Breezewood

[roadman65]

More broadly, we use "Breezewood" as a derogatory term for a place where two freeways (or tollways) that meet without a free-flowing system interchange.

The PA Tpk has lots of "Breezewoods".

So did OH and IN on their toll roads.  Many of them remedied though.  NJ still has one between the NJ Turnpike and NJ 42 where a direct freeway into Philly from the Turnpike is needed.   I-69 getting done from Indy to Mexico will be completed before something like this missing connection is addressed.

[jeffandnicole]

More broadly, we use "Breezewood" as a derogatory term for a place where two freeways (or tollways) that meet without a free-flowing system interchange.

The PA Tpk has lots of "Breezewoods".

So did OH and IN on their toll roads.  Many of them remedied though.  NJ still has one between the NJ Turnpike and NJ 42...

Another is 295 and the NJ Tpk PA Ext.

Another is the missing moves between 295 North and 42 South and vice versa.

Another minor one is 295 South to the NJ Tpk North and vice versa.

[webny99]

The most interesting thing about Breezewood is the fact that we continue to talk about it, despite the fact that everything there is to say about it has been said hundreds of times.

[hotdogPi]

The most interesting thing about Breezewood is the fact that we continue to talk about it, despite the fact that everything there is to say about it has been said hundreds of times.

New members join all the time.

[webny99]

The most interesting thing about Breezewood is the fact that we continue to talk about it, despite the fact that everything there is to say about it has been said hundreds of times.

New members join all the time.

New members never tell us stuff we didn't know already, or ask stuff that hasn't already been answered. It would be preferred if they just read the old threads.

[roadman65]

More broadly, we use "Breezewood" as a derogatory term for a place where two freeways (or tollways) that meet without a free-flowing system interchange.

The PA Tpk has lots of "Breezewoods".

So did OH and IN on their toll roads.  Many of them remedied though.  NJ still has one between the NJ Turnpike and NJ 42...

Another is 295 and the NJ Tpk PA Ext.

Another is the missing moves between 295 North and 42 South and vice versa.

Another minor one is 295 South to the NJ Tpk North and vice versa.

Yeah the list goes on and on.  We have one in FL that finally is being filled in and that is the SR 417 at the FL Turnpike that has partial ramps.  However, the current Tpk widening is addressing the last three ramps to complete all the movements there.

Also the Bruckner to the Hutch in NYC.  You need to use the Bruckner Blvd. Service Road to go from EB I-278 to the NB Parkway and from the SB Hutch to WB I-278.

Also in Queens going from the Van Wyck to the EB LIE or WB on the LIE to any direction on the Van Wyck.

[hotdogPi]

The most interesting thing about Breezewood is the fact that we continue to talk about it, despite the fact that everything there is to say about it has been said hundreds of times.

New members join all the time.

New members never tell us stuff we didn't know already, or ask stuff that hasn't already been answered. It would be preferred if they just read the old threads.

I meant that if we stopped talking about Breezewood, then new members might not know about it. I didn't know about it when I joined.

[roadman65]

Breezewood and of course the damned I-74 & US 74 thing is very old that we sometimes get tired of it.  Yeah, new members are unaware of it, but tell our nerves that.

I do have a tolerance for it though, but some of the users get serious about even fictional highways when a new user has an ideal solution where they act as if the proposer is from the DOT of the state and many lash out at him for the idea.

Oh well. It is what it is.

[webny99]

The most interesting thing about Breezewood is the fact that we continue to talk about it, despite the fact that everything there is to say about it has been said hundreds of times.

New members join all the time.

New members never tell us stuff we didn't know already, or ask stuff that hasn't already been answered. It would be preferred if they just read the old threads.

I meant that if we stopped talking about Breezewood, then new members might not know about it. I didn't know about it when I joined.

Fair point. Me either, TBH. This gives me an idea - I'll start a thread in General Highway Talk that should solve that problem.

[hotdogPi]

The most interesting thing about Breezewood is the fact that we continue to talk about it, despite the fact that everything there is to say about it has been said hundreds of times.

