Interstate 99

[Alps]

Probably this (south to north):

From PA 64, PA 26 should tie into I-99/US 220 and bypass Bellefonte, as it does now.

At the (not-yet-)completed high-speed I-80 & I-99 interchange, it should follow I-80/US 220 east to the new local interchange, then exit north on an upgraded back road to meet the existing route.

Jacksonville Road (old PA 26) traffic between Bellefonte and Howard will be isolated from the new Y interchange to achieve a separation between local and regional traffic (in theory at least).  The connections between the freeways and old route will be via PA 550 to I-99 Exit 83 to the south or via the back road to the new local I-80 interchange to the northeast.

Since you're saying probably, I'll point out another possibility - putting 26 back on Jacksonville Rd. and renaming the connector as some unnumbered SR between 99 and 26.

[Hellfighter]

Does anyone know the status of Future I-99 in New York?

[treichard]

Since you're saying probably, I'll point out another possibility - putting 26 back on Jacksonville Rd. and renaming the connector as some unnumbered SR between 99 and 26.

To do so means sending PA 26 back into Bellefonte to hook up with Jacksonville Road there and head northeasterly under I-80.   That defeats the initial intent of the Bellefonte bypass (originally a PA 26 super-2 expressway bypass that took PA 26 out of the town) and the purpose of the planned local I-80 interchange once Jacksonville road access to I-80 Exit 161 is removed.

Does anyone know the status of Future I-99 in New York?

There is a 5 mile gap remaining after the southernmost mile of US 15 was finished last fall.

1. Route 15 — Watson Creek to Presho (PIN 6008.51) This project will construct a new four-lane highway from Watson Creek Road north, approximately five miles, to the Route 15 Presho interchange.  The new highway will be built on the hillside west of the existing two lane highway.  Traffic will be maintained on existing route 15.  Construction of the first phase is expected to begin in mid-August 2009 and end August 2012.

By 2012, I-99 will be complete from I-180 to I-86 (unless the I-180 interchange is not worthy of a design exception?).  It remains to be seen if the I-99 designation approval and signing would come then or wait until the I-80 to I-180 gaps are ever designed, built, and completed.

[leifvanderwall]

It seems to me I-99 was born for the Penn State Nittany Lion football fans. I really think the feds messed up on this designation completely. I think I-99 would be better suited to take the US 219 corridor as a route to Buffalo instead of US 219. If the feds really wanted to, they could build a southern extension on the US 522 corridor (via I-70 Breezewood stub) to end at I-81 in Winchester, VA.

[PAHighways]

The change in path was due in part to Penn State University.

As for the US 219 corridor, John Murtha wanted the Interstate 67 designation.

[mightyace]

The change in path was due in part to Penn State University.

As for the US 219 corridor, John Murtha wanted the Interstate 67 designation.

Ah, so that's where rickmastfan67's "I want I-67 in PA!!" slogan comes from. 

[rickmastfan67]

The change in path was due in part to Penn State University.

As for the US 219 corridor, John Murtha wanted the Interstate 67 designation.

Ah, so that's where rickmastfan67's "I want I-67 in PA!!" slogan comes from. 

[treichard]

The freeway that was "born for PSU fans" is US 322 between State College and Harrisburg.  Lots of the PennDOT engineers graduated from Penn State and are football fans of their alma mater.

But alas, the Red Rabbit and Seven Mountains-Boalsburg sections of US 322 fumbled the ball to I-99.

[Mr_Northside]

The freeway that was "born for PSU fans" is US 322 between State College and Harrisburg.  Lots of the PennDOT engineers graduated from Penn State and are football fans of their alma mater.

But alas, the Red Rabbit and Seven Mountains-Boalsburg sections of US 322 fumbled the ball to I-99.

Could you say that was a "forced fumble" credited to Bud Shuster?

[mightyace]

The freeway that was "born for PSU fans" is US 322 between State College and Harrisburg.  Lots of the PennDOT engineers graduated from Penn State and are football fans of their alma mater.

But alas, the Red Rabbit and Seven Mountains-Boalsburg sections of US 322 fumbled the ball to I-99.

Could you say that was a "forced fumble" credited to Bud Shuster?

Maybe, but shouldn't Bud be flagged for "Illegal Procedure" 

[njroadhorse]

Maybe, but shouldn't Bud be flagged for "Illegal Procedure"   

Nah, just unsportsmanlike conduct

[dave19]

How long has Bud been out of office, about 12 years now? And how much longer until we stop whining about him?    (I don't like him any better than any of you, BTW.) 

[PAHighways]

It seems that way but it's only been eight.

[dave19]

While we're on it, how about that "end-around" Bud pulled on Murtha years ago, getting that "Continental One" designation tranferred from 219 south of I-80 to Corridor O (322 from Woodland to Port Matilda), then south on I-99? 

Although I appreciate Bud's efforts in getting that ARC Corridor completed, which was sorely needed for safety concerns, I've always had a problem with the chicanery involved with putting his son in office in his place (I never voted for Bill in all the years I lived in that district becuase of that).

[CanesFan27]

Well, one of the unwritten rules of the hobby is..."you're not a real roadgeek unless you have a webpage complaining about I-99." 

There were a few others.  (Please note: this was 8-10 years ago.)
-A page on the abandoned turnpike in Breezewood

I forget the rest...Jeff do you remember what they were?

[Alps]

I think a Centralia page was one of them.  If you're west-coast, an I-238 photo and a diatribe.

[CanesFan27]

Steve you're right - I forgot about Centralia! 

We need to revise that list!

[PAHighways]

Well, one of the unwritten rules of the hobby is..."you're not a real roadgeek unless you have a webpage complaining about I-99." 

There were a few others.  (Please note: this was 8-10 years ago.)
-A page on the abandoned turnpike in Breezewood

I forget the rest...Jeff do you remember what they were?

I remember there was around 10 or so, and I think the Goat Path Expressway was one.

[leifvanderwall]

Many viewers think I change my proposals like the weather , but how about extending I-99 southward onto the US 29 corridor where the road is divided at least and a freeway in some places from Warrenton to Greensboro, NC. AA Roads a couple of years back considered this the southern I-83 extension, but I think prolonging I-99 on it would be better. Then after Greensboro, I-99 would be built onto the US 421/NC 87 corridor south to Wilmington and visiting Fayetteville. I-99 would start easternly of I-95 which would fit the grid. I know, it's a pipe dream. But hey , if the feds want to extend I-74 to Myrtle Beach anything can happen.

[Duke87]

As was brought up in Highland, I propose we take a leaf out of Britain's book and renumber I-99 as US 220 (I) 

Dunno how you'd fit that on a shield, though...

[froggie]

Leif:  it's not the Feds who want to extend I-74...it's the states.

[Roadgeek Adam]

As was brought up in Highland, I propose we take a leaf out of Britain's book and renumber I-99 as US 220 (I) 

Dunno how you'd fit that on a shield, though...

Just about as much as you can fit in the shields.

Contractor screw-up - so I doubt US 220I is plausible.

[leifvanderwall]

So you're suggesting Virginia & North Carolina would not want I-99?

[hbelkins]

I-99 never bothered me as much as I-180 (traffic lights), I-278 (doesn't meet its parent) or I-238 (no I-38 for it to be a child of). Or, for that matter, I-97 which really ought to be an x95. The route when finished (I-68 in Maryland to I-90 in New York) will be long enough for a 2di designation and 99 is closer to being in sequence than any other odd 2di number the route could have been given.

[agentsteel53]

I-99 never bothered me as much as I-180 (traffic lights), I-278 (doesn't meet its parent) or I-238 (no I-38 for it to be a child of). Or, for that matter, I-97 which really ought to be an x95. The route when finished (I-68 in Maryland to I-90 in New York) will be long enough for a 2di designation and 99 is closer to being in sequence than any other odd 2di number the route could have been given.

67 is closer ... as is 73, which at the time of 99's introduction did not yet exist in NC, I don't believe.