Pennsylvania Highways Blog - Announcements

Route 30: The Movie

nospam@example.com (Webmaster) — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 22:15:18 -0700

The sections I drive could be classified as horror, but comedy is the genre of John Putch's independent movie Route 30. The Chambersburg native filmed the movie along the highway last October with such stars as Dana Delany of Desperate Housewives and Curtis Armstrong best known to audiences as Herbert Viola on Moonlighting. Fellow Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor board member Ed Gotwalt, owner of Mister Ed's Elephant Museum, also has a part.

The premier of the movie will be at the Majestic Theatre in Gettysburg on September 27, 2008 at 8 PM with a cast and crew Q&A to follow. Tickets to the screening are $16 per person and a portion of the proceeds benefit the Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor and Totem Pole Playhouse non-profit organizations. You can purchase tickets at the Totem Pole Playhouse, Mister Ed's Elephant Museum, Majestic Theatre, or online.

http://www.route30movie.com/

2007 Official Pennsylvania Map

nospam@example.com (Webmaster) — Sun, 12 Aug 2007 00:27:16 -0700

Last month I received a copy of the latest official state highway map from the Map Sales office just before the state shut down over not being able to pass a budget. Here are the changes since 2006's edition:

Allegheny County/Washington County/Pittsburgh inset:
PA Turnpike 576 completed between US 22 and PA 60

Berks County:
US 222 shown as completed now with the red expressway stripe between PA 272 and Shillington

Fayette County:
PA Turnpike 43 indicated under construction north of US 40 from US 119 to Brier Hill

Tioga County:
US 15 indicated as under construction from PA 49 to New York

Altoona inset:
Osgood Drive completed on the eastern side of I-99/US 220 between Exit 32 and Exit 33

New Castle inset:
PA 65 removed between PA 108/PA 168 and Business US 422

It has the same dimensions as the the previous years and this year's cover is from America's Most Livable City, with a man creating a mural in chalk on the West End overlook. You can see the cover on the Official State Highway Maps page and view the map at PennDOT's GIS page.

We’re Number One! Again!

nospam@example.com (Webmaster) — Wed, 02 May 2007 21:58:21 -0700

It has been 22 years since the last time Pittsburgh was named the “Most Livable City” by the “Places Rated Almanac.”

Let me put that in some perspective. The last time it was given this designation, a Republican was in the White House, people were talking about competing video formats and wondering which to buy, and MTV played music videos. Well, as Meatloaf said, “two out of three ain’t bad.” Let’s put it another way, the last time Pittsburgh was number one, the mayor was five!

The ranking was devised through several categories: housing affordability (cost of living), transportation, jobs, education, climate, crime, health care, recreation, and ambience (museums, performing arts, restaurants and historical districts).

I can see housing costs, after all it was only in the past few years that housing crested the $100K mark. Education since there are about 20-30 colleges and universities within a 50 mile radius of the city, crime is relatively low for the size of the city, health care with UPMC and other hospitals in Oakland, recreation with it sitting right next to the Laurel Highlands and the rivers, and ambience which will increase once Mellon Arena 2 or whatever it’s called, opens will add to that ranking. However, the others I can’t understand. Transportation is limping along especially with the Port Authority hemorrhaging money and job creation is lackluster with the exception of Google that opened at Carnegie Mellon University. Then there is the climate of which we were in the deep freeze for most of April, but basking in 60-degree temperatures in December.

For all the pros and cons it has, Pittsburgh is a decent city. It’s not too big and it’s not too small, like Baby Bear’s bed in “Goldilocks and the Three Bears.”

Pittsburgh Rated "Most Livable" Once Again - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Get Your Kicks on Route 76...276...476

nospam@example.com (Webmaster) — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 22:54:05 -0800

Due to the snow/ice storm that hit the Commonwealth, numerous vehicles were stranded along I-78, I-80, and I-81. PennDOT has closed down sections of those Interstates to clear the vehicles as well as snow. They are asking cross-state traffic to use the Turnpike's mainline and Northeast Extension as alternate routes. For the first time since the first day of the collector strike in 2004, tolls are being waived on those sections of the Turnpike System.

Toll Waiving - Disaster Emergency - PTC

New Year, New URL

nospam@example.com (Webmaster) — Tue, 09 Jan 2007 01:13:04 -0800

The new year has brough a new URL for the Pennsylvania Highways Blog: http://www.pahighways.com/blog/.

I never liked the "cblog" directory because it did not make any sense, and it did not look right in an address bar. However, that is what my provider had set it to default to during installation. So I decided to tinker with the settings a little and see if I could change them to what I would like to see. Viola! No more cblog folder!

2006 Official Pennsylvania Map

nospam@example.com (Webmaster) — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 18:18:00 -0700

I received in the mail a copy of the newest official state highway map. Here are the changes since the 2005 edition:

Erie County/Erie Inset
PA 290 now shown on the Bayfront Connector and East 12th Street

Jefferson County
PA 949 extended south from Corsica to Summerville

Lehigh County/Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton Inset
PA 100 now signed on the Trexlertown Bypass

Mifflin County
Northern Lewistown Bypass completed and Business US 22 signed through the borough

Tioga County
US 15 (I-99) under construction from PA 287 to the New York state line

Seems that practically every state agency has some advertisement on the back of the map now. I am surprised our new Gaming Commission doesn't have an ad to get you ready to drop some money at our casinos...whenever we get them. I guess it will come in a future edition. A picture of the cover is now on the Official State Highway Maps page.

The Man Who Saved PennDOT Passes Away

nospam@example.com (Webmaster) — Sun, 30 Jul 2006 21:56:00 -0700

He was more at home in the hallways of PSU than on the highways of Pennsylvania, but Dr. Thomas D. Larson taught the government a lesson. In 1979, the professor was tapped by then Governor Thornburgh to fix the crumbling roadways and agency behind them. After his service to the Commonwealth, he moved onto the Federal level to head the Federal Highway Administration where he shaped the first Surface Transportation Efficiency Act. He passed away on July 20 at the age of 77.

We at Pennsylvania Highways offer our sympathies to his family.

Getting Around: Tom Larson Led PennDOT Out of Politics, Potholes - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Chairman of the Board

nospam@example.com (Webmaster) — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 22:35:00 -0700

I have had an interest in roads for as long as I can remember. Having grown up near US 30 and traveling on it to visit family, it and the Lincoln Highway hold a special place.

When the Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor began, I was one of the first members. Originally a "Friend" then became a "Friend for Life." I adopted my first a Lincoln Highway sign in 2001, and three years later became to first to have adopted one in each of the LHHC counties.

In recent years, the LHHC has expanded into fundraising ventures such as offering ballroom dancing classes. The one I offered to drive my parents to, in order to get a free meal afterwards and and take pictures during, had an LHHC representative that I have known since I was little. He and my father worked together years ago, and known each other since. When I came to pick up my parents, I ran into him and we began talking. I mentioned the website and my involvement with the LHHC.

In April he contacted me about joining the Board of Directors. I jumped at the chance and said I would be honored. It wasn't made official until July 13 when I met with him and Olga Herbert, Director of the LHHC, and the offer officially made. This evening was the first board meeting I attended, which took place in Everett.

Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor