PA Turnpike to hold community day on the Southern Beltway

The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) is hosting a special community day event for anyone who would like to walk or bicycle on the newly constructed Southern Beltway (PA Turnpike 576) prior to it opening to traffic.

The event will be held Oct. 9 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Participants are asked to enter the Southern Beltway at the South Fayette Way westbound entrance ramp located in South Fayette Township in Allegheny County. Turnpike maintenance personnel will then guide people where to park and where to begin their trek on the Southern Beltway.

A five-mile section of the Southern Beltway will be made available for participants to travel. From South Fayette Way (Exit #16) to McDonald/Midway (Exit #11), water stations will be set up that will also have informational material about the Southern Beltway and E-ZPass.

Along this five-mile stretch, participants will be able to see one of the toll points on the roadway. Three toll points will be on the Southern Beltway, which will have an open-road tolling system that utilizes overhead gantries equipped with scanners and cameras to electronically charge toll road customers either via E-ZPass accounts or the PA Toll By Plate program. 

This event provides community members a first glimpse of the Southern Beltway and allows them to freely walk or ride their bicycles on the roadway prior to opening. The goal for the day is to strictly have a good time and explore what the toll road looks like. 

Since construction is still ongoing, we ask that participants please restrict their activity to the predesignated five-mile, westbound-only stretch between South Fayette Way and McDonald/Midway. The other sections of the roadway will have construction vehicles passing through and work being performed.  

Participants are being asked to follow CDC guidelines by social distancing and wearing masks when possible.