I-95/PA Turnpike Golden Spike Meet - September 2018

[PHLBOS]

So my big question: Are they your cars on the ramp?  Did they let you drive it???

Short answer: yes.  Apparently, vans weren't available to do the tour and busses would've been too big to navigate through the small barricade openings; so such was done via a convoy.

FYI, the tour part of the meet lasted longer than planned (such worked in my favor).  I left work (in Philly) at/around 4:30 in anticipation to meet everyone for the post-meet dinner.  It turned out that by the time I arrived in the Bristol area around 5:30; the meet was still along the unopened through I-95 northbound ramp.  As a result, I was able to drive on the unopened ramp (there was a gap in the barriers at the base of the ramp) to meet everyone & attend the 'tail-end' of the meet & dinner.

Kudos again Brian for planning & hosting the meet.  Although I would've loved to attend the entire meet (circumstances didn't allow for such) at least I got a once in a lifetime opportunity to attend part of it.

[tckma]

So my big question: Are they your cars on the ramp?  Did they let you drive it???

Yes.  They had said that tour busses would be too big to get around the barricades, et cetera.  We had a convoy of personal cars led by Mike Phillips driving an official PTC vehicle with amber flashing lights.

Hearing the description of how we'd have to back around the barricades, though, I decided to carpool with Brian.  At the first stop (new exit 42, current exit 358, née exit 29), we parked in such a muddy area that I was immediately glad I wasn't driving.  Normally I drive a Subaru, but it's in the mechanic's shop at the moment, so I was driving my wife's front-wheel drive Chevy which would not have made it through mud.  Plus, watching Brian and others back around the barricade to the southbound flyover ramp was VERY harrowing.  I'd have been scared driving my OWN car.

[akotchi]

I echo the sentiments above -- well-organized meet, on Brian's part and PTC's part as well.  The PTC folks gave us a lot of time to take us out onto the site.  They seemed impressed that a group of road enthusiasts would have this much interest in the project to want to do this.

I got much better photos than from shoulders and on ride-throughs of the active roadways!

Thanks, Brian, for organizing all of this!  It was very well done.

Glad to loan out my signs for the group photo -- added a nice touch.

Appreciated the chance to meet and talk to many folks I had previously recognized only by the forum names.

Those cars are our personal vehicles.  I wanted to drive, but my Genesis would not have done well in the mud at the soon-to-be Exit 42 ramp construction area.

[02 Park Ave]

I want to add my thanks and congratulations to Brian for all he did to have made this a most successful meet.  I also want to applaud his driving skill to go in reverse along the shoulder of the Turnpike.

[PAHighways]

I already sent Brian my congratulations but I will post my sentiments here as well.

It was a fantastic meet all around!  I liked the name tags with our screen names and avatars to help identify everyone.  The most I ever did for attendees to any of my meets was scrounge up some PennDOT or PTC maps to give away. Brian attended the 2004 Breezewood Meet I did that covered the abandoned Turnpike and tunnels, and I am glad that he picked up the baton and ran.

This was the first meet I've attended since my retirement from them following the 2011 Williamsport Meet, and I was glad to have been a participant.

For those who did not attend, I have pictures from various points of the interchange posted at http://www.instagram.com/pahighways.

[qguy]

I posted pics of the meet and project area in the I-95/Penna Turnpike Interchange thread of the Northeast regional board. I figured more members would be likely to find them there.