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PA Turnpike News

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

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agentsteel53

Quote from: Compulov on May 09, 2012, 04:49:15 PMshouldn't everyone driving closer in speed be safer?


to an extent, yes, but at some point you'll run into waves of traffic with little room to maneuver.  (try getting around three cars, one per lane, each doing 55mph)

I don't know how close the speeds have to be before this behavior starts appearing.  

I don't think raising the speed limit will even achieve this.  I get the idea that the slow people will drive slow because they're oblivious and the quick people will be happy to receive fewer speeding tickets.
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PAHighways

The PTC doesn't need to waste money on new speed limit signs.  People already go that and then some, including our former governor and the trooper that was behind the wheel.

John Bowman, Communications Director of the National Motorists Association was on the Mike Pintek show on KDKA-AM discussing the possible increase.

mightyace

Quote from: deanej on May 05, 2012, 09:25:24 AM
What this proves is that the standards a road was built to have nothing to do with what speed limit the state decides to set it to.

Agreed, most of the "free" interstates are built to much better standards than the turnpike yet will still be 65.
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Beltway

Quote from: agentsteel53 on May 09, 2012, 11:37:40 AM
Quote from: Beltway on May 09, 2012, 08:56:23 AM
Baloney.  That is about the prevailing speed, and nobody has ever "run over" me while at that speed.

in my experience, that is the prevailing speed only on the highly substandard sections of I-70.  on I-76, it is more like 72-75mph.

In my experience, few vehicles travel over 70 mph on the east-west Turnpike or the NE Extension.
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signalman

Quote from: Beltway on May 09, 2012, 09:47:54 PM
Quote from: agentsteel53 on May 09, 2012, 11:37:40 AM
Quote from: Beltway on May 09, 2012, 08:56:23 AM
Baloney.  That is about the prevailing speed, and nobody has ever "run over" me while at that speed.

in my experience, that is the prevailing speed only on the highly substandard sections of I-70.  on I-76, it is more like 72-75mph.

In my experience, few vehicles travel over 70 mph on the east-west Turnpike or the NE Extension.

I'd agree that along the east-west Mainline most are traveling 70-75.  On the NE Extension, however, it's been my experience that people move.  I've had my doors blown off many times on the NE Extension while I was going 80.  Was even passed once near the Lehighton exit when I was going 95.

qguy

I travel both the mainline and NE extension frequently. I set my cruise control at 73 or 74 (because it's unofficial state police policy to only ticket over 75 unless conditions are bad) and regularly see vehicles pass me on both highways.

On the 3-lane portion of the mainline (between the Valley Forge and Bensalem interchanges) I regularly travel 80+, sometimes 85+ (although I would officially deny that!). I commuted for 10 years on that stretch, regularly seeing traffic fields travelling at 80+ even during the rush. During the rushes, the traffic alternately files and crawls. Off the rushes, many drivers travel at over 85.

On the NE extension, traffic is generally too congested from the mainline to the first exit (Lansdale) to travel very fast. And there's a long-term widening project along that stretch that has a temporary speed limit reduction which contributes to the congestion. Above Allentown (where I-78 crosses), especially, actual speeds are higher.

mgk920

Quote from: signalman on May 10, 2012, 03:46:49 AM
Quote from: Beltway on May 09, 2012, 09:47:54 PM
Quote from: agentsteel53 on May 09, 2012, 11:37:40 AM
Quote from: Beltway on May 09, 2012, 08:56:23 AM
Baloney.  That is about the prevailing speed, and nobody has ever "run over" me while at that speed.

in my experience, that is the prevailing speed only on the highly substandard sections of I-70.  on I-76, it is more like 72-75mph.

In my experience, few vehicles travel over 70 mph on the east-west Turnpike or the NE Extension.

I'd agree that along the east-west Mainline most are traveling 70-75.  On the NE Extension, however, it's been my experience that people move.  I've had my doors blown off many times on the NE Extension while I was going 80.  Was even passed once near the Lehighton exit when I was going 95.

That was my experience on the Turnpike section of I-476 during a roadtrip a few years back, too.  It was the fastest sustained speed that I have ever driven.

Mike

jemacedo9

I agree with qguy...the E-W Turnpike east of Harrisburg, I can set my cruise at 79, and there are several cars that are still passing me.  On the NE Extension, north of Lansdale Exit 31 and south of Lehigh Valley Exit 56, same thing.

South of Lansdale is too congested, and north of Lehigh Valley I seem to fit in with the cruise set at 74.

