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Pennsylvania Turnpike facts for kids

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Pennsylvania Turnpike marker

Pennsylvania Turnpike
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The East–West Mainline of the Pennsylvania Turnpike system
Route information
Maintained by Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission
Length 360.091 mi (579.510 km)
Existed October 1, 1940–present
Major junctions
West end I-76 / Ohio Turnpike at the Ohio state line
 
East end I-95 / N.J. Turnpike on Delaware River-Turnpike Toll Bridge at the New Jersey state line
Highway system
Roads in Pennsylvania
Interstate • US • State • Legislative
← PA 274 I-276 PA 276 →
← I-279 I-280 PA 280 →

The Pennsylvania Turnpike is a toll road. This means drivers pay money to use it. The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission runs this road in Pennsylvania, United States. It is a special kind of road called a limited-access highway. This means cars can only get on and off using ramps.

The turnpike stretches about 360 miles (580 km) across the state. It starts at the Ohio border in Lawrence County. There, it connects to the Ohio Turnpike. The road ends at the New Jersey border in Bucks County. This is at the Delaware River – Turnpike Toll Bridge over the Delaware River. On the New Jersey side, it becomes part of the New Jersey Turnpike.

The turnpike goes from west to east through Pennsylvania. It passes near big cities like Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, and Philadelphia. As it crosses the Appalachian Mountains, it goes through four tunnels. The Pennsylvania Turnpike is also part of the Interstate Highway System. Parts of it are known as Interstate 76 (I-76), I-70, and I-276.

Drivers pay tolls using a ticket system on most of the road. You get a ticket when you enter and pay when you leave. There are also special toll plazas that use cameras to read license plates. They send a bill to your home. You can also use E-ZPass, which is an electronic way to pay tolls.

History of the Pennsylvania Turnpike

The idea for the Pennsylvania Turnpike came about in the 1930s. People wanted an easier way to drive across the mountains in Pennsylvania. The road used seven tunnels that were originally built for a railroad back in the 1880s.

Opening the First Section

The first part of the turnpike opened on October 1, 1940. This section ran between Irwin and Carlisle. It was the first long-distance limited-access highway in the United States. This success helped inspire the building of other toll roads and the entire Interstate Highway System.

Expanding the Turnpike

After World War II, the turnpike was made longer.

  • In 1950, it was extended east to Valley Forge.
  • In 1951, it was extended west to the Ohio border.
  • In 1954, the road was built further east to the Delaware River.
  • The main part of the turnpike was finished in 1956 when the Delaware River bridge was built.

Modernizing the Road

In the 1960s, big changes were made to the tunnels. Another tunnel tube was dug next to four of the old two-lane tunnels. This made them four lanes wide. The other three tunnels were closed, and new roads were built around them. This made the entire turnpike four lanes wide.

Today, work continues to make the road even better. Older sections are being rebuilt to modern standards. Some parts of the turnpike are being widened to six lanes. New places to get on and off the road (called interchanges) are also being added.

Images for kids

  • Pennsylvania Turnpike westbound

    Westbound approaching the Pittsburgh interchange with I-376/US 22

  • Laurel Hill Tunnel Bypass

    The point eastbound where the turnpike bypasses the Laurel Hill Tunnel to the left (north)

  • Breezewood Exit

    Eastbound at the Breezewood interchange, where I-70 splits from I-76

  • 2022-07-31 12 16 28 will rename and categorize soon 038

    Westbound past the PA 29 interchange in Charlestown Township

  • 2022-08-11 17 51 06 will rename and categorize soon 004

    Eastbound past the Mid-County interchange with I-476 in Plymouth Meeting

  • PA TPK WB from Gravel Hill Road overpass

    Westbound in Upper Southampton Township

  • Allegheny Mountain Tunnel West Portal I76 Dscn7191

    West portal of the Allegheny Mountain Tunnel

  • PennaPike toll plaza

    Toll plaza at Somerset interchange before conversion to all-electronic tolling

  • PA TPK ticket from Willow Grove 2013

    July 2013 Pennsylvania Turnpike toll ticket from Willow Grove (exit 343), with tolls for Class-1 vehicles (two-axle cars without trailers)

  • Sideling Hill Plaza jeh

    Sideling Hill service plaza

  • Oakmont-Plum Service Plaza, Pennsylvania Turnpike, Plum, Pennsylvania - 20200211 - 01 (interior)

    Interior of the Oakmont Plum service plaza

  • Pennsylvania Turnpike 1942 LOC

    A view of the turnpike at an overpass in 1942

  • PA TPK WB from Bodine Road overpass

    Westbound in Charlestown Township

  • Pennsylvania Turnpike eastbound at Homewood Viaduct

    Eastbound at the Homewood Viaduct in Beaver County

  • 2022-08-06 08 52 15 will rename and categorize soon 013

    Westbound approaching the Mid-County interchange with I-476 in Plymouth Meeting

  • Delaware River-Turnpike Toll Bridge EB

    Eastbound across the Delaware River–Turnpike Toll Bridge, which connects the Pennsylvania Turnpike to the Pearl Harbor Memorial Extension of the New Jersey Turnpike

  • 2022-07-31 12 02 13 will rename and categorize soon 035

    Sign at the turnpike entrance at Valley Forge showing I-76 and I-276 designations for the mainline and I-476 designation for the Northeast Extension

  • Sideling Hill Tunnel approach

    Eastern portal of the Sideling Hill Tunnel

  • Abandoned Turnpike

    The Abandoned Pennsylvania Turnpike

  • 2022-08-06 08 18 35 will rename and categorize soon 003

    Westbound past the Bensalem interchange with US 1

  • PA TPK EB from PA 63 overpass

    Eastbound approaching the Willow Grove interchange with PA 611

  • Pennsylvania Turnpike eastbound at I-276 exit3

    Eastbound at the Valley Forge interchange, where I-76 splits from the turnpike and I-276 begins

  • St. John's Church Pennsylvania Turnpike

    The stairs to St. John's Church in New Baltimore

  • 2022-08-06 08 43 08 will rename and categorize soon 010

    Westbound past the Virginia Drive interchange in Fort Washington

  • PA TPK Virginia Drive slip ramp

    The westbound Virginia Drive "slip ramp" in Fort Washington

  • 2022-07-31 14 04 10 will rename and categorize soon 060

    Eastbound at the PA 29 exit near Malvern

  • 2016-07-13 10 15 33 Partially constructed elevated highway ramp, planned to carry Interstate 95 southbound off of the Pennsylvania Turnpike toward Philadelphia, viewed from Pennsylvania Route 413 in Bristol Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania

    Ramp from Pennsylvania Turnpike westbound to I-95 southbound under construction in 2016

  • 2020-07-12 09 45 32 View south along Interstate 95 (Pennsylvania Turnpike Delaware River Extension) at Exit 40 (Interstate 276 WEST-Pennsylvania Turnpike, Harrisburg) in Bristol Township, Bucks County, Pennsylvania

    Looking west at the split where the Pennsylvania Turnpike westbound exits I-95 southbound

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Pennsylvania Turnpike para niños

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