Those who live along, and those who have had to travel the narrow and dangerous US 220 through the Bald Eagle Valley, have another reason to give thanks this Thanksgiving. As of 3 PM today, the Bud Shuster Highway is finally open to both northbound and southbound traffic across Bald Eagle Mountain. In other words, Interstate 99 finally opens on Skytop!
PennDOT had previously opened both directions from Bald Eagle to Port Matilda in December 2007. However, from that point north, it was only open northbound. Continuing clean up of pyritic rock unearthed during construction was the reason. Southbound traffic was still using the old alignment. So it is now official: PennDOT has slain the acid rock dragon.
Routes of US 220 and US 322 as remediation of acid rock was winding down
Interstate 99 markers now line the new highway. However, it is only one of two Interstates to have its designation signed into law. Due to this issue, legislation will need to pass in order to update the definition of the route. As of this post, the bill still needs to pass. Therefore, it could be said it is currently illegal being designated as such. However, then again, some people would already say it is that due to being west of Interstate 81. Nonetheless, Interstate 99 finally opens across Skytop Mountain.
Today was the latest of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission’s “Community Day on the Expressway” events, and this is the third one which I have attended. However, this is the first one I went to for a section of roadway which I was also at its groundbreaking ceremony.
The festivities took place just outside of Uniontown on the newest section of the Mon-Fayette Expressway. It will open to traffic on October 23. These are nice events that the PTC holds prior to opening a new section of roadway, plus they give the public the chance to preview the new roadway.
Today’s “Community Day” took place at Exit 18. It was held in partnership with the Fayette Chamber of Commerce, Steps to a Healthier PA – Fayette County, the National Road Heritage Corridor, and construction manager TCMS-Maguire.
Steps to a Healthier PA – Fayette County sponsored a Family Fun Walk. Although it began at 9 AM, it lasted the rest of the day. The public was welcome to walk, jog, as well as bike on eight miles of the road. However, school buses provided a quicker tour if you did not want to use those options to view Turnpike 43. After that, the next part of the event was the “Modes of Transportation” parade at 10 AM.
Fifteen vendors selling food and crafts lined the road. A children’s area had balloon art from Airheads Balloon Art to keep the kids busy. The Rainbow Express trackless train was available for them to ride around on the roadway nearby. In addition, there were informational booths from the Turnpike Commission and the National Road Heritage Corridor.
Food vendors, informational booths, and a children’s area were provided
The Rainbow Express trackless train was one of several activities for children
The sections I drive could be classified as horror. However, comedy is the genre of John Putch’s independent movie Route 30. The Chambersburg native filmed the movie along, what else, US 30 last October. Stars include Dana Delany of Desperate Housewives and Curtis Armstrong, best known to audiences as Herbert Viola on the 1980s TV show Moonlighting. Fellow Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor board member Ed Gotwalt, owner of Mister Ed’s Elephant Museum, also has a part.
The movie consists of three difference stories told from three different points of view. First are the frustrations of Civil War tour guide Mandy, played by Nathalie Boltt, who obsesses over Jennie Wade. She is the only civilian killed at the Battle of Gettysburg. At the same time, her friend June, played by Christine Elise McCarthy, struggles to make extra money with an Internet porn scheme.
The second story focuses on a man, played by Kevin Rahm. He finds a Christian Scientist, played by Wil Love, to heal his back pain. He also attempts to explain the Big Foot who chased him down a mountainside.
The last story is of a writer, played by David DeLuise, who purchases a farmhouse in hopes that it will inspire him to write his novel. He ends up sidetracked by his Amish neighbor, played by Dana Delany, who smokes, drinks, swears, and watches his TV.
The premier of the movie Route 30 will be at the Majestic Theatre in Gettysburg on September 27, 2008, at 8 PM. A Q&A session with the cast and crew will follow. Tickets to the screening are $16 per person. A portion of the proceeds benefit the Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor and Totem Pole Playhouse non-profit organizations. You can purchase tickets at the Totem Pole Playhouse, Mister Ed’s Elephant Museum, Majestic Theatre, or at the movie’s website.
Saturday was the latest edition of the longest running road enthusiast meets. I’d like to thank all who traveled both near and far to attend the Winter 2007 SWPA Meet.
The meet began at 12 PM at Garfield’s in the Uniontown Mall on US 40 near the US 119 interchange. The food and conversation was excellent as always. I provided each attendee with a copy of the 2007 PennDOT map.
After the lunch portion, we headed down US 40 to see the new Brownsville Connector. We decided to make the Searights Toll House the first stop, and it’s best that we did. I noticed that one of the windows appeared to be open. Upon further examination, it wasn’t open. Rather, someone had taken one of the bricks from the steps and smashed the window. In addition, there were rips and pulls in several places in the screen on the screen door at the entrance. After calling 911, they informed me that the police would investigate and the proprietors would be notified.
