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PA Turnpike News

Started by mightyace, February 16, 2009, 05:29:14 PM

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wilbur_the_goose

MIDDLETOWN, Pa. –
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission is facing an $11 billion debt load and a lawsuit.

Mark Compton, CEO of the Turnpike, said a law passed by the state Legislative more than a decade ago is to blame for part of the debt. The law requires the Turnpike to use toll money to pay PennDOT $450 million per year for highway, bridge and mass transit projects.


https://www.wgal.com/article/pa-turnpike-facing-dollar11-billion-debt-lawsuit/26722047


jeffandnicole

Quote from: wilbur_the_goose on March 14, 2019, 04:31:25 PM
MIDDLETOWN, Pa. –
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission is facing an $11 billion debt load and a lawsuit.

Mark Compton, CEO of the Turnpike, said a law passed by the state Legislative more than a decade ago is to blame for part of the debt. The law requires the Turnpike to use toll money to pay PennDOT $450 million per year for highway, bridge and mass transit projects.


https://www.wgal.com/article/pa-turnpike-facing-dollar11-billion-debt-lawsuit/26722047

Just wondering...from a legal standpoint, is the Turnpike actually the correct party to sue? After all, they're obeying the law. Wouldn't the State be the correct party to sue?

ARMOURERERIC

What are the current odds that the PA assembly will extend the 2022 cutoff?

ipeters61

I've been digging through some of my photos from a few years ago and found a bunch of photos I took of the PA Turnpike exhibit at the State Museum of PA in Harrisburg.  A while back I posted a photo of the PA Turnpike status board, which I think is now gone because my old image host decided to disable hotlinking, so I'm reposting it here.



They also had a picture of an old "Exits" sign.

Disclaimer: Opinions expressed on my posts on the AARoads Forum are my own and do not represent official positions of my employer.
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briantroutman

^ I was at the State Museum last weekend–the PHMC was hosting special events for the 338th anniversary of the chartering of Pennsylvania. I hadn't been to the State Museum in about a decade, and I was surprised at the size of the current Turnpike exhibit–which was to the best of my recollection almost nonexistent ten years ago.

In addition to the system status board shown above, the exhibit also includes an original, gleaming blue 1940 toll booth complete with a 1940 Packard in the lane and uniformed PTC agent handing over a ticket with a smile, a roughly '70s/'80s-era ticket dispenser, a collection of old toll tickets, a call box, a scale model of a Sideling Hill tunnel portal, and lots of other artifacts, documents, and photographs.

And the collection includes what I presume is an (perhaps the?) original YOU Slow Down sign with a stern finger pointing directly at you.

I was pressed for time and didn't get to take any photos, but I'd like to go back again soon for a better look.

ixnay

Quote from: ipeters61 on March 15, 2019, 08:23:44 PM
They also had a picture of an old "Exits" sign.



Notice the shield for U.S. (now PA) 230.  The PATP may have been the first superhighway to use route shields on exit signs.  Were route shields used on the Middlesex to Irwin segment in 1940?  When did the PTC switch to green exit signs?

ixnay
The Washington/Baltimore/Arlington CSA has two Key Bridges, a Minnesota Avenue, and a Mannasota Avenue.

Roadsguy

Quote from: ixnay on March 17, 2019, 08:04:33 AM
Quote from: ipeters61 on March 15, 2019, 08:23:44 PM
They also had a picture of an old "Exits" sign.



Notice the shield for U.S. (now PA) 230.  The PATP may have been the first superhighway to use route shields on exit signs.  Were route shields used on the Middlesex to Irwin segment in 1940?  When did the PTC switch to green exit signs?

ixnay

Something I'm curious about is whether PA's seemingly unique former practice of centered exit tabs came first from the Turnpike as seen in this photo.
Mileage-based exit numbering implies the existence of mileage-cringe exit numbering.

Alps

Quote from: Roadsguy on March 17, 2019, 08:45:16 AM
Quote from: ixnay on March 17, 2019, 08:04:33 AM
Quote from: ipeters61 on March 15, 2019, 08:23:44 PM
They also had a picture of an old "Exits" sign.