New members join all the time.

New members never tell us stuff we didn't know already, or ask stuff that hasn't already been answered. It would be preferred if they just read the old threads.

I meant that if we stopped talking about Breezewood, then new members might not know about it. I didn't know about it when I joined.

Fair point. Me either, TBH. This gives me an idea - I'll start a thread in General Highway Talk that should solve that problem.

We mention Breezewood often enough that it doesn't need its own dedicated thread. And this thread is already a thread dedicated to Breezewood.

[webny99]

The most interesting thing about Breezewood is the fact that we continue to talk about it, despite the fact that everything there is to say about it has been said hundreds of times.

New members join all the time.

New members never tell us stuff we didn't know already, or ask stuff that hasn't already been answered. It would be preferred if they just read the old threads.

I meant that if we stopped talking about Breezewood, then new members might not know about it. I didn't know about it when I joined.

Fair point. Me either, TBH. This gives me an idea - I'll start a thread in General Highway Talk that should solve that problem.

We mention Breezewood often enough that it doesn't need its own dedicated thread. And this thread is already a thread dedicated to Breezewood.

I know. That's why I made a general thread, "Things every roadgeek should know"

[cpzilliacus]

Breezewood is bad for several reasons:

(1) Crashes caused by an at-grade signalized intersection and at-grade driveways on a road that should not have them, especially I-70 westbound (headed compass north from Maryland to Breezewood) approaching the traffic signal at U.S. 30.

(2) Added congestion that should not be there, especially around the holidays.

(3) The influence of owners and businesses in "downtown" Breezewood (the Wilt family is one of them) that has an effective lobbying machine to keep Breezewood the way that it is. Never mind that PTC and PennDOT have remediated some of the other breezewoods in recent years, including at Exit 28 (Cranberry (I-79)) and at Exit 298 (Morgantown (I-176)).

I for one never, ever stop in Breezewood, not even at the Sheetz, which is a a chain that I really like.  Instead, I stop in Hagerstown, Maryland or at one of the service plazas on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. 

[ilpt4u]

More broadly, we use "Breezewood" as a derogatory term for a place where two freeways (or tollways) that meet without a free-flowing system interchange.

The PA Tpk has lots of "Breezewoods".

So did OH and IN on their toll roads.  Many of them remedied though.  NJ still has one between the NJ Turnpike and NJ 42 where a direct freeway into Philly from the Turnpike is needed.   I-69 getting done from Indy to Mexico will be completed before something like this missing connection is addressed.

IL has a few. Part of the I-294/Tri State Tollway and I-57 Interchange has (finally) been completed - the most useful movements of North I-57 to North I-294 and South I-294 to South I-57. The other movements are to be done at a later time. 159th St/US 6 is about 1 mile of Surface Street between its Cloverleaves with both I-294 and I-57 for all directional movements

The I-294/Tri-State Tollway and I-55/Stevenson Expressway Interchange has a missing movement - I-55 South to I-294 South. The connection is made using La Grange Rd/US 12/20/45 for about 1 mile or so, which is Freeflow but not full Grade Separated Freeway between the two Interstates

[hbelkins]

I for one never, ever stop in Breezewood, not even at the Sheetz, which is a a chain that I really like.  Instead, I stop in Hagerstown, Maryland or at one of the service plazas on the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

I'd rather stop at a private enterprise in Breezewood than a government-licensed monopoly at a service plaza, where the restaurants typically charge inflated prices and often don't accept coupons from the franchising brand. It's not Sheetz's fault that Breezewood exists the way it does, nor is it the fault of any other business there. It's the fault of spineless politicians who won't remedy the situation, and the fact that there are two separate agencies that maintain the highways there (PennDOT and the turnpike authority.)

[vdeane]

Considering all the lobbying those businesses do to make sure the politicians never allow PennDOT and the PTC to do anything about it, yes it is their fault.

[theroadwayone]

As for a solution, I was thinking they could build an EZ-Pass-only interchange that would connect the EB turnpike with EB I-70, and WB I-70 with the WB turnpike.

