Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[akotchi]

I was reading that article about the All-Electronic Tolls and I came across this line in it:

Westbound on- and off-ramps at the Virginia Drive interchange north of Philadelphia are E-ZPass only, and a new eastbound interchange in Bucks County will open as E-ZPass only this month.

Does anybody know where this new interchange is in Bucks County?  Is it part of the I-95/I-276 interchange or something else?

EDIT: Wait, never mind.  Just found a mention in the Wiki article that it's a slip ramp for PA-132.

The interchange is between Willow Grove (PA 611) and Ft. Washington (PA 309), not affiliated in any way with the I-95/I-276 interchange.

[rickmastfan67]

I was reading that article about the All-Electronic Tolls and I came across this line in it:

Westbound on- and off-ramps at the Virginia Drive interchange north of Philadelphia are E-ZPass only, and a new eastbound interchange in Bucks County will open as E-ZPass only this month.

Does anybody know where this new interchange is in Bucks County?  Is it part of the I-95/I-276 interchange or something else?

EDIT: Wait, never mind.  Just found a mention in the Wiki article that it's a slip ramp for PA-132.

The interchange is between Willow Grove (PA 611) and Ft. Washington (PA 309), not affiliated in any way with the I-95/I-276 interchange.

Now I'm confused.   As far as I read in the Wiki article, it seems there was only going to be a new slip ramp for PA-132.  I know about the already open exit for #340 (Virginia Dr).

[akotchi]

Apologies -- did not read the previous post carefully enough . . . Google maps shows construction where the old eastbound service plaza east of U.S. 1 interchange, so this could be it.  When I was through there a few weeks ago, there was still construction going on, but I could not tell progress because of darkness.  I still don't think that it is affiliated with I-95 interchange, though.

I live a few miles north of there, so I'll try to look around more in the next few days.

[rickmastfan67]

It's cool.  I've not fully read posts in the past as well.  It's happened to all of us, so no biggie.

Anyways, I'd appreciate the info you can provide me on what's happening around there on this new "slip" ramp.  What I'm curious is if it will have a separate exit number from the main interchange instead of having an "A" ending on it's number.  Mainly, that's the info I need so I can let Tim know to add it for the CHM project if it's "separate" enough from the main exit.

[PAHighways]

The PA 132 E-ZPass-only ramp must not be close to the construction phase, as it is not listed on the projects section of the PTC's site unlike the ones for PA 29 and PA 903.

It will probably be Exit 35#, as the Virginia Drive Exit is just 340 even though it only services the westbound side of 276.  I wouldn't worry about updating the CHM until something is announced on the PTC site.

[rickmastfan67]

The PA 132 E-ZPass-only ramp must not be close to the construction phase, as it is not listed on the projects section of the PTC's site unlike the ones for PA 29 and PA 903.

It will probably be Exit 35#, as the Virginia Drive Exit is just 340 even though it only services the westbound side of 276.  I wouldn't worry about updating the CHM until something is announced on the PTC site.

Then what is going to be the new "E-ZPass eastbound interchange" that will be opening in Bucks County this month?  If there wasn't going to be one, why did they mention that in the article?

[PAHighways]

I didn't say it wasn't going to be built, just that there was no mention of its start which is odd since the one for 29 was talked about for most of the last decade.

The only thing I found about a Street Road slip ramp on their site was it being mentioned yearly in their annual Capital Investment Program report, and the PTC board meeting minutes from August which set the fare schedule.  It is mentioned in passing in the press release for the closure of the South Neshaminy Service Plaza as part of the Turnpike/95 interchange project but that was all.

It will be located at milepost 352 where the plaza once stood.

[akotchi]

Was just down there this afternoon -- alas, no camera.  Signal on Street Road is up and operational (probably for some time) -- right now it serves the hotel on the other side of the road from the ramp entrance.  No left turns either direction from Street Road, so eastbound traffic must use U.S. 1 to get to the Turnpike in either direction.  Pavement is in and most regulatory/warning signing is in place.  No guide signing on WB Street Road yet.  On Turnpike side, I could see from U.S. 1 overpass that construction barrier is out and lighting, pavement and signing is in place for ramp.  I did not go on the Turnpike to see if guide signing has changed to reflect new ramp -- I would think existing cantilevers would need to be changed to full span structures.

Looks like it is pretty close to opening.  Last I was in that area was mid-September, so progress is reasonable.

If you read Pennoni's propaganda (can you tell I work for another consultant?), it seems like Bensalem Township is administering the project, so that may explain the lack of information on the PTC site.  I used to live in a small development along Richlieu Road (two lights east on Street Road), and I recall that a condition of approval for expansion of Philadelphia Park to include the casino facilities was for direct ramps to and from the Turnpike.  Thinking aloud, perhaps this is it.

Next time I get down there, perhaps when it opens, I will be sure to get photos.

[SignBridge]

No left turn from eastbound Street Rd. to eastbound Turnpike? That's a surprise. I guess the ramps are only for Philadephia Park users' convenience.

