Before the turnpike Native Americans used east-west paths that usually traced river valleys and crossed the ridges of the
Allegheny Mountains. European settlers followed wagon roads that often followed the same paths. The
Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike opened between Lancaster and Philadelphia in 1794, the first successful turnpike in the United States. The road was
paved with logs laid crosswise to the direction of travel, giving a bumpy ride but an improvement on dirt trails. In 1834, the
Main Line of Public Works opened as a system of canals, railroads, and
cable railways across Pennsylvania to compete with the
Erie Canal in
New York. The
Pennsylvania Railroad was completed between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia in 1854. During the 1880s, the South Pennsylvania Railroad was proposed to compete with the Pennsylvania. It was backed by
William Henry Vanderbilt, head of the
New York Central Railroad (the Pennsylvania's chief rival).
Andrew Carnegie also provided financial support, since he was unhappy with the Pennsylvania Railroad rates. Construction began on the rival line in 1883, but stopped when the railroads reached an agreement two years later. After construction halted, the only vestiges of the South Pennsylvania were nine tunnels, some roadbed, and piers for a bridge over the
Susquehanna River in Harrisburg. The highway would be a four-lane, limited-access road modeled on the German
Autobahn and
Connecticut's
Merritt Parkway. The turnpike could also be a defense road, and construction costs could be reduced by using the abandoned South Pennsylvania Railroad tunnels. The turnpike's design would be uniform. In February 1938, the commission began investigating proposals for $55 million in bonds to be issued for construction of the turnpike. A month later, Van Ingen and Company purchased $60 million (equivalent to $ in ) in bonds which they offered to the public. In April 1938, President
Franklin D. Roosevelt approved a $24-million (equivalent to $ in ) grant from the
Works Progress Administration (WPA) for the construction of the road, and the commonwealth contributed $29 million (equivalent to $ in ) toward the project. The WPA grant received final approval, but plans were still made to sell bonds, and the first issue was planned for about $20 million (equivalent to $ in ). The reduced bond issue was due to the WPA grant. In June, the
Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC) announced that it would lend the commission sufficient funds to build the road. The RFC loan totaled $32 million (equivalent to $ in ), with a $26 million (equivalent to $ in ) grant from the
Public Works Administration (PWA); this provided $58 million (equivalent to $ in ) for the turnpike's construction, and highway tolls would repay the RFC. In October 1938, the turnpike commission agreed with the RFC and PWA that the RFC would purchase $35 million (equivalent to $ in ) in bonds in addition to the PWA grant. That month, a banking syndicate purchased the bond amount from the RFC. In 1940, the highway opened between Irwin and Carlisle, being the first long-distance
controlled-access highway in the United States. Other states implemented toll roads in the years after
World War II. After the passage of the
Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956, new highways were often built as part of the Interstate Highway System rather than as toll roads. The highway was extended east to Valley Forge in 1950, and west to the Ohio state line the following year. and temporary railroad tracks transported construction equipment.
Concrete was used to line the tunnel portals. The seven tunnels - which included the
Laurel Hill,
Tuscarora Mountain,
Kittatinny Mountain, and
Blue Mountain - featured ventilation ducts, drainage structures, sidewalks, lighting, and telephone and signal systems. Lighting was installed on the roadway approaching the tunnel portals. A number of bridge designs were used to cross the highway, including the
concrete arch bridge, the
through plate girder bridge, and the
concrete T-beam bridge. Bridges used to carry the turnpike over other roads and streams included a concrete arch viaduct in New Stanton; at , it was the longest bridge on the original section of the turnpike. Other turnpike bridges included
plate girder bridges, such as the bridge over Dunnings Creek in the Bedford Narrows. Smaller concrete T-beam bridges were also built. A total of 307 bridges were built along the original section of the turnpike. Eleven interchanges were built, most of which were
trumpet interchanges where all ramps merge at the toll booths. Lighting was installed approaching interchanges, along with acceleration and deceleration lanes. Large exit signs were used, and road signs had
cat's-eye reflectors to increase visibility at night. Billboards were prohibited. In September 1940, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission ruled that trucks and buses could use the highway. Since the turnpike's first section was built through a rural part of the state, food and gasoline were not readily available to motorists. Because of this, the commission decided to provide service plazas at intervals. The plazas would be made of native fieldstone, resembling
Colonial-era architecture. In 1940, Standard Oil of Pennsylvania received a contract for 10
Esso service stations along the turnpike. Eight of the service plazas would consist of service stations and a restaurant, and the plazas at the halfway point (in Bedford) would be larger. The remaining service plazas were smaller, with a lunch counter. Food service at the plazas was provided by
Howard Johnson's. After World War II, the food facilities were enlarged;
Construction and opening Before the first-section groundbreaking, in 1937, the turnpike commission sent workers to assess the former railroad tunnels; in September of that year, a contract was awarded to drain water from them. After this, workers cleared rock slides and vegetation from the tunnel portals before evaluating the nine tunnels' condition. It was decided that six of the nine former South Pennsylvania Railroad tunnels could be used for the roadway. The Allegheny Mountain Tunnel was in too-poor condition for use. Because of this, an entirely new tunnel was bored nearby. However of these nine, it would be more expensive to complete the
Quemahoning and
Negro Mountain tunnels in comparison to simply building rock cuts to bypass them. As such, they were bypassed in original construction. Construction was on a tight schedule because completion of the road was originally planned by May 1, 1940. After the groundbreaking, contracts for finishing the former South Pennsylvania Railroad tunnels, grading the turnpike's right of way, constructing bridges, and paving were issued. By July 1939, the entire length of the turnpike was under contract. The first work to begin on the road was grading its right of way, which involved a great deal of earthwork due to the mountainous terrain. Concrete culverts were built to carry streams and roads under the highway in the valley floor. The Clear Ridge cut was deep (the deepest highway cut in the United States at the time), and was known as "Little Panama" after the
