway connection soon (albeit with an overlap with I-94) in any case.  CA 2 isn't really a gap in the route, and while Bedford is egregious, I-99 doesn't continue from there so it's more like the other non-connections on the PA Turnpike.  Plus it's newer and many people here would rather just delete it from the interstate system anyways.  We just don't hear about it as much these days as Congress, Texas, and North Carolina have found plenty of other ways to exasperate us about numbering these days.

[cpzilliacus]

I actually don't think Breezewood would lose much business if a direct connection was built. People who need gas will still get gas; people who are hungry will still want food; and people who are sleepy will still want a motel room. There's nothing convenient to I-70 between Breezewood and at least Hagerstown, if not Frederick. Most of the Hagerstown services are located on I-81 north of I-70, farther away than US 30 woul be from a direct Breezewood connection. Breezewood isn't booming like it once was, so it's not like there are a plethora of customers stopping there as it is because traffic is bad.

Correctly stated.  There's a Sheetz in downtown Hancock on MD-144 (east of U.S. 522), but it is small and not especially convenient to I-70 drivers (there are tight ramps that connect MD-144 with the Maryland end of the U.S. 522 bridge over the Potomac River).  The one Sheetz that's near Hagerstown that's easy to reach from I-70 is at the junction of U.S. 40 and MD-63, west of I-81. 

Yes, Breezewood is dying a slow death.  One of the best ways to help it would be to remove the traffic that does not wish to stop there by building those ramps.  Then designate the route through Breezewood as Business I-70 (still would retain the wrong-way concurrency through Breezewood too) and sign it as such.

[cpzilliacus]

Breezewood takes on the outrage it does because it's a gap in the freeway in the middle of an interstate.

My first issue with Breezewood is the crashes, especially on the westbound side of I-70 approaching the signal at U.S. 30. 

My secondary issue with Breezewood is severe congestion that can happen there on holidays.

[hbelkins]

I actually don't think Breezewood would lose much business if a direct connection was built. People who need gas will still get gas; people who are hungry will still want food; and people who are sleepy will still want a motel room. There's nothing convenient to I-70 between Breezewood and at least Hagerstown, if not Frederick. Most of the Hagerstown services are located on I-81 north of I-70, farther away than US 30 woul be from a direct Breezewood connection. Breezewood isn't booming like it once was, so it's not like there are a plethora of customers stopping there as it is because traffic is bad.

Correctly stated.  There's a Sheetz in downtown Hancock on MD-144 (east of U.S. 522), but it is small and not especially convenient to I-70 drivers (there are tight ramps that connect MD-144 with the Maryland end of the U.S. 522 bridge over the Potomac River).  The one Sheetz that's near Hagerstown that's easy to reach from I-70 is at the junction of U.S. 40 and MD-63, west of I-81. 

There's also this one east of Hagerstown at US 40 and MD 66. I've stopped at this one a few times.

https://goo.gl/maps/FXWXDoRdNKX9sDRT7

[cpzilliacus]

There's also this one east of Hagerstown at US 40 and MD 66. I've stopped at this one a few times.

https://goo.gl/maps/FXWXDoRdNKX9sDRT7

Yes.  I have stopped there at least once or twice.  For some reason I prefer the one on the other side of Hagerstown.

[cpzilliacus]

Breezewood takes on the outrage it does because it's a gap in the freeway in the middle of an interstate.

My first issue with Breezewood is the crashes, especially on the westbound side of I-70 approaching the signal at U.S. 30. 

My secondary issue with Breezewood is severe congestion that can happen there on holidays.

Yet another reason to pile hatred onto Breezewood is this.  Breezewood is located in the Township of East Providence, Bedford County, Pennsylvania. 

Yet the elected officials of East Providence are too cheap to pay for the Pennsylvania State Police service that they use (since there is no township law enforcement there). 

Source is Pennlive here (scroll down to table in this page and pull up records for Bedford County). 

According to that table, East Providence should be paying about $14,840 annually to the state treasury for the PSP services that they use.  I am not including the unnecessary crashes that PSP has to respond to on the westbound side of I-70 approaching the traffic signal at Breezewood.

