Talk:Interstate 70 in Pennsylvania

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.