Panama Canal. West of Clear Ridge, cuts and fills were built for the turnpike to pass along the southern edge of
Earlston. Considerable work was involved in building the road up the three-percent grade at the east end of Allegheny Mountain, the turnpike's steepest grade. The base of Evitts Mountain was blasted to carry the turnpike across Bedford Narrows with US 30, the Raystown Branch of the Juniata River, and a Pennsylvania Railroad branch line. Concrete batch plants were set up along the road to aid paving. Interchange ramps were paved with
asphalt. That month, a military motorcade traveled portions of the turnpike. Paving concluded by the end of the summer, and on September 30 the turnpike commission announced that the road would open the following day. Because of the short notice, no ribbon-cutting ceremony was held. The roadway took of sand, of stone, of steel, and more than of cement to complete. Eighteen thousand people worked on the turnpike, and 19 died during construction. When the highway was under construction, its proposed toll was $1.50 (equivalent to $ in ) for a one-way car trip; a round trip would cost $2.00 (equivalent to $ in ). Trucks would pay $10.00 (equivalent to $ in ) one way. Tolls would vary for motorists who did not travel the length of the turnpike. The toll rate was about (equivalent to in ) when the turnpike opened. The ticket system was used to pay for tolls. Boe was flagged down by Frank Lorey and Dick Gangle, the turnpike's first hitchhikers. On October 6 (the first Sunday after the turnpike's opening), traffic was congested at toll plazas, tunnels, and service plazas. During its first 15 days of operation, the road had over 150,000 vehicles. By the end of its first year it earned $3 million (equivalent to $ in ) in revenue from five million motorists, exceeding the $2.67 million (equivalent to $ in ) needed for operation and bond payments. With the onset of
World War II, revenue declined due to tire and gas rationing; after the war, traffic increased. in 2023 The turnpike was the first long-distance, limited-access road in the United States. A direct link between the
mid-Atlantic and
midwestern states, it reduced travel time between Pittsburgh and Harrisburg by hours; for example, Greyhound buses had taken nearly nine hours, but now took just , including a rest stop. Nicknamed "dream highway" and "the World's Greatest Highway" by the turnpike commission, Postcards and other souvenirs promoted the original stretch's seven tunnels through the Appalachians. The highway was considered a yardstick against which limited-access highway construction would be measured. Commission chair Jones called for more limited-access roads to be built across the country for defense purposes, The turnpike led to the construction of other toll roads, such as the New Jersey Turnpike and (eventually) the Interstate Highway System,
1940s–1990s The turnpike had no speed limit at all when it opened. The only exception was at the tunnels, where it reduced to . However, these were poorly enforced, some cars traveled as fast as . In April 1941, speed limit was raised from for cars and for trucks. Beginning in December 1941, the turnpike adopted the national speed limit of for all vehicles; Before the first section opened, the commission considered extending east to Philadelphia for defense purposes. The state legislature passed a 1939 bill allowing for an extension to Philadelphia, which was signed into law by Governor
Arthur James as Act 11 in 1940. In June 1948, funding for the extension was put in place. The turnpike commission offered $134 million (equivalent to $ in ) in bonds to pay for the extension that July, which had its estimations revised to $87 million. The Philadelphia extension would run from Carlisle east to US 202 in King of Prussia, connecting to the Schuylkill Expressway, a state-maintained freeway which would continue to
Center City Philadelphia. Groundbreaking for the Philadelphia extension took place on September 28, 1948, in York County. Governor
James H. Duff and commission chair Thomas J. Evans attended the ceremony. In June 1941, Governor
Arthur James signed Act 54 into law to build an extension to the Ohio border. That September, $77 million (equivalent to $ in ) in bonds were sold to finance construction of the western extension. Groundbreaking for the Western extension took place on October 24, 1949 at the Brush Creek viaduct in Irwin, with Governor Duff in attendance. These extensions would use
air-entrained concrete poured on stone, an improvement that motorists did not see. Transverse joints on the pavement were spaced at intervals, less than the intervals on the original portion. Large bridges were built, including those crossing the Susquehanna River and
Swatara Creek. This extension of the turnpike would use the same style of overpasses as the original section, excluding the steel deck bridge; an entirely new design. Overpasses were steel- and through-plate
girder bridges. Concrete arch bridges were not used for overpasses, although they carried the turnpike over other roads. thirteen interchanges were built alongside the extensions, as well as the Gateway Toll Plaza and Valley Forge Toll Plaza, which served as the new eastern and western termini of the ticket system. The Carlisle Interchange was also closed, and the Middlesex Interchange with US 11 was realigned and renamed the Carlisle Interchange, The Irwin Interchange was also converted into the Irwin Toll Plaza. The extension's completion was delayed by weather and a cement workers' strike; it was scheduled for October 1, 1950, the 10th anniversary of the opening of the first section. On October 23, the Philadelphia extension was previewed in a ceremony by Governor Duff. On November 13, the new Carlisle Interchange was opened as planned. However, drivers were barred from passing east of the new interchange. The rest of the Philadelphia extension opened to traffic on November 20; the governor and chair Evans cut the ribbon at the Valley Forge mainline toll plaza west of King of Prussia. Similarly to the Carlisle Interchange, the Irwin Toll Plaza was replaced by the Irwin Interchange, however, as the new alignment passed to the east of the Irwin Toll Plaza, the original toll plaza was retained. The extension opened to the Gateway toll plaza, near the Ohio state line, on December 26, 1951. The highway ended in a cornfield, and traffic followed a temporary ramp onto rural local roads until the connecting Ohio Turnpike was built. On December 1, 1954, the Ohio Turnpike opened and the Pennsylvania Turnpike was extended to the Ohio state line. With the completion of this project, an extra were added to the system, leaving a total length of . Because of the new western terminus, mile markers and exit numbers on the original were updated to be accurate to the new western terminus. On May 17, 1956, the speed limit was reduced from for cars, buses, and motorcycles; other vehicles were reduced from . In 1951, plans to extend the turnpike east to New Jersey border at the Delaware River were announced. Construction of the Delaware River extension was approved by Governor
John S. Fine in May of that year. A route bypassing Philadelphia was announced in 1952, crossing the Delaware on a bridge near
