News & Public Involvement
Construction and Extension
Project Photo Album
Construction Progress Photos
December 2024 - Panels in place as construction progresses on a large retaining wall
December 2024 - Paving operations are underway at the EB limit of the project
December 2024 - The concrete deck is in place on the outer portion of the EB side of the new Pine Creek bridge
October 2024 - Construction of a large retaining wall to support Turnpike widening
October 2024 - Workers put the final coat of paint on a new retaining wall
October 2024 - Parapet construction for one of the project's noise walls
September 2024 - Construction of a large retaining wall on the WB side of I-76
September 2024 - Construction of the new Turnpike bridge at the Downingtown Interchange
September 2024 - Retaining wall construction on the EB side of I-76
September 2024 - Paving operations are underway on the WB Turnpike
September 2024 - Construction of the new EB on-ramp at the Downingtown Interchange
September 2024 - Construction continues on the bridge carrying I-76 over Pine Creek Road
August 2024 - Construction of a large retaining wall for I-76 widening
August 2024 - Sound wall and bridge construction at Pine Creek Road
August 2024 - Pavement base in place for Turnpike widening
July 2024 - Ramp and bridge construction at the Downingtown Interchange
July 2024 - Pavement base in place on the outside eastbound lanes
July 2024 - Construction of the outside portion of the bridge over Pine Creek Road
July 2024 - Excavation for widening the outside westbound lanes of I-76
May 2024 - Beams in place for the outside section of the new EB bridge over Pine Creek Road
May 2024 - New retaining wall on the EB side of Pine Creek Road
May 2024 - One of the project's twenty-eight permanent drainage basins
May 2024 - Construction of the outer section of the new bridge over Pine Creek Road
May 2024 - One of twenty-eight sediment basins along the project corridor
May 2024 - Retaining wall construction along the eastbound side of I-76
March 2024 - Excavation for widening on the westbound side of I-76
March 2024 - Retaining wall construction on the eastbound side of the Turnpike
March 2024 - Construction of new ramps at the Downingtown Interchange
February 2024 - Retaining wall construction at the new Turnpike bridge over ramps at the Downingtown Interchange
February 2024 - Foundation construction for the westbound side of the new Turnpike bridge over Pine Creek Road
February 2024 - Excavators grade and compact fill dirt to create a third WB lane and shoulder along I-76 near the Turnpike's Downingtown Exit
December 2023 - Construction of a retaining wall on the westbound side of the Turnpike
December 2023 - Excavation for widening on the westbound side of the Turnpike
December 2023 - One of the two completed sediment basins on the westbound side of the highway near Davis Road
September 2023 - Construction of one of the large sediment basins
September 2023 - Excavation and clearing for Turnpike widening
September 2023 - Stormwater drainage installation and sediment basin construction
July 2023 - Clearing the site for construction of the new Turnpike bridge over Upper Pine Creek Road
July 2023 - Clearing for upcoming construction on the westbound side of the Turnpike
July 2023 - Clearing for upcoming construction on the westbound side of the Turnpike
August 18, 2022 - Milepost 312 to Milepost 316 Noise Wall Design Survey Results
The ashlar stone style in gray or beige was the overwhelming choice of residents who participated in a survey the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission conducted during the summer. The survey results provided guidance on what texture and color treatments were preferred by Chester County residents who own properties where noise walls are proposed as part of the Milepost 312-316 Reconstruction Project.
The noise wall design survey asked residents to choose from four architectural treatment options — ashlar stone, grape stake, shiplap, and fuzzy rake – and four color options – tan, brown, gray, and beige. To maximize participation in the survey, the Commission accepted responses by mail and online for a thirty-day period from July to August.
Over 80 people participated in the survey. More than 90 percent were in support of a noise barrier being built near their property or residence. Four people had no opinion or rejected the noise barrier but provided their wall design preferences (they are included in the following counts). Color and texture responses and properties were organized by noise study area (NSA): NSA-4 or NSA-5.
Ashlar stone was preferred by slightly more than 70 percent of NSA-4 respondents, followed by fuzzy rake at 19 percent, shiplap at eight percent, and grape stake at two percent. The beige color option was favored by 44 percent of NSA-4 respondents, with gray chosen by 25 percent, brown by 21 percent, and tan by 10 percent. Ashlar stone received slightly more than 70 percent of NSA-5 votes, followed by fuzzy rake at 16 percent, grape stake at 10 percent, and shiplap at three percent. The gray color option was favored by 42 percent of NSA-5 respondents, with beige chosen by 29 percent, tan by 16 percent, and brown by 13 percent.
