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Interstate 99 north of Williamsport

Started by Mountain Parkway, October 31, 2019, 08:03:12 PM

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Mr_Northside

Quote from: sparker on November 17, 2019, 02:51:11 AM
So -- getting back to I-99 -- IMO the best course of action is to do a "spot fix" at the single side-road instance, converting it into a standard on-off interchange (maybe 20-25mph ramps) with the NB side of US 15.  At that point, an I-99 designation replete with signage could be applied to the facility north of the US 15/220 interchange.  The presence of that completed section, along with the already-signed portion in NY, might provoke a measure of support for prioritization of the US 220-based segment -- support emanating from disparate groups such as local interest groups, possibly abetted by truckers and their regional customers.   Always a chance such support could rekindle interest in a project in dormancy for way too long.

I'm a little surprised there hasn't been any (that I've heard/read about) clamor from the local/county officials along the corridor to get the red/white/blue shields in the name of attracting development.
I don't have opinions anymore. All I know is that no one is better than anyone else, and everyone is the best at everything


Hwy 61 Revisited

#51
In my opinion, I-99 should just be signed down to the 220/180 junction by now. US 15 would be truncated to Harrisburg and the CSVT would be (for now) an extension of I-180 (or PA 83, to be upgraded to I-83). US 15 Bus. in Mansfield would become I-99 BL, and US 522 would take up the road that US 15 used to follow up to Williamsport.
And you may ask yourself, where does that highway go to?
--David Byrne

Beltway

Quote from: Hwy 61 Revisited on January 24, 2020, 02:59:32 PM
In my opinion, I-99 should just be signed down to the 220/180 junction by now.

Should have back to 2013 when NYS completed their segment.
http://www.roadstothefuture.com
http://www.capital-beltway.com

Baloney is a reserved word on the Internet
    (Robert Coté, 2002)

Alps

Quote from: Hwy 61 Revisited on January 24, 2020, 02:59:32 PM
In my opinion, I-99 should just be signed down to the 220/180 junction by now. US 15 will be truncated to Harrisburg and the CSVT will be (for now) an extension of I-180. US 15 Bus. in Mansfield will become I-99 BL, and US 522 will take up the road that US 15 used to follow up to Williamsport.
Fictional Highways when you say "will". I think you mean "would". But to keep it on topic, where do we think US 15 will end? I think Williamsport, but it could end up being the state line or even its current ending.

sbeaver44

Quote from: Alps on January 24, 2020, 05:10:55 PM
Quote from: Hwy 61 Revisited on January 24, 2020, 02:59:32 PM
In my opinion, I-99 should just be signed down to the 220/180 junction by now. US 15 will be truncated to Harrisburg and the CSVT will be (for now) an extension of I-180. US 15 Bus. in Mansfield will become I-99 BL, and US 522 will take up the road that US 15 used to follow up to Williamsport.
Fictional Highways when you say "will". I think you mean "would". But to keep it on topic, where do we think US 15 will end? I think Williamsport, but it could end up being the state line or even its current ending.
I wonder if Camp Hill (Jct US 11/Pa 581) will happen someday.

Mapmikey

One could kill 2 birds with one stone and reroute US 15 to replace US 220 north of Williamsport, eliminating the need for the long US 220 overlay with I-99.

roadman65

I think US 15 should replace US 220 north of Williamsport and IMO US 220 should go completely.  South of Bedford is should be an extended US 311 from NC and with I-73 being mostly replacing it in the Tar Heel State, it has no purpose there at all.
Every day is a winding road, you just got to get used to it.

Sheryl Crowe

sparker

Quote from: roadman65 on January 24, 2020, 10:41:43 PM
I think US 15 should replace US 220 north of Williamsport and IMO US 220 should go completely.  South of Bedford is should be an extended US 311 from NC and with I-73 being mostly replacing it in the Tar Heel State, it has no purpose there at all.

Superb idea -- 311 is a much more appropriate number for a route that functionally parallels US 11.  But as long as we're on the subject of I-99's northern reaches, has any NE poster heard any rumblings about when I-99 signage is expected for this corridor section? 

Hwy 61 Revisited

Quote from: sparker on January 25, 2020, 12:41:04 AM
Quote from: roadman65 on January 24, 2020, 10:41:43 PM
I think US 15 should replace US 220 north of Williamsport and IMO US 220 should go completely.  South of Bedford is should be an extended US 311 from NC and with I-73 being mostly replacing it in the Tar Heel State, it has no purpose there at all.

Superb idea -- 311 is a much more appropriate number for a route that functionally parallels US 11.  But as long as we're on the subject of I-99's northern reaches, has any NE poster heard any rumblings about when I-99 signage is expected for this corridor section?