Edgely and connecting to a branch of the New Jersey Turnpike. That September, the turnpike commission announced that $65 million, equivalent to $ in , in bonds would be issued to finance the project. Work on the Delaware River extension began on November 20, 1952, and Governor Fine dug the first shovel into the earth at the groundbreaking ceremony. Five new interchanges, as well as the Delaware River Bridge Toll Plaza, were built, and the Valley Forge Toll Plaza was demolished and replaced by the Valley Forge Interchange. The Delaware River extension included a bridge over the Schuylkill River which was built to the same standards as the Susquehanna River Bridge. The construction of the Delaware River bridge required an amendment to the
Pennsylvania Constitution, which barred the state from forming compacts with other states. In April 1954, $233 million (equivalent to $ in ) in bonds were issued to finance the building of the Delaware River Bridge and the
Northeast Extension. Groundbreaking for the Delaware River Bridge, connecting the Pennsylvania and New Jersey Turnpikes, took place on June 26, 1954, in
Florence, New Jersey. On August 23, 1954, the Delaware River Extension opened between King of Prussia and
US 611 in Willow Grove. the segment to the Fort Washington Interchange opened on September 20, to the Philadelphia Interchange on October 27, Pennsylvania Governor
George M. Leader and New Jersey Governor
Robert B. Meyner were present at the opening ceremony. The Delaware River Bridge Toll Plaza was built west of the bridge, marking the eastern end of the ticket system. With the completion of the extension, a motorist could drive from
New York City to
Indiana on limited-access toll roads. With the extensions and connecting turnpikes, the highway was envisioned as part of a system of toll roads stretching from
Maine to
Chicago. It was now possible to drive from New York City to Chicago without encountering a traffic signal. This brought the mainline to its current length of . In late 1956, new machine-based toll equipment was activated for trucks, allowing for faster, more accurate tolls. In 1953, an extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike from the mainline near Plymouth Meeting north through
Northeastern Pennsylvania to the
New York state line near
Binghamton, New York, was proposed. Groundbreaking for the Northeastern Extension occurred on March 25, 1954, in
White Haven, with Governor
John S. Fine and commission chair Thomas J. Evans present. The Northeast Extension was planned to run from the mainline Pennsylvania Turnpike in Plymouth Meeting north to a temporary terminus at Scranton. In April 1954, $233 million (equivalent to $ in ) in bonds were issued to build the Northeastern Extension along with the
Delaware River–Turnpike Toll Bridge on the mainline Pennsylvania Turnpike. The Northeast Extension was built with a median in order to save money. Due to the mountainous terrain it passed through, a large amount of earthwork was necessary to build the road along with the construction of large bridges. Among the bridges built was the Clarks Summit Bridge (since renamed for John J. Fitzgerald, Turnpike engineer and superintendent) over US 6/US 11, which at the time was the tallest bridge on the Pennsylvania Turnpike system at . The Northeast Extension also included the two-lane Lehigh Tunnel under Blue Mountain. The tunnel was originally going to be named for commission chair Evans but was changed when he was convicted of conspiracy to defraud the commission of $19 million (equivalent to $ in ). The entire length of the Northeast Extension was finished on November 7, 1957, with the completion of the northernmost part between Wyoming Valley and Scranton. The part of the Northeast Extension between Scranton and the New York state line was not built as part of the Pennsylvania Turnpike system but rather the Interstate Highway System as I-81. At the northern terminus, the Northeast Extension narrowed to two lanes along the northbound offramp at Scranton to come to its northern terminus just outside
Clarks Summit, with an abandoned short spur of the mainline heading north. A pair of
trumpet interchanges were built to connect the Northeast Extension and I-81.
I-80 was planned to run along the turnpike from the Ohio state line and Harrisburg West Interchange, where
I-80S would continue east to the Valley Forge Interchange. I-70 was also planned to follow the turnpike between the Pittsburgh Interchange and Breezewood Interchange. At a June 26, 1958 meeting of the Route Numbering Subcommittee on the US Numbered System, it was decided to move the I-80 designation to an alignment further north; the highway from the Ohio state line to the Valley Forge Interchange would become I-80S. Between the Valley Forge Interchange and the New Jersey state line, the turnpike was designated I-280. With the creation of the Interstate Highway System, restaurants and gas stations were prohibited along interstate highways; the turnpike was
grandfathered when it joined the system, allowing it to continue operating its service plazas. Signage was updated to be of a MUTCD standard with this change. In July 1959, a minimum speed of was established. By the early 1950s, it was apparent that the original concrete driving surface between the Irwin Interchange and Carlisle Interchange was in poor shape. This was caused by excessive transverse-joint spacing and no gravel between earth and concrete. Because of this, a project began in 1954 to layer the original turnpike segment between Irwin and Carlisle with a layer of asphalt. Drainage was also implemented in order to prevent
black ice from forming during cold weather, which was previously a common problem. During the work, traffic was restricted to two lanes on one roadway while the other was worked on. The first stretch to be rehabilitated was the stretch between the Irwin Interchange and Sideling Hill Tunnel. Repaving the rest of the roadway was completed by September 8, 1962. In April 1963, the state of Pennsylvania proposed renumbering the interstates. As part of this, I-80S would be redesignated as I-76 between the Pittsburgh Interchange and Valley Forge Interchange, and I-280 would be redesignated as I-276 for its entire length, as neither connected to I-80 which violated interstate highway standards. The changes were approved by the
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) on February 26, 1964. With this, the turnpike would carry I-76 from the Pittsburgh Interchange to Valley Forge Interchange and I-276 from the Valley Forge Interchange to the New Jersey state line. Signage was updated with this change. The original New Stanton Interchange was the only non-trumpet interchange design remaining on the turnpike. It instead consisted of a pair of grade separated
right-in/right-out ramps that merged into left hand, at-grade ramps into the two lane toll plaza, which then traveled to an intersection with left hand conflicting turns onto US 119. However, upon PennDOT completing the freeway realignment of
Pennsylvania Route 71 (PA 71) in 1959, which brought traffic from
