97-721: The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission ( PTC ) is an agency created in 1937 to construct, finance, operate, and maintain the Pennsylvania Turnpike (both the mainline and the Northeast Extension ). The commission consists of five members. Four members are appointed by the Governor of Pennsylvania , while the fifth member is the Pennsylvania Secretary of Transportation. In addition to the Pennsylvania Turnpike,
194-517: A welcome center , and the New Stanton and Sideling Hill plazas feature seasonal farmers' markets . A few plazas offer E85 while New Stanton offers compressed natural gas ; all of them offer conventional gasoline and diesel fuel . Select service plazas have electric vehicle charging stations . The Sunoco and 7-Eleven locations as well as the Subway at North Midway are operated by 7-Eleven itself while
291-551: A 2013 grand jury investigation, the commissioners directed CEO Mark Compton to create an advisory committee to evaluate the commission's procurement policies. Pennsylvania Turnpike The Pennsylvania Turnpike , sometimes shortened to Penna Turnpike or PA Turnpike , is a controlled-access toll road that is operated by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in
388-401: A DMV office in other states, are handled by a network of private businesses called "messenger services", which contract with the department. They operate by charging service fees on top of the fees that PennDOT charges. Some messenger services also have a limited ability to perform driver's license services, such as changing a driver's license address or renewing a driver's license, but not taking
485-646: A bridge over SEPTA 's Norristown High Speed Line and runs parallel to Norfolk Southern's Dale Secondary rail line, which is located south of the road. The turnpike crosses Norfolk Southern's Harrisburg Line , the Schuylkill River , and SEPTA's Manayunk/Norristown Line on the Schuylkill River Bridge near Norristown . A short distance later, the road passes over the Schuylkill River Trail and Norfolk Southern's Morrisville Connecting Track on
582-524: A deck truss bridge of the same name from 1951. The toll road crosses the Susquehanna River between York and Dauphin counties on the 5,910-foot-long (1,800 m) Susquehanna River Bridge , which also replaced a deck truss bridge from the early 1950s. In Montgomery County, the turnpike crosses the Schuylkill River on the 1,224-foot-long (373 m) Schuylkill River Bridge , which was twinned in
679-629: A great deal. PennDOT is organized into five deputates which oversee various transportation functions. The Highway Administration deputate oversees 39,737 miles (63,951 km) of roadway and 25,400 bridges in Pennsylvania which comprise the Pennsylvania State Route System . The deputate is made up of over 9,300 employees in design, construction, maintenance, materials testing, environmental review, safety, and traffic engineering. There are eleven engineering districts located throughout
776-674: A mix of rural land and suburban residential development north of Pittsburgh into Allegheny County . The road then approaches the Warrendale toll gantry, where the closed toll system begins, and continues southeast, passing over the P&;W Subdivision rail line, which is owned by CSX and operated by the Buffalo and Pittsburgh Railroad . East of this point, the turnpike has an interchange with PA 8 in Hampton Township . The turnpike then comes to
873-604: A part of the system of State Highways and shall be maintained by the Department of Highways free of tolls; and thereupon, the Commission shall be dissolved." In 1957 two commissioners and several contractors were convicted on fraud and conspiracy charges for defrauding the commission of $ 19 million. In 1963, a turnpike commissioner who replaced a commissioner from the previous scandal was charged with bribery, extortion and conspiracy. In 1978, former turnpike commissioner Egidio Cerelli
970-568: A photo of the vehicle's license plate and mail a bill to the vehicle owner) or E-ZPass . Between the Warrendale and Neshaminy Falls toll plazas on the mainline, as well as on the Northeast Extension from Mid-County to Wyoming Valley, tolls are based on distance traveled. An eastbound mainline toll gantry is located at Gateway near the Ohio state line and a westbound mainline toll gantry is located at
1067-552: A program to quadruple state funding for bridge repairs. Across the United States, 61,000 bridges are deemed "structurally deficient", which means they need repairs, contain a piece rated as "poor," and might also have a weight limit. The term structurally deficient does not mean a bridge is unsafe for travel. In Pennsylvania, eight of the top ten most traveled structurally deficient bridges are in Philadelphia. Pennsylvania has
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#17328451331201164-409: A range of approximately two miles (3.2 km). The 511PA travel information service provides alerts, an interactive map, weather information, and traffic cameras to motorists. There are variable-message signs located along the roadway that provide information to motorists such as accidents, construction, weather, and traffic congestion. The Pennsylvania Turnpike has 15 service plazas on
1261-417: A replacement for a lost drivers license. In addition to this, the department also operates "Photo License Centers" which solely take photographs for drivers licenses. There are 75 Drivers and Photo License Centers and 26 Photo License Centers operated by PennDOT. Transactions relating to motor vehicles, such as vehicle title transfers or replacing a lost registration plate , which would typically be handled by
1358-407: Is also in charge of Pennsylvania Welcome Centers located along major highways entering the state. According to a 2011 study by Transportation for America , 26.5% of Pennsylvania's bridges were structurally deficient and the state led the United States with six metropolitan areas with a high percentage of deficient bridges. These figures would have been higher, but the state had recently undertaken
1455-579: Is also in charge of the cash flow from the federal and state governments to fund improvement projects along with working on long-range research and map making. The Multimodal Transportation deputate oversees aviation , rail freight transport , public transportation , ports , and pedestrian and bicycle transportation. The deputate oversees airports in Pennsylvania , which includes 127 public airports, 243 private airports, and 280 private heliports. Multimodal Transportation also looks over 65 railroads which operate over 5,600 miles (9,000 km) of track in
1552-492: Is available to all turnpike users via the GEICO Safety Patrol program. The free program checks for disabled motorists, debris, and accidents along the road and provides assistance 24 hours daily year-round. Each patrol vehicle covers a 20-to-25-mile (32 to 40 km) stretch of the turnpike. Towing service is available from authorized service stations near the highway, and Pennsylvania State Police Troop T patrols
1649-2003: Is divided into engineering districts to localize engineering and maintenance. The following is a table of the districts and their associated headquarters. The statewide headquarters for PennDOT is located in the Commonwealth Keystone Building in Harrisburg . Erie County Forest County Mercer County Venango County Warren County Centre County Clearfield County Clinton County Elk County Juniata County McKean County Mifflin County Potter County Lycoming County Montour County Northumberland County Snyder County Sullivan County Tioga County Union County Lehigh County Monroe County Northampton County Schuylkill County Delaware County Montgomery County City and County of Philadelphia Dauphin County Franklin County Lancaster County Lebanon County Perry County York County Blair County Cambria County Fulton County Huntingdon County Somerset County Butler County Clarion County Indiana County Jefferson County Beaver County Lawrence County Greene County Washington County Westmoreland County PennDOT has received criticism over
1746-470: Is located a short distance to the south of the road. One mile (1.6 km) later, the turnpike has a westbound exit and entrance for Virginia Drive. In Willow Grove , the highway reaches the PA ;611 exit before passing over SEPTA's Warminster Line . The turnpike continues through more suburban areas, crossing into Bucks County and coming to a bridge over Norfolk Southern's Morrisville Line. Farther east,
1843-534: Is notably home to some of the only traffic lights on an Interstate Highway. After Breezewood, I-76 continues along the turnpike, heading northeast across Rays Hill into Fulton County . The turnpike continues east across Sideling Hill , before reaching an interchange with US 522 in Fort Littleton . After this interchange, the highway parallels US 522 before curving east into Huntingdon County . The turnpike goes under Tuscarora Mountain through
1940-471: Is supported by motor vehicle fuel taxes, which are dedicated solely to transportation-related state expenditures. In recent years, PennDOT has focused on intermodal transportation , which is an attempt to enhance commerce and public transportation. PennDOT employs approximately 11,000 people. PennDOT has extensive traffic cameras set up throughout the state's major cities, including Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown , Erie, Wilkes-Barre , Scranton , and
2037-589: Is the CEO. The PTC was established by law on May 21, 1937, when Pennsylvania Governor George Earle signed Act 211 into law. The first commissioners were named on June 4 of the same year. PA Act 229 of 1953 states that the PTC shall be dissolved once its debts have been paid: "When all bonds, notes or other obligations and the interest thereon have been paid [...] the Turnpike and the connecting road, tunnels, and bridges shall become
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#17328451331202134-476: The Allegheny Mountain Tunnel . Exiting the tunnel, the turnpike winds down the mountain at a three-percent grade, which is the steepest grade on the turnpike, and heads into Bedford County , passing through a valley. At Bedford , an exit for US 220 Business (US 220 Bus.) provides access to US 220 and the southern terminus of I-99 ; this exit also serves Altoona to
2231-537: The Appalachian Mountains in the central part of the state, passing through four tunnels . The PTC , created in 1937 to construct, finance, operate, and maintain the road, controls the highway. In 2015, the roadway had an annual average daily traffic count ranging from a high of 120,000 vehicles between the Norristown interchange and I-476 to a low of 12,000 vehicles between the Ohio state line and
2328-971: The Delaware River–Turnpike Toll Bridge . At this point, the Pennsylvania Turnpike ends, and I-95 continues east (north) as the Pearl Harbor Memorial Extension of the New Jersey Turnpike , which connects to the mainline of the New Jersey Turnpike. The Pennsylvania Turnpike incorporates several major bridges and tunnels along its route. Four tunnels cross central Pennsylvania's Appalachian Mountains. The 6,070-foot (1,850 m) Allegheny Mountain Tunnel passes under Allegheny Mountain in Somerset County. The Tuscarora Mountain Tunnel runs beneath Tuscarora Mountain at
2425-525: The FBI indicated he was under investigation for taking a $ 30,000 a year no-show job for five years from then State Senator Vince Fumo . Rubin later pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice . In 2010, the commission fired 12 turnpike employees for theft of turnpike time, materials or equipment. Several of the managers dismissed had ties to Vince Fumo or Bob Brady , who was a turnpike commissioner from 1991 to 1998. George Hatalowich, then chief operating officer of
2522-441: The New Jersey Turnpike . The road uses an all-electronic tolling system; tolls may be paid using E-ZPass or toll by plate , which uses automatic license plate recognition . Historically, cash tolls were collected using a combination of the ticket system and a barrier toll system , but cash tolls were phased out between 2016 and 2020. The turnpike also offers 15 service plazas , providing food and fuel to travelers. During
2619-589: The Susquehanna River , Amtrak 's Keystone Corridor rail line, and Norfolk Southern's Royalton Branch rail line on the Susquehanna River Bridge . Now in Dauphin County , the road heads south of Harrisburg as a bypass. In Lower Swatara Township the turnpike reaches an interchange with the southern end of I-283 , serving Harrisburg and its eastern suburbs and providing access to PA 283 ;
2716-718: The Tuscarora Mountain Tunnel , entering Franklin County . It then curves northeast into a valley to the exit for PA 75 in Willow Hill . Again heading east, the road passes under Kittatinny Mountain through the Kittatinny Mountain Tunnel . Shortly after exiting the tunnel, the highway enters the Blue Mountain Tunnel under Blue Mountain . Leaving that tunnel, the turnpike heads northeast along
2813-624: The Valley Forge interchange in King of Prussia , where I-76 splits from the turnpike and heads southeast as the Schuylkill Expressway toward Philadelphia; this interchange also provides access to US 202 and US 422 . Starting at the Valley Forge interchange, the turnpike is designated as I-276 and becomes a six-lane road serving as a suburban commuter highway. The road comes to
2910-426: The 1930s, the Pennsylvania Turnpike was designed to improve automobile transportation across the mountains of Pennsylvania, using seven tunnels built for the abandoned South Pennsylvania Railroad in the 1880s. The road opened in 1940 between Irwin and Carlisle . It was one of the earlier long-distance limited-access highways in the United States and served as a precedent for additional limited-access toll roads and
3007-657: The 1960s after traffic levels rendered their nonstandard design obsolete. Five bridges carry the turnpike over major rivers in the state. The 1,545-foot-long (471 m) Beaver River Bridge crosses the Beaver River in Beaver County, which is in the process of being replaced. The highway crosses the Allegheny River in Allegheny County on the 2,350-foot-long (720 m) Allegheny River Turnpike Bridge , which replaced
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3104-644: The 2000s. At the New Jersey state line in Bucks County, the highway is connected to the Pearl Harbor Memorial Extension of the New Jersey Turnpike by the 6,571-foot-long (2,003 m) Delaware River–Turnpike Toll Bridge over the Delaware River. The Pennsylvania Turnpike uses all-electronic tolling , with tolls payable by toll by plate (which uses automatic license plate recognition to take
3201-562: The Allegheny River, the turnpike returns to four lanes, passing through the Oakmont Country Club before coming to a bridge over Canadian National's Bessemer Subdivision. From here, the railroad tracks run along the west side of the road before splitting further to the west. The highway heads southeast to Monroeville , an eastern suburb of Pittsburgh; an interchange with the eastern terminus of I-376 and US 22 (Penn–Lincoln Parkway) provides access to Pittsburgh. East of Monroeville,
3298-704: The Allegheny Valley exit in Harmar Township , which provides access to PA 28 via Freeport Road. East of this interchange, the road heads south, with Canadian National 's Bessemer Subdivision rail line parallel to the east of the road. The highway crosses Norfolk Southern's Conemaugh Line , the Allegheny River , and the Allegheny Valley Railroad 's Allegheny Subdivision line on the six-lane Allegheny River Turnpike Bridge . After crossing
3395-487: The Commonwealth. Greatest growth in the state highway system occurred in 1931 when 20,156 miles (32,438 km) of rural roads were taken over by the Commonwealth. At that time, the Department of Highways, at the direction of Governor Gifford Pinchot , embarked upon an extensive program of paving rural roadways, well known as the "get the farmer out of the mud" program. The Federal Government in 1916 instituted grants to
3492-559: The Delaware River Bridge near the New Jersey state line, both charging a flat toll. There is no toll between Gateway and Warrendale and between Neshaminy Falls and the Delaware River Bridge. As of 2024 , it costs a passenger vehicle $ 95.50 to travel the length of the mainline turnpike between Warrendale and Neshaminy Falls using toll by plate, and $ 47.30 using E-ZPass; the eastbound Gateway toll gantry costs $ 15.20 with toll by plate and $ 7.50 with E-ZPass for passenger vehicles while
3589-475: The Interstate Highway System. The Pennsylvania Turnpike was extended east to Valley Forge in 1950 and west to the Ohio state line in 1951. In 1954, the road was extended further east to the Delaware River, and construction began on the Northeast Extension of the turnpike. The mainline turnpike was finished in 1956 with the completion of the Delaware River Bridge. During the 1960s, an additional tube
