PA Turnpike News

[vdeane]

The Mid-County toll plaza is gone. SB traffic is now (somewhat abruptly) shifted in and out of the old toll plaza area with three continuous lanes, while the former express lanes are closed. NB traffic still splits, with one lane through the toll plaza area and the other two through the express lanes.

At Valley Forge, there are now three continuous lanes on I-76 East heading to US 202, where the right lane exits. However, traffic entering from the mall now must merge twice in about 700 feet to continue on I-76.

Why are they closing the express lanes on I-476 southbound at Mid-County and shifting traffic to the old toll plaza area?

I would hope that they're reconfiguring the area so all the thru lanes can use them.

[Beltway]

The Mid-County toll plaza is gone. SB traffic is now (somewhat abruptly) shifted in and out of the old toll plaza area with three continuous lanes, while the former express lanes are closed. NB traffic still splits, with one lane through the toll plaza area and the other two through the express lanes.
At Valley Forge, there are now three continuous lanes on I-76 East heading to US 202, where the right lane exits. However, traffic entering from the mall now must merge twice in about 700 feet to continue on I-76.

Why are they closing the express lanes on I-476 southbound at Mid-County and shifting traffic to the old toll plaza area?

Stage construction as the old plazas are removed and lanes are converted to open road tolling.

[MASTERNC]

The Mid-County toll plaza is gone. SB traffic is now (somewhat abruptly) shifted in and out of the old toll plaza area with three continuous lanes, while the former express lanes are closed. NB traffic still splits, with one lane through the toll plaza area and the other two through the express lanes.

At Valley Forge, there are now three continuous lanes on I-76 East heading to US 202, where the right lane exits. However, traffic entering from the mall now must merge twice in about 700 feet to continue on I-76.

Why are they closing the express lanes on I-476 southbound at Mid-County and shifting traffic to the old toll plaza area?

The old gantries and the concrete barrier separating the express lanes and toll plaza are still there.  Given the express lanes were only two lanes, everything needs to be removed so there can be 3-4 lanes straight through.

[Flyer78]

The Mid-County toll plaza is gone. SB traffic is now (somewhat abruptly) shifted in and out of the old toll plaza area with three continuous lanes, ...

Very abrupt, and with conflicting signage about closed lanes, shoulders, etc. That should be temporary though, and at least they keep three lanes through; so it is better than the very short-lived "trial" when they put all traffic through the open-road gantry only.

Northbound, I wonder if the final layout will give more space for traffic destined for the mainline pike, which does backup now. Of course, the chokepoint there is a two lane-ramp merging to one lane before merging with I-276, so probably won't make a huge difference.

[MASTERNC]

The Mid-County toll plaza is gone. SB traffic is now (somewhat abruptly) shifted in and out of the old toll plaza area with three continuous lanes, ...

Very abrupt, and with conflicting signage about closed lanes, shoulders, etc.

Not as conflicting as the sign about a right lane closure NB, where the third lane doesn't close at all.  I get why they did that, since the middle lane used to split at the toll plaza, but I have to think that was the cause of some unusual congestion at non-rush hours heading up to Mid-County

[Bitmapped]

I was on the southern section of the Mon-Fayette Expressway today and noticed that PTC replaced the "Welcome to the Pennsylvania Turnpike" northbound and "Thank You for Traveling the Pennsylvania Turnpike" southbound signs near the West Virginia state line. Both new signs feature an aerial photo of a pair of bridges crossing high over a valley. I wasn't able to tell where the photo was taken driving by at speed.

[The Ghostbuster]

I think Exits 2 and 4 on PA 43 should have been numbered Exits 1 and 3, since Exit 2 is just past milepost 1 and Exit 4 is around milepost 3.4. Was Exit 2 numbered the way it was to avoid confusion with Exit 1 on WV 43?

[Bitmapped]

I think Exits 2 and 4 on PA 43 should have been numbered Exits 1 and 3, since Exit 2 is just past milepost 1 and Exit 4 is around milepost 3.4. Was Exit 2 numbered the way it was to avoid confusion with Exit 1 on WV 43?

Having two successive Exits #1 wouldn't have made much sense.

[Roadgeekteen]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIFZ6vq0IUM

Interesting video of a guy exploring the abandoned Pennsylvania Turnpike. An outstanding video, but he calls the Turnpike a "US Highway" at times which got my roadgeek senses perked. I guess it is a highway in the US. So interesting, not sure how many other places you get an abandoned freeway.

[ilpt4u]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIFZ6vq0IUM

Interesting video of a guy exploring the abandoned Pennsylvania Turnpike. An outstanding video, but he calls the Turnpike a "US Highway" at times which got my roadgeek senses perked. I guess it is a highway in the US. So interesting, not sure how many other places you get an abandoned freeway.

There is an abandoned section of I-44 (Will Rogers Turnpike, maybe?) northeast of Tulsa. Much shorter than the abandoned PATP segments, tho

I-180 in Illinois might as well be abandoned, but not quite yet

[Dough4872]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIFZ6vq0IUM

Interesting video of a guy exploring the abandoned Pennsylvania Turnpike. An outstanding video, but he calls the Turnpike a "US Highway" at times which got my roadgeek senses perked. I guess it is a highway in the US. So interesting, not sure how many other places you get an abandoned freeway.

Yeah I walked along the portion of the abandoned turnpike between Breezewood and the west portal of the Rays Hill Tunnel. Nice walk, lot of graffiti along the roadway and the tunnel portal.

[Great Lakes Roads]

https://www.paturnpike.com/all-electronic-tolling/open-road-tolling

The Pennsylvania Turnpike now has a dedicated website on open-road tolling and the configuration of each former toll plaza post-removal.

