America’s Historic Roads
Puzzle 76 · Building and Remembering the Network · Page 106 in print
The Pennsylvania Turnpike
The Pennsylvania Turnpike opened in 1940 with a mostly four-lane roadway but two-lane tunnels. As traffic grew, those narrow passages created bottlenecks that prompted bypasses and second tunnel tubes.
Jump to a word
The words
Allegheny
Tunnel expanded with a second tube in the 1960s.
Bypass
New road alignment used to avoid the narrow tunnels.
Drilling
Tunnel-construction task described in the turnpike history.
Glass Beads
Reflective pieces embedded in early sign lettering.
Howard Johnson
Restaurant operator associated with the original plaza dining areas.
Interchanges
Connections provided along the original turnpike.
Irwin
Western endpoint community of the original turnpike.
Middlesex
Eastern community named in the original turnpike alignment.
Rays Hill
Short original tunnel later bypassed.
Rubble
Broken material cleared from the tunnel workings.
Service Plazas
Roadside service facilities included in the original turnpike.
Sideling Hill
Long original tunnel later bypassed.
Standard Oil
Company holding the original service-plaza lease.
Ventilation
Air-circulation system improved during tunnel modernization.
White Tiles
Bright interior wall finish used in the newer tunnels.
Sources
- Interactive TimelinePennsylvania Turnpike Commission