3686-729: The New Jersey state line. The turnpike's western terminus is located at the Ohio state line in Lawrence County , where the road continues west as the Ohio Turnpike . The eastern terminus is situated at the New Jersey state line at the Delaware River–Turnpike Toll Bridge , which crosses the Delaware River in Bucks County . The road then continues east as the Pearl Harbor Memorial Extension of
3783-587: The Owner–Operator Independent Drivers Association filed a lawsuit against the commission, claiming that tolls inhibited interstate commerce and travel. This lawsuit caused the commission to delay all payments toward public transit between July 2018 to July 2019. In March 2019, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission approved a $ 2 million study regarding a proposed hyperloop system in Pennsylvania. The commission hired
3880-512: The PTC headquarters are located adjacent to this interchange. Here, the road narrows back to four lanes and runs through suburban development north of Middletown . The roadway passes over the Middletown and Hummelstown Railroad and the Swatara Creek before it continues into rural areas. The turnpike crosses a corner of Lebanon County before entering Lancaster County . In Lancaster County,
3977-616: The Schuylkill River Bridge before the parallel Dale Secondary rail line heads further south from the road. In Plymouth Meeting , an interchange with Germantown Pike provides access to Norristown before the roadway reaches the Mid-County Interchange. This interchange connects to I-476 , which heads south as the Mid-County Expressway, locally known as the "Blue Route", and north as the Northeast Extension of
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4074-732: The United States. It runs for 360 miles (580 km) across the state, connecting Pittsburgh in Western Pennsylvania with Philadelphia in eastern Pennsylvania, and passes through four tunnels as it crosses the Appalachian Mountains in central Pennsylvania. Part of the Interstate Highway System , it is designated as part of Interstate 76 (I-76) between the Ohio state line and Valley Forge , I-70 runs concurrent with I-76 between New Stanton and Breezewood , Interstate 276 ( I-276 ) between Valley Forge and Bristol Township , and I-95 from Bristol Township to
4171-400: The analysis looked at all of the turnpike's toll roads together, noting "Nobody would ever go south towards Pittsburgh, east towards Philadelphia, then north towards Scranton. That's a 400-plus mile trip," and that Pennsylvania Turnpike tolls are comparable to other toll roads when examined on a per mile basis. Motorists needing assistance may dial *11 on mobile phones. First-responder service
4268-431: The annual rise in tolls, traffic has been shifting from the turnpike to local roads. Until March 2020, the Pennsylvania Turnpike used the ticket system of tolling between the Warrendale and Neshaminy Falls toll plazas, as well as on the Northeast Extension from Mid-County to Wyoming Valley. When entering the turnpike, motorists received a ticket listing the toll for each exit; the ticket was surrendered when exiting, and
4365-592: The applicable toll was paid. If the ticket was lost, motorists were charged the maximum toll for that exit. Cash, credit cards, and E-ZPass were accepted at traditional toll plazas. In 2010, McCormick Taylor and Wilbur Smith Associates were hired to conduct a feasibility study on converting the road to all-electronic tolls. On March 6, 2012, the turnpike commission announced that it was implementing this plan. The turnpike commission projected that it would save $ 65 million annually on labor costs by eliminating toll collectors. On January 3, 2016, all-electronic tolling
4462-619: The associated photo. An exception to this method of operation is at the PennDOT headquarters in Harrisburg , which has a large room for all motor vehicle transactions and drivers' license transactions, with a separate room for photographing and issuing licenses to motorists. The Planning deputate develops the Twelve Year Transportation Program in collaboration with the federal government and local planning organizations, which guides improvements to transportation in Pennsylvania. It
4559-596: The base of Blue Mountain to an exit for PA 997 . East of this interchange, the road enters Cumberland County , heading east through the Cumberland Valley on a stretch known as "the straightaway". Further east, the turnpike reaches Carlisle and an interchange with US 11 providing access to I-81 . Approaching Harrisburg, the Pennsylvania Turnpike heads east through a mixture of rural land and suburban development, passing over Norfolk Southern's Shippensburg Secondary rail line. In Upper Allen Township ,
4656-539: The border of Huntingdon and Franklin counties, and is 5,236 feet (1,596 m) long. The Kittatinny Mountain and Blue Mountain tunnels are adjacent to each other in Franklin County and are 4,727 feet (1,441 m) and 4,339 feet (1,323 m) long, respectively. Formerly, the turnpike also traveled through the Laurel Hill Tunnel , Sideling Hill Tunnel , and Rays Hill Tunnel , though these were replaced in
4753-481: The closed toll system at the Neshaminy Falls toll gantry. After passing through more suburbs, the road reaches a partial interchange with I-95 , where it crosses under I-295 with no access; this interchange has access from the westbound turnpike to southbound I-95 and from northbound I-95 to the eastbound turnpike. At this point, I-276 ends and the Pennsylvania Turnpike becomes part of I-95. Here, signage indicates