Washington to New Stanton, use of the interchange increased significantly. Additionally, with I-70 planning to replace both PA 71 and US 119, the PTC became aware the interchange would need to be replaced. The interchange was initially left as is due to financial restraints, though when a man was killed in a car crash in 1963, funding was obtained, and work began that October to replace it. The new interchange was to be a safer double trumpet. The project, which had cost $1.6 million (equivalent to $ in ) was completed on November 12. The completion of this construction marked the first interchange to be replaced, On November 19, 1964, plans were proposed to the PTC that would have built an interchange with
PA 501 near Myerstown. This never occurred. In September 1965, the minimum speed limit was reduced to . The median, initially thought to be wide enough, was functionally obsolete by 1960. Because of this, nearly of median barrier began to be built across most of the road. Work was completed in December 1965 at a cost of $5 million (equivalent to $ in ). In late 1959, four senators urged state officials to work with the turnpike commission to study how to reduce the traffic jams, this was after the worst traffic back up in the history of the highway to date occurred at the Laurel Hill Tunnel. That year, the commission began studying ways to resolve the traffic jams at the two western most tunnels, the Laurel Hill Tunnel and Allegheny Mountain Tunnel. After study, the turnpike commission planned to eliminate the two bottlenecks by either adding a second tubes at each or replacing them. In June 1960, the PTC announced these plans would build a widening of the Allegheny Mountain Tunnel and a replacement around the Laurel Hill Tunnel. The Laurel Hill Bypass was planned because construction would be quicker (and congestion reduction given at a cheaper cost) than would be by boring another tunnel. In June 1962, the commission approved the projects. That August, $21 million, equivalent to $ in , in bonds were sold to finance the projects. Groundbreaking for both the Laurel Hill Bypass and twin Allegheny Mountain Tunnel occurred on September 6, 1962. The Laurel Hill bypass was constructed as a deep cut to the north; the new section would have a wide median and eastbound truck-climbing lane. would require explosives to create a cut into the mountain. The Laurel Hill bypass opened to traffic on October 30, 1964, at a cost of $7.5 million, equivalent to $ in , closing the old alignment permanently. With the construction complete, the Allegheny Mountain Tunnel became the tunnel closest to the Ohio state line. In addition, the highest point on the turnpike became the Laurel Hill Bypass, beating the former record held by the tunnel itself. After its closure, the old Laurel Hill alignment and tunnel began being used as a storage facility for road salt. This alignment at Laurel Hill is private property. It is routinely patrolled by the
Pennsylvania State Police for trespassers. By the end of 1969, $3.2 million (equivalent to $ in ) worth of improvements to interchanges were completed. At the Gateway Toll Plaza, three lanes were added, bringing the total up to eleven. At Pittsburgh Interchange, its ramps were rebuilt to serve an eastern extension of I-76 with a ten lane toll plaza. At the Harrisburg East Interchange, the old toll plaza and ramps onto Eisenhower Boulevard were replaced by a new toll plaza and ramps to serve I-283. In order to increase safety, the PTC began installing steel barriers at curves and other areas they deemed to have a high amount of accidents in 1957. By 1970, this had been completed. Studies on how to improve the other tunnels on the mainline were undertaken during the 1960s. After study, the turnpike commission planned to make the entire turnpike east of the Breezewood Interchange at least four lanes by adding a second tube at the tunnels or replacing them with cuts, A bypass of the tunnels was considered during the 1930s, but was determined to be too expensive. The commission sold $77.5 million (equivalent to $ in ) bonds in January 1966 to finance the project. They also deemed that the bypass of Sideling Hill and Rays Hill would involve construction of a new Breezewood Interchange. This would use part of the original mainline turnpike. The trumpet and toll plaza would be located southwest of Breezewood, as opposed to in it like the original. Contrary to early plans, the new interchange did not directly connect to the road, due to a study completed in 1966 determining such a move would not increase toll revenue. However, recognizing the use of the interchange by Interstate 70 traffic, the new exits toll plaza would be ten lanes wide. In building the cut across Rays Hill, part of US 30 had to be realigned. The portals of the new tunnels were designed to resemble the original tunnels. In October 1970, a replacement Breezewood Interchange opened. That month, reconstruction of the original Tuscarora Mountain Tunnel was completed; work on refurbishing the original Kittatinny and Blue Mountain tunnels was finished on March 18, 1971. With the completion of this project, the entire mainline was at least four lanes wide, and as such met minimal
interstate highway standards. With the closure of the original Breezewood portion, the longest tunnel became the Allegheny Mountain Tunnel, while the shortest became the Blue Mountain Tunnel. A was also added to the system because of the Sideling/Rays Hill Bypasses' increased curvature. After traffic was diverted to the new alignment, the former stretch passing through the Rays Hill and Sideling Hill tunnels became known as the
abandoned Pennsylvania Turnpike. The turnpike commission continued to maintain the tunnels for a few years before abandoning them. The abandoned stretch deteriorated; signs and guardrails were removed, pavement began crumbling, trees grew in the median, and vandals and nature began taking over the tunnels. The turnpike commission still performed some maintenance on the abandoned stretch and used it to test pavement-marking equipment. In 2001, the turnpike commission turned over a significant portion of the abandoned section to the
Southern Alleghenies Conservancy; bicycles and hikers could use the former roadway. In 2018 the Bedford-Fulton Joint Recreation Authority, a non-profit arm of the
Fulton County Chamber of Commerce and Tourism, acquired ownership. The abandoned stretch of the turnpike is the longest stretch of
abandoned freeway in the United States. Signage was updated with this change. In August 1973, the portion between the New Stanton Interchange and Breezewood Interchange was named the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Highway. In 1969, the turnpike commission announced plans to widen the road. It proposed doubling the number of lanes from four to eight, excluding the Philadelphia and Irwin to New Stanton portions, which would instead have been ten lanes. Cars and trucks would use separate roadways. The commission had also proposed a new interchange with I-79 in Carpentertown. The road would have had an speed limit and holographic road signs. The widening would have kept much of the routing intact, but significant reconstruction was proposed between the Allegheny Mountain and Blue Mountain tunnels. Because of the $1.1-billion (equivalent to $ in ) cost and the
