February 2026

PA Turnpike Takes on Winter Storm Fern

Winter Storm Fern lumbered across the region late last month, dumping anywhere between 6 to 18 inches of snow statewide in the kind of storm the Pennsylvania Turnpike has not seen in a few years.

But Traffic Emergency Management Specialist Bill Howard said the PA Turnpike followed its weather playbook for this extreme event and came out on top.

“It was preparation, quick messaging, and coordination with all of the departments,” Howard said.  “I think it was a win-win.”

Statewide, tractor-trailers and most non-passenger vehicles were banned from the roadway to limit lane-closing crashes, allowing plow-truck crews to fight the storm. And boy, did they have their work cut out for them as the snow fell heavily at times, followed by a round of sleet.

Here’s a look at some of the weather – photos by Manager of Maintenance and Field Operations Todd Tilson:

Director of Maintenance John DelRicci said he was a little concerned in the days leading up to the storm, but all that prep work paid off.

“The game plan was thought out well and executed well,” DelRicci said.  “It was an outstanding team effort from everybody.”

While Tilson helmed the activation call, DelRicci was in the field, visiting sheds, checking on crews, and monitoring the roadway.

In his travels, he got to see the new Super Plow in action in Somerset. It’s a new piece of gear with a wide wing on the side that, along with the plow on the front, can clear more than two lanes in one pass.  It made the news, too. You can see WTAJ’s report here.

Both said storms like this are a marathon, taking much physical and mental preparation from crews and leaders, as well as the mechanics who keep the vehicles running and the Safety Patrol Drivers who keep customers safe.

Tilson added he is proud of the team, particularly the field personnel, who stepped up and put in some long hours fighting the storm.

It’s also teamwork that makes it possible to succeed in a storm like this, from the PA Turnpike’s leaders to the state police to the Traffic Operations Center, which logged 13 crashes and 59 disabled vehicles through the storm.

Assistant Manager of Traffic Operations Janice Clea said the team brought in some extra dispatchers and supervisors to help during the storm, all of whom have extensive emergency operations backgrounds.

“The team in the Operation Center did a phenomenal job with responding quickly to every call that came in,” Clea said. “They assessed the needs of each individual call and quickly notified the appropriate personnel to respond to that call.”

During winter storms -- and any time of year, for that matter – you can stay informed about the latest travel conditions with 511PA through the website and mobile app.

PA Turnpike Nets Four Excellence in Engineering Awards

The Hawk Falls Bridge Project is not only one of the most scenic on the PA Turnpike, but it is now an award-winning project, too.

The PA Turnpike, along with its external consulting partners that support these projects, were honored in the following categories:  

• Studies, Research and Consulting for Breezewood Interchange Feasibility with Michael Baker International.
• Structural Systems for the Hawk Falls Bridge Replacement with Modjeski and Masters, Inc.
• Environmental for the Stormwater Management Plan with Michael Baker International.
• Workforce Impact Award for the TQI Shared Interns Program with PennDOT, the Associated Pennsylvania Constructors, Michael Baker International and Dering Consulting Group.

“This is a great recognition that reflects on our Engineering Department, the PA Turnpike, and our partners, whom we work with every day to bring these projects and ideas forward,” said PA Turnpike Chief Engineer Brad Heigel. “We're grateful for the ongoing partnerships that help drive the standard for safety and mobility while supporting our commitment to engaging those whose everyday lives are intertwined with ours.”

This section of the PA Turnpike in Somerset County was reconstructed and widened as part of an award-winning project.

And back in November, the PA Turnpike brought home the American Society of Highway Engineers 2025 Outstanding Highway Engineering Award for Projects over $30 million for a seven-mile Total Reconstruction project in Somerset County.

Senior Engineer Project Manager John Dzurko is proud of the award that recognizes the reconstruction and widening of one of the oldest stretches of the PA Turnpike that is now straighter, wider, and safer as it traverses through the mountainous terrain.

'You Know You Owe' Campaign Aims to Recover Uncollected Tolls

While the vast majority of the Pennsylvania Turnpike’s customers do the right thing and pay their tolls, there is a very small percentage who don’t, and that’s the crux of the PA Turnpike’s new “You Know You Owe” campaign you may have seen on social media or other advertisements. 

“It’s very impactful,” said Paul Dangleman, who for the last two years has been the PA Turnpike’s Manager of Customer Service and Toll Enforcement. “They know they owe, and they’re making a cognizant decision not to pay us.”

Dangleman leads the customer call center and is responsible for collecting uncollected revenue, called leakage. Those funds are not lost, though, and Dangleman and his team have a number of options now that state law allows the PA Turnpike to pursue those who owe $250 or more in unpaid tolls – a figure legislators reduced several years ago from $500.

