Pa. Turnpike, PennDOT Give Green Light To 70 MPH Speed Limit Expansion
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission and PennDOT announced Monday the new stretches of the interstate network that will now be posted with 70 mile per hour speed limits.
The change will affect 396 additional miles of the Turnpike, and 400 additional miles of certain PennDOT highways.
You won't see the new signs on the Parkways of Pittsburgh, but PennDOT started putting up some of the 70 miles per hour signs Monday. The rest go up on Tuesday.
Travel any of the state's limited access highways currently marked 65, and you know some drivers travel well over the speed limit.
But since the legislature approved 70 miles per hour two and a half years ago, PennDOT and the Turnpike Commission have studied the results of upping the limit in a few areas.
"We saw very minimal increases in overall speed and nothing in the way of crashes to indicate there was a problem increasing to 70 miles per hour," said Pennsylvania Transportation Secretary Leslie Richards.
So, starting Tuesday, most of the state goes to 70, including Interstate 79 from Cranberry to Erie, and Interstate 79 from Washington to the West Virginia border, all of I-80 in the western and central part of the state, and virtually all of the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
But do not expected to see 70 on Interstate 70.
"We all know how tight that area is, and it's not conducive to doing more than 55 or 60 miles an hour," PennDOT District 12 Executive Joseph Szczur.
Of course, it won't happen on our Parkways, but everywhere else, here comes 70.
The state police say with the increased speed will come decreased tolerance in the name of public safety.
"That's the maximum speed you are allowed to go. Anyone traveling faster than that, we will stop and we will enforce the law," said Pennsylvania State Police Sgt. Joseph Grove.
PennDOT roadways that are being posted with the new limit over the next few days (including current pilot areas) are:
- I-79 from I-90 in Erie County south to a point just north of the PA 228 interchange in Butler County (97 miles)
- I-79 from I-70 in Washington County south to the West Virginia border (33 miles)
- I-80 from the Ohio State border east to a point near mile marker 190 in Clinton County (190 miles)
- I-80 from a point near mile marker 195 in Union County to a point near mile marker 247 in Columbia County (52 miles)
- US 15 from the interchange with PA 14 in Lycoming County north to the New York State border (49 miles)
- I-99 from Exit No. 68 in Centre County south to a point near mile marker 34 in Blair County (34 miles)
- I-99 from Exit No. 28 in Blair County south to mile marker 0 (PA Turnpike) in Bedford County (28 miles)
- I-380 from I-84 in Lackawanna County south to Exit No. 3 in Monroe County (21 miles)
Other roads in our area going to 70 include - most of Turnpike 66 in Westmoreland County and most of the Mon Fayette Expressway. Officials are cautioning drivers not to drive 70 until the signs are up.
Join The Conversation On The KDKA Facebook Page
Stay Up To Date, Follow KDKA On Twitter
