Interchanges in Pennsylvania
In the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, there are many major complex interchanges. The interchanges provide access to other major roads in Pennsylvania. This list provides the major interchanges in the state of Pennsylvania and the most massive interchanges as well and from different regions in the state.
Breezewood Interchange
| Breezewood Interchange | |
|---|---|
| Location | |
| Breezewood, Pennsylvania | |
| Coordinates: | 39°59′47″N 78°14′26″W / 39.9964°N 78.2406°W |
| Roads at junction: |
 US 30 |
| Construction | |
| Type: | Hybrid interchange |
| Maintained by: | the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission |
Interstate 70 is connected via U.S. Route 30 briefly in Breezewood with a traffic light through this town of hotels. It is one of the few traffic signals in the Interstate highway system.[1]
Charles D. Buzzanco Interchange
The Charles D. Buzzanco Interchange is a major interchange between I-79 and I-90 in Erie County. The interchange is configured as a cloverleaf interchange.[2]
Clarks Summit Interchange
The Clarks Summit Interchange marks the northern end of the PA Turnpike's Northeast Extension, located a few miles north of Scranton. It links the Turnpike with other major roads in the Wyoming Valley
Dwight D Eisenhower Interchange
The Dwight D. Eisenhower Interchange, sometimes called The Eisenhower Interchange or the Eisenhower Hershey Interchange, is a complex interchange east of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and west of Hershey, Pennsylvania. It is also part of the Capital Beltway that includes Interstate 83, Interstate 283, and U.S. Route 322. The interchange is named after former United States president Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Harrisburg Mall lies just west of the interchange off I-83.
Gordon Ward Interchange
The Gordon Ward Interchange is roughly the western terminus of Interstate 376 in Mercer County.[3]
Interstate 279 Interchange
I-279
I-579 (Crosstown Boulevard)
US 19 Truck
PA 28 (Allegheny Valley Expressway)
The Interstate 279 Interchange is a massive Interchange in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania name after the main route in the interchange: Interstate 279. The interchange consists of Interstate 279, U.S. Route 19 Truck, Interstate 579, and Pennsylvania Route 28. Interstate 279 has a concurrency with U.S. Route 19 Truck and it also has HOV lanes on the interchange. Interstate 579 and Pennsylvania Route 28 both end at the interchange.
I-376 / I-76 Interchange in Beaver County
The I-376 / I-76 Interchange is a major interchange between I-76 and I-376 in Beaver County.[3] It is one of two interchanges between the two highways, with the second being the "Parkway East Interchange" in Monroeville.
I-76/US 1 Interchange in Philadelphia County
The I-76/US 1 interchange is a major interchange between the Schuylkill Expressway (I-76) and City Avenue/Roosevelt Boulevard (US 1) as both roadways enter the City/County limits of Philadelphia, PA. It also marks the beginnings of the Roosevelt Boulevard; which splits off from I-76 at Exit 340B.
I-476/US 1 Interchange in Delaware County
The I-476/US 1 interchange is Route 1's second major interchange during its run through Pennsylvania. This time, it intersects the Blue Route/Mid County Expressway/Veterans Memorial Highway (I-476) at a three level diamond interchange outside of Springfield. This is a type of highway interchange where through traffic on both main roads is grade-separated from intersections which handle transferring traffic. It is similar in design to a three-level stacked roundabout except for its use of (usually signalled) conventional intersections, and can be thought of as two diamond interchanges fused together.
Lehigh Valley Interchange
The Lehigh Valley Interchange connects major highways in the Lehigh Valley area with the Pennsylvania Turnpike's Northeast Extension. The interchange connects directly with the Lehigh Valley Thruway (US 22) but not with nearby I-78. All the highways at this point intersect with each other at various points. To access the turnpike from I-78 you must take PA 309 North to US 22 if you are coming from 78 West, and 78 East must merge onto US 22 East to pick up 476.
MacDade Blvd Interchange
The MacDade Blvd Interchange is a major interchange in Delaware County between I-476 and I-95. It is also the southern terminus of I-476.[4]
Mid-County Interchange
| Mid-County Interchange | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | |
| Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania | |
| Coordinates: | 40°06′37″N 75°16′57″W / 40.1104°N 75.2824°W |
| Roads at junction: |
|
| Construction | |
| Type: | Hybrid interchange |
| Maintained by: | the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission |
The Mid-County Interchange is the largest interchange of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. It connects Interstate 276, Interstate 476, West Germantown Pike and Plymouth Road near Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania. I-276 is the main, east-west, portion of the Pennsylvania Turnpike and I-476, north of the interchange, is the Turnpike's Northeast Extension. The toll free portion of I-476, south of the Interchange, is known locally as the Blue Route or Mid-County Expressway. The interchange connects I-276, I-476, West Germantown Pike, Plymouth Road in a series of ramps, overpasses and toll booths. The original, smaller toll plaza handles traffic between I-276 and the two local roads, and the newer, larger toll plaza handles the through traffic on I-476. Traffic north bound from the Blue Route has ramps to both local roads, while traffic south bound from the Northeast Extension must exit onto I-276 west, before exiting through the old toll booth to connect to the local roads.
Prior to the December, 1992 completion of the Blue Route, this area had two discrete trumpet interchanges. There was the Norristown exit off I-276 that went through a toll plaza and connected to West Germantown Pike only. The other, independent, interchange connected the terminus of the Northeast Extension, then Pennsylvania Route 9, to I-276.
In 1979 the portion of the Blue Route that would connect Interstate 76 near Conshohocken, Pennsylvania to what would become the Mid-County Interchange was opened, but it stopped about a mile short of the Interchange at Chemical Road, which intersected Germantown Pike south of its Turnpike interchange. This caused predictable problems with rush hour traffic. After the Blue Route south of I-76 was completed to Interstate 95 in 1991, the problem was worse. On December 16, 1992, the Mid County Interchange opened to traffic.
Mount Nittany Interchange
The Mounty Nittany Interchange or The Pennsylvania State University Interchange is an interchange in State College, Pennsylvania, United States. The main campus of Pennsylvania State University (aka "Penn State") is near the interchange. The Interchange consists of two U.S. Routes and as of 2007 an Interstate route. U.S. Route 322, U.S. Route 220, Interstate 99, and Park Avenue Extension are the routes and local roads that form this interchange.
New Stanton Interchange
The New Stanton Interchange is a major interchange in Westmoreland County, about 20 miles southeast of the Pittsburgh exit. At New Stanton, I-70 meets the Pennsylvania Turnpike. West of New Stanton, I-70 is an independent 4-lane highway that terminates in Utah. East of New Stanton, travelers on I-70 must continue on the PA Turnpike, until it separates from the Turnpike in Breezewood, PA. The New Stanton sees heavy truck traffic, as many of long-haul trucks going west choose I-70 over the PA Turnpike, since the Turnpike is a toll road. In addition to Interstate Highways, New Stanton also manages US 119 and PA Route 66.
O. D. Anderson Interchange
The O. D. Anderson Interchange is a major interchange between I-79 and I-80 in Mercer County. The interchange is configured as a cloverleaf interchange.[2]
Parkway East Interchange in Monroeville
The Parkway East Interchange is roughly the eastern terminus of Interstate 376 in Monroeville.[5]
Pennsylvania Turnpike/Interstate 95 Interchange
The Pennsylvania Turnpike/Interstate 95 Interchange Project will create an interchange between the Pennsylvania Turnpike and Interstate 95. The planned configuration will accommodate a high volume of traffic that will also make Interstate 95 continuous from Florida to Maine.
