PA Turnpike widening

[Mr_Northside]

And if they go transponder/photo only, why not just redesign all of the interchanges and add oodles more as though it were a regular interstate, except with gantries on all of the on and off ramps set to operate in a 'ticket' manner?

Mike

I also agree about adding more interchanges, especially if/when they go AET. 

I don't agree, however, with redesigning all of the current interchanges.  Some of them might benefit by adding an extra ramp or two, where feasible to put them in.  But in the more rural places, I think the trumpets are more efficient than the diamonds (in some form) that would probably replace them.
*I'm not counting interchanges next to newer highways (US-219, I-99, I-81, etc....) in that statement.  Without having to worry about toll plazas, I'd like to think they could remedy a few of those crappy connections.  Though even with AET in place, that is still probably a pipe dream for the near / mid-term future.
   

[Michael in Philly]

I drove from Harrisburg (I-83) to Bedford yesterday.  Two comments:

(1)  I normally don't mind the lights-on-in-work-areas law (even if no one else obeys) it, but there are so many work areas the on-and-off got annoying.  First "Headlights on?" sign after a tunnel, I thought, "they may as well be...."

(2)  The eastbound side was backed up at least five miles from Breezewood.  (Meaning, traffic exiting at Breezewood had the main line clogged.)  Was there something going on, or is that typical, at least at 5 p.m. on a summer Sunday?

[agentsteel53]

why not just leave your headlights on all the time?

[Michael in Philly]

^^Because I'm used to not driving with headlights on in sunny weather, and am sufficiently used to Pennsylvania's headlights-on-in-work-areas law that the "end road work" sign prompts me to turn them off.  So it gets annoying when there's a new work area three miles later.

If I had known there were that many work areas, I might have just left them on.

[vdeane]

Plus, at least in my car, interior displays are dimmed with headlights on, on the theory that headlights are only used at night.  The clock, cruise control indicator, etc. are invisible with headlights on in sunny weather.

[Michael in Philly]

Plus, at least in my car, interior displays are dimmed with headlights on, on the theory that headlights are only used at night.  The clock, cruise control indicator, etc. are invisible with headlights on in sunny weather.

That too.

[ARMOURERERIC]

This will sound stupid, but when I tracvelled the PA Pike one weekend a month, 16 years ago, the Breezewood backup was the norm on a Sunday eve.  It became standard practice to exit at Bedford and go 220/99S to30E and turn left on old 126 to the South Breeezewood on ramp of 70.  I save a lot of time.

[Michael in Philly]

^^Which might explain the crowd of people with DC, Maryland and Virginia plates at the Bedford Sheetz....

[PAHighways]

Since 30 was widened between Bedford and Breezewood, and the limit raised from 45 to 55 between Bedford and Everett recently, it is a much nicer and less congested drive than the Turnpike.

[Compulov]

One wonders if everyone who is in (and causing) that mess knows in advance how bad it'll be. One also has to wonder why on earth they'd subject themselves to it. Maybe there's people who have no choice in the matter, but when I'm planning a trip and I know the traffic is going to be awful, I'll change my plans to avoid it (either by routing around it or going at a different time).

[ARMOURERERIC]

The first time I encountered a massive EB Breezewood backup was after attending an SCA Pennsic war (immagine how well the PA interstate system handles 15000 people entering the 422EB to 79SB ramp in a 4 hour period).  The Breezewood backup was almost to Everett and I could not get over to the right lane, so I exited at Ft Littleton, went 522S to PA16E to Greencastle PA and then on to Frederick MD, I still beat the other members of my convoy home by 2 hours.

[Beltway]

Since 30 was widened between Bedford and Breezewood, and the limit raised from 45 to 55 between Bedford and Everett recently, it is a much nicer and less congested drive than the Turnpike.

That is what I usually take on trips from D.C. to Buffalo NY.  I-70 to US-30 to I-99.  You also get a direct freeway connection at Bedford, something that you don't get between the Turnpike and I-99.

[cpzilliacus]

The first time I encountered a massive EB Breezewood backup was after attending an SCA Pennsic war (immagine how well the PA interstate system handles 15000 people entering the 422EB to 79SB ramp in a 4 hour period).  The Breezewood backup was almost to Everett and I could not get over to the right lane, so I exited at Ft Littleton, went 522S to PA16E to Greencastle PA and then on to Frederick MD, I still beat the other members of my convoy home by 2 hours.

Another reason why the federal government (in the form of Congress) needs to put the PTC on notice that its bonds will no longer be exempt from federal taxation unless it and PennDOT adopt a plan to remediate all of the Breezewoods along the Pennsylvania Turnpike within a reasonable time.