New PA Turnpike Zip Ramp Project Took 11 Years

UPPER DUBLIN TOWNSHIP, PA — It was 11 years in the making.

The project was initiated by Upper Dublin Township as part of its plan to revitalize the former Fort Washington Office Park.

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The township and the Pennsylvania Turnpike officially opened the new limited-access ramp last week, providing a direct connection from the Pennsylvania Turnpike Fort Washington (PA 309) Interchange to the Greater Fort Washington District at Commerce Drive.

The new Fort Washington Zip Ramp is designed to improve mobility, reduce congestion, and enhance access throughout the Fort Washington area.

Plans for the project started in 2016.

That's when Upper Dublin Township created the Municipal Authority, representing 134 properties within the former Fort Washington Office Park.

Over the past decade, a transformative campaign was launched to revitalize the Fort Washington Office Park, evolving it into the vibrant, mixed-use Greater Fort Washington District.

The opening of the Fort Washington Zip Ramp marks a milestone event, recognized as one of the founding projects that inspired the Municipal Authority's creation.

Kurt M. Ferguson, the MA's executive director, said the project and the previous projects have seen a remarkable return of investment in the Greater Fort Washington District, including TruMark Financial opening its headquarters, LifeTime Fitness selecting its site just beyond the ramp on Commerce Drive, and property owners reinvesting in their properties.

The township also relocated the public library to Virginia Drive.

State Sen. Maria Collett said the ramp is about creating better connections, improving access to jobs and businesses, and continuing to transform the Greater Fort Washington District into a "thriving mixed-use destination."

The new off-ramp was made possible due to the Turnpike’s transition to Open Road Tolling, a cashless, free-flowing mode of collecting tolls without traditional toll plazas or toll booths.

Since 2000, the PA Turnpike has added four new access points.

However, ORT now makes it easier for the PA Turnpike to continue to add new access points to communities, helping support economic development, enhance mobility and ease traffic.

In 2016, the Multimodal Transportation Funding Grant Program awarded just over $2 million for the project through the Commonwealth Financing Authority.

Since 2016, nearly $45 million has been invested into the Great Fort Washington District's infrastructure, with almost 70 percent of funding coming from grants and partners such as the PA Department of Community & Economic Development and Montgomery County, underscoring the project's regional significance and collaborative spirit.

The project was part of a 2015 Montgomery County study that identified destination centers that would benefit from effective access points to the PA Turnpike.

As part of that study, Montgomery County has partnered with Upper Dublin Township, Horsham, Upper Moreland and neighboring municipalities to advance additional access improvements along the corridor.

“Infrastructure projects like this are about much more than pavement and concrete,” State Rep. Melissa Cerrato said. “They are investments in people, businesses, and the future of our community. Every minute saved on a commute, every truck that reaches its destination more efficiently, and every constituent who can more easily access our local businesses, strengthens our regional economy. The zip ramp, while small in length, is huge in progress.”