Possible Delays on PA Turnpike for Open Road Tolling Gantry Construction
Possible Delays on PA Turnpike for Open Road Tolling Gantry Construction
Overnight installations, for western conversion to ORT in 2027, to minimize traffic impacts.
MIDDLETOWN, Pa. — The Pennsylvania Turnpike (PA Turnpike) is advising motorists to be prepared for slow-moving and stopped traffic during overnight hours. This is part of construction in preparation for the PA Turnpike’s 2027 launch of Open Road Tolling (ORT) on the western stretch of the mainline.
Drivers traveling west of Reading to the Ohio line can see ORT expansion in action as we are actively building its signature components along the roadway – the gantry buildings and gantries. In an ORT system, tolls are charged electronically as customers drive at highway speeds without slowing down or stopping beneath the gantries located between interchanges. Equipment on the gantry and on the roadway processes E-ZPass or Toll By Plate transactions. ORT eliminates the confusion and lane switching associated with traditional, stop-and-go tolling. The switch to ORT east of Reading and on the Northeast Extension launched in January.
To allow Turnpike and construction crews to safely erect the monotube gantries over the roadway, traffic paces are scheduled in both directions:
- Tuesday, June 24, 12 a.m. to 5 a.m.: Milepost 156.1 (between Bedford and Breezewood Interchanges)
The intermittent, 30-minute traffic paces are done overnight to minimize traffic impacts. PA Turnpike maintenance and state police vehicles will be on scene to control traffic. Changeable message signs will also provide information on the traffic paces. Motorists are encouraged to plan travel accordingly. Work schedules are subject to change based on weather conditions. More information on how ORT toll gantries are constructed can be found here.
ORT allows for the addition of new access points at a significantly lower cost, paving the way for increased economic development and greater access to communities along the PA Turnpike, including the SR 130 Interchange in Westmoreland County currently in the design phase. This helps promote and support tourism and recreation. New access and increased convenience mean freight will move more efficiently and enable the expansion of economic development to more communities. A map showing the location of gantries built for ORT in the east and those under construction in the west, can be found here.
To report an incident 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
Changeable Message Signs: more than 200 boards along the PA Turnpike
ON THE WEB
511/511pa.com: live, interactive map
X/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.
This roadwork is critical to delivering on the Pennsylvania Turnpike (PA Turnpike)'s mission of operating a safe, reliable, customer-valued toll road system that supports national mobility and commerce. Since 2023, the PA Turnpike has supported more than $1 billion in construction bids to modernize, maintain or improve customer experience. Key projects include resurfacing more than 70 miles of roadway, a record-high 27 miles of total reconstruction, and replacing key bridges at Beaver River and Hawk Falls. Resources and information on planned construction projects can be found at Traveling on the PA Turnpike | PA Turnpike.
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Media Contacts:
Marissa Orbanek, Press Secretary: (267) 408-5151, morbanek@paturnpike.com
Crispin Havener, Assistant Press Secretary: (717) 870-2841, chavener@paturnpike.com