[PAHighways]

For Pennsylvania Turnpike Toll Collectors, The Bell May Toll - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

[Mr_Northside]

http://blogs.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/news/the-roundabout/23113-allegheny-river-bridge-is-open

Both Allegheny River Bridge spans are now fully open.

[PAHighways]

Street Road E-ZPass-only Ramp Opened - PTC

As I guessed, it will be designated Exit 352.

[SignBridge]

Okay, someone humor me here. Why did PTC change the name of the Phila. Interchange to "Bensalem"?

[PAHighways]

Probably because any exit east of Downingtown you take will lead you to Philadelphia.  Or Bensalem wanted the mention as what happened to old Exit 3 (now 28) being changed from Perry Highway to Cranberry.

[Revive 755]

For Pennsylvania Turnpike Toll Collectors, The Bell May Toll - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

And for some reason I don't see any cost savings from this to prevent/delay further toll increases.  Probably be some extra fee for the occasional user who comes from a state lacking E-Z Pass toll facilities added also.

[Stephane Dumas]

Probably because any exit east of Downingtown you take will lead you to Philadelphia.  Or Bensalem wanted the mention as what happened to old Exit 3 (now 28) being changed from Perry Highway to Cranberry.

Or another possibility, the future I-95 interchange will be the Philadelphia interchange. But I think Bensalem Township had a population growth since 2 or 3 decades and now a more important municipality in Metro Philly.

[SignBridge]

Hmmm........ good thinking Stephane. That kind of makes sense. Like other places in the country where small cities that had major population growth in the last 20 years have become destination cities on some interestates.

[PAHighways]

But I think Bensalem Township had a population growth since 2 or 3 decades and now a more important municipality in Metro Philly.

That whole area has had a population growth in that time.  When the Turnpike was built through there in the 1950s, it was laid through what could have been considered rural land but urban sprawl overtook 276 as it did the 401 in Toronto.

[PAHighways]

Pa. Turnpike Won't Print Tolls on Tickets in 2011 - WHP-TV Harrisburg

Pennsylvania Auditor General Jack Wagner Questions Whether the Turnpike Commission is Trying to Hide Fare Increases - Harrisburg Patriot-News

[Michael in Philly]

Probably because any exit east of Downingtown you take will lead you to Philadelphia.  Or Bensalem wanted the mention as what happened to old Exit 3 (now 28) being changed from Perry Highway to Cranberry.

Or another possibility, the future I-95 interchange will be the Philadelphia interchange. But I think Bensalem Township had a population growth since 2 or 3 decades and now a more important municipality in Metro Philly.

If you're coming from the west, going to US 1 or I-95 to get into Philadelphia is way out of the way.  If there needs to be a "Philadelphia" interchange at all, you could make as good a case for King of Prussia.  I say "as good a case" because you'd have the same problem in reverse.  Someone remind me whether the interchange in Monroeville is still called "Pittsburgh"?

[PAHighways]

Exit 57 is still called the Pittsburgh Interchange.

[Michael in Philly]

In fact, if we care about interchange names at all (I'm not clear why we do; this isn't Germany), we may as well have them make sense, so that the rare person whose only source of directions is what it says on the toll ticket doesn't go out of his way.  There are already two Harrisburg interchanges, so why not:
I-79 becomes Pittsburgh/Cranberry
I-376 becomes Pittsburgh/Monroeville
Lebanon/Lancaster remains thus
"Reading" (US 222) becomes Reading/Lancaster
"Morgantown" (I-176...) becomes Morgantown/Reading
"Valley Forge" becomes Philadelphia/Valley Forge
US 1 becomes Philadelphia/Bensalem until 95's done, then Bensalem/Northeast Philadelphia
I-95 becomes, um, Philadelphia/something.  Trenton, if we don't object to using a point out of state.

[mightyace]

^^^

I like the idea other than the length.

Here are a few alternatives using the idea of "Harrisburg East" and "Harrisburg West"

I-79 becomes Pittsburgh North
I-376 becomes Pittsburgh East
US 222 I grudgingly leave as Reading - Lancaster
I-176 simply becomes Reading
Valley Forge becomes Philadelphia West
US 1 becomes Philadelphia East (until I-95 completed then Bensalem)
I-95 then becomes Philadelphia East when completed - though this probably wouldn't happen due to possible confusion.

[Michael in Philly]

Sure.  Why not.  My idea takes into account the egos of local officials in places like Cranberry and Bensalem townships.

[Mr_Northside]

Personally, I like the exit name to be as "local" as possible, with the control cities indicating more important destinations.  In the west part of the state, I'd keep them as is, except rename "Pittsburgh" to "Monroeville".
I've also never been a fan of "Butler Valley" either for stupid reasons.  (I'd change it to "Hampton")

All the discussion about people's ideas for potential renamings aside... I admit I do like the fact that mainline interchanges have retained "names" along with the exit numbers