70 MPH Speed Limit On 6 PA Highways As Of Tuesday

Nearly 800 miles of highway in Pennsylvania will have a 70 mph speed limit as of Tuesday, May 3, authorities announced this week.

The speed limit increase will be on 396 additional miles of the turnpike plus 400 miles of PennDOT highways including I-90, I-80 and I-380. Approximately 200 miles of the turnpike have had a 70 mph speed limit since 2014.

PennDOT roadways that are being posted with the new limit are:

• I-79 from I-90 in Erie County south to a point just north of the PA 228 interchange in Butler County (97 miles)
• I-79 from I-70 in Washington County south to the West Virginia border (33 miles)
• I-80 from the Ohio State border east to a point near mile marker 190 in Clinton County (190 miles)
• I-80 from a point near mile marker 195 in Union County to a point near mile marker 247 in Columbia County (52 miles)
• US 15 from the interchange with PA 14 in Lycoming County north to the New York State border (49 miles)
• I-99 from Exit No. 68 in Centre County south to a point near mile marker 34 in Blair County (34 miles)
• I-99 from Exit No. 28 in Blair County south to mile marker 0 (PA Turnpike) in Bedford County (28 miles)
• I-380 from I-84 in Lackawanna County south to Exit No. 3 in Monroe County (21 miles)

“Before moving ahead, we looked very closely at a number of factors, such as speed and traffic data and the physical characteristics of the highways, in deciding where 70 mph limits could be safely permitted,” said PennDOT Secretary Leslie S. Richards.

Beginning tomorrow, PennDOT and Turnpike crews will start installing new 70 mph signs, posts and foundations at some locations and replacing 65 mph signs with 70 mph signs at other locations.

“Motorists should not look at this change as consent to speed; in fact, it’s as vital as ever to drive sensibly, to avoid distractions and to buckle up,” said PA Turnpike Chairman Sean Logan. “And remember, 70 mph — or any posted speed limit for that matter — is the maximum speed; you should drive slower when traffic, weather or road conditions demand it.”

Turnpike travelers will now have a higher speed limit on virtually the entire toll highway, PennDOT said.

“After we convert the remaining segments of our system, we will have 493 miles posted at 70 mph,” said PA Turnpike CEO Mark Compton. “As a result, Turnpike motorists will see a 70 mph speed limit on almost 90 percent of our 552-mile system.”

Since the summer of 2014, the Turnpike speed limit has been 70 mph on a 97-mile stretch in south-central Pennsylvania between the Blue Mountain and Morgantown interchanges. All remaining sections of the PA Turnpike system that are now posted at 65 mph — including Turnpike extensions in southwestern PA — will be signed for 70 mph beginning Tuesday.

Areas of the PA Turnpike now posted at 55 mph will remain at 55 mph, including: work zones; the five tunnels; mainline toll plazas; the eastern slope of the Allegheny Mountain; and the seven-mile stretch east of the Bensalem Interchange in Bucks County.

According to transportation authorities, areas that didn’t qualify for the increase had crash histories; heavy, weaving traffic or characteristics that did not lend themselves to safe conversion to the higher limit.

PennDOT said it plans to continue to review crash statistics for the areas with the new speed limit and will consider that information before deciding on other areas that could see the higher limit.