Searights Toll House
The next stop was to see the new US 40 connector that just opened east of Brownsville. What struck the attendees of the 2006 gathering was the former partially constructed interchange just north of PA 166, where US 40 traffic would turn to continue, has been replaced with an at-grade intersection. Even though last year, we noticed grading for what appeared to be the other entrance/exit ramps had taken place, which is noted on the US 40 page. Also, PA 166’s northern terminus has not moved to intersect the new US 40 alignment. The route still ends at the former intersection, a block to the south. Grading at the future PA Turnpike 43 interchange, which is currently a temporary end until the loop around Brownsville opens, is complete.
On the way back to Uniontown, we took a small detour over a new connector road built between PA 51 and US 40. It will serve an interchange of PA Turnpike 43 and is five lanes wide (four travel lanes and a center turn lane). This roadway is located through the area where I attended the groundbreaking for the Uniontown/Brownsville section.
We took PA 43/PA Turnpike 43 south and stopped at the current end at Gans Road. Afterwards, we continued south into West Virginia to see how they are progressing on their section. From PA 857/WV Secondary 857, it is possible to see the bridge on the state line is complete. It includes a “Welcome to West Virginia” sign gantry. Turning off onto Morgan’s Run Road, we had an up-close look at another pair of spans taking shape and saw a completed section of WV 43 with signage already installed. Back at 857 we continued south to the Cheat Lake interchange. There we saw the construction taking place in preparation of the directional “T” interchange between Interstate 68 and WV 43.
After turning around, we headed back to Garfield’s. There we said our goodbyes, Merry Christmases, Happy New Years, and headed to our respective destinations after the Winter 2007 SWPA Meet.
One of the things that we’re not that good about in Pennsylvania is planning for the future. Tonight, myself and others in my area decided to do something about that. Smart Growth Partnership of Westmoreland County has been holding a public Charrette this week at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg.
The imagined US 30 corridor south of Latrobe
We were placed in groups and asked to evaluate different plans for the area of US 30 in Unity Township outside Latrobe. The first plan would create almost another town along 30 from PA 981 to PA 982. No one liked this one because the minimum building height would be six stories. Obviously this would destroy the views of the Laurel Ridge and trying to keep the area rural. The second plan would be to keep more of the area in a rural setting, but enhance the existing developments along the corridor. The third plan would be a “Greenway” solution, where most of the businesses would be removed and more of the area returned to a natural state.
While most seemed to prefer the latter, I was in favor of the second plan. The first plan and last plan would eliminate the shopping areas of Latrobe 30 Plaza, Mountain Laurel Plaza, Wildcat Commons, and Unity Plaza. Stores such as Giant Eagle and Wal*Mart would go away. I highly doubt Wal*Mart will have gone the way of Montgomery Ward by the year 2020. Although people probably said the same about Wards in 1980 so who knows.
Planning for the future traffic growth, I proposed the idea of completely bypassing current US 30 with an expressway. This would remove the through traffic from the highway and create a Business US 30 on the current alignment. Actually, not my idea, but the “Route 30 Relocation” proposal from the Pittsburgh Area Transportation Plan devised in the 1960s. The same thing happened between Sadsburyville and Exton. The current alignment of 30 is an expressway and the original alignment is a business route. Then a redesign could take place of any area along the corridor without having to contend with as much traffic. However, my idea did not garner any approval. Oh well, so much for trying to undo past mistakes.
Last month, I received a copy of the 2007 official road map from the Department of Transportation’s Map Sales office. I was fortunate to be able to receive it just before the state shut down due to not being able to pass a budget. Here are the changes since the 2006 edition:
Allegheny County/Washington County/Pittsburgh inset: PA Turnpike 576 completed and open to traffic between US 22 and PA 60
Berks County: US 222 completed and now indicated with the red “expressway stripe” between PA 272 and Shillington
Fayette County: PA Turnpike 43 shown as under construction north of US 40 from US 119 to Brier Hill
Tioga County: US 15 shown as under construction from PA 49 to the New York state line
Altoona inset: Osgood Drive completed on the eastern side of I-99/US 220 between Exit 32 and Exit 33
New Castle inset: PA 65 extended from Business US 422 to end at PA 108/PA 168
The map has the same dimensions as the previous year’s. However, this year’s cover is from America’s Most Livable City, Pittsburgh, with a man creating a mural in chalk on the West End overlook. You can view the 2007 official road map at Department of Transportation’s Graphical Information System page.
The first major snow and ice storm of the year has hit the Commonwealth. Highway travel across the state was hampered from its wrath. Due to the severity of the storm and its impact, the Turnpike Commission has suspended toll collection on its roadways. So you can get your kicks on route 76…276…476.
Snow cover across the state (NOAA)
Sections of Interstate 80 and Interstate 81 have had to close due to stranded vehicles. This has led to the inability for PennDOT plow trucks to clear the roadway. However, the worst back-up took place on Interstate 78 which stretched for about 50 miles from Interstate 81 in Lebanon County to PA 100 in Lehigh County. Numerous tractor-trailers began spinning out and jack-knifing trying to ascend a hill on the Interstate near Hamburg. What started out as snow had changed to ice, which led to the poor conditions. Around 9 PM on Valentine’s Day, the National Guard began using Humvees to deliver food, blankets, and baby supplies to those trapped in the gridlock.