4850-467: The commission also operates the James E. Ross Highway , Amos K. Hutchinson Bypass , Mon/Fayette Expressway , and Pittsburgh 's Southern Beltway , the latter two of which are currently under construction. The PTC is the only transportation agency in Pennsylvania that is not part of PennDOT , though it does coordinate with PennDOT on road design procedures and guidelines. As of February 2021, Mark Compton
4947-521: The commission an extension to this payment, saying "Transit received a big number under the CARES Act. There’s not going to be any gap in their transit funding." A coalition of more than 80 unions and public transit rider organizations called on the commissioners to pay their transit funding obligation and for state legislators to find a stable means of transit funding. In November 2020 the commission voted to issue $ 550 million in bonds to pay this obligation for
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#17328451331205044-468: The commission was charged with two counts of driving under the influence . Timothy J. Carson, then vice chairman of the commission resigned after two drunk driving crashes while driving turnpike vehicles in 2003 and 2006. On April 28, 2010, Governor Ed Rendell proposed that the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission be merged into the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation . A special session of
5141-556: The easternmost three miles (4.8 km) of the road from I-276 to I-95. Though still considered part of the turnpike mainline, it is no longer signed with turnpike markers and uses I-95's mileposts and exit numbers. The turnpike runs east to west across Pennsylvania, from the Ohio state line in Lawrence County east to the New Jersey state line in Bucks County . It passes through the Pittsburgh , Harrisburg , and Philadelphia areas, along with farmland and woodland. The highway crosses
5238-458: The exception of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission . Other modes of transportation supervised or supported by PennDOT include aviation , rail traffic , mass transit , intrastate highway shipping traffic, motor vehicle safety and licensing, and driver licensing . PennDOT supports the Ports of Philadelphia , Pittsburgh , and Erie . The department's current budget is approximately $ 3.8 billion in federal and state funds. The state budget
5335-585: The following highways: The turnpike is governed by five commissioners; one is the current Pennsylvania Secretary of Transportation, four are appointed by the Governor of Pennsylvania . As of September 16, 2023, Pennsylvania Turnpike Commissioners are: The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported in 2021 that, over five years, the average length of public meetings of the commissioners was 12 minutes. Over 700 votes to spend millions of dollars had been cast with only one dissenting vote. Commission chair Yassmin Gramian says that she contacts other commissioners before
5432-491: The highest number of structurally deficient bridges in the U.S. Overall, the state has 25,000 bridges excluding privately owned bridges, which is the third-largest number of bridges in the U.S. Pennsylvania has launched a program called the Rapid Bridge Replacement project to increase the number of bridges it fixes. The project is a public-private partnership between PennDOT and the private firm Plenary Walsh Keystone Partners. The project fixed almost 700 bridges in 2014. PennDOT
5529-464: The highway comes to the US 15 interchange accessing Gettysburg to the south and Harrisburg to the north. The road continues east and passes over Norfolk Southern's Lurgan Branch rail line before it heads into York County , where it reaches the interchange with I-83 serving Harrisburg, its western suburbs, and York to the south. East of I-83, the turnpike widens to six lanes and crosses over Norfolk Southern's Port Road Branch rail line,
5626-402: The highway continues west as the Ohio Turnpike . From the state line, the turnpike heads southeast as a four-lane freeway designated as I-76 through rural areas south of New Castle . A short distance from the Ohio state line, the eastbound lanes come to the all-electronic Gateway toll gantry. The highway then crosses into Beaver County , where it reaches its first interchange with I-376 (here,
5723-440: The highway passes through Pennsylvania Dutch Country and comes to an interchange with PA 72 accessing Lebanon to the north and Lancaster to the south. Further east, the turnpike passes over an East Penn Railroad line in Denver before it reaches an interchange with US 222 and PA 272 which serves the cities of Reading and Lancaster. The route continues into Berks County and comes to an interchange with
5820-505: The interchange with I-79 and U.S. Route 19 (US 19). As part of the Interstate Highway System , the turnpike is part of the National Highway System , a network of roads important to the country's economy, defense, and mobility. The Pennsylvania Turnpike is designated as a Blue Star Memorial Highway honoring those who have served in the United States Armed Forces ; the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania has placed Blue Star Memorial Highway markers at service plazas along
5917-410: The later part of 2021. In March 2020, the turnpike made the switch early as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic . The all-electronic tolling system on the turnpike will initially use toll booths at exits until mainline toll gantries between interchanges are constructed. Mainline toll gantries are planned to be in operation by 2025 east of the Reading interchange and by the later part of 2026 along