1973 oil crisis negative effect on toll revenue, the plan was not implemented. In 1974, the Northeast Extension was designated PA 9. Starting in the early 1970s, PennDOT began bypassing the at-grade portion of US 222 in Lancaster County with a new freeway located west of the original. Because of this, when the portion the Reading Interchange served was bypassed, it would need to be replaced in order to connect to the new freeway. The project involved constructing a long access road with a diamond interchange leading to the new freeway, past there, it traveled to
Pennsylvania Route 272, the former surface alignment. The new toll plaza featured five toll lanes, and was the first interchange on the turnpike to use high mast ramp lighting, as well as truck weighing computers, which were much faster than the old machines. The project was completed on April 10, 1974. The truck computers were later installed across the entire road. With this, the project cost $6.6 million, equivalent to $ in . With the opening of I-79 in Cranberry by 1975, the Perry Highway Interchange was expanded to serve increased traffic levels. This was completed by 1980. In the 1970s, the PTC proposed major improvements to the portion between the Irwin Interchange and Carlisle Interchange. The Irwin Interchange, New Stanton Interchange, Donegal Interchange, Somerset Interchange, and Carlisle Interchange would all be expanded and renovated. A new westbound truck-climbing lane would be built east of the Allegheny Mountain Tunnel, as well as in New Baltimore; in addition, the existing eastbound truck lane at Laurel Hill was extended west. Construction began in 1978, when the effects of the 1973 oil crisis finally ended. To allow for the new truck lane, which would serve westbound traffic, a new eastbound roadway was built, this was to allow the new eastbound truck lane to use what was originally the four-lane eastbound and westbound road. The original booth was donated to the
Smithsonian Institution. A study of potentially eliminating toll takers began in 1982, with the introduction of the Automatic Ticket Issuing Machine (ATIM). Also as part of this, new tickets would be introduced, replacing the ones, which, unlike them, would feature a magnetic strip that contained the toll fare and other information. Terminals were also added to the truck computers. By the early 1980s, the section of road in the Philadelphia area had become a
bottleneck. The project was put on hold because of disagreements between Governor
Dick Thornburgh and members of the turnpike commission. The Pennsylvania legislature approved the project in 1985, with the agreement, the eastern terminus of the six lane alignment would be scaled down to the Norristown Interchange. Construction began on March 10, 1986. In spite of the widened road, no overpasses in the area affected were replaced. Improvements to the Fort Washington Interchange, Willow Grove Interchange, and Philadelphia Interchange completed in late 1986. In 1988, tandem toll booths were added to the Valley Forge Interchange; they were added at the Willow Grove Interchange in 1989. He later dropped these proposals. The portion between the Irwin Interchange and Carlisle Interchange was also designated as a
National Historic Civil Engineering Landmark, in recognition of importance as one of the first US freeways. In early 1991, a project to expand the Downingtown Interchange was completed. In 1989, construction began on a eastbound truck lane between the Beaver River Bridge and emergency pull off at milepost 15.5. Overpasses needed to be rebuilt to accommodate the work. Unlike the previous truck lanes, no major realignment occurred. Construction on the project was completed in early 1992. In September 1992, the turnpike commission scrapped the project. With plans for the Beaver Valley Expressway made, also came plans for the New Castle Interchange to serve the road. Construction began in November 1990, and on November 20, 1992, this exit opened to traffic. In the 1980s, plans were made to build the Mid-County Interchange, it would serve the north end of the Mid-County Expressway. As part of this, the ramps onto the Northeast Extension were to be rebuilt, and the Norristown Interchange would also be improved with new ramps onto the new highway. The PTC issued an initial contract in March 1989. The PTC approved an initial contract to build it in March 1989. The contract was rebid in November 1989 after a
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania ruling. As part of this project, a new 19 lane toll plaza was built. A ribbon-cutting took place on December 15, 1992, with the replacement ramps onto the Northeast Extension opening the next day. This was the first interchange on the turnpike with flyover ramps. However, a April 1993 study determined that it would not improve traffic flow on local roads. On July 13, 1995, the speed limit was raised to , except for mainline toll plazas, interchange ramps and toll plazas, the tunnels, and the portion between the Philadelphia Interchange and the New Jersey state line, which did not get the raised limit. In late 1995, construction was completed on a project to widen the bridge traveling over the Brush Creek Railroad in Irwin with shoulders. In September 1984, as part of a project to directly connect the turnpike to I-176, the PTC announced plans to replace the Morgantown Interchange. That route had previously been in violation of interstate highway standards, as it had not connected to its parent route. Eight options were considered, with the most expensive being a access road that would have connected to the Morgantown end of that road. This would have cost $33,000,000, equivalent to $ in This was planned to reduce congestion on PA 10. Ultimately, a simpler design was chosen which extended the road to meet a related trumpet at the turnpike itself. Groundbreaking for the new ramps was held on February 28, 1989. The new interchange was built east of the old one, and merged onto the turnpike from the north, rather than the south. However, it was not to have complete access to PA 10, as the old interchange did. The new interchange opened on September 18, 1990, completing the first phase of the Morgantown connector. The overhead lights at the new interchange were considered a nuisance by residents who lived near it. The second phase of the project began in 1994, with the ramps onto I-176 being part of it. On September 27, 1996, these were opened, officially completing the project. which cost $17 million (equivalent to $ in ) In Summer 1997, the toll plaza at the Harrisburg West Interchange was expanded and ramps were rebuilt. In Fall 1998, the PTC completed implementation of the Advanced Traveler Information System (ATIS). It involved the addition of variable message signs, a traffic flow system, a truck rollover system, a camera system, and an over height vehicle detection system. This work involved replacement of the roadbed and overpasses, widening of the median, addition of shoulders, and replacement of drainage. Work was completed in August 2000, and cost $24 million. It marked the first portion of the road to be entirely rebuilt. In May 1999, reconstruction began on the section between milepost 187 and the Allegheny Mountain Tunnel. The roadbed was rebuilt, overpasses replaced, and shoulders expanded. In August 1999, the PTC awarded a contract to reconstruct the road between the New Stanton Interchange and milepost 85. In April 2000, massive potholes developed on the stretch of road. This required the portion to be temporarily closed. Soon after, construction on the work began. It involved reconstructing the roadbed, widening the median, and expanding the shoulders. The eastbound lanes were completed in October 2000, In 1994, alongside many other northeast toll roads, the PTC created an agreement to implement E-ZPass. This tolling system was planned to go into effect by 1998. In 1996, the PTC announced they were considering the addition of slip ramps in the