Pocono Interchange
When the Pennsylvania Turnpike built its Northeast Extension from Metro Philadelphia to the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area, they included an interchange at this relatively 'middle of nowhere' place to serve the resort and vacation properties in the area. Later on, I-80 showed up on the scene. There was, of course, a desire for the two to connect, so PennDOT added a 'trumpet' interchange to I-80 to line up with the Turnpike's PA 940 access. However, PennDOT added its interchange to the Turnpike's by building it opposite the end of the Turnpike access road's 'T' intersection with PA 940, leaving the intersection intact. A direct, 'interstate compatible' roadway between the two was never built and the intersection is currently protected with a traffic signal. Development in the vicinity includes some motels, fast food joints and a truck stop. Unlike at Breezewood, PA, though, there is not much through traffic demand between I-80 and the Turnpike, as (except for the I-80 west to/from I-476 south direction) there are much better, more direct routings between the population centers that the two highways serve.
Southeast Interchange
This is one of the more dangerous places on the I-system. Northbound traffic on I-79 (from West Virginia and beyond) must descend a 70+ meter grade in just over 1.5 km and immediately slow to about 30 km/h at the bottom of the hill to make the turn on the loop ramp of the 'trumpet' interchange at I-70 in order to continue on NB I-79 towards Pittsburgh. I-70 and I-79 are multiplexed for about 5 km around to the north side of Washington where they split, with I-70 going on westward towards Wheeling, WV.
Throop Dunmore Interchange
I-81 (American Legion Memorial Highway)
I-84
I-380
US 6 (Gov. Robert P. Casey Highway, Grand Army of the Republic Highway)
The Throop Dunmore Interchange or the Interstate 81 Interchange is a complex interchange in Dunmore, Pennsylvania, United States about a mile east of Scranton, Pennsylvania. The interchange includes Interstate 81, Interstate 84, Interstate 380, and U.S. Route 6. Interstate 81 comes from the west and turns north where Interstate 84 and Interstate 380 come merged from the south and they end at the interchange. U.S. Route 6 comes from the east and merges with Interstate 81 that heads north. The interchange is named after the two towns between the interchange: Throop and Dunmore.
Prior to the construction of the US 6 freeway, it was a simple 3Y which marked the beginning of I-84/380
US 202/US 30 Interchange
The US 202/US 30 interchange is a partial-cloverleaf interchange outside of Frazer, Pennsylvania that marks the beginnings of the Route 30 Bypass; which bypasses the towns of Exton, Downingtown and Coatesville.
Valley Forge Interchange/King Of Prussia Interchange
King of Prussia has retained its role as an important crossroads throughout United States history. In addition to the Inn, from the earliest days, the intersection supported two general stores. Today, four major highways meet in or near the center of King of Prussia. The Schuylkill Expressway (I-76) from Center City, Philadelphia, ends in King of Prussia at the Pennsylvania Turnpike, an east-west toll road across the southern portion of the state. US 422 begins near the center of town and heads west to Reading; thanks to reconstruction in 2000, motorists can now travel directly from Reading to Philadelphia without passing onto US 202. US 202 is the only major highway that becomes a surface road through the area.
Vine Street Expressway Interchange
Interstate 676/U.S. 30 westbound traffic defaults onto Interstate 76 westbound for the Germantown and Roxborough sections of north Philadelphia. Traffic wishing to turn south onto Interstate 76 east must use tight loop ramp to the right. The left hand ramp to I-76 westbound shrinks from 2 to 1 lane.
West Conshohocken Interchange
Interstates 76 and Interstate 476 (the Blue Route) interchange near Conshohocken. The northern part of the interchange for I-476 north towards Plymouth Meeting was completed in 1979 while the southern portion of the interchange towards Chester was completed in 1991.[6]
See also
U.S. Roads portal- Pennsylvania portal
References
- Pennsylvania Tourism & Transportation Map
- Rand McNally 2007 Atlas
- Pennsylvania Highways
- ↑ "The infamous Breezewood Interchange".
- 1 2 "I79 Exit Guide".
- 1 2 "I-376 Exits".
- ↑ "I-95 / I-476 MacDade Blvd Interchange".
- ↑ "Parkway East Interchange".
- ↑ "I-476 West Conshohocken Interchange".