cancel
Showing results for 
Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

PA Turnpike-worse in US?

Land_Yachters
Explorer
Explorer
I live in PA, so know the PA Turnpike well. After traveling through 35 states or so in the past 2 years, I come home and realize the PA Turnpke is probably the worst interstate I have traveled on.

Toll cost is higher than NJ or NY
Fuel/diesel cost is at least $.15-$.25 more than anywhere else in state
No DEF at the truck diesel islands, but you can buy a "box" for a high price. Oh and they usually only have 2-3 islands so waiting is the norm.
We returned from the Hershey RV show and found a service plaza with pump out...only in PA would they put it on the wrong side of the lot. Had to pull in and make U turn to pump out, and make another U turn to get out in front of the truck pumps.

The road is in good shape in most places that aren't under construction, but still have lots of rough spots.

I just had to rant. I feel better.
Land Yachters
Griff, Ali and Coco
Philadelphia, PA
2018 Tiffin 33AA
2018 Grand Cherokee
9 REPLIES 9

_1Flyboy
Explorer
Explorer
…… Come on over to Kalifornia; where fuel is a Dollar a gallon more than our neighbor states and their worst roads equal our best roads. Even Canada & Alaska with their harsh winters have better quality roads!!! The state recently did a survey of road surfaces & don’t you know our county came in First Place with Last Place roads! Tuolumne County, Kalifornia…..

schlep1967 wrote:
ford truck guy wrote:
I hate it as well, but its MUCH better than I80.... mainly due to the fact that the tolls are expensive so MOST truckers avoid it.. I have taken I80 many times from Eastern PA to Erie and the road divots from the heavy truck traffic, the trucks traffic, and the Deer at night make it a worse option in my book....

Not to mention, I am in SE Bucks, so I would have to travel 2 hrs North to catch 80


According to Google.... If you took the turnpike to Harrisburg an then headed west on US 322 to I-80, it would only add 18 minutes and save a whole lot on tolls. That still doesn't change the condition of I-80 though.


That 18 minutes could/would turn into a whole lot more if in the 322 area of Harrisburg at the wrong time ! That is a mess between 283/83/322/81.. we take that way to go to Moscow camping when going to Port Royal Dirt speedway.
Me-Her-the kids
2020 Ford F350 SD 6.7
2020 Redwood 3991RD Garnet

schlep1967
Nomad
Nomad
ford truck guy wrote:
I hate it as well, but its MUCH better than I80.... mainly due to the fact that the tolls are expensive so MOST truckers avoid it.. I have taken I80 many times from Eastern PA to Erie and the road divots from the heavy truck traffic, the trucks traffic, and the Deer at night make it a worse option in my book....

Not to mention, I am in SE Bucks, so I would have to travel 2 hrs North to catch 80


According to Google.... If you took the turnpike to Harrisburg an then headed west on US 322 to I-80, it would only add 18 minutes and save a whole lot on tolls. That still doesn't change the condition of I-80 though.
2021 Chevy Silverado LTZ 3500 Diesel
2022 Montana Legacy 3931FB
Pull-Rite Super Glide 4500

bukhrn
Explorer III
Explorer III
ferndaleflyer wrote:
I think they finished it in 1951 or so and was to be paid for by tolls in 10 years. Been a long 10 years I would say. As for the condition of the road, only thing close to that bad is I-10 in Louisiana.
It must be related to NY State Thruway, (I-90) but their theory is that the tolls pay for the road maintenance, although it is in better shape than the pike.
2007 Forester 2941DS
2014 Ford Focus
Zamboni, Long Haired Mini Dachshund

gbopp
Explorer
Explorer
I avoid the PA Turnpike whenever possible for all the reasons mentioned above.

ferndaleflyer
Explorer III
Explorer III
I think they finished it in 1951 or so and was to be paid for by tolls in 10 years. Been a long 10 years I would say. As for the condition of the road, only thing close to that bad is I-10 in Louisiana.

I hate it as well, but its MUCH better than I80.... mainly due to the fact that the tolls are expensive so MOST truckers avoid it.. I have taken I80 many times from Eastern PA to Erie and the road divots from the heavy truck traffic, the trucks traffic, and the Deer at night make it a worse option in my book....

Not to mention, I am in SE Bucks, so I would have to travel 2 hrs North to catch 80
Me-Her-the kids
2020 Ford F350 SD 6.7
2020 Redwood 3991RD Garnet

pasusan
Explorer
Explorer
I feel for ya.

We avoid the turnpike whenever we can. We spend 40 minutes more to avoid it - taking I-68 to visit relatives that live down below.

We are amazed that with our class B the cost is almost double if we are over 7000 lbs. Sometimes we are under - whew!

The cost and road conditions don't match up. :R

Susan & Ben [2004 Roadtrek 170]
href="https://sites.google.com/view/pasusan-trips/home" target="_blank">Trip Pics

Lwiddis
Explorer II
Explorer II
Sounds like California road conditions!
Winnebago 2101DS TT & 2022 Chevy Silverado 1500 LTZ Z71, WindyNation 300 watt solar-Lossigy 200 AH Lithium battery. Prefer boondocking, USFS, COE, BLM, NPS, TVA, state camps. Bicyclist. 14 yr. Army -11B40 then 11A - (MOS 1542 & 1560) IOBC & IOAC grad