Talk:Interstate 70 in Pennsylvania

U.S. Roads: Interstates / Pennsylvania Mid‑importance

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Topics	Interstate Highways
Locations	Pennsylvania
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Pennsylvania Low‑importance

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Selected bridge dates

1960 over I-79
1960 under SR 1014
1957 over SR 1049
1957 over PA 519
1956 over SR 2017
1956 under SR 1091
1956 under SR 1093
1949 under PA 917
1949 over SR 2040
1949 over SR 2023
1947 over PA 481
1947 under SR 2035
1958 under SR 2037
1952 over South Branch Maple Creek
1958 under SR 2027
1951 over Monongahela River
1958 under Ferncliff Drive
1958 under SR 3007
2000 over SR 3003
1949 over Speers Run
1954 under PA 201
1954 over railroad
1958 under SR 3011
1958 under SR 3017
1954 under PA 51
1956 over Youghiogheny River
1956 over SR 3031
1956 under SR 3040
1956 over PA 31
1957 over SR 3010
1957 over Sewickley Creek
1957 over SR 3037
1957 over Sewickley Creek branch
1957 over SR 3014
1957 over SR 3089
1957 under SR 3093
? under Turnpike ramp
1977 under PA 66

1969 under Turnpike
1963 over Turnpike ramp
1963 over SR 2035
1963 over PA 915
1962 over Lodge Road
1962 under PA 643
1961 under SR 3101
1962 over Fairview Road
1955/1960 over Indian Grave Run
1959 under PA 731
1959 under SR 3006
1959 under SR 3006
1959 over SR 3009
1960 under US 522
1960 under PA 484
1965 under PA 3001

Interstate standards and the future of I-70

I just finished some major editing to the "Route description" section of the article after seeing some misinformation included in it. Contrary to popular belief, the Pennsylvania Turnpike is compliant with current Interstate standards. Per AASHTO, a four-lane Interstate highway must have a minimum median width of 10 feet, including a two-foot-thick median barrier, and four-foot-wide shoulders between the barrier and the passing lanes on each side. While I-70 between Washington and New Stanton does not comply with this standard, the Pennsylvania Turnpike does.

Furthermore, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission is in the process of widening the Turnpike to six lanes through much of western Pennsylvania, including everything west of the Allegheny Mountain Tunnel. A six-lane Interstate highway must have a minimum median width of 26 feet (at least in rural areas), including a two-foot-thick median barrier, and 12-foot-wide shoulders between the barrier and the passing lanes on each side. Every segment between New Stanton and the Allegheny Mountain Tunnel that has been widened to six lanes meets this standard.

Just because the Pennsylvania Turnpike was first constructed in 1940 does not mean that it hasn't been properly updated to meet current Interstate standards, and just because the median is a concrete wall instead of a swath of grass doesn't mean that it's non-compliant. And the on- and off-ramps at every interchange have always been long enough to comply.

I've also created a "Future" section to detail the improvements that PennDOT plans to make to the segment of I-70 between the West Virginia state line and New Stanton in the next several years, including the reconfiguration of several interchanges and a total reconstruction of the highway from the ground up. The end result should be a modern highway in compliance with current Interstate standards.

Just off I-70 at New Stanton

Notice "At this point, the mainline expressway continues east to a cloverleaf junction between US 119 and the southern terminus of PA 66." If you were following I-70 east, you would have reached the Turnpike (on old I-70S) then pass through 2 trumpet interchanges to get on the Turnpike eastbound.

If, instead of entering the Turnpike, you took "the mainline expressway ... east" a short distance to the above-mentioned cloverleaf, you'd be on a stretch which is no longer US 119 and was never part of I-70. I hear it causes confusion to describe this little stretch. Before that cloverleaf was built, US 119 southbound continued onto the free stretch of westbound I-70 until at least the next interchange.