PennDOT began to close down sections of those Interstates this morning to clear the vehicles as well as the snow and ice. The problem was that motorists were still able to enter the highways at various points. That just added to the existing problem.
With the amount of time it will take PennDOT crews to clean up the scenes and get the Interstates back in shape for traffic, they are asking cross-state traffic to use the Turnpike’s mainline and Northeast Extension as alternate routes.
Governor Rendell has declared a statewide Disaster Emergency. As part of that declaration, tolls are waived on the Turnpike. This is the first time since the first day of the collector strike in 2004. So if you are crossing the state, you can get your kicks on route 76…276…476.
From North to South and East to West, there was no hiding from the wrath of Mother Nature the past two days. Whatever your mode of transportation was, it was either slowed or outright stopped as the first major storm of 2007 made its trek towards the Atlantic. The worst of the storm hit the eastern side of the state. Interstate 78 was at a stand-still for most of Valentine’s Day. However, all parts of Pennsylvania felt the brunt of this storm. The following is a round-up of road-related stories from all points inside the Keystone State when a winter storm wreaks havoc.
Where I live east of Pittsburgh, or “ice-burgh” as it was referred to in the media, we received about seven inches. Certainly, it would have been more if the precipitation did not turn from snow to freezing rain through Wednesday morning. When I checked my e-mail this morning, there were almost 130 travel bulletins from the PTC and PennDOT! Public transportation was not a choice either, as the subway, also known as the “T,” was not running through the South Hills. The reason for the closure of the subway was due to ice on the overhead wires.
This winter storm is now winding down. Needless to say, this will not be the last time a winter storm wreaks havoc.
The yearly survey of truck drivers and readers of Overdrive magazine has been released. I can now say, as well as the index page can now say, that Pennsylvania’s highways are no longer the worst in the country. Yes, you read that correctly. Pennsylvania’s highways are no longer the worst in the country. We’re not Number 1!
Pennsylvania has relinquished that title to Louisiana, and before you say it, it has nothing to do with Hurricane Katrina. While the storm did damage roadways along the coast, especially the Interstate 10 bridges that cross Lake Pontchartrain, the rest of the state has no excuse and in fact has bounced around the top five worst for years now.
Considering everything that is working against PennDOT:
1. Most if not all traffic between New England and the rest of the country pass through the state 2. Having to maintain the same amount of state routes that is in all of New England 3. Freeze-thaw cycle 4. Federal highway money being siphoned off to prop up mass transit
It is not as if PennDOT is in the throes of their fiscal crisis of the 1970s and 1980s. They have been building new expressways such as US 222 in Reading and rebuilding highways such as the Fort Washington Expressway.
When it comes to snow removal and surface treatment, they are on their game. Just recently, there was a small snow event that came through western Pennsylvania. The state routes were clear and traffic was moving fine, but once onto the city streets of Latrobe, it was like a skating rink.
Again this year, the article mentioned myself along with the website. The one thing I did not like about the article labeling Pennsylvania Highways a “watchdog site.” The only way that it is that, is because I watch what they do, and I can change the information here accordingly. However, the term makes it sound as if I am staking out construction projects or maintenance yards watching for malfeasance.
Anyway, next time you’re driving through a construction zone, just keep saying to yourself, “We’re not Number 1!”
Today was the Turnpike Commission’s Community Day on the Findlay Connector. The official name is the Southern Beltway and the designation is PA Turnpike 576. It was not my first visit, but my second visit to the completed roadway. However, unlike during the National meet back in August, the State Police did not chase me off the expressway this time.
This Community Day event reminded me of the first one I attended in 1993. That was the first one the Turnpike Commission did prior to PA Turnpike 66 opening.
There were things there for everyone to enjoy during what the PTC called a “once-in-a-lifetime” event. For me, it was a twice-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I cite the aforementioned trip down the unopened expressway that came to an abrupt end.
This time around, everyone was allowed onto the expressway and not just attendees to a road enthusiast meet. Booths of all kind lined what are the northbound lanes at the US 30 interchange, or Exit 2. Food booths provided quick meals for those who attended. The West Allegheny and Moon Area high school bands and West Hills Symphony Orchestra performed for the crowd. The PTC had a booth with information on the entire Southern Beltway project, Turnpike maps, and E-ZPass applications. Port Authority buses made continual loops of the six-mile-long section so people to see the expressway. At the same time, others hiked, jogged, and biked the alignment.
Community Day on the Expressway festivities at Exit 2
I finished my Community Day on the Findlay Connector, taking a ride down the expressway. I have always enjoyed these open houses that the PTC hold, and not just for the free stuff. Hopefully they continue to be a part of the PTC’s public relations “tool box.”