Three words: Zip, Zed, Zilch. Zero.
And you may ask yourself, where does that highway go to?
--David Byrne

sparker

Quote from: Hwy 61 Revisited on January 25, 2020, 07:19:02 PM
Quote from: sparker on January 25, 2020, 12:41:04 AM
Quote from: roadman65 on January 24, 2020, 10:41:43 PM
I think US 15 should replace US 220 north of Williamsport and IMO US 220 should go completely.  South of Bedford is should be an extended US 311 from NC and with I-73 being mostly replacing it in the Tar Heel State, it has no purpose there at all.

Superb idea -- 311 is a much more appropriate number for a route that functionally parallels US 11.  But as long as we're on the subject of I-99's northern reaches, has any NE poster heard any rumblings about when I-99 signage is expected for this corridor section?

Three words: Zip, Zed, Zilch. Zero.

Okay then.  Guess PA DOT has other fish to fry elsewhere in the state and hasn't made the change a priority.  Good to know! :eyebrow:

Mr_Northside

Quote from: sparker on January 26, 2020, 04:51:45 AM
Okay then.  Guess PA DOT has other fish to fry elsewhere in the state and hasn't made the change a priority.  Good to know! :eyebrow:

Seems that way.

The best chance of signing it sooner (relatively speaking) rather than later is if local politicians catch the "Interstate shields for more potential business development" bug and start putting pressure on PennDOT.
I don't have opinions anymore. All I know is that no one is better than anyone else, and everyone is the best at everything

The Ghostbuster

As to where US 15 would end once its truncated to Williamsport, it would end at Interstate 180's Exit 27A. And I would retract US 220 to Interstate 99's present southern terminus, with existing 220 from 180's exit 15 onward would be downgraded to PA 220.

Hwy 61 Revisited

Quote from: The Ghostbuster on January 27, 2020, 03:18:38 PM
As to where US 15 would end once its truncated to Williamsport, it would end at Interstate 180's Exit 27A. And I would retract US 220 to Interstate 99's present southern terminus, with existing 220 from 180's exit 15 onward would be downgraded to PA 220.

What would happen when 220 south of 99 is decommissioned? Would the segment of future 99 between 80 and 180 be designated as PA 220 as well? Or should it be designated as PA 99 for now?
And you may ask yourself, where does that highway go to?
--David Byrne

jemacedo9

Quote from: The Ghostbuster on January 27, 2020, 03:18:38 PM
As to where US 15 would end once its truncated to Williamsport, it would end at Interstate 180's Exit 27A. And I would retract US 220 to Interstate 99's present southern terminus, with existing 220 from 180's exit 15 onward would be downgraded to PA 220.

I would extend PA 118 westward and PA 405 northward from Hughesville instead of creating a PA 220.

Beltway

Quote from: jemacedo9 on January 27, 2020, 03:49:29 PM
Quote from: The Ghostbuster on January 27, 2020, 03:18:38 PM
As to where US 15 would end once its truncated to Williamsport, it would end at Interstate 180's Exit 27A. And I would retract US 220 to Interstate 99's present southern terminus, with existing 220 from 180's exit 15 onward would be downgraded to PA 220.
I would extend PA 118 westward and PA 405 northward from Hughesville instead of creating a PA 220.

Revert US-220 back to its original routing.
http://www.roadstothefuture.com
http://www.capital-beltway.com

Baloney is a reserved word on the Internet
    (Robert Coté, 2002)

hbelkins

Until I-99 can be built from I-80 to Williamsport, US 220 should stay on that route. But having driven US 220 from Williamsport north to its end at NY 17, I don't understand what purpose that route serves as part of the US highway system.


Government would be tolerable if not for politicians and bureaucrats.

Alps

Quote from: hbelkins on January 27, 2020, 04:10:02 PM
Until I-99 can be built from I-80 to Williamsport, US 220 should stay on that route. But having driven US 220 from Williamsport north to its end at NY 17, I don't understand what purpose that route serves as part of the US highway system.
It would have made sense if NY ever cared to connect it to 20.

webny99

Also, how about if NY ever cared about US routes in general? Even US 20 is concurrent or closely parallel to NY 5 for most of its length.

roadman65

Or US 106 ending at the Delaware River coming from PA.  Then US 46 is another one that ends in the middle of the Hudson River. 

Or the fact that no US route exists on Long Island with New York City, the largest city in the US, has only two US routes within its city limits.
Every day is a winding road, you just got to get used to it.