Noise abatement walls were determined to be warranted in two areas in the I-76 Milepost 311.60 to Milepost 316.19 project in Chester County based on collected noise measurements and analysis performed by the Commission’s project consultants to predict future noise levels. The Commission is moving to have the noise walls installed as part of the mainline reconstruction project, which is expected to get fully underway in early-second-quarter 2023.
Noise
Noise Impact Analysis
A Noise Analysis Impact Study for the project was updated in 2016. This report describes the methodology and presents the findings of the traffic noise study conducted for the full-depth reconstruction and widening project for the Milepost 311.60 to Milepost 316.19 project. . Noise impacts were identified in two areas and, upon further consideration, it has been determined that noise walls are a reasonable and feasible noise mitigation tool for these areas. Read the Noise Impact Study report here.
Recommended Sound Barrier Locations
This section provides direct access to the maps that show recommended sound barrier locations throughout the Milepost 311.6-316.19 project area.
Proposed Sound Barrier Location – NSA 4
Proposed Sound Barrier Location – NSA 5
For Further Reading on Noise Impacts
The project team has prepared an informational noise impacts brochure, which includes details about highway noise abatement outreach and processes, and how noise is measured and controlled. Read or download the Noise Impact brochure here.
Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission Releases 2022 Sustainability Report
The report highlights initiatives the Commission is doing toward a sustainable future.
April 20, 2023 – The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) announces the release of its 2022 Sustainability Report. The annual report features the Commission’s 30-year timeline outlining initiatives for the future as well as the progress in making the PA Turnpike ‘America’s First Sustainable Superhighway.’As part of its continued alignment with the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals, the 2022 Sustainability Report also details PTC's efforts to safeguard the environment and reduce its carbon footprint along the 550-mile roadway.
“Protecting the environment through sustainability has been a guiding principle,” says PA Turnpike CEO Mark Compton. “In fact, ‘Responsibility Matters’ is one of five core values in our strategic plan, underscoring an ongoing commitment to diversity, integrity, and sustainability in all practices. Heeding the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals helps us create programs and initiatives to deliver on our promise of a regenerative future.”
In this year’s report, PTC states its plan to become America’s First Sustainable Superhighway by 2040. These leading initiatives include converting fully to Open Road Tolling (ORT) by 2026 and integrating solar, fiber, inductive charging, connected-vehicle technology, buried electronic transmission lines, and more by 2040—all to increase mobility and traffic flow while reducing the Commission’s carbon footprint.
Selected Highlights from PTC’s 2022 Sustainability Report:
- Fiber Optic Network: When complete, the 500-mile fiber-optic network will reduce carbon footprint and extend broadband to help close the digital divide in underserved areas along the Turnpike.
- Pollinator Garden: A pollinator habitat has been cultivated at the Turnpike central office to replace grassy areas with native plants that attract and provide a habitat for insects like bees and butterflies. The outcome is reduced mowing and insecticide use along with lower maintenance costs.
- Roadside Vegetation: An Integrated Roadside Vegetation Management pilot program offers an environmentally safe maintenance approach to restore native and natural habitats, filter pollution, reduce erosion, and improve ecosystem diversity along the roadside.
- Wireless EV Charging: Currently in development is a project to charge Electric Vehicles (EVs) as they drive. A method of wireless power transfer called “inductive charging” employs coils embedded in the pavement to create a magnetic field that is ‘picked up’ by a receiver on EVs.
Click on 2022-ptc-sustainability-
Editor’s Note: Video soundbites of the report’s highlights can be found by clicking the links below.
Keith Jack, Director of Facilities Operations for the PA Turnpike Commission discusses:
Sustainability Report
EV Charging at the Turnpike
Fiber Optic Project
James Kaiser, Stormwater Management Specialist for the PA Turnpike Commission discusses:
Pollinator Habitat Project
Vegetation Project
Media Contacts:
Kathleen Walter, 267-326-3856
Carl DeFebo, 717-645-2265
Open House Plans Display
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission hosted an Open House Plans Display on May 8th, 2014 at Great Valley Middle School, 255 Phoenixville Pike, Malvern, PA 19355. Click on the links below to review the materials presented at the display.