Pennsylvania Turnpike Announces All Connections with I-79 and Southern Beltway to Open June 24
Pennsylvania Turnpike Announces All Connections with I-79 and Southern Beltway to Open June 24
More traffic expected on Southern Beltway with full interchange open at I-79.
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) is pleased to announce that the full interchange connecting I-79 and the Southern Beltway (PA Turnpike 576) will be open on June 24. Last fall drivers were able to travel the Southern Beltway when it opened to traffic, but there were restrictions at I-79.
The 19-mile Southern Beltway links I-376 near the Pittsburgh International Airport in Allegheny County to I-79 at the Allegheny-Washington County line, where the full interchange will be open to traffic.
“Since opening in October, the PA Turnpike Commission has seen nearly 8,000 vehicles a day on sections of the Southern Beltway,” stated PA Turnpike CEO Mark Compton. “With all connections at I-79 open, that usage will inevitably increase, which will meet and probably exceed our expectations of 10,000 vehicles on average per day.”
This $800 million project is significant for motorists in the corridor because it will help ease congestion on arteries like the Parkway West, I-79, and State Route 50. Additionally, it will provide emergency-response vehicles, businesses, and the public with a safer alternative to rural, two-lane roads.
“This was a huge undertaking that couldn’t be accomplished without a large team of dedicated professionals who made this highway a reality,” stated Brad Heigel, Pa Turnpike Chief Engineer. “We’d like to thank all designers, consultants and contractors who had a hand in constructing the Southern Beltway.”
The Southern Beltway was built for seamless nonstop travel by utilizing an all-electronic tolling system. Three toll points span the 19-mile stretch and electronically charge a toll as drivers pass under them.
Customers with E-ZPass pay as usual with their account being charged the toll. Customers without E-ZPass are charged via the Toll By Plate method in which cameras take a photo of the vehicle’s license plate and the registered owner gets an invoice in the mail.
“We now have a new payment method in place that allows customers receiving a Toll By Plate invoice the option to pay with cash instead of mailing in the payment,” stated Compton. “When they receive the invoice in the mail, there are instructions included as to how to pay with cash by creating a pay slip to take to participating retailers that accept these cash payments.”
For a full list of participating retailers and more information on how to use this cash payment method to pay PTC invoices and even add funds to existing E-ZPass accounts, click here: pay-a-bill.
Additional information about the Southern Beltway Project can be found at: Southern Beltway (paturnpike.com).
To report an accident or other emergency on the PA Turnpike, dial *11 via mobile phone. To learn more about PA Turnpike conditions, use one of these resources:
ON THE TURNPIKE
- 511PA Smartphone App: real-time, hands-free PA traffic advisories
- Digital Message Signs: more than 100 boards along the Turnpike
ON THE WEB
- 511/511pa.com: live, interactive map
- Twitter: @PATurnpikeAlert
BY PHONE
- 511: dial from any PA roadway for local travel information
- Pennsylvania Turnpike Customer Assistance Center: 877-736-6727, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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Media contact: Renee Vid Colborn, 724-755-5260