Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission

The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) was created in 1937 to construct, finance, operate, and maintain the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The commission consists of five members. Four members are appointed by the Governor of Pennsylvania, while the fifth member is the Pennsylvania Secretary of Transportation.[3]

Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission
Agency overview
FormedMay 31, 1937 (1937-05-31)
Preceding
  • Philadelphia and Lancaster Turnpike Company
JurisdictionCommonwealth of Pennsylvania
HeadquartersHarrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States
Employees2,029[1]
Annual budget$399.6 million[2]
Agency executives
Websitewww.paturnpike.com

In addition to the Pennsylvania Turnpike, the commission also operates the James E. Ross Highway, Amos K. Hutchinson Bypass, Mon/Fayette Expressway and Pittsburgh's Southern Beltway, the latter two of which are currently under construction.[4][5]

The PTC is the only transportation agency in Pennsylvania that is not part of PennDOT, though it does follow current PennDOT policies and procedures. Mark Compton is the current CEO.

Legislation in the Pennsylvania General Assembly is currently pending that would fold the PTC into PennDOT, with PennDOT appointing a Deputy Secretary to run the toll roads in the state. Such a move would be done for efficiency and cost reasons, as well as to cut down on the government bureaucracy.[6]

History

The PTC was established by law on May 21, 1937, when Pennsylvania Governor George Earle signed Act 211 into law. The first commissioners were named on June 4 of the same year.[7]

On April 28, 2010, Governor Ed Rendell proposed that the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission would be merged into the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. A special session of the state legislature voted on this issue on May 4.[8] On August 26, 2010, PennDOT told the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission that they needed to pay them $118 million for public transit funding provided by Act 44 or PennDOT would have veto power over the Turnpike Commission's decisions.[9]

In March 2019, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission approved a $2 million study regarding a proposed hyperloop system in Pennsylvania. The commission hired the multinational engineering firm AECOM to perform the study, which will examine the impact such a system will have on the turnpike's operation, as well as regulatory and environmental concerns.[10]

Highways

The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission finances, operates and maintains the following highways:

  • The Pennsylvania Turnpike mainline across southern Pennsylvania, signed as Interstates 70, 76, 276 and 95.
  • The Pennsylvania Turnpike's Northeast Extension across eastern Pennsylvania, signed as Interstate 476.
  • The James E. Ross Highway in western Pennsylvania, signed as Interstate 376.
  • The Amos K. Hutchinson Bypass in western Pennsylvania, signed as Pennsylvania Route 66.
  • The Mon/Fayette Expressway in western Pennsylvania, signed as Pennsylvania Route 43.
  • The Southern Beltway in western Pennsylvania, signed as Pennsylvania Route 576. At some point in the future, the bypass is expected to be signed as Interstate 576.

See also

References
  1. "Comprehensive Annual Financial Report Fiscal Years Ended May 31, 2017 and 2016 With Independent Auditor's Report" (PDF). Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. 2017. p. 128. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  2. "Comprehensive Annual Financial Report Fiscal Years Ended May 31, 2017 and 2016 With Independent Auditor's Report" (PDF). Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. 2017. p. 3. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  3. "Turnpike Officials". www.paturnpike.com. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  4. Blazina, Ed (26 March 2018). "Turnpike awards $37.8 million contract for next segment of Southern Beltway". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  5. Blazina, Ed (7 November 2017). "Turnpike moves ahead with final design of Mon-Fayette Expressway". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  6. Kennedy, Pete (22 July 2012). "Who does the PTC answer to anyway?". Malvern, PA Patch. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  7. Kitsko, Jeffery J. "Pennsylvania Highways: Pennsylvania Turnpike". www.pahighways.com. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  8. Bumsted, Brad (29 April 2010). "Turnpike Commission, PennDOT merger eyed". TribLIVE.com. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  9. DiStefano, Joseph N. (26 August 2010). "PennDOT to Turnpike: Pay $118 million or we're taking over". Philly.com. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  10. "PA Turnpike approves $2m Pittsburgh-Philly hyperloop study". LebTown. March 9, 2019. Retrieved March 13, 2019.
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