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#17328451331206014-698: The legislature on May 6, 1970. The intent of the legislation was to consolidate transportation-related functions formerly performed in the Departments of Commerce, Revenue, Community Affairs, Forests and Waters, Military Affairs and other state agencies. PennDOT is responsible for constructing and maintaining a system of roads at the sole expense of the state. It controls more than 41,000 miles (66,000 km) of roadway. Townships control approximately 51,376 miles (82,682 km) of roads and streets; boroughs, 9,460 miles (15,220 km) and cities 6,779 miles (10,910 km). In all, there are more than 118,226 miles (190,266 km) of public roads, streets and toll roads in
6111-411: The main highway throughout the state, as well as two on the Northeast Extension. Each plaza has multiple fast-food restaurants , a Sunoco gas station, and a 7-Eleven convenience store. Other amenities include ATMs, E-ZPass sales, free cellphone charging, Pennsylvania Lottery sales, picnic areas, restrooms, tourist information, Travel Board information centers, and Wi-Fi. The King of Prussia plaza has
6208-497: The meeting to handle any discussion or potential dissent privately. On February 1, 2013, Mark P. Compton, previously the deputy secretary of administration at PennDOT, became the commission's chief executive officer (CEO), succeeding Roger Nutt. Craig R. Shuey, previously the government affairs director at the commission, has been chief operating officer of the commission since January 2011. He briefly served as turnpike CEO after Roger Nutt resigned in October 2012. In response to
6305-490: The multinational engineering firm AECOM to perform the study, which will examine the impact such a system will have on the turnpike's operation, as well as regulatory and environmental concerns. In April 2020, the commission stated they might not be able to meet their obligation to help fund the state's public transit agencies and would consider delaying capital projects, except for the $ 129 million cashless tolling project. In May, acting PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramain granted
6402-483: The next eight years. In 2025, tolls will increase 5 percent, but tolls will change to be based on distance traveled as opposed to a flat rate. As a result, some drivers will see decreases in their tolls. Tolls are expected to increase annually until at least 2050. An analysis by Australian insurance company Budget Direct found the Pennsylvania Turnpike to be the world's most expensive toll. Turnpike spokesman Carl DeFebo disputed Budget Direct's claim, saying that
6499-439: The north. East of Bedford the turnpike passes through The Narrows , a gap in Evitts Mountain . The turnpike, US 30, and the Raystown Branch Juniata River all pass through the 650-foot-wide (200 m) narrows. The road winds through a valley south of the river, before traversing Clear Ridge Cut near Everett . Further east, at Breezewood , I-70 leaves the turnpike at an interchange with US 30; this interchange
6596-438: The original. Pennsylvania Department of Transportation The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation ( PennDOT ) oversees transportation issues in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania . The administrator of PennDOT is the Pennsylvania Secretary of Transportation, Michael B. Carroll . PennDOT supports nearly 40,000 miles (64,000 km) of state roads and highways, about 25,000 bridges, and new roadway construction with
6693-558: The part called Beaver Valley Expressway) in Big Beaver . After this interchange, the turnpike passes under Norfolk Southern 's Koppel Secondary rail line before it reaches the exit for PA 18 near Homewood . Past PA 18, the highway crosses CSX 's Pittsburgh Subdivision rail line, the Beaver River , and Norfolk Southern's Youngstown Line on the Beaver River Bridge . The road then enters Butler County , where it comes to Cranberry Township . Here, an interchange serves I-79 and US 19 . The turnpike continues through
6790-418: The project by joining with the Delaware Valley Regional Center (DVRC) through the U.S. government 's EB-5 program, saving the Commission $ 35 million over conventional banking channels. Pennsylvania Act 44 of 2007 required the commission to make quarterly payments to PennDOT, amounting to $ 450 million annually, to help fund public transportation in Pennsylvania, with the support of then CEO Joe Brimmeier. Act 44
6887-405: The remaining restaurants and general upkeep of the service plazas are operated by Applegreen . As early as 1946, many of the service plazas were expanded in order to accommodate booming popularity. With the opening of the extensions from 1950 to 1956, new service plazas were also constructed along them. In comparison to the original ones, they were larger, and were more spaced out than those on
6984-405: The roadway passes over SEPTA's West Trenton Line . In Bensalem Township , the highway comes to a bridge over CSX's Trenton Subdivision rail line before reaching an interchange with US 1 , which provides access to Philadelphia. The highway narrows back to four lanes before an eastbound exit and entrance with PA 132 . A short distance later, the turnpike arrives at the eastern end of
7081-499: The southern terminus of I-176 (a freeway to Reading) and PA 10 in Morgantown that also provides access to PA 23 . The turnpike then enters Chester County , running southeast to an exit for PA 100 north of Downingtown , where it heads into the western suburbs of Philadelphia. Continuing east, it reaches an interchange with PA 29 near Malvern . The highway crosses into Montgomery County and comes to