Philadelphia area as part of the conversion. In 1998, it was announced the implementation of the system was postponed until 2000. Construction began on the Virginia Drive slip ramp in early 2000; it would serve westbound traffic. As part of the implementation, the Valley Forge Interchanges Toll Plaza widened from thirteen lanes to seventeen lanes. On December 14, 2002, the system was introduced to commercial vehicles. Implementation of the system cost $5,100,000 (equivalent to $ in ), and saw improved signage and feedback signals installed at all of the toll plazas. Unlike the rest of the exits, the Virginia Drive Slip ramp was not staffed, meaning no toll collectors were required to be there. In October 2000, the PTC announced they would gradually switch the exit numbers of interchanges from the
sequential system to
milepost system. This would be based on how far east the exit was from the Ohio state line.. Installation of the new signage occurred in May 2001. By 2003, the old exit numbers had been retired. In 1987, plans were announced to build the Cranberry Interchange, which would connect the turnpike to I-79 and US 19 in Cranberry Township. It would replace the Perry Highway Interchange, which had only served the latter. with a contract issued in November 1995. In 1997, transportation officials agreed on the interchange's design, a drastic simplification of the one initially proposed. This was necessary in order to reduce significant congestion at the Gateway Toll Plaza. The new toll plaza would have standard cash lanes, as well as two express E-ZPass lanes (one in each direction) to let E-ZPass drivers go through the toll plaza at expressway speed. The Warrendale Toll Plaza was delayed by a dispute with
Marshall and
Pine townships in Allegheny County, who thought that it would cause noise, air, and light pollution. Reconstruction of the Gateway Toll Plaza from a ticket facility into a coin drop facility began that October. On top of adding coin drop machinery, the plaza's toll lanes were given better heating and cooling systems. The westbound Butler service plaza was soon after closed to allow for right of way for the new plaza, aptly named after Warrendale, to use that already used by the existing turnpike. On June 1, 2003, the new fixed rate Gateway Toll Plaza was opened, the New Castle and Beaver Valley Interchanges had their toll plazas eliminated, the Perry Highway Interchange was closed, and the cash lanes at the Warrendale Toll plaza were opened. The final of the new ramps at the Cranberry Interchange opened on November 12, 2003. In June 2004, the express E-ZPass lanes were completed at the Warrendale toll plaza. The project cost $44 million (equivalent to $ in ), Starting on November 25, turnpike management personnel collected flat-rate passenger tolls of $2 and commercial tolls of $15 from cash customers on the ticketed system, while E-ZPass customers were charged the lesser of the actual toll or the same flat rates. The strike ended after seven days when both sides reached an agreement on November 30, 2004. Normal toll collection resumed December 1, 2004. On January 29, 2005, the service road at the Reading Interchange was officially named Colonel Howard Boulevard. The PTC approved raising the speed limit to for the entire length of the turnpike in April 2005. This excluded tunnels, mainline toll plazas, interchange ramps and toll plazas, the portion between the New Stanton Interchange and milepost 130, and the portion between the Bensalem Interchange and the Delaware River Bridge. In July 2005, the PTC completed a $3,500,000 (equivalent to $ in ) project that eliminated 131 low capacity emergency pull offs along the entire road. These were intended for motorists in an emergency or commercial vehicles needing to stop, but a study completed in June 1998 had determined they were too much of a safety hazard, as commercial vehicles were too big for them. However, this was criticized as making these truckers more likely to stay on the road even when tired, as there was a gap between the larger pull offs. In October 2005, the PTC, in conjunction with PennDOT, completed the addition of four express E-ZPass lanes at the Mid-County Interchange, marking the second of these to be added. In December 2005, the PTC began construction on a project to widen the toll plazas, expand the utility buildings, and rebuild the roadway and associated structures at both the Gettysburg Pike Interchange and Lebanon-Lancaster Interchange. The work was completed in October 2007 at a cost of $30 million (equivalent to $ in ). Work began on the six-lane bridge, which cost $150 million (equivalent to $ in ), four years later. In March 2005, as part of the project, work began on realignment of a section of roadway near the bridge. In November, work began on improvement of the Harrisburg East Interchange, its toll plaza was expanded to nine lanes, and its ramps replaced to accommodate the widened mainline. The eastbound bridge opened in June. Demolition of the old bridge began on August 22, and was completed on September 5. The rest of the realignment was completed in June 2008. The entire project cost $150,000,000. In October 2007, 34 companies submitted 14 proposals to lease the turnpike. On May 19, 2008, a record $12.8-billion (equivalent to $ in ) proposal by
Abertis, a
Spain-based firm, and
Citigroup in New York City to lease the turnpike was submitted. The consortium withdrew the offer on September 30, 2008, as they reasoned the proposal would not be approved in the state legislature. splits from the turnpike and I-276 begins Plans were made to widen the road to six lanes between the Valley Forge Interchange and Norristown Interchange in the 1990s. In order to allow for such, construction began on a second Schuylkill River Bridge in 1998. Work was completed a month early in May 2000. Work on the rest of the widening began in October 2004. As part of the work, the Norristown Interchange had its toll plaza expanded, the E-ZPass lanes were also improved. A project was undertaken to widen the turnpike to six lanes between the Gateway Toll Plaza and New Castle Interchange. The first phase began in September 2005. This involved rebuilding the overpasses between mileposts 4 and milepost 9, and was completed in November 2006. The second phase, which began in early 2006, involved rebuilding the roadway. This phase of work was completed in July 2007.