Sheryl Crowe

WNYroadgeek

Quote from: Alps on January 27, 2020, 10:37:12 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on January 27, 2020, 04:10:02 PM
Until I-99 can be built from I-80 to Williamsport, US 220 should stay on that route. But having driven US 220 from Williamsport north to its end at NY 17, I don't understand what purpose that route serves as part of the US highway system.
It would have made sense if NY ever cared to connect it to 20.

Which would be easily done, as they would need only redesignate NY 34 south of Auburn.

Alps

Quote from: WNYroadgeek on January 27, 2020, 11:58:47 PM
Quote from: Alps on January 27, 2020, 10:37:12 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on January 27, 2020, 04:10:02 PM
Until I-99 can be built from I-80 to Williamsport, US 220 should stay on that route. But having driven US 220 from Williamsport north to its end at NY 17, I don't understand what purpose that route serves as part of the US highway system.
It would have made sense if NY ever cared to connect it to 20.

Which would be easily done, as they would need only redesignate NY 34 south of Auburn.
Funny thing is there was never a plan for it, even though that seems obvious. Back on topic, I find it interesting that US 15 made it all the way to Rochester, considering US 220, US 111, and US 309 all never did.

Hwy 61 Revisited

Quote from: Alps on January 28, 2020, 12:47:33 AM
Quote from: WNYroadgeek on January 27, 2020, 11:58:47 PM
Quote from: Alps on January 27, 2020, 10:37:12 PM
Quote from: hbelkins on January 27, 2020, 04:10:02 PM
Until I-99 can be built from I-80 to Williamsport, US 220 should stay on that route. But having driven US 220 from Williamsport north to its end at NY 17, I don't understand what purpose that route serves as part of the US highway system.
It would have made sense if NY ever cared to connect it to 20.

Which would be easily done, as they would need only redesignate NY 34 south of Auburn.
Funny thing is there was never a plan for it, even though that seems obvious. Back on topic, I find it interesting that US 15 made it all the way to Rochester, considering US 220, US 111, and US 309 all never did.

I read an article (can't find now) that said that New Yorkers would support a US 220 extension to Auburn along NY 34. Maybe PA 199 would become US 220 Bus.?
And you may ask yourself, where does that highway go to?
--David Byrne

The Ghostbuster

I doubt US 220 will ever be extended further north to Auburn or anywhere else beyond Interstate 86/NY 17's Exit 60. The state of New York has had 94 years to extend US 220 to meet US 20 at some point within the state. If it hasn't happened by now, it isn't going to happen. As for existing 220 between Interstate 80 and Interstate 180, I'd sign it future Interstate 99.

sparker

Quote from: Mr_Northside on November 19, 2019, 03:24:09 PM
I'm a little surprised that there hasn't been any (that I've heard/read about) clamor from the local/county officials along the corridor to get the red/white/blue shields in the name of attracting development.

If you've been through there and seen the terrain through which this corridor travels, the lack of developmental pressure won't be surprising at all; it would likely be largely limited to roadside service facilities.  I-99, when it comes down to it, is -- at least from Williamsport to I-86 -- simply a N-S connector between the Southern Tier and the West Susqehanna valley, as US 15 always has been.   While in the past certain industries (aside from coal extraction) have been located in remote central PA locations (e.g. the old Sylvania light bulb/vacuum tube plant in Emporium, several miles west along old US 120, closed down in 1984), the de-industrialization of this neck of the woods has rendered re-establishment of that sort of operation unlikely at best.  Now -- the endpoints of the corridor stretch in question might themselves be more conducive to development, such as warehousing/distribution -- simply because (a) of multiple Interstate access points and (b) rail access as well.  It's the segment through the hills that is unlikely to be on anyone's radar as suitable for development.

Ketchup99

At some point, it comes down to economics. The two sections causing the problems between I-80 and Williamsport are the commercial stretch for a few miles east of Lock Haven, and the super two between Lock Haven and I-80 (which ceases to be super two right at I-80). I've driven both - the commercial stretch is an annoyance but not really a problem, and the only problem with the super two is that the speed limit is 55 - it would be appropriate at 65 and the problem would be solved. (Yes, I know PennDOT doesn't post two-lane roads over 55... but come on.) Expanding that to freeway would also mean building a full interchange at I-80's Exit 178, which is 1. very expensive and 2. totally needless given traffic volumes. If I'm being honest, it doesn't make any difference whether 15 is signed as 99, or even if 99 is ever completed. What matters more is making improvements to roadways that need it, like the 80/99 interchange, the 322 "missing link," US-15 freeway bypasses of Shamokin and the other towns in the area, or bypassing Clark's Ferry. What sign is on the side of the road makes very little difference.



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