[Bitmapped]

Breezewood takes on the outrage it does because it's a gap in the freeway in the middle of an interstate.

My first issue with Breezewood is the crashes, especially on the westbound side of I-70 approaching the signal at U.S. 30. 

My secondary issue with Breezewood is severe congestion that can happen there on holidays.

Yet another reason to pile hatred onto Breezewood is this.  Breezewood is located in the Township of East Providence, Bedford County, Pennsylvania. 

Yet the elected officials of East Providence are too cheap to pay for the Pennsylvania State Police service that they use (since there is no township law enforcement there). 

Source is Pennlive here (scroll down to table in this page and pull up records for Bedford County). 

According to that table, East Providence should be paying about $14,840 annually to the state treasury for the PSP services that they use.  I am not included the unnecessary crashes that PSP has to respond to on the westbound side of I-70 approaching the traffic signal at Breezewood.

PSP does not currently charge municipalities for police protection, which they are legally obligated to provide. It's not that East Providence Township is refusing to pay. It's that the state isn't billing them.

Rural townships having their own police forces is rare in Pennsylvania. Even some larger suburban townships and smaller urban boroughs rely on PSP. Frankly, I'd rather have PSP provide the policing for small municipalities like East Providence Township (population 1,854) than having another small police department that is unlikely to have the same level of professionalism as the State Police.

[jeffandnicole]

Breezewood takes on the outrage it does because it's a gap in the freeway in the middle of an interstate.

My first issue with Breezewood is the crashes, especially on the westbound side of I-70 approaching the signal at U.S. 30. 

My secondary issue with Breezewood is severe congestion that can happen there on holidays.

Yet another reason to pile hatred onto Breezewood is this.  Breezewood is located in the Township of East Providence, Bedford County, Pennsylvania. 

Yet the elected officials of East Providence are too cheap to pay for the Pennsylvania State Police service that they use (since there is no township law enforcement there). 

Source is Pennlive here (scroll down to table in this page and pull up records for Bedford County). 

According to that table, East Providence should be paying about $14,840 annually to the state treasury for the PSP services that they use.  I am not included the unnecessary crashes that PSP has to respond to on the westbound side of I-70 approaching the traffic signal at Breezewood.

PSP does not currently charge municipalities for police protection, which they are legally obligated to provide. It's not that East Providence Township is refusing to pay. It's that the state isn't billing them.

Rural townships having their own police forces is rare in Pennsylvania. Even some larger suburban townships and smaller urban boroughs rely on PSP. Frankly, I'd rather have PSP provide the policing for small municipalities like East Providence Township (population 1,854) than having another small police department that is unlikely to have the same level of professionalism as the State Police.

Apparently you haven't been following this story...

https://www.delcotimes.com/news/state-police-investigating-claim-of-racial-profiling-in-chadds-ford/article_92e5415e-b56a-11e9-91b1-ab3c7165c71e.html

It does seem to be an unusual occurrence, and based on what we know so far a very abnormal incident involving a rookie trooper, but the PA State Police will be under the microscope after this one for a while.

[goobnav]

Breezewood takes on the outrage it does because it's a gap in the freeway in the middle of an interstate.

My first issue with Breezewood is the crashes, especially on the westbound side of I-70 approaching the signal at U.S. 30. 

My secondary issue with Breezewood is severe congestion that can happen there on holidays.

Yet another reason to pile hatred onto Breezewood is this.  Breezewood is located in the Township of East Providence, Bedford County, Pennsylvania. 

Yet the elected officials of East Providence are too cheap to pay for the Pennsylvania State Police service that they use (since there is no township law enforcement there). 

Source is Pennlive here (scroll down to table in this page and pull up records for Bedford County). 

According to that table, East Providence should be paying about $14,840 annually to the state treasury for the PSP services that they use.  I am not included the unnecessary crashes that PSP has to respond to on the westbound side of I-70 approaching the traffic signal at Breezewood.

PSP does not currently charge municipalities for police protection, which they are legally obligated to provide. It's not that East Providence Township is refusing to pay. It's that the state isn't billing them.

Rural townships having their own police forces is rare in Pennsylvania. Even some larger suburban townships and smaller urban boroughs rely on PSP. Frankly, I'd rather have PSP provide the policing for small municipalities like East Providence Township (population 1,854) than having another small police department that is unlikely to have the same level of professionalism as the State Police.

Apparently you haven't been following this story...

https://www.delcotimes.com/news/state-police-investigating-claim-of-racial-profiling-in-chadds-ford/article_92e5415e-b56a-11e9-91b1-ab3c7165c71e.html

It does seem to be an unusual occurrence, and based on what we know so far a very abnormal incident involving a rookie trooper, but the PA State Police will be under the microscope after this one for a while.

Even better and, people wonder why PA roads are such a disaster but, have to pay for the Troopers, SMDH, so glad I moved:

https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/lehigh-county/2019/04/42-billion-diverted-from-penndot-road-and-bridge-repairs-to-fund-state-police-new-audit-reveals.html

[cpzilliacus]

PSP does not currently charge municipalities for police protection, which they are legally obligated to provide. It's not that East Providence Township is refusing to pay. It's that the state isn't billing them.

Rural townships having their own police forces is rare in Pennsylvania. Even some larger suburban townships and smaller urban boroughs rely on PSP. Frankly, I'd rather have PSP provide the policing for small municipalities like East Providence Township (population 1,854) than having another small police department that is unlikely to have the same level of professionalism as the State Police.

Unlike most other Pennsylvania townships, East Providence has Breezewood, and the township can increase property taxes on the land and buildings there to pay the PSP for service.

IMO the Pennsylvania legislature should force Pennsylvania municipalities that do not wish to have their own law enforcement agencies to pay Harrisburg for service from the PSP (or in some cases to pay an adjoining township or other municipality for police service).   I agree that a small township is not likely to get the most-professional or most-well-trained police officers, and it is quite likely that they will be better serviced by PSP troopers.

Requiring these payments for PSP service would free up at least some of the fuel tax revenues that now fund PSP to be used for highway upgrades and improvements.

[cpzilliacus]

Apparently you haven't been following this story...

https://www.delcotimes.com/news/state-police-investigating-claim-of-racial-profiling-in-chadds-ford/article_92e5415e-b56a-11e9-91b1-ab3c7165c71e.html

It does seem to be an unusual occurrence, and based on what we know so far a very abnormal incident involving a rookie trooper, but the PA State Police will be under the microscope after this one for a while.

I saw a report about that incident from a different source, perhaps the Web site of KYW-TV, CBS-TV 3 in Philadelphia.

That incident, as presented by the media, screams of racist profiling, and does not make the PSP look good.

[mgk920]

PSP does not currently charge municipalities for police protection, which they are legally obligated to provide. It's not that East Providence Township is refusing to pay. It's that the state isn't billing them.

Rural townships having their own police forces is rare in Pennsylvania. Even some larger suburban townships and smaller urban boroughs rely on PSP. Frankly, I'd rather have PSP provide the policing for small municipalities like East Providence Township (population 1,854) than having another small police department that is unlikely to have the same level of professionalism as the State Police.

Unlike most other Pennsylvania townships, East Providence has Breezewood, and the township can increase property taxes on the land and buildings there to pay the PSP for service.

IMO the Pennsylvania legislature should force Pennsylvania municipalities that do not wish to have their own law enforcement agencies to pay Harrisburg for service from the PSP (or in some cases to pay an adjoining township or other municipality for police service).   I agree that a small township is not likely to get the most-professional or most-well-trained police officers, and it is quite likely that they will be better service by PSP.

Requiring these payments for PSP service would free up at least some of the fuel tax revenues that now fund PSP to be used for highway upgrades and improvements.

This would be a total heresy in a state such as Pennsylvania, but perhaps it is time for the commonwealth to seriously consider abolishing their townships and turning all of that over to their respective county boards (does PA have elected county sheriffs?).