7178-548: The southern terminus of PA 66 (Amos K. Hutchinson Bypass). The road narrows back to four lanes at this interchange, and I-70 forms a concurrency with I-76 on the turnpike. After New Stanton, the road passes over the Southwest Pennsylvania Railroad 's Radebaugh Subdivision line and winds southeast to the exit for PA 31 in Donegal , which also provides access to PA 711 . Continuing east past Donegal,
7275-418: The state and $ 250 million went to funding mass transit. As part of Act 89 signed in 2013, the annual payments to PennDOT will end after 2022, 35 years earlier than the original proposal under Act 44. But it is not known if the annual toll increases will continue after 2022. Act 89 has also redirected the entire $ 450 million annual payments to PennDOT toward funding mass transit. With
7372-401: The state capital of Harrisburg , In Wilkes-Barre, cameras are fed through to a television channel for Service Electric cable customers in the city and its suburbs. Unlike speed cameras , these cameras are primarily installed for ITS purposes, and not for law enforcement. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation was created from the former Department of Highways by Act 120, approved by
7469-630: The state legislature voted on this issue on May 4. On August 26, 2010, PennDOT told the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission that they needed to pay them $ 118 million for public transit funding provided by Act 44 or PennDOT would have veto power over the Turnpike Commission's decisions. In 2013, a grand jury found evidence of a " pay to play " culture at the commission. Eight people were charged, including Senate Democratic leader Robert J. Mellow , former Turnpike Commission Chairman Mitchell Rubin , and former turnpike CEO Joseph Brimmeier . In March 2018,
7566-537: The state. PennDOT is responsible for motor vehicle titles and registration, along with issuing driver licenses through the Driver & Vehicle Services deputate. Somewhat uniquely, PennDOT does not operate typical DMV offices, such as those that exist in other states. Rather, they operate "Driver and Photo License Centers", for full service regarding drivers licenses. This includes activities like taking driver's tests, getting driver's license photographs taken, or requesting
7663-410: The state. The administration deputate is charged with managing various bureaus that overee fiscal management, computer systems, mobile applications, telecommunications, contract compliance, training, employee safety, human resources, office services, facilities management, quality improvements, partnerships with other government agencies and communities, and employees engagement activities. The deputate
7760-988: The state. PennDOT oversees bicycle routes across the state, including the state-designated BicyclePA bicycle routes and the portions of the federally-designated United States Bicycle Route System located within Pennsylvania. PennDOT provides the primary funding for two Amtrak trains in Pennsylvania that operate along the Keystone Corridor . The Keystone Service runs between Harrisburg and New York City via Philadelphia and offers multiple daily departures. The Pennsylvanian runs between Pittsburgh and New York City via Philadelphia and operates once daily in each direction. The Mulitmodal Transportation deputate supports public transit authorities in Pennsylvania , which consists of 34 agencies providing fixed-route and demand responsive transport to urban and rural areas and 18 agencies providing demand responsive transport only. The deputate also supports intercity bus service in
7857-495: The states for highway construction. These grants continue today and now comprise the key element in determining the size of the state's roadbuilding programs. State payments to local communities for road maintenance also have continued to expand so that they average approximately $ 170 million annually. The agency went into well-noted organizational decline. An effort to bring quality management principles to PennDOT over an extended period—four changes of state governor—accomplished
7954-621: The turnpike commission initially planned to omit the toll amount from new tickets, and Pennsylvania Auditor Jack Wagner wondered if the commission was trying to hide the increase. The commission later decided to include the tolls on new tickets. Cash tolls increased 10 percent on January 1, 2012, while E-ZPass tolls were unchanged from the previous year. With this increase, the cash toll rate increased to $ 0.093 per mile ($ 0.058/km) (equivalent to $ 0.12/mi ($ 0.075/km) in 2023 ). Tolls for both cash and E-ZPass customers increased in January of each of
8051-522: The turnpike continues through eastern Allegheny County before crossing into Westmoreland County . Here, it heads south and passes over Norfolk Southern's Pittsburgh Line before it comes to the exit for US 30 near Irwin . After the Irwin interchange, the Pennsylvania Turnpike widens to six lanes and heads into rural areas west of Greensburg . Curving southeast, it reaches New Stanton , where an interchange provides access to I-70 , US 119 , and
8148-462: The turnpike crosses Laurel Hill into Somerset County . In this county, the road continues southeast to Somerset and an interchange with PA 601 accessing US 219 and Johnstown before it crosses over CSX's S&C Subdivision rail line. East of Somerset, the highway passes north of the Somerset Wind Farm before it reaches Allegheny Mountain , going under the mountain in
8245-456: The turnpike reaches its final interchange, providing access to US 13 near Bristol . Following this, the road passes over an East Penn Railroad line before it comes to the westbound all-electronic Delaware River Bridge toll gantry. After this, the highway crosses the Delaware Canal and Amtrak's Northeast Corridor rail line before heading across the Delaware River into New Jersey on
