Upper Dublin Township, PA Turnpike, DCED, Montgomery County & Elected Officials Celebrate Fort Washington Zip Ramp Opening
Montgomery County – Today, Upper Dublin Township and the Pennsylvania Turnpike (PA Turnpike) have officially opened a new limited-access ramp, providing a direct connection from the Pennsylvania Turnpike Fort Washington (PA 309) Interchange to the Greater Fort Washington District at Commerce Drive. A project initiated by Upper Dublin Township as part of their plan to revitalize the former Fort Washington Office Park, the new Fort Washington Zip Ramp is designed to improve mobility, reduce congestion, and enhance access throughout the Fort Washington area.
In 2016, the Upper Dublin Township created the Municipal Authority, representing 134 properties within the former Fort Washington Office Park. Over the past decade, Upper Dublin Township and the Municipal Authority have led a transformative campaign to revitalize the Fort Washington Office Park, evolving it into the vibrant, mixed-use Greater Fort Washington District. The opening of the Fort Washington Zip Ramp marks a milestone event, recognized as one of the founding projects that inspired the Municipal Authority's creation.
“Today is a milestone event for Upper Dublin,” said Kurt M. Ferguson, Municipal Authority Executive Director, Upper Dublin Township. “This project and the previous projects have seen a remarkable return of investment in the Greater Fort Washington District, including TruMark Financial’s strong and unwavering support of this ramp and the Fort Washington area, LifeTime Fitness selecting their site just beyond the ramp on Commerce Drive, and property owners reinvesting in their properties to reaffirm their presence in Upper Dublin. The Township’s decision to relocate the Public Library to Virginia Drive in a manner that has been recognized as award winning has also added to that.”
The new off-ramp was made possible due to the PA Turnpike’s transition to Open Road Tolling (ORT), a cashless, free-flowing mode of collecting tolls without traditional toll plazas or toll booths. Since 2000, the PA Turnpike has added four new access points. However, ORT now makes it easier for the PA Turnpike to continue to add new access points to communities, helping support economic development, enhance mobility and ease traffic.
Beyond improved access, the PA Turnpike is working with local communities and various stakeholders as it reconfigures interchanges under ORT, aligning redesign efforts with local goals where possible to identify and evaluate future interchange opportunities that strengthen mobility and support economic growth. Beyond supporting Upper Dublin’s reinvigoration of the Greater Fort Washington District, other redesigns include additional truck parking and the preservation of a community roundabout.
“We are proud to be a vital transportation partner that strengthens the Commonwealth’s infrastructure and competitiveness,” said PA Turnpike CEO Mark Compton. “When the PA Turnpike Commission works with communities during the early project planning stages, we can better understand their priorities and identify opportunities that benefit the PA Turnpike, our customers and the communities we serve. We are proud to have played a role in this project, helping support their vision of transforming the Greater Fort Washington District.”
Since 2016, nearly $45 million has been invested into the Great Fort Washington District's infrastructure, with almost 70% of funding coming from grants and partners such as the PA Department of Community & Economic Development and Montgomery County, underscoring the project's regional significance and collaborative spirit.
Montgomery County supported this effort with over a half a million dollars in funding.
"Today is a milestone for the collaborative energy that continues to transform the Greater Fort Washington District,” said Jamila Winder, Chair of the Montgomery County Board Commissioners. “We know that strong communities depend on strong connections. By making these daily connections safer and more reliable, we’re investing in people’s quality of life.”
This Zip Ramp project was part of a 2015 Montgomery County study that identified destination centers that would benefit from effective access points to the PA Turnpike. As part of that study, Montgomery County has partnered with Upper Dublin Township, Horsham, Upper Moreland and neighboring municipalities to advance additional access improvements along the corridor.
“Infrastructure projects like this are about much more than pavement and concrete,” said Pennsylvania State Representative Melissa Cerrato. “They are investments in people, businesses, and the future of our community. Every minute saved on a commute, every truck that reaches its destination more efficiently, and every constituent who can more easily access our local businesses, strengthens our regional economy. The zip ramp, while small in length, is huge in progress. Together, we celebrate not just a new roadway, but new opportunities.”
“This ribbon cutting is about so much more than a new ramp,” said Pennsylvania State Senator Maria Collett. “It's about creating better connections, improving access to jobs and businesses, and continuing to transform the Greater Fort Washington District into a thriving mixed-use destination. This incredible milestone was made possible because Upper Dublin had a vision and refused to give up on it. This is what strong communities do. We dream big and work together and keep pushing forward, even when the road is long."
In 2016, the Multimodal Transportation Funding Grant Program awarded just over $2 million for this project through the Commonwealth Financing Authority. Since then, there's been other grants awarded for projects in the area, including the nearby Cross County Trail, a regional Circuit Trail.
“This project certainly is a fine example of a community working together to make Upper Dublin Township, Montgomery County, as well as the entire city, a place that is enjoyed, and a great place to live, work, and play,” said Stephen Schelander with Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development. “Projects like this not only bring immediate improvements to the community, but also work to propel development forward in this area as well. Collaboration is key in major projects, like this one, as evident with everyone here today.”
Boles Smyth Associates, Inc. serves as the Upper Dublin Township Municipal Authority Engineer and the Township Traffic Engineer.
“These past years have required persistence, commitment and dedication from Upper Dublin, the Turnpike Commission and DCED, with mutual trust and understanding that this zip ramp was going to get built, and that it needed to fit into the overall Turnpike plan with the Open Road Tolling program,” said Jack Smyth, President of Boles Smyth Associates, Inc. “Things like this aren't easy, and each of these partners have been committed to getting to this day.”
For more information regarding Fort Washington, please visit Fort Washington Office Park | Upper Dublin, PA.
Editor's Note:
The PAcast from today's event, which includes photos and video can be found here.
###
Media Contacts:
Rebecca Lohoefer-Mahon, Communications Coordinator, Upper Dublin Township: 215-643-1600 x3221 rlohoefer@upperdublin.net
Marissa Orbanek, Press Secretary: 267-408-5151, morbanek@paturnpike.com