[Bitmapped]

I was on the southern section of the Mon-Fayette Expressway today and noticed that PTC replaced the "Welcome to the Pennsylvania Turnpike" northbound and "Thank You for Traveling the Pennsylvania Turnpike" southbound signs near the West Virginia state line. Both new signs feature an aerial photo of a pair of bridges crossing high over a valley. I wasn't able to tell where the photo was taken driving by at speed.

I got another look at the southbound sign this exit, albeit after dark and still at speed. I think the photo is of the Joe Montana Bridges on the Mon-Fayette looking southbound.

[Bitmapped]

I stopped at St. John's Church in New Baltimore this evening for the first time since the widening project through here began. I could not find any sign of the staircases that previously provided access from the highway to the church. A retaining wall takes up much of where the eastbound staircase was, and the westbound one would have been removed for reconfiguring the service driveway.

[74/171FAN]

PennDOT - District 6 News: PA Turnpike Bridge Construction to Close Newportville Road in Bristol, Bensalem Townships

[ARMOURERERIC]

There is a upcoming bidding solicitation for the rehab of a 3 mile long bridge (?) Just east of Breezewood. Estimate north of $20M, guess we won't see that widened any time soon.

[roadman65]

https://maps.app.goo.gl/ABbSJpzC73h7r7A17?g_st=ac

Couldn't help notice this.  Looks like they rid one of the alignments of the PA Turnpike along the 36 mile exit less stretch from Somerset to Bedford.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/EcrJh6G1GaGWn8Hn9

I also remember in 1990 between the Allegheny Tunnel and Bedford there was two places where the median widened that aren't seen on Google Maps.  I am taking that might be the image seen around 127.8 mile marker where you can see a former alignment (with guardrail) off to the north side of the freeway which probably was the former westbound road heading off while the eastbound used the current two way alignment there.

Also they never rid that curve coming out of the EB portal of Allegheny Tunnel.  That to me has too sharp of a turn and has an advisory speed of 45 mph. That should have been included in those other projects.

Edit: I see why that curve wasn't fixed.  The PTC is going to bypass the Allegheny Tunnel like they did Sideling Hill in the 60s.   
https://www.paturnpike.com/traveling/construction/site/allegheny-mountain-realignment

Another Tunnel bites the dust, but have at least till 2028 to visit it one last time.   Considering the high crash rate and traffic backups the current tunnels have, I have to agree that the situation must be remedied.

[Great Lakes Roads]

https://maps.app.goo.gl/ABbSJpzC73h7r7A17?g_st=ac

Couldn't help notice this.  Looks like they rid one of the alignments of the PA Turnpike along the 36 mile exit less stretch from Somerset to Bedford.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/EcrJh6G1GaGWn8Hn9

I also remember in 1990 between the Allegheny Tunnel and Bedford there was two places where the median widened that aren't seen on Google Maps.  I am taking that might be the image seen around 127.8 mile marker where you can see a former alignment (with guardrail) off to the north side of the freeway which probably was the former westbound road heading off while the eastbound used the current two way alignment there.

Also they never rid that curve coming out of the EB portal of Allegheny Tunnel.  That to me has too sharp of a turn and has an advisory speed of 45 mph. That should have been included in those other projects.

Edit: I see why that curve wasn't fixed.  The PTC is going to bypass the Allegheny Tunnel like they did Sideling Hill in the 60s.   
https://www.paturnpike.com/traveling/construction/site/allegheny-mountain-realignment

Another Tunnel bites the dust, but have at least till 2028 to visit it one last time.   Considering the high crash rate and traffic backups the current tunnels have, I have to agree that the situation must be remedied.

Construction on this project won't start until 2032, with a completion year of 2036.

[MASTERNC]

https://maps.app.goo.gl/ABbSJpzC73h7r7A17?g_st=ac

Couldn't help notice this.  Looks like they rid one of the alignments of the PA Turnpike along the 36 mile exit less stretch from Somerset to Bedford.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/EcrJh6G1GaGWn8Hn9

I also remember in 1990 between the Allegheny Tunnel and Bedford there was two places where the median widened that aren't seen on Google Maps.  I am taking that might be the image seen around 127.8 mile marker where you can see a former alignment (with guardrail) off to the north side of the freeway which probably was the former westbound road heading off while the eastbound used the current two way alignment there.

Also they never rid that curve coming out of the EB portal of Allegheny Tunnel.  That to me has too sharp of a turn and has an advisory speed of 45 mph. That should have been included in those other projects.

Edit: I see why that curve wasn't fixed.  The PTC is going to bypass the Allegheny Tunnel like they did Sideling Hill in the 60s.   
https://www.paturnpike.com/traveling/construction/site/allegheny-mountain-realignment

Another Tunnel bites the dust, but have at least till 2028 to visit it one last time.   Considering the high crash rate and traffic backups the current tunnels have, I have to agree that the situation must be remedied.

The one curve they eliminated years ago was a lot of fun going WB. You had nearly a 180 degree curve to the right and then another sweeping curve to the left to rejoin the EB roadway. Great time to downshift a stick shift car

[Bitmapped]

There is a upcoming bidding solicitation for the rehab of a 3 mile long bridge (?) Just east of Breezewood. Estimate north of $20M, guess we won't see that widened any time soon.

The bid solicitation says four bridges between MP 161.43 and MP 164.8. I bridge is the overpass at the Breezewood interchange, another is Mattie Road, and another is US 30's overpass of the mainline. I'm not sure what the fourth bridge is here.

The work this project contemplates is basically repair work rather than a long-lasting rehab. If it's only in use for 5-10 years, that wouldn't be a huge deal.