8342-570: The turnpike, connecting the mainline turnpike to the Lehigh Valley and the Pocono Mountains regions of Pennsylvania. After the Mid-County Interchange, the mainline turnpike heads east through the northern suburbs of Philadelphia. In Fort Washington , the highway passes over SEPTA's Lansdale/Doylestown Line before it has an interchange with PA 309 . At this point, the road becomes parallel to Norfolk Southern's Morrisville Line , which
8439-730: The turnpike. In addition to the east–west mainline, the PTC also operates the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-476), the Beaver Valley Expressway ( I-376 ), the Mon–Fayette Expressway (Pennsylvania Route 43 or PA 43), the Amos K. Hutchinson Bypass ( PA 66 ), and the Southern Beltway ( PA 576 ). The Pennsylvania Turnpike begins at the Ohio state line in Lawrence County, beyond which
8536-727: The turnpike. The troop's headquarters is in Highspire ; its turnpike substations are grouped into two sections: the western section has substations in Gibsonia , New Stanton, Somerset, and Everett while the eastern section has substations in Newville , Bowmansville , and King of Prussia (the eastern section also has a substation at Pocono on the Northeast Extension). The PTC broadcasts road, traffic, and weather conditions over highway advisory radio transmitters at each exit on 1640 kHz AM, with
8633-463: The westbound Delaware River Bridge toll gantry costs $ 9.70 using toll by plate and $ 7.30 using E-ZPass. Since 2009, the turnpike has raised tolls once a year, starting on January 1, to provide funding for increasing annual payments to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), as mandated by Act 44. The turnpike commission paid PennDOT $ 450 million annually, of which $ 200 million went to non-turnpike highway projects across
8730-433: The westbound turnpike as a left exit from southbound I-95, using I-95 milepost exit number 40. This is the only place where continuing on the mainline turnpike is signed as an exit. After joining I-95, the remaining three miles (4.8 km) of road uses I-95's mileposts and exit numbers and is not directly signed as the Pennsylvania Turnpike, though it is still considered part of the mainline turnpike. Continuing east,
8827-504: The western portion of the turnpike. As of 2020 , about 86 percent of vehicles along the Pennsylvania Turnpike use E-ZPass for payment of tolls. The turnpike commission raised tolls by 25 percent on January 4, 2009, to provide funds to PennDOT for road and mass-transit projects, as mandated by Act 44. This toll hike brought the rate to travel the turnpike to $ 0.074 per mile ($ 0.046/km) (equivalent to $ 0.1 per mile ($ 0.062/km) in 2023 ). At this point, an annual toll increase
8924-422: The year. On June 2, 2020, the commissioners voted unanimously to abruptly terminate 492 toll workers. CEO Mark Compton cited falling toll revenue and concerns about exposing toll workers to COVID-19 as the reasons the layoffs were necessary. The commissioners said the layoffs would save the commission $ 42 million in 2020 and $ 65 million in 2021. The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission finances, operates and maintains
9021-607: Was amended by Pennsylvania Act 89 of 2013 to extend these payments until 2022. Part of the Act included the commission assuming control of and placing tolls on Interstate 80 , however this aspect of the plan was rejected by the Federal Highway Administration . Between 2007 and 2011, the commission spent $ 406,497 buying cars for the personal and business use of turnpike commissioners. In March 2009, then governor Ed Rendell fired commission chairman Mitchell Rubin after
9118-401: Was bored at four of the two-lane tunnels, while the other three tunnels were bypassed; these improvements made the entire length of the mainline turnpike four lanes wide. Improvements continue to be made to the road: rebuilding the roadway to modern standards, widening portions of the turnpike to six lanes, and adding interchanges. In 2018, an ongoing interchange project saw the redesignation of
9215-521: Was convicted of extortion, serving time in federal prison. One of the largest projects the Commission managed was the Pennsylvania Turnpike/Interstate 95 Interchange Project . Legislated in 1978, construction did not begin until after environmental approval in 2004 and design work in 2008. Ground was finally broken in 2013. The total cost for the project exceeded $ 1 billion; the Commission borrowed from foreign investors for financing half
9312-427: Was introduced in the westbound direction at the Delaware River Bridge mainline toll plaza, while the eastern terminus of the ticket system was moved from the Delaware River Bridge to Neshaminy Falls. On October 27, 2019, all-electronic tolling was implemented at the eastbound Gateway mainline toll plaza. All-electronic tolling was originally scheduled to be implemented on the entire length of the Pennsylvania Turnpike in
9409-512: Was planned. A three-percent toll increase went into effect January 3, 2010, bringing the rate to $ 0.077 per mile ($ 0.048/km) (equivalent to $ 0.11/mi ($ 0.068/km) in 2023 ). The cash toll increased 10 percent on January 2, 2011, and E-ZPass tolls increased three percent. The new toll rate was $ 0.085 per mile ($ 0.053/km) (equivalent to $ 0.11/mi ($ 0.068/km) in 2023 ) using cash and $ 0.079 per mile ($ 0.049/km) (equivalent to $ 0.11/mi ($ 0.068/km) in 2023 ) using E-ZPass. As part of this toll hike,
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