2010s–present On April 28, 2010, Governor
Ed Rendell proposed that maintenance of the turnpike be taken over by PennDOT. A special session of the state legislature voted on this issue on May 4, choosing not to go with this plan. Work began in May 2007. As with the Susquehanna River Work, the turnpike was partially replaced to meet with the new bridges. The Allegheny Valley Interchange ramps onto the turnpike was demolished and rebuilt as to meet with the new alignment. a second implosion occurred on July 30 to try to bring down another other half, though this failed, with workers having to weld the superstructures piers in strategic locations until the remaining portion of the structure fell down. Work on the $193,600,000(equivalent to $ in ) project was largely completed when the westbound bridge was opened on November 15. In order to allow for this, the South Neshaminy Service Plaza was permanently closed on July 30, 2007. The ramp was opened to traffic on November 22, 2010, at the cost $7,400,000 (equivalent to $ in ). In 2005, plans were announced to widen the road to six lanes between the Irwin Interchange and New Stanton Interchange. As part of the project, the
Hempfield Service Plaza was closed in January 2007. Work was completed in November 2011. On July 23, 2009, widening of the roadway to six lanes began between the Warrendale Toll Plaza and Butler Valley Interchange. Work involved replacing three overpasses, and building a new alignment between milepost 32.4 and milepost 35.5. It was completed in November 2012 at the cost of $113,000,000. In 1999, the commission altered these plans so that a ramp would be built at PA 29 in
Devault instead, providing access to the nearby
Great Valley Corporate Center. The PTC approved funding for the slip ramp in 2002, but the project was temporarily put on hold for several years due to engineering and design problems. The new ramp became the only full E-ZPass-only interchange, as it was accessible in all movements. It opened on December 11, 2012; Governor
Tom Corbett cut the ribbon. On June 22, 2012, the PTC began a $4.5 million project to reconstruct the Somerset Interchanges access road. Some of the old connections to local roads were eliminated, and two new ones were created to supplement them. This was completed in Summer 2013. On March 15, 2016, the PTC approved raising the speed limit on the remainder of the turnpike to except for sections posted with a limit; the speed limit increased to on the sections of the road on May 3 of that year. It remains in construction zones, tunnels, and the portion between the Bensalem Interchange and the New Jersey state line. On April 22, 2014, a groundbreaking ceremony was held to reconstruct the road between mileposts 250 and 252. Work on this $47.65 million project, which also installed sound barriers, By October of the following year, the entire road accepted the new payment option. This was meant as a last resort for cash users who ran out of money before reaching their destination, because of this, it was the least used of the three toll options. In November 2016, the PTC completed a project that rebuilt the road at milepost 128 in order to eliminate a known rockslide area. The turnpike had originally used traffic lights as feedback signals for E-ZPass users. On March 17, 2017, the PTC announced that it would remove these alongside an upgrade to the toll equipment; they did not conform to federal signage guidelines. In September 2017, the PTC removed call boxes due to increased mobile-phone use. In 2013, work began on a widening to six lanes between the Harrisburg West Interchange and Susquehanna River Bridge. Overpass replacement began that year, with construction on the actual road widening beginning in 2014. A project was undertaken to widen the road to six lanes between the Blue Mountain Tunnel and the Carlisle Interchange. This work involved replacement of the underpass at the Blue Mountain Interchange with an overpass, reconstruction of eighteen overpasses, and realignment of a short portion near the tunnel's portal. Business owners in the area had proposed building a slip ramp near the Carlisle Interchange in order to reduce congestion, though this did not occur. Work was completed by the end of 2018 at the cost of $500,000,00. In early 2015, the PTC completed addition of ticket processing machines (TPMs) at the Willow Hill Interchange. These allowed non E-ZPass users to pay much faster, as rather than handing in the ticket then handling cash and awaiting change, they could simply feed the ticket into a dispenser and receive a confirmation record. Following this, in January 2019, they were implemented at the Fort Littleton Interchange and Blue Mountain Interchange. In September 2019, the turnpike launched a smartphone app for paying tolls. In August 2013, construction began on a project to widen the road to six lanes between the Butler Valley and Allegheny Valley Interchanges. Work involved reconstructing bridge structures, with the sole exception being the McClelland Road underpass, which was fully demolished. It was completed on October 17, 2019, at the cost of $200 million. In 2021, construction began on a project to widen the road to six lanes between the Cranberry Interchange and Warrendale Toll Plaza. It was completed in September 2022. Reconstruction of the ramps into US 1 from the Bensalem Interchange began in November 2018 and was completed in December 2022. In May 2019, the PTC began a project to rehabilitate the Tuscarora Mountain Tunnel. As part of this, the eastbound bore ceiling was rebuilt to taking on a new arch ceiling, while both were given new LED lighting, improved conduit, new tiling with better waterproofing, new variable messages signs, a water collection system, and new, wider driving lanes and a resurfaced approach road with repaired bridges. They also replaced the ventilation, repainted the portals, replaced the switch gears and generators, as well as expanding the guard office space. Work was completed in January 2024. In October 2024, support for
Apple Pay and
