Skip to main content

The Abandoned New Stanton Interchange Ramps

Image
By
For nearly 50 years, the Pennsylvania Turnpike interchange with Interstate 70 and US 119 in New Stanton has been a rather free-flowing double trumpet, grade separated interchange between the two freeways.  But for the first 23 years of the turnpike, this interchange was vastly different.  It was the only non-trumpet interchange within the system (excluding termini points) and featured very tricky and gridlock causing left turns within the interchange.  (See image on right).  With the birth of the Interstate Highway System in the mid-1950s, new freeways were built and in many cases the Turnpike kept the original interchange using local roads to connect to the new freeways.  Interchanges with what would become I-81, I-176, I-80, I-70 in Breezewood, and I-79 were left with the original design.

Meanwhile in the 1950's, the state began building a freeway that ran from New Stanton west towards Washington.  This freeway, signed PA 71, was built to connect those in the industrial Mon Valley to the Turnpike.  Opened to the Turnpike by 1959, the amount of traffic using this interchange increased substantially.  It was in October of 1963 that the PTC began a construction project that would cost $1.6 million to completely replace the interchange.  A little over a year later on November 12, 1964, the new New Stanton interchange officially opened to traffic. (1)  This was the first turnpike interchange to be completely replaced, and it also was the first interchange that was reconfigured to provide direct Interstate-to-Interstate traffic.

For years, the were still remnants of the old interchange configuration left.  However, over the past two decades Turnpike mainline widening, construction and tie in to PA Turnpike 66, and the modernization of Interstate 70 in New Stanton has slowly removed pieces of what once was.  In 2003, Bernie Newman captured a number of photos showing the remnants of the old New Stanton interchange.  His photos are below.


The original eastbound New Stanton offramp (Bernie Newman)
A long view of the eastbound offramp.  It is amazing the condition of these old ramps after nearly 40 years.  (Bernie Newman)
The onramp onto the eastbound lanes of the Turnpike.  Recent construction of a new viaduct has created an elevation change from where the onramp would have met the highway.  (Bernie Newman)


The on-ramp to the Turnpike comes at you in this photo.  (Bernie Newman)
A wider shot showing both eastbound ramps.  The ramps are curving to go underneath the Turnpike.  (Bernie Newman)

A ground shot of the surprisingly in good condition pavement used for the ramps.  (Bernie Newman)
Along US 119, the ramps are also found.  Construction of the current New Stanton interchange and the later addition of a connection to PA Turnpike 66 has over time overtaken the ramps to US 119 and the former toll facilities.  (Bernie Newman)
Site Navigation:
Sources & Links:
  • (1) Cupper, Dan. "The Pennsylvania Turnpike: A History.  55th Anniversary Edition."  Lebanon, PA: Applied Arts, 1995. 38-39.
  • Bernie Newman
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Bleriot Ferry - Alberta

By
  Alberta operates six ferries scattered throughout the province. Roughly twenty to twenty-five kilometers up the Red Deer River from the town of Drumheller is one of the most scenic ferry crossings in all of Wild Rose Country, the Bleriot Ferry. Using the North Dinosaur Trail (Alberta Highway 838, or AB 838), the Bleriot Ferry provides a scenic river cruise of sorts in the Canadian Badlands. The Bleriot Ferry started operating in 1913 as the Munson Ferry when a few bridges crossed the Red Deer River. The ferry was started by Andre Bleriot, the brother of famed early aviator Louis Bleriot, who became famous for being the first person to fly over the English Channel. At the time, the Alberta provincial government commissioned local residents to run the ferries. There were several ferries along the Red Deer River, and not only did they serve as vital transportation links, but they also served as local social hubs, since everyone had to take the ferries to go places. Over time, as the...
Post a Comment
Read more

Interstate 40's Tumultuous Ride Through the Pigeon River Gorge

By
In the nearly 60 years Interstate 40 has been open to traffic through the Pigeon River Gorge in the mountains of Western North Carolina, it has been troubled by frequent rockslides and damaging flooding, which has seen the over 30-mile stretch through North Carolina and Tennessee closed for months at a time. Most recently, excessive rainfall from Hurricane Helene in September 2024 saw sections of Interstate 40 wash away into a raging Pigeon River. While the physical troubles of Interstate 40 are well known, how I-40 came to be through the area is a tale of its own. Interstate 40 West through Haywood County near mile marker 10. I-40's route through the Pigeon River Gorge dates to local political squabbles in the 1940s and a state highway law written in 1921. A small note appeared in the July 28, 1945, Asheville Times. It read that the North Carolina State Highway Commission had authorized a feasibility study of a "...water-level road down [the] Pigeon River to the Tennessee l...
4 comments
Read more

I-73/I-74 and NC Future Interstates Year in Review 2024

By
Welcome to another annual review of progress in constructing North Carolina's New and Future Interstate routes. While 2024 was not too exciting, with no new segments of major routes opening, there was 1 new interstate signing, another proposed new interstate route, and the near opening of a new segment for 2 routes. As tradition, I will start off with a review of what happened with I-73 and I-74 and then move on to the major news of the year about the other new and future routes. Work continued on the I-73/I-74 Rockingham Bypass through the year. The last few months have been hoping for news of its opening before 2025, without luck. Signs of its near completion included the placement of new signs, many with interstate shields uncovered, along the Bypass and intersecting roadways. For example, these went up along US 74 East: Overhead signage at Business 74 exit which contains the future ramp to I-73 North/I-74 West. Signage was also updated heading west on US 74 approaching the unop...
Post a Comment
Read more