Mike

[goobnav]

PSP does not currently charge municipalities for police protection, which they are legally obligated to provide. It's not that East Providence Township is refusing to pay. It's that the state isn't billing them.

Rural townships having their own police forces is rare in Pennsylvania. Even some larger suburban townships and smaller urban boroughs rely on PSP. Frankly, I'd rather have PSP provide the policing for small municipalities like East Providence Township (population 1,854) than having another small police department that is unlikely to have the same level of professionalism as the State Police.

Unlike most other Pennsylvania townships, East Providence has Breezewood, and the township can increase property taxes on the land and buildings there to pay the PSP for service.

IMO the Pennsylvania legislature should force Pennsylvania municipalities that do not wish to have their own law enforcement agencies to pay Harrisburg for service from the PSP (or in some cases to pay an adjoining township or other municipality for police service).   I agree that a small township is not likely to get the most-professional or most-well-trained police officers, and it is quite likely that they will be better service by PSP.

Requiring these payments for PSP service would free up at least some of the fuel tax revenues that now fund PSP to be used for highway upgrades and improvements.

This would be a total heresy in a state such as Pennsylvania, but perhaps it is time for the commonwealth to seriously consider abolishing their townships and turning all of that over to their respective county boards (does PA have elected county sheriffs?).

Mike

Yes, PA does have elected sheriffs, the chance of this change happening are as good as Breezewood getting directing connected completely to the Interstate system and ending this debacle.  PA is too corrupt to have this Titanic of a move.

[ixnay]

This would be a total heresy in a state such as Pennsylvania, but perhaps it is time for the commonwealth to seriously consider abolishing their townships and turning all of that over to their respective county boards (does PA have elected county sheriffs?).

Mike

Yes, PA does have elected sheriffs, the chance of this change happening are as good as Breezewood getting directing connected completely to the Interstate system and ending this debacle.  PA is too corrupt to have this Titanic of a move.

So, no doubt, is New Jersey, which also has townships.

Full(er) disclosure:  I was born and spent the first 23+ years of my life in Pennsylvania.  Then (in 1985) I moved to Maryland and have lived there ever since (except for four months in the fall and winter of 1986/87 in NJ).

Maryland doesn't have townships.  Neither does Delaware.  Would it be sacreligious for those states and states like them to adopt townships or towns (not that they will IMO)?

ixnay

[cpzilliacus]

Yes, PA does have elected sheriffs, the chance of this change happening are as good as Breezewood getting directing connected completely to the Interstate system and ending this debacle.  PA is too corrupt to have this Titanic of a move.

In most of the United States, counties and county-level jurisdictions have elected sheriffs. 

This holds in Maryland and Virginia, where cities can be independent of counties (Baltimore, Maryland) and all cities in the Commonwealth (Virginia cities are by law independent of nearby counties, though some cities share their sheriff with a nearby county).

The only places that appear to lack elected sheriffs are the District of Columbia (the U.S. Marshal for D.C. is the de-facto sheriff) and in Alaska (there are  no county sheriffs in the 49th state).  In Hawaii, there's one sheriff that provides such service statewide (not clear to me if the sheriff is an elected official or not).

[goobnav]

Yes, PA does have elected sheriffs, the chance of this change happening are as good as Breezewood getting directing connected completely to the Interstate system and ending this debacle.  PA is too corrupt to have this Titanic of a move.

In most of the United States, counties and county-level jurisdictions have elected sheriffs. 

This holds in Maryland and Virginia, where cities can be independent of counties (Baltimore, Maryland) and all cities in the Commonwealth (Virginia cities are by law independent of nearby counties, though some cities share their sheriff with a nearby county).

The only places that appear to lack elected sheriffs are the District of Columbia (the U.S. Marshal for D.C. is the de-facto sheriff) and in Alaska (there are  no county sheriffs in the 49th state).  In Hawaii, there's one sheriff that provides such service statewide (not clear to me if the sheriff is an elected official or not).

The problem is that the sheriffs in PA are not Primary law enforcement, just jail and prison wardens in their respected counties.