[roadman65]

Breezewood is basically interesting because its so common.  Also that it gets the road geek boycott people verses the those who feel its crazy to take it out on a business (or businesses) like here and previous threads.

To me I won't boycott it, but understand those who do as I boycott the news lately as non of them seem to give that anymore, especially Fox!  But to each his own.

[Avalanchez71]

Breezewood is bad for several reasons:

(1) Crashes caused by an at-grade signalized intersection and at-grade driveways on a road that should not have them, especially I-70 westbound (headed compass north from Maryland to Breezewood) approaching the traffic signal at U.S. 30.

(2) Added congestion that should not be there, especially around the holidays.

(3) The influence of owners and businesses in "downtown" Breezewood (the Wilt family is one of them) that has an effective lobbying machine to keep Breezewood the way that it is. Never mind that PTC and PennDOT have remediated some of the other breezewoods in recent years, including at Exit 28 (Cranberry (I-79)) and at Exit 298 (Morgantown (I-176)).

I for one never, ever stop in Breezewood, not even at the Sheetz, which is a a chain that I really like.  Instead, I stop in Hagerstown, Maryland or at one of the service plazas on the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

Look at the other side of the coin on this one.  What about the people that wake up since they have to break up the tunnel vision sometimes associated with interstate driving. 
The travelers get off the road and get a chance to stretch their legs and see something else.
This keeps a local economy going instead of dying on the vine.

[kphoger]

It's not Sheetz's fault that Breezewood exists the way it does, nor is it the fault of any other business there. It's the fault of spineless politicians who won't remedy the situation, and the fact that there are two separate agencies that maintain the highways there (PennDOT and the turnpike authority.)

Considering all the lobbying those businesses do to make sure the politicians never allow PennDOT and the PTC to do anything about it, yes it is their fault.

I gotta say, I'm with vdeane on this one.  I'm not saying I hate Breezewood (never even driven that far east), but the businesses there are at least partly to blame for its persistence.

[cpzilliacus]

Look at the other side of the coin on this one.  What about the people that wake up since they have to break up the tunnel vision sometimes associated with interstate driving. 
The travelers get off the road and get a chance to stretch their legs and see something else.
This keeps a local economy going instead of dying on the vine.

No need to stop at Breezewood for a break of any kind.  That can be accomplished on the Pennsylvania Turnpike or along U.S. 30 west of Breezewood.

Regarding the  economy, I think  Breezewood would not be hurt by it being bypassed.  People that want to patronize the businesses will still stop there.  But drivers not interested in Breezewood will bypass it.

[jeffandnicole]

Look at the other side of the coin on this one.  What about the people that wake up since they have to break up the tunnel vision sometimes associated with interstate driving. 
The travelers get off the road and get a chance to stretch their legs and see something else.
This keeps a local economy going instead of dying on the vine.

No need to stop at Breezewood for a break of any kind.  That can be accomplished on the Pennsylvania Turnpike or along U.S. 30 west of Breezewood.

Regarding the  economy, I think  Breezewood would not be hurt by it being bypassed.  People that want to patronize the businesses will still stop there.  But drivers not interested in Breezewood will bypass it.

I think the size of Breezewood would be hurt. The strong will survive.

[slorydn1]

Funny.

We were just looking through some old family picture albums the other night and there is a picture of my dad splashing water in my face in a motel swimming pool in Breezewood, from the summer of 1976. My dad, a roadgeek from a time before being a roadgeek was cool, was utterly convinced that the "Breezewood Problem" would be solved in the next 10-15 years (so by 1991).


Sorry dad, you were way off in your projection, God rest your soul.

[kphoger]

a time before being a roadgeek was cool

Nonsense.  Have you been to a roadmeet?  None of us are cool.

[MNHighwayMan]

a time before being a roadgeek was cool

Nonsense.  Have you been to a roadmeet?  None of us are cool.

Speak for yourself.

[webny99]

All of us are cool. Whether other people know it or not is irrelevant.