Google Pay was introduced. In 2026, reconstruction will be completed between milepost 126 and 131. overpass and the Valley Forge Interchange In 2004, plans were announced to widen the highway to six lanes between the Downingtown Interchange and Valley Forge Interchange. Three years later, the project's western terminus was scaled back from Downingtown to the then-proposed PA 29 slip ramp. Plans for the widening were presented to the public in 2009. Later that year, the widening was put on hold because of engineering problems; it resumed in 2010. Work was scheduled to begin in 2013, with completion in 2015. In October 2012, the project was postponed a year because of delays in permit approvals. The project was split into two phases: the first between the PA 252 overpass and the Valley Forge Interchange, and the other between the SR 29 Interchange and the PA 252 overpass. Construction on the first phase began on September 27, 2021, with the new lanes opening to traffic in October 2024 and all work completed in May 2025. Construction on the second phase began in early 2026, and is expected to be completed in 2031. Reconstruction and widening of the turnpike from the Downingtown Interchange east to the Valley Hill Road overpass began in early 2023, with completion planned for 2027. As part of the project, the ramps at the Downingtown Interchange were rebuilt. Additional plans in January 2013 called for widening the road to six lanes between the Morgantown Interchange and Downingtown Interchange. Overpasses along the stretch are currently being reconstructed in preparation for the widening. Initially expected to begin in 2018 and be completed by 2020, it has since been rescheduled. In 2012, the PTC announced that they were planning to replace the Beaver River Bridge, the last deck truss bridge. While not structurally deficient, it has a similar design to the
I-35W Mississippi River Bridge, which collapsed in 2007, and is functionally obsolete. As part of this, the Beaver Valley Interchange was also to be rebuilt from a trumpet interchange into a partial diamond interchange. Soon after, they set aside nearly $300 million to replace the bridge, and began the design phase. In September 2013, the PTC began the work, which would at first replace a number of bridges between mileposts 12 and 14. This was completed in November 2017, allowing for future widening from four to six lanes. The first phase was completed in December 2022 and the PTC began the second phase: the widening to six lanes. In September 2024, as part of the project, temporary ramps at the Beaver Valley Interchange were opened so that the old ones could be systematically demolished. Work is expected to be competed in September 2027 at a cost of $292 million. They also determined a new tolling structure would be implemented, with tolls calculated based on length rather than weight. Toll gantries were activated on January 5, 2025 on the Northeast Extension and on the mainline turnpike east of the Reading Interchange. The gantries on the rest of the mainline will be in operation by January 2027. Demolition of the toll plazas will be completed by mid-2028. In 2025, the PTC created
Turnpike TV, a series of videos giving detailed coverage and information about construction, future projects, and community initiatives regarding the turnpike.
Interstate 95 Interchange Project Plans for an interchange between the turnpike and I-95 in Bristol Township to connect portions of I-95 in Pennsylvania and the New Jersey Turnpike were proposed in 1978. The roads did not have an interchange because earlier laws (since repealed) prohibited federal funds from being used to connect toll roads. A gap existed on I-95 because of the unbuilt
Somerset Freeway segment in central New Jersey. Under the plan, I-95 would be rerouted off of its original alignment through Trenton, and routed onto the portion of turnpike between the new interchange and the New Jersey state line. This would result in the elimination of I-276 along the stretch, now terminating east at the interchange. I-95 would follow the Pearl Harbor Extension, which ends at the mainline New Jersey Turnpike. This would create a continuous route through New Jersey, and allow for I-295 to be extended. Area residents who thought the interchange would lead to a decline in their quality of life opposed the plan. An
environmental impact statement (EIS) was released in 2003, with this it was revealed that the project would also included widening and a new eastern end of the ticket system to be located before the interchange. The interchange received environmental approval in 2004, the preliminary design was completed in 2008, and the final design followed. The project involved building a high-speed interchange between the roads. A new toll plaza was built east of the Street Road Interchange at Neshaminy Falls to mark the eastern end of the ticket system. It consisted of high-speed E-ZPass lanes and ticket and cash booths, and the former Delaware River Bridge toll barrier converted to serve westbound traffic only, and the Delaware Valley Interchange had its toll plaza removed. A new bridge was to be built over the Delaware River. Work on the project began in late 2010, and two bridges over the turnpike were replaced in 2011. Groundbreaking for the interchange with I-95 took place on July 30, 2013, with Governor Corbett in attendance. The project's first stage, which includes the new toll plaza, widening and flyover ramps between I-95 and the turnpike, was projected to cost $420 million and the flyover ramps were projected to cost $142.9 million, with $100 million from federal funds and the remainder from the turnpike commission. The PTC borrowed money from foreign investors to fund the project, and the commission entered a partnership with the Delaware Valley Regional Center (DVRC) in 2014 to raise half the funds needed to construct the interchange. The
EB-5 visa program was projected to allow the commission, through the DVRC, to save about $35 million of traditional borrowing costs over five years. Construction of the interchange's first stage, the Neshaminy Falls Toll Plaza, began later that year. The Neshaminy Falls Toll plaza opened in January 2016, after which the Delaware Valley Interchange and Delaware River Bridge toll plazas were demolished, with the latter being replaced by a westbound fixed rate toll gantry. Signage was also updated at the Delaware Valley Interchange to remove its name. Flyover ramps between northbound I-95 and the eastbound turnpike and between the westbound turnpike and southbound I-95 opened on September 22, 2018. This completed I-95, which runs from
Florida north to Maine. Part of the Interstate Highway System, it serves over 110 million people in over 10 percent of the total US land area. Its development began as part of the Federal-Aid Highway Act in 1956. With this, the portion of the turnpike between the new interchange and the New Jersey state line became part of I-95 while the eastern terminus of I-276 was cut back to the new interchange. Signs depicting turnpike shields and mile markers were removed, with signs depicting I-95 mile markers and shields were put in their place. Exit 358 was also renumbered as exit 42, being based on I-95 exit numbers. this was completed in 2020. Long-term plans call for the construction of missing connections with I-95 and I-295, as well as and widening the turnpike to six lanes between the Bensalem Interchange and New Jersey state line. This would include the reconstruction of the exit 42's ramps from and off of the turnpike, as well a replacement of the Delaware River Bridge with a new span, which is expected to begin construction in 2025 at the earliest. The remaining stages of the project are unfunded, with an estimated cost of $1.1 billion. ==Future==