[ipeters61]

Maryland doesn't have townships.  Neither does Delaware.  Would it be sacreligious for those states and states like them to adopt townships or towns (not that they will IMO)?

ixnay

I write about this in Delaware from time to time on the forum (not relevant to this topic, though).  As someone raised in New England and PA, when I moved to DE, I was baffled when I first saw the sign "Leaving Corporate Limits of Newark."  "So....where am I?" was my first thought.  I decided one night to see how I would make Delaware's towns if the whole state decided to make everything a municipality, but it was kind of messy.  There are Hundreds still, but those could split towns (e.g. West Dover Hundred and East Dover Hundred).

Regarding your question, though, my coworkers all looked at me like I was crazy when I said I thought everything should just be incorporated so we don't have this weird ambiguity in location.

[cpzilliacus]

Maryland doesn't have townships.  Neither does Delaware.  Would it be sacreligious for those states and states like them to adopt townships or towns (not that they will IMO)?

ixnay

I write about this in Delaware from time to time on the forum (not relevant to this topic, though).  As someone raised in New England and PA, when I moved to DE, I was baffled when I first saw the sign "Leaving Corporate Limits of Newark."  "So....where am I?" was my first thought.  I decided one night to see how I would make Delaware's towns if the whole state decided to make everything a municipality, but it was kind of messy.  There are Hundreds still, but those could split towns (e.g. West Dover Hundred and East Dover Hundred).

Regarding your question, though, my coworkers all looked at me like I was crazy when I said I thought everything should just be incorporated so we don't have this weird ambiguity in location.

In states where there are no townships, and all or nearly all rural land is in unincorporated counties (and even inside urbanized area boundaries there is frequently plenty of land that is not part of any municipality), when you leave that incorporated municipality you are in an unincorporated county - nothing more and nothing less.

[CanesFan27]

Breezewood: Some people enjoy it - others are indifferent - most despise it.  I take an in depth look at the growth and current slow and steady decline of possibly the most well known and angst causing junction of two Interstate highways in the country.

https://www.gribblenation.org/2018/02/will-we-ever-see-breezewood-bypass.html

(Note: I had originally started this with a working title of a Breezewood Bypass - blogger saved that old working title.  Over the past two years it has evolved more to an overall history and story of Breezewood)

[Roadwarriors79]

Since the PA Turnpike has now gone to AET, they need to seriously look at connecting the free section of I-70 to the Turnpike without having to do the "through town jog".

[jeffandnicole]

Since the PA Turnpike has now gone to AET, they need to seriously look at connecting the free section of I-70 to the Turnpike without having to do the "through town jog".

What does one have to do with the other?  Motorists have been able to go thru the toll plaza without stopping for 20 years.

[Roadsguy]

Since the PA Turnpike has now gone to AET, they need to seriously look at connecting the free section of I-70 to the Turnpike without having to do the "through town jog".

What does one have to do with the other?  Motorists have been able to go thru the toll plaza without stopping for 20 years.

Well, AET does allow for more options to directly connect I-70 to the Turnpike without relying on the existing toll plaza, but even with AET, just building a pair of flyovers where I-70 crosses itself and smoothing out the eastbound trumpet ramp coming off the Turnpike is probably still the best bang for the buck option they could go with.

[Flint1979]

I actually like Breezewood. I think it's unique and gives you a break from the highway. I've shunpiked the PA Turnpike before and used US-30 never even realizing that I went right through Breezewood.

[Rothman]

I actually like Breezewood. I think it's unique and gives you a break from the highway. I've shunpiked the PA Turnpike before and used US-30 never even realizing that I went right through Breezewood.

Bless your heart.

[Alps]

I actually like Breezewood. I think it's unique and gives you a break from the highway. I've shunpiked the PA Turnpike before and used US-30 never even realizing that I went right through Breezewood.

Bless your heart.

Ya know, it's popular to hate Breezewood, but there are many people, even among us, who use it. I'm not one, but I'm not gonna look down on someone who likes it. It's only there because it's used, after all.