Abandoned Pennsylvania Turnpike Section

[mobilene]

The FHWA Web site recently put up a short article about the abandoned section of the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

 

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/infrastructure/back1007.cfm

 

The thing I think is cool is that it calls out the fair amount of info on the Internet about this road: "This stretch of paved roadway has not gone unused in the last 40 years. The Internet is full of documented trips by nature lovers, bikers, and other outdoor adventurers who have explored the roadway and the tunnels." Since the people who've ventured out there have been trespassing, strictly speaking, I think it's neat that the FHWA writer acknowledges this activity without judgment.

 

Peace,

jim

[Alex Burr - hester_nec]

I wonder how many of us in the American Road group can claim to have, at least, ridden over the old section. Between 1948 and 1951 I made several trips to Ohio with my folks - we drove the Pennsy from Harrisburg to New Stanton.

A few years back I had the occasion to use the turnpike - and later found myself thinkiing, wait a minute; weren't there more tunnels somewhere in there!!!! Not long after I found some internet sites that explained that I wasn't losing my mind (no more than usual - some tunnels had been by-passed.

 

Hudsonly,

Alex Burr

Memphis, TN

[DennyG]

I wonder how many of us in the American Road group can claim to have, at least, ridden over the old section.

Maybe. In 1963 or 1964, my family went from Ohio to Washington, DC, and I, with a brand new driver's license, got to drive part of the way. I know that we used part of the Pennsylvania Turnpike but I'm not sure just how much. Looking at current maps, Breezewood, just west of the abandoned section, seems a likely turnoff point. I don't know if that was true in 1964. If so, then we probably left the turnpike before reaching the abandoned section. My own memory of the route is pretty shallow and that of the eastbound portion is overshadowed by some memories of the return which involved a bit of US-50.