1995hoo

On my last couple of trips on the Pennsylvania Turnpike I've felt like traffic isn't as fast as it was 20 years ago. But I also don't think that's unique to that road, either; the New Jersey Turnpike is another where traffic seems to have slowed (and not due to the roadwork, either, as I haven't used it since they began the widening project). I think I-95 in Virginia has slowed considerably, as the drive between the Beltway and Richmond used to be a raceway in the 1990s. No doubt part of it is due to ever-increasing volumes of traffic. On the Jersey Turnpike I think increased enforcement is part of it, as I almost never saw a cop on there until the mid-1990s (and I made it from Fairfax, VA, to Brooklyn in under 3.5 hours a couple of times in the early 1990s).

The thing I do like on the Pennsylvania Turnpike is that I feel like people keep to the right better on that road than on most roads I frequent, and they also seem more willing to move to the right to let faster traffic past. Of course there's not 100% good behavior in that respect, but I think on the whole it's far better than it is in Virginia or Maryland, for example.

(My comments refer to the mainline, BTW. I've never driven on the Northeast Extension, although I've been a passenger over a short segment near the southern end. Other than roadgeeking I can't see a lot of reason why I'd ever be likely to use that road.)
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signalman

I should have noted earlier that I've only traveled the NE Extension from US 22 to the northern terminus.  I still need to drive 22 south to Valley Forge to finish the PA Turnpike.  I'm not surprised congestion is an issue as you head closer to Philly, and thus speeds are slower.  That's one reason I have yet to drive it and my travels never take me down that way.
Quote from: 1995hoo on May 10, 2012, 03:50:13 PM
The thing I do like on the Pennsylvania Turnpike is that I feel like people keep to the right better on that road than on most roads I frequent, and they also seem more willing to move to the right to let faster traffic past. Of course there's not 100% good behavior in that respect, but I think on the whole it's far better than it is in Virginia or Maryland, for example.
Pennsylvania interstates are generally well disciplined in that regard.  There's left lane bandits from every state, but Pennsylvanians aren't too bad in this dept.  Of course, I drive mostly in NJ and so Pennsylvania seems like a breeze to me compared to what I'm used to.

Compulov

#310
Quote from: mightyace on May 09, 2012, 09:31:54 PM
Agreed, most of the "free" interstates are built to much better standards than the turnpike yet will still be 65.
Or worse... 55, like I-95. Seriously, the road is significantly higher grade than US-1 and US-13 (or hell, the Newtown Bypass, which has traffic lights!), yet all are 55? Thankfully, it's been my experience that the Troopers treat it like a 65 zone in their enforcement. I've had a radar gun pointed at me doing 75+ and haven't been bothered (at least north of 413, which I drive every day).

Oh, and I wouldn't exactly say the mainline Turnpike isn't worthy of a 70mph speed limit, at least in some areas. Yeah, it's not up to modern Interstate standards, but with relatively light traffic and extremely long sight lines, I think you can safely do the speeds people were doing before there were even speed limits on the road. Especially now that there's at least a jersey barrier in the median instead of nothing. :)

Compulov

Quote from: signalman on May 10, 2012, 03:46:49 AM
I'd agree that along the east-west Mainline most are traveling 70-75.  On the NE Extension, however, it's been my experience that people move.  I've had my doors blown off many times on the NE Extension while I was going 80.  Was even passed once near the Lehighton exit when I was going 95.

Agreed. I've seen some extremely aggressive driving on the Turnpike (especially between Bensalem and the NE Extension). I don't drive the Extension very often, but I also see it in the more northerly sections when I do. I'm more than happy to let someone else be the canon fodder for any troopers who might want something to do, since I normally have lead foot anyway.

Duke87

This is silly. Why is the Turnpike special? Other roads in the state can handle it.
If you always take the same road, you will never see anything new.

Alps

Snipped and quarantined all of the ranting about left lane driving. Let's get back on topic here.

qguy

Quote from: Steve on May 12, 2012, 07:26:11 PM
Snipped and quarantined all of the ranting about left lane driving. Let's get back on topic here.

While I agree that we got a bit far afield, how were my earlier posts about the PA keep-right-pass-left law, signing of such on the Turnpike, and the MIT web page with a state-by-state comparison off-topic? Did they not directly relate to the PA Turnpike?

Beltway

Quote from: qguy on May 12, 2012, 08:09:46 PM
Quote from: Steve on May 12, 2012, 07:26:11 PM
Snipped and quarantined all of the ranting about left lane driving. Let's get back on topic here.

While I agree that we got a bit far afield, how were my earlier posts about the PA keep-right-pass-left law, signing of such on the Turnpike, and the MIT web page with a state-by-state comparison off-topic? Did they not directly relate to the PA Turnpike?

That directly relates to "left lane driving" and driver behavior in general. Let it go ...
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Alps

The state by state comparison definitely got far afield. None of it is "news" either.

cpzilliacus

Quote from: 1995hoo on May 10, 2012, 03:50:13 PM
On my last couple of trips on the Pennsylvania Turnpike I've felt like traffic isn't as fast as it was 20 years ago. But I also don't think that's unique to that road, either; the New Jersey Turnpike is another where traffic seems to have slowed (and not due to the roadwork, either, as I haven't used it since they began the widening project). I think I-95 in Virginia has slowed considerably, as the drive between the Beltway and Richmond used to be a raceway in the 1990s. No doubt part of it is due to ever-increasing volumes of traffic. On the Jersey Turnpike I think increased enforcement is part of it, as I almost never saw a cop on there until the mid-1990s (and I made it from Fairfax, VA, to Brooklyn in under 3.5 hours a couple of times in the early 1990s).

I-95 in Virginia between Springfield and I-295 north of Richmond has gotten worse for several reasons:

(1) The bottleneck at the Wilson Bridge is gone (yes, there is a temporary six-lane segment at Va. 241 Telegraph Road, but the WWB bottleneck is largely gone, which served as a "ramp meter" for southbound I-95 traffic);

(2) Growth in employment along I-95 between Springfield and Stafford County;

(3) A lot of N-S traffic funnels down to the six-lane segment of I-95 between Dumfries (south  end of the Express Lanes) and I-295.  At I-295, traffic spreads out to I-95 through Richmond to I-85 and I-95, and I-295 carries traffic to I-64 and I-95.

All of the above makes I-95 traffic terrible southbound on "getaway" days at the start of a holiday and some weekends, and bad northbound on "going home" days.

QuoteThe thing I do like on the Pennsylvania Turnpike is that I feel like people keep to the right better on that road than on most roads I frequent, and they also seem more willing to move to the right to let faster traffic past. Of course there's not 100% good behavior in that respect, but I think on the whole it's far better than it is in Virginia or Maryland, for example.

Or I-95 in North Carolina.

Agreed regarding the Pennsylvania Turnpike.  May be due in  part to the relatively steep grades on the Turnpike East-West mainline, though the really curving and steep grades east of the Allegheny Mountain Tunnel are all relatively straightened now.

Quote(My comments refer to the mainline, BTW. I've never driven on the Northeast Extension, although I've been a passenger over a short segment near the southern end. Other than roadgeeking I can't see a lot of reason why I'd ever be likely to use that road.)

I-476 has some steep grades, but not as long or curving (remember the "CAUTION CURVES" signs on the Turnpike?) as the East-West mainline.
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qguy

Quote from: cpzilliacus on May 14, 2012, 12:34:36 PM
QuoteThe thing I do like on the Pennsylvania Turnpike is that I feel like people keep to the right better on that road than on most roads I frequent, and they also seem more willing to move to the right to let faster traffic past. Of course there's not 100% good behavior in that respect, but I think on the whole it's far better than it is in Virginia or Maryland, for example.

Or I-95 in North Carolina.

Agreed regarding the Pennsylvania Turnpike.  May be due in  part to the relatively steep grades on the Turnpike East-West mainline, though the really curving and steep grades east of the Allegheny Mountain Tunnel are all relatively straightened now.

This may due to a small effect resulting from new keep-right-pass-left signage posted on the PA Turnpike (and throughout PA) about 10 years ago.

PA had a keep-right-pass-left law for a long time but repealed it (sometime 80s perhaps?). Sometime in the early 00s, I believe it was, PA enacted a new keep-right-pass-left law. The PTC posted keep-right-pass-left signs throughout the Turnpike system (and PennDOT did likewise on other PA freeways).

The PA State Police don't typically directly enforce the law since it's extremely difficult, but simply having new signage appear probably had some effect on those driving at the time they appeared; some residual effect may still be seen, I suppose. It's been a long while since I used to drive extensively in other-than-NE states, so I'll take the word of other observers.

