Old Stretch of PA Turnpike to See New Life as Bike Trail
The Pennsylvania Turnpike is about to connect people and communities in a whole new way.
As part of an expansion project to provide more truck and car parking at the Sideling Hill Service Plaza in Fulton County, crews are also building a bicycle trailhead facility to help serve as a starting point to a vast network of trails nearby.
Sideling Hill Service Plaza Update (vbrick.com)
Promoted as “Your Gateway to the Alleghenies,” the trailhead will serve both Turnpike and community users with access the service plaza and its numerous amenities, ranging from food service to restrooms, as well as a covered pavilion with seating areas, bike racks, a bike wash and a repair station. From there they can bike off to explore over 600 miles of trails within a 25-mile radius of Sideling Hill.
“It's a one-of-a-kind project here,” said Luke Larson, Engineer Project Manager. “I think throughout the design process, the bidding process and construction we’ve received a fair amount of feedback with just how unique this project is from other Turnpike projects.”
Perhaps most unique and closest to our hearts is the nearby Old PA Pike Trail which uses 13 miles of the original Turnpike route, including two tunnels, that were bypassed in the 1960’s. The Turnpike sold the land to a local conservancy that announced last year they’ve received state and federal grants that will go toward rehabbing the old pike into a recreation destination.
“The project has helped foster community engagement with some of our neighbors,” Larson said. “A big component of this is that we're in communication with the Bedford Fulton Joint Recreational Authority with the trailhead aspects also (Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources) with their trail system and then local groups and municipalities and also some schools that are involved with this as well based on the unique and close proximity to the old abandoned Turnpike trail and the tunnels and also other trail networks there within the Buchanan State Forest and along the existing bike routes.”
Jason Philip, Senior Engineer Project Manager, said the overall project is 75% complete. The parking expansion, which will increase the available truck stalls from 31 to 66, triple the number of spaces for buses, and increase passenger vehicle spaces to 116, will be completed in the fall while the trailhead and other aspects of the final project will be completed by May.
With project managers seeing the light at the end of tunnel for this one-of-a-kind project, they’re excited for everyone to see the finished project and have everyone create a new association with the Turnpike.
“We're trying to create a unique experience for our customers using the assets we have and a tying that into a growing popular outdoor recreation activity,” Larson said.
By Crispin Havener, PA Turnpike Assistant Press Secretary