"Pennsylvania Turnpike Nation's Most Expensive Toll Road By Far" (Philadelphia: motel, maintenance)

[jtab4994]

Originally Posted by rowhomecity

Ez pass no longer charges a monthly fee.

Say what, now? The EZ Pass I originally got from DRJTBC didn't have a fee, but their EZ Pass operations got shifted over to NJ and they charge a buck a month whether you use it or not!

What authority in PA is issuing EZ Passes without a fee? And will that fee-free structure hold up in the Age of Covid?!

[rowhomecity]

Originally Posted by jtab4994

Say what, now? The EZ Pass I originally got from DRJTBC didn't have a fee, but their EZ Pass operations got shifted over to NJ and they charge a buck a month whether you use it or not!

What authority in PA is issuing EZ Passes without a fee? And will that fee-free structure hold up in the Age of Covid?!

Ez pass is issued amongst a large assortment of states.

There is no monthly charge for Ez Pass issued by Pennsylvania.

I would suggest maybe switching to the Pennsylvania EZ pass over NJ if NJ is charging monthly fees, I believe Pennsylvania did issue monthly fees in the past if it was not being used, but that was stopped quite a few years ago as the Pennsylvania Turnpike is going toll booth free and it wants to encourage everyone to use Ez Pass.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by wharton

MarketSTel, I'm not disputing anything you say regarding the criminal game that is the PA turnpike. That said, the whole mess has been a RICO racket for decades, it didn't happen because fast Eddie corrupted a bunch of lily white virgins doing God's work, while serving on Turnpike board. Decades ago the Morning Call did a piece about how insanely out of control the situation was, and how the entire mess cost 4X as much per mile, to operate, than Rt. 80 does, in PA. As for the whole Indiana scam. IIRC, the whole original deal was an extremely shady mess, and two operators so far have failed to make any money. The first went bankrupt, and both operated a road that is just slightly above the quality of a third world goat path, while charging insane amounts to travel on it.

So I take it that you pay an arm (as opposed to an arm and a leg) to use the Indiana Toll Road too? And that it's in no better shape than the Pennsylvania Turnpike?*

*I've now lived in this state for nearly 40 years and have driven on its roads for just as long. I remember the decades during which the annual Overdrive magazine truckers' poll rated Pennsylvania highways the nation's worst, and frankly, the condition of the non-toll freeways warranted the low ratings (I-380, nee I-81E, was probably the worst of the bunch). But the Turnpike was never in that bad a shape**, and mirabile dictu, it's in even better condition now. PennDOT and the Turnpike Commission have both upped their game on highway maintenance over the last 10-15 years. Now I can't rule out the use of liberal amounts of palm grease for even this change, but it still reflexts well on our highway-maintenance folks of late.

**though given that you paid to use it, it should have been in better shape than it was.

[rowhomecity]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

So I take it that you pay an arm (as opposed to an arm and a leg) to use the Indiana Toll Road too? And that it's in no better shape than the Pennsylvania Turnpike?*

*I've now lived in this state for nearly 40 years and have driven on its roads for just as long. I remember the decades during which the annual Overdrive magazine truckers' poll rated Pennsylvania highways the nation's worst, and frankly, the condition of the non-toll freeways warranted the low ratings (I-380, nee I-81E, was probably the worst of the bunch). But the Turnpike was never in that bad a shape**, and mirabile dictu, it's in even better condition now. PennDOT and the Turnpike Commission have both upped their game on highway maintenance over the last 10-15 years. Now I can't rule out the use of liberal amounts of palm grease for even this change, but it still reflexts well on our highway-maintenance folks of late.

**though given that you paid to use it, it should have been in better shape than it was.

Im not sure you are aware, the Pennsylvania Turnpike has taken on a major capital project to modernize the whole system.

Within the Philadelphia metro it is evident with the Northeast extension expansions by requiring all new highways built to be three lanes with wide shoulders.

This is also happening to a large degree in the western portions of the Turnpike, west of Harrisburg to Pittsburgh.

Honestly though, I prefer the quaint and overall beautiful and curvy/fun to drive Pennsylvania Turnpike over the New Jersey modern very barren turnpike any day of the week.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by jtab4994

Say what, now? The EZ Pass I originally got from DRJTBC didn't have a fee, but their EZ Pass operations got shifted over to NJ and they charge a buck a month whether you use it or not!

What authority in PA is issuing EZ Passes without a fee? And will that fee-free structure hold up in the Age of Covid?!

The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission does charge a fee for E-ZPasses: $3 per year. It's the only agency in the Commonwealth that issues them.

All the agencies that operate interstate crossings between Pennsylvania and New Jersey or Delaware save the Turnpike Commission use the New Jersey E-ZPass system. That includes the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission, the Burlington County Bridge Commission, the Delaware River Port Authority and the Delaware River and Bay Authority.

The Delaware Department of Transportation charges a non-refundable $15 fee for the E-ZPass transponder but no other fees beyond that.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by rowhomecity

Im not sure you are aware, the Pennsylvania Turnpike has taken on a major capital project to modernize the whole system.

Within the Philadelphia metro it is evident with the Northeast extension expansions by requiring all new highways built to be three lanes with wide shoulders.

This is also happening to a large degree in the western portions of the Turnpike, west of Harrisburg to Pittsburgh.

Honestly though, I prefer the quaint and overall beautiful and curvy/fun to drive Pennsylvania Turnpike over the New Jersey modern very barren turnpike any day of the week.

It doesn't look like the Turnpike Commission has any plans to straighten the curves that remain on the Turnpike main line or remove or bypass any of the main line's remaining four tunnels.

I did know that the commission was widening the Turnpike to six lanes between the Mid-County and Bristol interchanges, but I thought that project was finished.

I do agree that the PA Turnpike is a lot more fun to drive than the NJ Turnpike, which is a purely functional car-moving machine. But given that the Kansas Turnpike and the freeways out where I grew up aren't all that curvy either, I guess the NJTP doesn't get to me either. You want an enervating drive, try I-70 west of Junction City, Kan. — arrow-straight across featureless prairie.

[rowhomecity]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

It doesn't look like the Turnpike Commission has any plans to straighten the curves that remain on the Turnpike main line or remove or bypass any of the main line's remaining four tunnels.

I did know that the commission was widening the Turnpike to six lanes between the Mid-County and Bristol interchanges, but I thought that project was finished.

I do agree that the PA Turnpike is a lot more fun to drive than the NJ Turnpike, which is a purely functional car-moving machine. But given that the Kansas Turnpike and the freeways out where I grew up aren't all that curvy either, I guess the NJTP doesn't get to me either. You want an enervating drive, try I-70 west of Junction City, Kan. — arrow-straight across featureless prairie.

Yes, and that 70 MPH speed limit really makes it a lot more fun on the PA Turnpike, especially with all those curves and rolling hills! Not to mention the scenery is very beautiful overall along the way.

Its just a fun road to drive on. (If you like to drive, some people do not care for driving).

And the Northeast Extension (476) has a widening project, Im not sure if it is complete and there is a major capital project for the addition of 6 lanes in the western portion of the turnpike, west of Harrisburg to Pittsburgh.

I agree, completely straight highways to me are so boring to drive on. This is why I dislike the New Jersey Turnpike. It was built for efficiency and it does that well given the volume of traffic it sees. But that drive from Philadelphia to NYC can be oh so boring when on the NJ turnpike given its straight and uninteresting road.

If you want the craziest highway to ever drive on, that would be the Garden State Parkway in North Jersey. Curvy, hilly, 5/6 very narrow lanes in each direction, short on ramps, almost no shoulder and everyone going 80.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by rowhomecity

Yes, and that 70 MPH speed limit really makes it a lot more fun on the PA Turnpike, especially with all those curves and rolling hills! Not to mention the scenery is very beautiful overall along the way.

Its just a fun road to drive on. (If you like to drive, some people do not care for driving).

And the Northeast Extension (476) has a widening project, Im not sure if it is complete and there is a major capital project for the addition of 6 lanes in the western portion of the turnpike, west of Harrisburg to Pittsburgh.

I agree, completely straight highways to me are so boring to drive on. This is why I dislike the New Jersey Turnpike. It was built for efficiency and it does that well given the volume of traffic it sees. But that drive from Philadelphia to NYC can be oh so boring when on the NJ turnpike given its straight and uninteresting road.

If you want the craziest highway to ever drive on, that would be the Garden State Parkway in North Jersey. Curvy, hilly, 5/6 very narrow lanes in each direction, short on ramps, almost no shoulder and everyone going 80.

I'd put Connecticut's Merritt Parkway up against the northern GSP.

Built 1937. Still two lanes in each direction, NO shoulders (you can park on the grass on the side if you have a breakdown), NO acceleration or deceleration lanes (or very few; there are a few interchanges with newer roads that have them), thickly wooded setting, a fair amount of grade changes and (gentle) curves, everyone does 80 on it.

[cjseliga]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

It doesn't look like the Turnpike Commission has any plans to straighten the curves that remain on the Turnpike main line or remove or bypass any of the main line's remaining four tunnels.

I did know that the commission was widening the Turnpike to six lanes between the Mid-County and Bristol interchanges, but I thought that project was finished.

They have been talking about eliminating/replacing the Allegheny Tunnel multiple times over the past 25+ years and I guess it's current back on with 6 alternatives being evaluated.

They include the Brown Cut Alternative, Brown Tunnel Alternative, Yellow Cut Alternative, and Yellow Tunnel Alternative located north of the existing tunnel and the Gray Cut Alternative and Gray Tunnel Alternative located south of the existing tunnel. Each alternative is being evaluated with regards to environmental impact, engineering criteria, cost and public and agency input.

ALLEGHENY TUNNEL TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROJECT

As for the Northeast Extension, the plan is to eventually widen the road to 3 lanes in each direction all the way to mile marker 57 and the Lehigh Valley Interchange. Miles 20-31 (Mid-County to the Lansdale interchange) are complete, Miles 31-38 are also complete, Miles 38-44 will be done by the end of 2024 and Miles 44-57 (Quakertown to Lehigh Valley interchange) are in the design phase, which will be broken up into 3 separate construction projects.

As for the mainline turnpike, the plan is to widen and reconstruct the entire thing from OH to NJ, and I think more than half is already done or has been designed already?

[cjseliga]

Originally Posted by McAnulty

I thought so, though I actually haven't been on it in a while.

Here's a link to a pdf from 2019 of their "Total Reconstruction Initiative" showing what sections have been finished (reconstructed and widened) and what sections are under construction and what sections are in the design phase.

In 2019, 145 miles have been completed, 9 miles under construction and 80 miles in the design phase.

https://www.paturnpike.com/pdfs/trav...Recon_2019.pdf