Notice the shield for U.S. (now PA) 230.  The PATP may have been the first superhighway to use route shields on exit signs.  Were route shields used on the Middlesex to Irwin segment in 1940?  When did the PTC switch to green exit signs?

ixnay

Something I'm curious about is whether PA's seemingly unique former practice of centered exit tabs came first from the Turnpike as seen in this photo.
Hardly unique. Maaaaany other states did that early on.

ipeters61

Quote from: Alps on March 17, 2019, 09:02:53 AM
Quote from: Roadsguy on March 17, 2019, 08:45:16 AM
Quote from: ixnay on March 17, 2019, 08:04:33 AM
Quote from: ipeters61 on March 15, 2019, 08:23:44 PM
They also had a picture of an old "Exits" sign.
(photo)

Notice the shield for U.S. (now PA) 230.  The PATP may have been the first superhighway to use route shields on exit signs.  Were route shields used on the Middlesex to Irwin segment in 1940?  When did the PTC switch to green exit signs?

ixnay

Something I'm curious about is whether PA's seemingly unique former practice of centered exit tabs came first from the Turnpike as seen in this photo.
Hardly unique. Maaaaany other states did that early on.
Connecticut did it for many, many years until recently.

Disclaimer: Opinions expressed on my posts on the AARoads Forum are my own and do not represent official positions of my employer.
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Roadsguy

Quote from: Alps on March 17, 2019, 09:02:53 AM
Quote from: Roadsguy on March 17, 2019, 08:45:16 AM
Quote from: ixnay on March 17, 2019, 08:04:33 AM
Quote from: ipeters61 on March 15, 2019, 08:23:44 PM
They also had a picture of an old "Exits" sign.



Notice the shield for U.S. (now PA) 230.  The PATP may have been the first superhighway to use route shields on exit signs.  Were route shields used on the Middlesex to Irwin segment in 1940?  When did the PTC switch to green exit signs?

ixnay

Something I'm curious about is whether PA's seemingly unique former practice of centered exit tabs came first from the Turnpike as seen in this photo.
Hardly unique. Maaaaany other states did that early on.

Oh, I thought that was mostly a PA thing.
Mileage-based exit numbering implies the existence of mileage-cringe exit numbering.

PHLBOS

^^Center-justified exit tabs used to be SOP under the MUTCD.
Example of a 1977-era MassDPW-spec'd BGS along I-95 southbound just north of the RI border (such are still there today)

Photo by RaymondYu
GPS does NOT equal GOD

jeffandnicole

Philly Inquirer article: Pa. Auditor: Legislature should end or cut $450 million Turnpike Commission transit payment to PennDot

https://www.philly.com/news/pennsylvania-turnpike-commission-eugene-depasquale-tolls-debt-20190321.html


akotchi

Quote from: jeffandnicole on March 21, 2019, 01:11:57 PM
Philly Inquirer article: Pa. Auditor: Legislature should end or cut $450 million Turnpike Commission transit payment to PennDot

https://www.philly.com/news/pennsylvania-turnpike-commission-eugene-depasquale-tolls-debt-20190321.html


Interesting that the photo in the article is of a New Jersey Turnpike toll plaza and signing . . .
Opinions here attributed to me are mine alone and do not reflect those of my employer or the agencies for which I am contracted to do work.

PHLBOS

Quote from: akotchi on March 21, 2019, 04:58:34 PM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on March 21, 2019, 01:11:57 PM
Philly Inquirer article: Pa. Auditor: Legislature should end or cut $450 million Turnpike Commission transit payment to PennDot
https://www.philly.com/news/pennsylvania-turnpike-commission-eugene-depasquale-tolls-debt-20190321.html
Interesting that the photo in the article is of a New Jersey Turnpike toll plaza and signing . . .
At least one of the comments/commenters below the linked-article stated the same thing.
GPS does NOT equal GOD

PAHighways

The entire press conference can be viewed at https://www.pscp.tv/w/1gqGvnQpakOGB.

Alps

Quote from: jeffandnicole on March 21, 2019, 01:11:57 PM
Philly Inquirer article: Pa. Auditor: Legislature should end or cut $450 million Turnpike Commission transit payment to PennDot

https://www.philly.com/news/pennsylvania-turnpike-commission-eugene-depasquale-tolls-debt-20190321.html


They're right, you know.

CentralPAGal

Changing subjects, to the ongoing route 283 reconstruction around the PATP, does anybody know if Penndot is lengthening the PA 283 bridges over the Turnpike to allow for the (far) future widening eastward from the new Swatara Creek bridge?
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MASTERNC

Quote from: CentralPAguy on March 23, 2019, 07:01:03 PM
Changing subjects, to the ongoing route 283 reconstruction around the PATP, does anybody know if Penndot is lengthening the PA 283 bridges over the Turnpike to allow for the (far) future widening eastward from the new Swatara Creek bridge?

It didn't look like they did anything more than rehabilitate the bridge when I drove through this weekend.

Also, I noticed the PTC is installing a new system for two-way operations at the Tuscarora Tunnel.  Starting about a mile before the tunnel, they have installed concrete barrier on the left side with automated swinging barriers.  They are orange semi-circle barriers with black-on-orange chevron symbols.  I'm guessing the purpose is to keep traffic from being in the lane that will handle oncoming traffic inside the tunnel.

Roadsguy

Quote from: MASTERNC on March 24, 2019, 05:29:50 PM
Quote from: CentralPAguy on March 23, 2019, 07:01:03 PM
Changing subjects, to the ongoing route 283 reconstruction around the PATP, does anybody know if Penndot is lengthening the PA 283 bridges over the Turnpike to allow for the (far) future widening eastward from the new Swatara Creek bridge?

It didn't look like they did anything more than rehabilitate the bridge when I drove through this weekend.

It'll be many years if not a few decades before the PTC finally gets around to this stretch because of its low volumes, so it makes a bit of sense. I'm sure if they were totally replacing it, they'd make it long enough for six lanes on the Turnpike.
Mileage-based exit numbering implies the existence of mileage-cringe exit numbering.

jeffandnicole

Officials take steps to clean the PA Turnpike.

PA Turnpike declared cleanest highway in America.

PA Turnpike closed between Downington & Valley Forge due to crash involving truck filled with soap.

https://www.philly.com/news/pennsylvania-turnpike-soap-spill-crash-downingtown-valley-forge-20190326.html

SteveG1988

Quote from: jeffandnicole on March 26, 2019, 08:10:42 AM
Officials take steps to clean the PA Turnpike.

PA Turnpike declared cleanest highway in America.

PA Turnpike closed between Downington & Valley Forge due to crash involving truck filled with soap.

https://www.philly.com/news/pennsylvania-turnpike-soap-spill-crash-downingtown-valley-forge-20190326.html


Slippery when wet.

Don't drop the soap
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ARMOURERERIC

When will it dawn on you all to dial down these posts.

ARMOURERERIC

Wanted to ask: With all the financial word at the PTC, will there be any new mainline improvement projects coming up?  I know the plan was for a full rebuild around US19 and the Freedom Road Bridge project.  But I see no reals signs of life over at the website.

Mr_Northside

https://triblive.com/news/pennsylvania/judge-rejects-lawsuit-over-pennsylvania-turnpike-toll-hikes/

Either the article or the judge herself didn't go into too much detail about the decision.

Also, a plaintiffs' lawyer says they'll appeal.

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

jeffandnicole

Quote from: Mr_Northside on April 04, 2019, 02:53:18 PM
https://triblive.com/news/pennsylvania/judge-rejects-lawsuit-over-pennsylvania-turnpike-toll-hikes/

Either the article or the judge herself didn't go into too much detail about the decision.

Also, a plaintiffs' lawyer says they'll appeal.



The appeal isn't surprising. 

Doubt they'll succeed though.



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