PA Turnpike to Build New Interchange at SR 981 in Westmoreland County

PA Turnpike to Build New Interchange at SR 981 in Westmoreland County

New interchange will bring increased connectivity and economic development opportunities

Middletown, Pa. — The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (Commission) announced a new interchange will be built where the Pennsylvania Turnpike (PA Turnpike) crosses State Route 981 in Mount Pleasant Township, Westmoreland County.

The Board of Commissioners approved a change to the Fiscal Year 2027 10-Year Capital Plan today that allocates funding for the design of the new connection. The project builds upon ongoing investments in the SR 981 corridor and reflects a commitment to strengthening Westmoreland County’s transportation network, improving access, and supporting future economic growth.

“Westmoreland County is growing, and Route 981 is critical to that growth,” said PennDOT Secretary and PA Turnpike Commission Chair Mike Carroll. “This new interchange builds on the more than $220 million we’re already investing here, and will create an important connection for the region that paves the way for future opportunities.”

The new interchange, around Milepost 80.8, will be built approximately 15 minutes south of the renovated Arnold Palmer Regional Airport. The new interchange will provide improved regional mobility and connectivity in the Greater New Stanton area.

"The Route 981 Interchange will strengthen connection between the PA Turnpike and Westmoreland County,” said PA Turnpike Commission CEO Mark Compton. “For more than 85 years, the PA Turnpike has served as a critical corridor for commerce and connectivity across Pennsylvania. By building on investments already made along Route 981, this new access point will improve mobility, strengthen access to a major transportation network and create new opportunities for businesses, jobs and economic growth in Westmoreland County and across the Commonwealth.”

The SR 981 project is feasible due to the PA Turnpike’s transition to Open Road Tolling (ORT), which will fully launch across the main PA Turnpike system in January 2027. This cashless, free-flowing mode of collecting tolls without traditional toll plazas or toll booths, allows the Commission to collect tolls as customers drive at highway speeds without slowing down or stopping beneath overhead structures — called gantries — located between interchanges. ORT allows the Commission to build interchanges with a smaller footprint and lower costs of the old design that required traffic to funnel on and off through a traditional toll plaza.

“The planned interchanges at SR 981 and SR 130 continue to remain priority projects as they are both critical to the continuing growth of Westmoreland County and the overall economic success of our region and I’m pleased the Turnpike Commission recognizes that,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward. “Completing the SR 981 project, which has been on the books for 20 years, is significantly less expensive than SR130 because tens of millions of dollars have already been spent toward that project. Completing SR 981 for operation will not only help current and future businesses save money on logistics but will also create easier access for those businesses that move freight to use the Arnold Palmer Airport instead of driving to Pittsburgh. Additionally, it creates much easier access to the turnpike for many communities. It’s a win for Westmoreland County to complete one project and immediately move toward completing a second project”.

Ongoing investments in this area from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) through the Laurel Valley Transportation Improvement Project improves safety, mobility and access along the Route 981 Corridor which will better support the additional traffic generated by the future interchange.

“Westmoreland County is a great place to live, work and invest, and projects like this help us build on that momentum,” said PA State Representative Eric Davanzo. “Creating direct access to the Pennsylvania Turnpike along Route 981 will open new possibilities for our communities, make it easier for people to reach the places they need to go and give employers another reason to choose Westmoreland County.”

The project will be the first built using “Design-Build Best Value” procurement process, approved under Act 21 of 2026, allowing the Commission to award construction contracts to firms that offer the best value in terms of cost savings and time. This will allow for projects to be completed more quickly and at a lower cost.

The project is in early stages of development. Cost and schedule details will be released as they become available.

Media Contacts:
Marissa Orbanek, Press Secretary: 267-408-5151, morbanek@paturnpike.com 
Crispin Havener, Assistant Press Secretary: 717-870-2841, chavener@paturnpike.com