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C O M M I S S I O N N E W S R E L E A S E |
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Contact: |
Joe Agnello, (724) 755-5262, (724)
755-5142 fax |
May 29, 2003 |
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NEW
WESTBOUND EXIT RAMP TO OPEN SUNDAY Westbound
traffic exiting the Pennsylvania Turnpike (Interstate 76) at Cranberry
(Milepost 28) will use a new off-ramp as of Sunday morning, June 1. The
new exit ramp is part of the reconfiguration of the Cranberry interchange
that is taking place as construction continues on the Cranberry Connector,
which will allow traffic to move from Interstate 76 to Interstate 79 (or
vice-versa) without having to use U.S. Route 19 and Pa. Route 228. Turnpike
customers on the new westbound off-ramp will come to a fork in the ramp as
they approach Route 19. If
they want to proceed south on Route 19,they will bear right at the fork
and will have to yield to traffic on Route 19 as they enter Route 19. If
they want to proceed north on Route 19 they will bear left at the fork and
come to a stop light at U.S. Route 19. The left-turn movement onto Route
19 will be governed by the traffic signal. The
opening of the new westbound exit ramp at Cranberry is occurring
simultaneously with the Turnpike’s opening of its new mainline toll
barrier (Warrendale) at the former site of the Butler Service Plaza and
the conversion of the mainline toll barrier near the Ohio line (Gateway)
to a cash-exchange facility. The
new 13-lane Warrendale Plaza at Milepost 31 will become the western end of
the Turnpike’s traditional fare ticket system. It is where westbound
motorists will present their toll ticket and pay the appropriate fare and
where eastbound motorists will obtain a ticket for presentation upon exit
anywhere east. E-ZPass
customers will be able to use designated lanes at the Warrendale and
Gateway plazas to proceed unimpeded but at the posted speed for E-ZPass
lanes. Fare
collection facilities at the Turnpike’s Cranberry, Beaver Valley and New
Castle interchanges will close as of Sunday morning and will be razed in
the near future. Traffic entering or exiting I-76 at those locations will
not have to stop. All
of the changes occurring as part of the Turnpike’s Western Toll
Improvement Project will be in effect by 7 am Sunday. Starting
at approximately 5 am and effective for no more than two hours, there will
be no travel on the Turnpike between the Butler Valley interchange at
Milepost 39 and the Cranberry interchange at Milepost 28. Westbound
traffic will exit at Butler Valley and re-enter at Cranberry via Pa. Route
8 North, Pa. Route 228 West and U.S. Route 19 South. Eastbound traffic
will exit at Cranberry and re-enter at Butler Valley via Route 19 North,
Route 228 East and Route 8 South. All
motorists will receive detour cards upon exit during the transition
period. |
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P.O. Box 67676, Harrisburg, PA 17106-7676 Phone: (717) 939-9551 Fax: (717) 986-9649 |
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