Because Pennsylvania DOT cannot clear snow and ice on I-78, I-80, I-81 and other free interstates they are directing traffic to the Turnpike and tolls are suspended. Governor Rendell declared an official Disaster Emergency on Thursday and ordered tolls suspended just after 9pm.

I-80 and I-78 traffic is being "directed" to travel on the east-west mainline of the Turnpike (I-70/I-76/I-276) and north-south traffic on I-81 is being directed to use the Northeast Extension (I-476) according to a statement.

Closures of three PennDOT interstates

The following interstates were closed as of midnight Thursday/Friday:

- I-81 between I-78 and I-80

- I-80 between I-81 and Exit 241

- I-78 between Allentown and I-81

The Turnpike has successfully kept its roads free of snow and ice.

Conditions are reported extremely hazardous on I-78 at its west end near I-81 - a dreadful merge at the best of times.

The mid-Atlantic has been hit with a complex cocktail storm with snow, freezing rain, and ice with cycling of temperatures across freezing that has caused more road clearing problems than usual this week. Northeast Pennsylvania seems to have received the largest snowfalls - over 300mm (12in) in some places.

On Penn Pike website

The Governor's website says nothing about the suspension of tolls on the Turnpike as of midnight. Nor does Penn DOT. Penn DOT's hopeless website has nothing on the closures of its major highways. It doesn't even mention the existence of a winter storm!

But the Turnpike website under a heading "Toll Waiving - Disaster Emergency" says with a date 2007/02/15 9:11 PM:

"The Governor of the State of Pennsylvania has declared a statewide Disaster Emergency. Due to the winter storm which began on February 13, 2007; and continues to impact the state of Pennsylvania. Interstates 80, 81, 78 are experiencing extreme difficulties with clearing of Snow and stranded motorists; Penn Dot is directing all traffic wishing to travel east or West on these interstates to utilize the Turnpike's Northeast Extension and East/West Mainline as an alternate route. So effective immediately and until further notice the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission Will (sic) waive tolls for all vehicles from Gateway to the Delaware River Bridge; and From Mid County to Clark Summit."

see http://www.paturnpike.com/rttc/AdvisoryInfo.aspx?ID=107062

Emergency Management Agency has more detail

HARRISBURG - Governor Edward G. Rendell tonight announced that an agreement between the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission and PennDOT has been reached in an effort to relieve traffic congestion on Interstates 78, 80 and 81 due to stranded motorists and continuing efforts to remove snow. PennDOT Secretary Allen D. Biehler and Turnpike CEO Joe Brimmeier and have agreed to waive fees on the Pennsylvania Turnpike for the next 24 hours.

"Making the Pennsylvania Turnpike free of charge is a responsible, prudent action to help ease the backlog on the other major Interstates," said Governor Rendell.

All traffic needing to travel east or west on Interstates 78, 80 and 81 is encouraged to use I-476, the Turnpike's Northeast Extension as well as the I-76 and I-276 East/West main lines as alternate routes.

Motorists must still take a toll ticket upon entering the Turnpike, and they must surrender only the toll ticket to a collector upon exiting. E-ZPass motorists will receive toll-free passage, too. They can drive through the E-ZPass lanes as normal; however, their accounts will NOT be charged during the toll-waiver period.

"PennDOT crews will continue to work through the night to clear and clean Pennsylvania Interstates," said Allen D. Biehler, P.E. "We are urging all motorists not to travel, but if you must, to use the Turnpike as an alternate route to make clearing the Interstates easier."

"We're working hand-in-hand with PENNDOT during this crisis situation to do whatever we can to help get traffic moving in the commonwealth," said Brimmeier. "We hope that waiving tolls across the 470-mile Turnpike mainline and Northeastern Extension will help alleviate the congestion and gridlock resulting from the storm."

see the state emergency management agency for updates: http://www.pema.state.pa.us/ TOLLROADSnews 2007-02-15

UPDATE: Reopening Saturday afternoon

PennDOT say they are aiming for a reopening of the three closed interstates by Saturday afternoon. Crews with graders, loaders and dump trucks are working around the clock to remove the ice which was allowed to form on the pavement Wednesday night and Thursday.

Failure to remove the snow from the roadways Wednesday and the warm temperatures that melted the snow to mush followed by a deep freeze formed an overlay of ice 10cm to 15cm (4 to 6 inches) thick, officials say, which is virtually immovable with normal snow plow blades. Temperatures in the single digits Fahrenheit (double digits minus celsius) have rendered salt ineffective.

Tomorrow (Saturday) the forecast is to for temperatures to rise enough for the salt to start weakening the ice.

NE Ext of Penn Pike same weather but better clearance so no problem

The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission had an identical winter weather challenge on the Northeast Extension (I-476) in the same area as the out-of-service segments of PennDOT's I-78, I-80 and I-81, but more aggressive early salting and plowing kept the toll roadway clear throughout. As a result I-476 has been safe and open at the same time that the PennDOT freeways are littered with broken down or abandoned vehicles, then closed, and now the scene of a massively expensive round-the-clock salvage effort.

In the far northwest of the state on I-90 there was a weather related pile-up of 50 vehicles, many of them trucks - one person killed. I-90 in Pennsylvania close by the shore of Lake Erie is a freeway connecting the New York State Thruway and the Ohio Turnpike.

TOLLROADSnews 2007-02-16