First, the Customer Service Center steps in. The team works with customers to establish payment plans, guide those managing multiple invoices from different license plates through the process, and offer additional support to make paying their fair share as straightforward as possible.

If collection efforts do not work, the PA Turnpike can send the file to PennDOT to potentially suspend the offender’s driver’s registration. And in extreme cases, the file can be referred to the Office of the Attorney General for further action.

Dangleman said it’s important to note that the majority of customers do the right thing and pay their fair share. Toll dollars are how the PA Turnpike stays in business as it creates the best customer experience possible, from reliable roadways, to 24/7 assistance, to top-notch innovations in transportation.

“All of the revenue collected helps ensure our roadways are safe,” Dangleman said. Toll dollars pay for everything at the PA Turnpike, from roadway projects to the latest innovations to make those improvements for all drivers.

You can find details on reading your invoice, calculating your tolls, and more here.

E-ZPass is always the preferred way to pay and can save you up to 50% on tolls.. Find out more here.

PA Turnpike Receives Grant from Sweden for Electric Road System Study

America’s First Superhighway has been an innovator for more than 85 years, but it’s something special to get that recognition internationally.

“When they were looking for someone in U.S. who was leading through innovation, they came to us,” said Assistant Chief Facilities Operations Keith Jack said.

The Pennsylvania Turnpike received a grant from a Swedish organization recently to study the possibility of an Electric Road System.

Jack has long heralded the PA Turnpike’s efforts towards electric vehicles, whether it’s expanding EV chargers across the service plazas, incorporating more electric vehicles in the PA Turnpike’s fleet, or spearheading the project to inductively charge electric vehicles in the Central Administration Building parking lot.

The Future Mobility Program Grant is another feather in the PA Turnpike’s sustainability cap. It’s funded by Vinnova, the Swedish government agency for innovation. As part of the grant, the PA Turnpike is collaborating with the Research Institutes of Sweden (RISE) and Elonroad, a Swedish technology company, that specializes in conductive electric road systems.

While the PA Turnpike receives no money from the grant, Jack said the PA Turnpike is instead providing data about traffic flow and volumes to help RISE develop a detailed business model, which the PA Turnpike can use for its own potential electrified roadway system.

While the PA Turnpike has been investigating the use of  inductive roadway charging, where passing vehicles are charged by the copper coils embedded in the road itself, RISE is specifically researching a system that works almost like a trolley with a skate on the bottom of a vehicle connecting to a rail embedded in the roadway.

 “It’s going to tell us what’s possible and what’s not possible,” Jack said.

It’s all valuable information the PA Turnpike can consider as it continues its 30-plus year commitment toward sustainable practices, including the inductive charging roadway.

Find out more here.

PA Turnpike Makes Driving EVs Easier with New Projects

When Joey Richmond started his career with the Pennsylvania Turnpike, he was thrilled to see all of the sustainable initiatives underway – not just as someone new to the field of engineering, but as an electric vehicle owner, too.

In addition to testing the system’s charging capabilities and determining if it’s more cost-effective than traditional, wired EV charging stations, the pilot project will also examine how it can be connected to the forthcoming Unified Back Office System to collect payment if this service would be expanded to customers.

The possibilities are endless. If it works, Jack said an entire service plaza parking lot could potentially become a wireless charging station. And it’s a good proving ground for the next possible step -- an inductive charging roadway, where an electric vehicle can recharge while driving on the roadway itself.  The PA Turnpike recently received a grant from Sweden that would help build a business plan for such a roadway – you can read more about that here. 

But before that happens, the forthcoming stationary wireless spots will be built in conjunction with yet another project -- the Solar Canopy.

As the name suggests, solar panels will be placed on top of a canopy in the CAB parking lot, harnessing the sun to power electric vehicle charging stations underneath, expanding the number of EV chargers at the main office. Construction is expected to begin this summer, along with yet another solar project – panels on the roof of the CAB to help power the building.

While electric vehicle adoption is growing, nationwide, it’s increasing at a fairly slow pace because the infrastructure isn’t there – it’s more convenient to gas up at a fueling station in most cases. But Richmond is excited to be part of the PA Turnpike’s expansion of EV charging options through numerous projects that he’ll likely have a hand in developing in the coming years, playing a significant role in supporting that EV infrastructure.

“We’ll be the first tolling agency in the United States to do it, which is revolutionary,” Richmond said.

And for Jack, these projects advance the ball significantly in the PA Turnpike’s goal of becoming America’s First Sustainable Superhighway by 2040.