New US 15 at the NY/PA border

[Michael]

I just don't want US 15 to be truncated to Williamsport.

That looks to happen since there is no reason to keep the multiplex.  It only makes sense to truncate it at 180/220 and renumber Business US 15 to a 99 business loop.

That's what I'm afraid of.  I can imagine what would happen to roadgeeks if there's an I-99 AND Business Loop I-99.

Most of old US 15 still exists as Lycoming Creek Rd. and Blockhouse Rd., so that could be designated as US 15, but I doubt that would happen.

[hbelkins]

Once NY finishes their missing link, the bigger bet will be how long there will be 2 separate segments of I-99, since PennDOT seems to have any US-220 (and I-80 interchanges) upgrades on an indefinite hold (at least last I've heard/read)

There will be two non-freeway segments of US 220 that will have to be upgraded first.

But after that? Why not sign the whole thing as I-99? After all, if I-70 can use a surface route in Breezewood, I-99 can use an interchange that isn't a full freeway-to-freeway connection.

And will I-99 end at I-86, or will it eat I-390 all the way to at least the Thruway? I think it should, and leave 390 to run north from the Thruway to Rochester.

[Alps]

I just don't want US 15 to be truncated to Williamsport.

That looks to happen since there is no reason to keep the multiplex.  It only makes sense to truncate it at 180/220 and renumber Business US 15 to a 99 business loop.

Well, there's always the option of making it Historical US 15, if they do truncate it.

There is no reason to make it a historical route any more than to make the Susquehanna Trail "Historic US 111."

I'd love to see that.

[LeftyJR]

Once NY finishes their missing link, the bigger bet will be how long there will be 2 separate segments of I-99, since PennDOT seems to have any US-220 (and I-80 interchanges) upgrades on an indefinite hold (at least last I've heard/read)

There will be two non-freeway segments of US 220 that will have to be upgraded first.

But after that? Why not sign the whole thing as I-99? After all, if I-70 can use a surface route in Breezewood, I-99 can use an interchange that isn't a full freeway-to-freeway connection.

And will I-99 end at I-86, or will it eat I-390 all the way to at least the Thruway? I think it should, and leave 390 to run north from the Thruway to Rochester.

Last I heard, the two segments of US 220 in Lycoming and Clinton counties are deferred as are one of the two interchanges with I-80.

[PAHighways]

There will be two non-freeway segments of US 220 that will have to be upgraded first.

But after that? Why not sign the whole thing as I-99? After all, if I-70 can use a surface route in Breezewood, I-99 can use an interchange that isn't a full freeway-to-freeway connection.

The Susquehanna Beltway project has been shelved for over half a decade now, and there has nothing been announced for upgrading the piece from I-80 to PA 477.  The western I-80/I-99 interchange is further along, and as we saw at the State College Meet in 2009, there was earth moving activity there.  However, just as at Skytop, acid rock reared its ugly head and the design has had to be modified to take into consideration those areas.

[Michael in Philly]

....
And will I-99 end at I-86, or will it eat I-390 all the way to at least the Thruway? I think it should, and leave 390 to run north from the Thruway to Rochester.

Why have a number charge at the Thruway?  Just run it all the way up to 490.  Or to where it now meets the Outer Loop, and give the loop a single number all the way around....

[vdeane]

I doubt the Outer Loop will ever have a single number.  The DOT doesn't want there to be two I-590 norths.

You have to understand, the Rochester Outer Loop (along with I-481) is the closest thing you see to a beltway in all of NY.

[Henry]

....
And will I-99 end at I-86, or will it eat I-390 all the way to at least the Thruway? I think it should, and leave 390 to run north from the Thruway to Rochester.

Why have a number charge at the Thruway?  Just run it all the way up to 490.  Or to where it now meets the Outer Loop, and give the loop a single number all the way around....

There's been precedent for a highway changing numbers at an interchange; just ask the good folks in eastern Tennessee, where I-26 changed to I-181 and vice versa upon crossing I-81.

I doubt the Outer Loop will ever have a single number.  The DOT doesn't want there to be two I-590 norths.

You have to understand, the Rochester Outer Loop (along with I-481) is the closest thing you see to a beltway in all of NY.

Aren't you forgetting I-287 around NYC?

[Mr_Northside]

Once NY finishes their missing link, the bigger bet will be how long there will be 2 separate segments of I-99, since PennDOT seems to have any US-220 (and I-80 interchanges) upgrades on an indefinite hold (at least last I've heard/read)

There will be two non-freeway segments of US 220 that will have to be upgraded first.

Last I heard, the two segments of US 220 in Lycoming and Clinton counties are deferred as are one of the two interchanges with I-80.

That's what I mean... with work under way in NY for their final piece, and with the last section (of US 15) in PA pretty much done (if not done), it's entirely possible that I-99 could be in effect between I-180 & I-86 while all the US-220 "missing links" will still be stuck in limbo.

[Michael]

I was browsing around in Street view, and found a County Route 115 marker on Old US 15.

On a side note, the last mention of PA 287 is northbound just before PA 49, but there's no mention southbound between the state line and at least PA 49.  Street View doesn't have imagery for a while south of PA 49, so I couldn't see if there is a marker southbound after the intersection.  On PA 49 East, PA 287 is signed as going both north and south.  PennDOT's VideoLog indicates the northern terminus at the PA 49/287 intersection.

[rickmastfan67]

That's what I mean... with work under way in NY for their final piece, and with the last section (of US 15) in PA pretty much done (if not done), it's entirely possible that I-99 could be in effect between I-180 & I-86 while all the US-220 "missing links" will still be stuck in limbo.

Then maybe we'll get a "TEMP I-99" posted on I-80 and I-180.

[PAHighways]

On a side note, the last mention of PA 287 is northbound just before PA 49, but there's no mention southbound between the state line and at least PA 49.

That section north of 49 is now SR 1015.

[Henry]

That's what I mean... with work under way in NY for their final piece, and with the last section (of US 15) in PA pretty much done (if not done), it's entirely possible that I-99 could be in effect between I-180 & I-86 while all the US-220 "missing links" will still be stuck in limbo.

Then maybe we'll get a "TEMP I-99" posted on I-80 and I-180.

I thought they had phased that out years ago! These days, it'd be "FUTURE I-99 CORRIDOR", but I see where you're going with it.

[vdeane]

There's been precedent for a highway changing numbers at an interchange; just ask the good folks in eastern Tennessee, where I-26 changed to I-181 and vice versa upon crossing I-81.

And I-181 was absorbed by I-26 because the number changed was deemed too confusing for some reason.

Aren't you forgetting I-287 around NYC?

I-287's beltway portion is (almost entirely) in New Jersey.  Plus NYSDOT wanted to use I-487 for part of I-287...