Year: 2015

2015 Official Road Map

Christmas came a little late this year for yours truly, at least in terms of road-related presents. Since I did not have time to get to the DMV, I figured I would just order the 2015 official road map directly from PennDOT. These are the changes since last year:

Carbon County
Exit 87 (E-ZPass-only) at PA 903 is now open on Interstate 476/Pennsylvania Turnpike-Northeast Extension

E-ZPass-only ramps at PA 903 in Carbon County are new on the 2015 official road map

Westmoreland County
PA Turnpike 66‘s exit numbers are finally shown along the expressway after the highway has been open since 1993 and changed from sequential to mileage-based in 2001.

PA Turnpike 66's exit numbers first appear on the 2015 official road map even though the highway has been open since 1993

Pittsburgh Inset
PA 28 now indicated with the red expressway “stripe” from the 40th Street Bridge to the Butler Street interchange and the Millvale interchange is now shown.

East Ohio Street shown as an expressway on the 2015 official road map

The “missing link” in the limited-access roadway between the Interstate 279/Interstate 579 interchange and the 40th Street Bridge was a long time in coming. Activity began to pick up in the 2000s, with construction planned to start in 2004 and end in 2009. However, the state shelved the plan at the time. Construction only started in 2010 and finished last year.

Those are all the changes to the 2015 official road map. It has the same dimensions as the previous year’s. However, this year’s cover features a picture of a two-lane roadway in the fall.

Cover of the 2015 Department of Transportation map

2013 Official Turnpike Map

Post author By pahighways
Post date August 8, 2015
No Comments on 2013 Official Turnpike Map

At today’s car show at the Sideling Hill Service Plaza, not only did I receive a lot of Turnpike “swag,” but included in the “goodie” bag that all participants received was a copy of the new 2013 official Turnpike map.

It is the same size as the 2011 version, but instead of being a tri-fold map, this year’s version features an “accordion” fold. The following are changes since the 2011 edition:

Carbon County
E-ZPass-only interchange on Interstate 476/Pennsylvania Turnpike-Northeast Extension marked as under construction

Fayette County/Washington County
PA Turnpike 43 open between US 40 and PA 88

The cover features a picture of the mainline Turnpike between the Blue Mountain and Carlisle interchanges. You can view the strip maps of the 2013 official Turnpike map at the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission’s page.

Cover of the 2013 Turnpike Travel Guide and Map

Pennsylvania Turnpike 75th Birthday Car Show

Post author By pahighways
Post date August 8, 2015
No Comments on Pennsylvania Turnpike 75th Birthday Car Show

When the weather turns warm in Pennsylvania, it is a time to get out and enjoy the great outdoors. We have an abundance of state parks and historic sites. Therefore, there is plenty to see and do in the Keystone State. One such activity that can shake off “cabin fever” is a good, old-fashioned car show. Since this year marks the Pennsylvania Turnpike 75th birthday of the original section of Turnpike from Irwin to Carlisle opening, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission held a car show at the Sideling Hill Service Plaza today.

Others had been held for other birthday milestone years, so this is not the first time. However, this was the first one with myself and my family in attendance. We had a vehicle worthy of displaying this time.

Attendees who were displaying their vehicles could either come via the Turnpike itself for free thanks to Sunoco picking up the tab, or other routes. We decided on the latter. I will say it was a little strange to enter a service plaza through a gate instead of a ramp.

Vehicles from various eras and states on display at the Pennsylvania Turnpike 75th Birthday Car Show

While the show took place, HMS Host, managers of the service plazas, sold hot dogs and Coca-Cola products for the price of what they cost in 1940. The Turnpike Commission sold 75th Anniversary memorabilia, including a hard-cover picture book detailing the history of the highway. I even had a chance to meet a fan of the site since its America Online days, Ron Breisch.

Participants had chances to win items from the Turnpike Commission answering trivia questions, as well as in a raffle. I didn’t think it would be too sporting if the Webmaster of Pennsylvania Highways answered each question. Therefore, I just answered one of the trivia questions and won a PTC t-shirt. In addition, I won a model of an old-fashioned Coca-Cola delivery truck in the raffle. Above all, participants received a swag bag of goodies, which are pictured below.

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Some of the swag obtained at the PA Turnpike 75th Anniversary Car Show today. #paturnpike #paturnpike75 #ptc #swag

A post shared by Pennsylvania Highways (@pahighways) on Aug 8, 2015 at 8:02pm PDT

It was a beautiful day and a beautiful drive to and from the plaza for the Pennsylvania Turnpike 75th Birthday Car Show. The car show was a nice event to celebrate the Turnpike’s diamond anniversary; however, it was also a communal event that brought out people from across the state and even the country.

PA Turnpike Celebrating 75 Years! – Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission