Latest news with #PennsylvaniaTurnpike
CBS News
2 days ago
- Automotive
- CBS News
Pennsylvania Turnpike to introduce gantries at toll stations
Drivers on the Pennsylvania Turnpike have probably seen some changes on the side of the road recently, and those changes are just the first of many over the next few years. "I think a lot of folks are questioning, 'What the heck are you guys building?'" said Crispin Havener, assistant press secretary for the Pennsylvania Turnpike. "'What are these things that are over the turnpike now?'" Those things, resembling large stanchions that extend over the road from a small hut on the side of the road, are called gantries, and they will essentially become the replacement for the toll booths that have occupied the interchanges on and off the turnpike for the last eight-plus decades. "All the E-Z Pass equipment, all the Toll By Plate equipment will be moved over on these gantries, essentially allowing you to travel at highway speeds," said Havener. The addition of the gantries will take place over the next couple of years. This new technology allows the turnpike to operate on Open Road Tolling, which means no more toll booths or bottlenecks at lanes entering or exiting the highway. The toll booths on this side of the state are expected to be completely removed by the end of 2028, and the interchanges will be reconfigured for better traffic flow. "We're able to collect the tolls as you're travelling that highway speed, rather than through the traditional toll booth method we've had, for now almost 85 years," said Havener. "This would make it easier for traveling as you would normally. "We'll be able to track whether your E-Z Pass transponder or your Toll By Plate, if you don't have an E-Z Pass, and be able to collect our toll that way." Essentially, the equipment from the gantries will read the E-Z Pass transponder, or license plates for Toll By Plate drivers, and transmit that information to the adjacent hut. Then, through a new fiber network that's being built subsequently with the gantries, that information will be sent back to their operations hub in Harrisburg. This system was implemented earlier this year on the eastern side of the Commonwealth, outside Reading, and along the Northeast Extension. The goal is to fully launch the program in western Pennsylvania by January 2027. Havener said, so far, the results have gone as smoothly as expected. "This is kind of a two-decade-long journey that began with the original launch of E-Z Pass," he said. "Now, it has brought us to the modern day, where we are very excited to see how this goes in the west."
CBS News
02-07-2025
- Automotive
- CBS News
Busy day expected on Pennsylvania highways as travelers hit the road for 4th of July weekend
It's going to be a busy day on Pennsylvania highways as travelers hit the road for the 4th of July holiday weekend. Nearly six million drivers are expected to use the Pennsylvania Turnpike through the holiday travel period. With the 4th of July falling on a Friday this year, the Turnpike say it's expected to be nearly 3.5% busier on the highway this year compared to last year. Today is expected to be the second busiest of the holiday travel period with 650,000 drivers using the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Another 685,000 are expected to be on the Turnpike tomorrow. With the increased traffic on the Turnpike, officials say that all road construction and maintenance projects have been paused through Sunday evening to make sure as many lanes on the highway are open as possible. According to AAA, the best time to be on the road today is before 12 p.m. with the worst times are between 12 p.m. and 9 p.m. Pennsylvania State Police troopers will be upping their coverage of the roadways this week to ensure people are obeying the speed limits and the rules of the road while driving responsibly. This holiday travel season marks the first with Paul Miller's Law in effect in Pennsylvania, which prohibits the use of handheld devices while driving or temporarily stopped.
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Yahoo
Two People Killed In 'Major' U.S. Highway Racing Accident
Two People Killed In 'Major' U.S. Highway Racing Accident originally appeared on The Spun. Two people are dead following a "major" U.S. highway street racing accident on Sunday. The crash happened on the Pennsylvania Turnpike in Montgomery County on Sunday. Two cars were reportedly racing at high speeds when they crashed. The two cars reportedly lost control and crashed near the Pennsylvania turnpike ramp to I-276 in Upper Moreland Township. Officials announced that the two people who died were the ones driving the cars that authorities believed were racing. From the report: The two killed were the drivers of the two cars racing, officials said. Two other people in a third vehicle were injured after crashing into one of the crashed vehicles, officials said. They both were treated for minor injuries. According to officials, a crash that happened around 3:30 a.m., and led to the closure of the eastbound lanes of the turnpike from the mid-county interchange to Bensalem. An investigation into the crash is underway. Our thoughts are with the friends and family members of the victims on Sunday. Two People Killed In 'Major' U.S. Highway Racing Accident first appeared on The Spun on Jun 29, 2025 This story was originally reported by The Spun on Jun 29, 2025, where it first appeared.
CBS News
26-06-2025
- Automotive
- CBS News
Pennsylvania Turnpike officials expecting busy holiday travel period
Pennsylvania Turnpike officials expect a busy travel period heading into the Fourth of July weekend. The Turnpike projects that more than 5.88 million motorists will be traveling on the Turnpike system from Friday, June 27, through Sunday, July 6. This is a projected increase of 3.4% compared to last year's traffic tally during the same 10-day period, according to a provided news release. Officials project the busiest day of holiday-related travel on Friday, June 27, with an estimated 725,000 motorists hitting the roads. All roadway construction and maintenance projects will be suspended beginning Friday, June 27, at 5 a.m. and remain suspended until Sunday, July 6, at 11 p.m. to ensure as many lanes as possible remain open. Turnpike safety Pennsylvania State Police Troop T will have extra patrols during the holiday period to ensure drivers are obeying the rules of the road while driving responsibly. This Fourth of July also marks the first major holiday travel period since "Paul Miller's Law" went into effect across Pennsylvania, prohibiting the use of handheld devices while driving, even when stopped temporarily due to traffic, a red light, or other momentary delay. Drivers are always encouraged to practice safe driving habits, including driving responsibly, powering off their devices and removing unnecessary distractions. If you see an emergency responder on the road, follow Pennsylvania's "Move Over" law and move over into an adjacent lane if it is safe to do so, or slow down to at least 20 mph below the posted speed limit.
Washington Post
13-06-2025
- Automotive
- Washington Post
A golf course with a 6-lane highway? Welcome to the US Open at Oakmont, where I-76 somehow blends in
OAKMONT, Pa. — For a six-lane interstate carving its way through a world-famous golf course, the Pennsylvania Turnpike at Oakmont is surprisingly unintrusive. From an overhead view, the sight is somewhat jarring — a wide expressway and railroad track dividing the course essentially in half. At ground level, however, the road is not much of a distraction. In fact, it can't be seen from much of Oakmont's layout.