Beltway

Quote from: qguy on May 14, 2012, 01:14:02 PM
Quote from: cpzilliacus on May 14, 2012, 12:34:36 PM
QuoteThe thing I do like on the Pennsylvania Turnpike is that I feel like people keep to the right better on that road than on most roads I frequent, and they also seem more willing to move to the right to let faster traffic past. Of course there's not 100% good behavior in that respect, but I think on the whole it's far better than it is in Virginia or Maryland, for example.

Or I-95 in North Carolina.

Agreed regarding the Pennsylvania Turnpike.  May be due in  part to the relatively steep grades on the Turnpike East-West mainline, though the really curving and steep grades east of the Allegheny Mountain Tunnel are all relatively straightened now.

This may due to a small effect resulting from new keep-right-pass-left signage posted on the PA Turnpike (and throughout PA) about 10 years ago.

PA had a keep-right-pass-left law for a long time but repealed it (sometime 80s perhaps?). Sometime in the early 00s, I believe it was, PA enacted a new keep-right-pass-left law. The PTC posted keep-right-pass-left signs throughout the Turnpike system (and PennDOT did likewise on other PA freeways).

The PA State Police don't typically directly enforce the law since it's extremely difficult, but simply having new signage appear probably had some effect on those driving at the time they appeared; some residual effect may still be seen, I suppose. It's been a long while since I used to drive extensively in other-than-NE states, so I'll take the word of other observers.

A moderator told us to cease talking about "left lane driving".
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qguy

Quote from: Beltway on May 14, 2012, 02:41:35 PM
Quote from: qguy on May 14, 2012, 01:14:02 PM
Quote from: cpzilliacus on May 14, 2012, 12:34:36 PM
QuoteThe thing I do like on the Pennsylvania Turnpike is that I feel like people keep to the right better on that road than on most roads I frequent, and they also seem more willing to move to the right to let faster traffic past. Of course there's not 100% good behavior in that respect, but I think on the whole it's far better than it is in Virginia or Maryland, for example.

Or I-95 in North Carolina.

Agreed regarding the Pennsylvania Turnpike.  May be due in  part to the relatively steep grades on the Turnpike East-West mainline, though the really curving and steep grades east of the Allegheny Mountain Tunnel are all relatively straightened now.

This may due to a small effect resulting from new keep-right-pass-left signage posted on the PA Turnpike (and throughout PA) about 10 years ago.

PA had a keep-right-pass-left law for a long time but repealed it (sometime 80s perhaps?). Sometime in the early 00s, I believe it was, PA enacted a new keep-right-pass-left law. The PTC posted keep-right-pass-left signs throughout the Turnpike system (and PennDOT did likewise on other PA freeways).

The PA State Police don't typically directly enforce the law since it's extremely difficult, but simply having new signage appear probably had some effect on those driving at the time they appeared; some residual effect may still be seen, I suppose. It's been a long while since I used to drive extensively in other-than-NE states, so I'll take the word of other observers.

A moderator told us to cease talking about "left lane driving".

I'm definitely not going all the way down that road this time, BW, but at least this part is news, if a bit dated. Law repealed, law returned after big delay, signs went up, resulting effect claimed to be seen by some. "News," at least by the standard of many of the previous posts on this thread.

But not to worry, Steve, that's as far as I'm a-goin'. :biggrin:

Alps

Hey, as long as it's relevant to the PA Turnpike, fine by me. Pennsylvania's KRETP law and its enforcement on the Turnpike are fine.

P.S. Your prior discussions are saved, and mods are inclined to bring them back as a separate thread elsewhere. Keep an eye peeled.

Alps

Quote from: Steve on May 14, 2012, 07:14:00 PM
Hey, as long as it's relevant to the PA Turnpike, fine by me. Pennsylvania's KRETP law and its enforcement on the Turnpike are fine.

P.S. Your prior discussions are saved, and mods are inclined to bring them back as a separate thread elsewhere. Keep an eye peeled.
https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=6692.0

Mr_Northside

http://triblive.com/home/1858727-74/bridge-trail-state-laurel-highlands-hiking-trails-beautiful-county-pennsylvania

It's by no means any major news, as the bridge has been open for 5 months now, but they had an official ribbon cutting for the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail bridge over the TPK.  Only one picture, but it looks nice to use.  I'm hoping to use it sometime in the not-TOO-distant future.
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Mr_Northside

Pennsylvania Turnpike getting less beautiful every day

Not really "news"... Just an article lamenting certain aspects rebuilt sections of highway, and criticizing the service plazas.  All from an aesthetic point of view.
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