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[qguy]

PennDOT has received a grant for $35 mil toward construction of the topic interchange:

http://www.centredaily.com/news/local/article212578999.html

I started a new thread because the article says the grant is a federal INFRA grant for projects that can move to construction within 18 months. PennDOT will be building the local-access portion first. It finally looks like something may be happening relatively soon and we can follow it here.

BTW, I called this interchange the west interchange to differentiate it from the expressway-to-expressway I-80/I-99 East Interchange which PennDOT will eventually (perhaps sometime in our lifetimes??) build in the area south of Salona.

[Rothman]

 Still don't understand why another thread was needed?

[Alps]

Still don't understand why another thread was needed?

I don't see another thread on this. If this is a split from the general PA thread, this is fine.

[qguy]

Still don't understand why another thread was needed?

I don't see another thread on this. If this is a split from the general PA thread, this is fine.

I figured that with some of the complicating factors, like all the pyritic rock within the interchange ROW that has the potential for making it more involved than the usual interchange of its type (and has increased the cost and significantly delayed the project), the topic deserved its own thread. But kill it if you disagree. I won't be offended.

[AMLNet49]

Isn’t this a big deal? Wouldn’t it more or less complete the original segment of I-99?

[The Ghostbuster]

Will this interchange be built anytime soon? I was under the impression that there was strong opposition to this proposal.

[Buffaboy]

Why don't they just build a Y interchange with elevated ramps?

[Roadsguy]

Why don't they just build a Y interchange with elevated ramps?

That's basically the plan, but they also need to provide local access to PA 26, which is supposed to be done a short distance to the east. Apparently the locals didn't like that idea, but I don't know what specifically seemed so bad about it.

[qguy]

Wouldn’t it more or less complete the original segment of I-99?

Yes.

[02 Park Ave]

Are there any plans to add a third lane to I-80 between Exits 158 and 161?  There is a lot of traffic that comes around that mountain every morning.

[Strider]

Does anyone know what the design layout the interchange will be?

"T" semi-directional? Trumpet? Cloverleaf?

[Alps]

Does anyone know what the design layout the interchange will be?

"T" semi-directional? Trumpet? Cloverleaf?

Past plans had a modified T that arced around the existing interchange, favoring the 99 through movement.

[Bitmapped]

Are there any plans to add a third lane to I-80 between Exits 158 and 161?  There is a lot of traffic that comes around that mountain every morning.

26,000 VPD, just barely higher than adjacent sections. There's no need for widening.

[02 Park Ave]

The vehicle count may not justify a third lane, but it be justified due to the mixture of the commuter traffic with all of the long haul trucks in that stretch.

[Alps]

The vehicle count may not justify a third lane, but it be justified due to the mixture of the commuter traffic with all of the long haul trucks in that stretch.

Are you talking about a climbing lane?

[seicer]

It certainly can come to a crawl up the grade and a third-lane (climbing) is justified with the VPD and the % of truck counts.

[LeftyJR]

The vehicle count may not justify a third lane, but it be justified due to the mixture of the commuter traffic with all of the long haul trucks in that stretch.

Are you talking about a climbing lane?

One is needed between MM 158 and MM 153, but that is out of the scope of this project.

[briantroutman]

Does anyone know what the design layout the interchange will be?

"T" semi-directional? Trumpet? Cloverleaf?

This is the most recent design I have seen, and it was designated as “final” in 1999. “Old” PA 26 would basically be cut off from I-80/I-99 access. (And if I had to guess, PA 26 would likely be truncated to PA 64 near Pleasant Gap.)

[seicer]

Does that mean I-99 south of I-80 will finally go to 70 MPH? Why is that section to State College just 55 MPH?

[qguy]

“Old” PA 26 would basically be cut off from I-80/I-99 access. (And if I had to guess, PA 26 would likely be truncated to PA 64 near Pleasant Gap.)

Thanks for posting that, Brian! I've got a copy of the old project newsletter that shows that graphic around somewhere but can't find the box it's in. 

I don't know about being truncated but "old" PA 26 will have access to I-80 (and I-99) via a new local-access diamond interchange on I-80 just east of the I-80/I-99 high-speed expressway-to-expressway interchange shown.

[Beltway]

This is the most recent design I have seen, and it was designated as “final” in 1999. “Old” PA 26 would basically be cut off from I-80/I-99 access. (And if I had to guess, PA 26 would likely be truncated to PA 64 near Pleasant Gap.)

That's it, I was looking for it but couldn't find it.

Nice design but I can't imagine why it would cost $185 million to build.

[vdeane]

Does that mean I-99 south of I-80 will finally go to 70 MPH? Why is that section to State College just 55 MPH?

I doubt it... PA won't post anything within a census-designated urban area higher than 55, and I'm pretty sure that's why the speed limit is 55 there.

[webny99]

Does that mean I-99 south of I-80 will finally go to 70 MPH? Why is that section to State College just 55 MPH?

I doubt it... PA won't post anything within a census-designated urban area higher than 55, and I'm pretty sure that's why the speed limit is 55 there.

Considering I-90 near Erie, the definition of "urban area" must be open to interpretation...

[vdeane]

Well, it's not uniform, but it goes in and out several times.
https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/UAUC_RefMap/ua/ua27766_erie_pa/DC10UA27766.pdf

[02 Park Ave]

This interchange will be a magnificent structure.  It will be quite impressive considering the rural area it will be in there.