Local leaders hope the new interchange will invigorate economic development in the area by providing easier access to the turnpike.
In an article for the Pittburgh Post-Gazettte, Ed Blazina reports on a plan announced by Westmoreland County officials to begin work on a new interchange "where Route 130 and the turnpike meet near Pleasant Valley Road and an existing turnpike maintenance facility" near Penn Township, which currently lacks convenient access to the Pennsylvania Turnpike, a crucial linkage between Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, and Philadelphia.
With residential developments proliferating in the formerly rural community, local leaders hope that commercial development could ease the burden on taxpayers and bring more economic development to the area. Blazina quotes state Senate Majority Leader Kim Ward as saying that "the interchange should help to bring commercial and industrial development to the township, which has had substantial residential growth the last three decades."
While the agency hasn't settled on a final configuration, Turnpike Chief Engineer Brad Heigel told the Post-Gazette that they are evaluating several options. After languishing for years due to lack of funding, state lawmakers believe the project can finally move ahead, bringing improved mobility and new economic opportunities to the area.
FULL STORY: Turnpike to build new interchange in Westmoreland County
‘Divided by Design’ Underscores Inequities in Transportation Policy
The report calls for a wholesale overhaul of U.S. transportation policy to redress the damages caused by decades of auto-centric development.
The Limitations of ‘Reconnecting Communities’
The Biden administration has pledged to correct the damage imposed on communities by highways and infrastructure, but many projects are only committing to minor improvements, not transformative changes.
Colorado DOT Defends Highway Maintenance
While the department has canceled some road expansion projects, the agency has no plans to remove highways, calling them the “bread and butter” of the state’s transportation network.
‘Forward Together’ Bus System Redesign Rolling Out in Portland
Portland is redesigning its bus system to respond to the changing patterns of the post-pandemic world—with twin goals of increasing ridership and improving equity.
Plan to Potentially Remove Downtown Milwaukee’s Interstate Faces Public Scrutiny
The public is weighing in on a suite of options for repairing, replacing, or removing Interstate 794 in downtown Milwaukee.
Can New York City Go Green Without Renewable Rikers?
New York City’s bold proposal to close the jail on Rikers Island and replace it with green infrastructure is in jeopardy. Will this compromise the city’s ambitious climate goals?
700-Acre Master-Planned Community Planned in Utah
A massive development plan is taking shape for lakefront property in Vineyard, Utah—on the site of a former U.S. Steel Geneva Works facility.
More Cities Ponder the End of Drive-Thrus
Drive-thru fast food restaurants might be a staple of American life, but several U.S. cities are actively considering prohibiting the development of new drive-thrus for the benefit of traffic safety, air quality, and congestion.
Air Pollution World’s Worst Public Health Threat, Report Says
Air pollution is more likely to take years life off the lifespan of the average human than any other external factor, according to a recent report out of the University of Chicago.
Placer County
City of Morganton
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Dongguan Binhaiwan Bay Area Management Committee
City of Waukesha, WI
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Indiana Borough
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
_at_Exit_40_(Interstate_276_WEST-Pennsylvania_Turnpike,_Harrisburg)_in_Bristol_Township,_Bucks_County,_Pennsylvania.jpg){kind=link}