I-99 Opening Up

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Rick
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I-99 Opening Up

Post by Rick »

Tick...tick...tick... Image
Centre Daily Times wrote: Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2007
Opening of most of I-99 slated for Thursday
By Mike Joseph

All northbound lanes of Interstate 99 will open to traffic sometime after the morning rush hour on Thursday, Dec 13, the state Department of Transportation announced this morning.

Both southbound I-99 lanes from Port Matilda to Bald Eagle will open at the same time, PennDOT said. As motorists approach Skytop from the Altoona, Philipsburg and Port Matilda areas, the two northbound lanes will narrow to one lane, with traffic merging back onto current U.S. Route 322.

Both southbound lanes from the Port Matilda interchange to Bald Eagle will also open. Southbound lanes in the Skytop area will remain closed to daily traffic but will continue to be used by construction vehicles.

Route 322 along Skytop will remain open for local traffic and access to businesses.

PennDOT said it anticipates that all signs for the new roadway will be in place by Thursday.
http://www.centredaily.com/news/local/story/285749.html
Altoona Mirror wrote: "I-99 section to open Thursday"

CLEARFIELD -- PennDOT District 2 will open all northbound lanes of Interstate 99 to traffic on Thursday after the morning rush hour.
At that time, southbound lanes from Port Matilda to Bald Eagle will also open.
As motorists approach Skytop, the two northbound lanes will narrow to one lane, with traffic merging back onto current Route 322.
Both southbound lanes from the Port Matilda interchange to Bald Eagle will also open.
Southbound lanes in the Skytop area will remain closed to daily traffic but will continue to be used by construction vehicles.
Route 322 along Skytop will remain open for local traffic and access to businesses.
Mirror reporters are working on a story for Wednesday's paper.
http://www.altoonamirror.com/page/conte ... ml?nav=742
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150thBucktailCo.I
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Re: I-99 Opening Up

Post by 150thBucktailCo.I »

About $400 million for an approximate 17 mile stretch.

Great, efficient work by PennDOT and their contractors.

:roll:
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Re: I-99 Opening Up

Post by Rick »

150thBucktailCo.I wrote:About $400 million for an approximate 17 mile stretch.

Great, efficient work by PennDOT and their contractors.

:roll:

hmmmm... that's 68 quarter miles..... :bluebounce:
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Re: I-99 Opening Up

Post by Blain »

PennDot knew there was a snowstorm coming, yet were unprepared and thus didn't open the new section of I-99. Once they do open it, what are they going to do, close it when we have bad weather?

These excuses are starting to wear thin. Something doesn't smell quite right - and it's not the junkyard on old route 220 that I'm smelling this time.
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Re: I-99 Opening Up

Post by anne onimous1 »

Blaine, Just a new traffic pattern, no bad smell...The worst time to open a new stretch of highway would be when folks didn't know where they were going+ bad weather!!!!!!!
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Re: I-99 Opening Up

Post by anne onimous1 »

I LOVE Blaine!!!!!!!! :hail:
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Re: I-99 Opening Up

Post by Bill Latchford »

I travel to State College everyday, and feel that they should leave I-99 closed until it is complete. The way they have it coming onto Sky Top is a disaster waiting to happen. Not sure why they are willing to risk opening a new section of highway in the winter time when it is not even complete. I have been driving Old 220 for 7 years and can wait another year for it to be finished properly.
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Re: I-99 Opening Up

Post by My2Cents »

Bill Latchford wrote:I travel to State College everyday, and feel that they should leave I-99 closed until it is complete. The way they have it coming onto Sky Top is a disaster waiting to happen. Not sure why they are willing to risk opening a new section of highway in the winter time when it is not even complete. I have been driving Old 220 for 7 years and can wait another year for it to be finished properly.
I agree Bill !!! We can't stand another whole year of waiting though !!! However, that is a disaster waiting to happen right there where I99 feeds onto 322. Not good !!! :eek:
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Re: I-99 Opening Up

Post by anne onimous1 »

Bill Latchford wrote:I travel to State College everyday, and feel that they should leave I-99 closed until it is complete. The way they have it coming onto Sky Top is a disaster waiting to happen. Not sure why they are willing to risk opening a new section of highway in the winter time when it is not even complete. I have been driving Old 220 for 7 years and can wait another year for it to be finished properly.
And anyone should care about your daily living....I think not....
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Re: I-99 Opening Up

Post by DonkeyHoagie »

Not to worry folks!
PennDOT has a secret weapon...
viewtopic.php?f=4&t=874
Jerry, I know myself. And if I'm on the streets, and it starts to go down, I don't back off, until it's finished.
http://www.dotpenn.com
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Re: I-99 Opening Up

Post by My2Cents »

OMG .... !!! :rofl:
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Re: I-99 Opening Up

Post by kenziesmom »

anne onimous1 wrote:
Bill Latchford wrote:I travel to State College everyday, and feel that they should leave I-99 closed until it is complete. The way they have it coming onto Sky Top is a disaster waiting to happen. Not sure why they are willing to risk opening a new section of highway in the winter time when it is not even complete. I have been driving Old 220 for 7 years and can wait another year for it to be finished properly.
And anyone should care about your daily living....I think not....

Anne onimous1.....how insensitive can you be???? :nuts: I am Bill's wife and travel with him. I'll have you know that we have our 3 year old daughter commutes with us daily on that horrible road. How dare you be so cruel! You should really think before you type and attack him so rudely like you do! You even try to hide it on different discussion topics (I-99, Restaurant Inspections)!!!! You don't even have the guts to tell who you are on this board. You hide behind your stupid name!!! What don't you try growing up and learning some respect and having compassion for the fellow human being you share this world with. I've seen other kids traveling this road as well! You obiviously have no clue how many people travel and how many people are injured or killed on that road!!!! Maybe you wouldn't care if Bill and his family were hurt/killed in an accident on the way to or from State College, but you should keep that to yourself! :stick: You're only belittling yourself. No one even responded to your CRUEL post. It's a shame how you act on here. You should be ashamed of yourself ANNE!!!!! :mob:
"A daughter is the most precious gift I've ever received." ~Author Unknown
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150thBucktailCo.I
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Re: I-99 Opening Up

Post by 150thBucktailCo.I »

Rep. Rick Geist - Altoona - (Mr. GOP State Representative and Transportation Chairman for nearly 30 years during whose tenure the state's highway infrastructure has completely crumbled) wants that I-99 opened so "people stop dying on 220". (His favorite catch-phrase when referencing the I-99 project) It wouldn't have looked very good if the first day they opened it up that someone would've gotten killed.

Especially since rumor is that Mr. Geist would like to have his name on a sign for the portion of the highway from Bald Eagle to I-80, much like Bud Shuster has.

Of course, given the elevation and location of the new roadway, if it doesn't end up being like Rt. 22 near Cresson or I-80 in the Penfield area when bad weather occurs, I'll be surprised.

Also, I heard that for the majority of the new road when it opens, I-99 North will be kept to one lane only until fully completed. Anyone else know anything about that?
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Re: I-99 Opening Up

Post by Blain »

Bill Latchford wrote:I travel to State College everyday, and feel that they should leave I-99 closed until it is complete. The way they have it coming onto Sky Top is a disaster waiting to happen. Not sure why they are willing to risk opening a new section of highway in the winter time when it is not even complete. I have been driving Old 220 for 7 years and can wait another year for it to be finished properly.
Do you think the merge point of Route 322 and I99 at Skytop will be more dangerous than the nine mile stretch of old 220 between Bald Eagle and Port Matilda, a road with multiple fatalities over the last several years?

It would be silly to have a long section of completed highway remain closed.
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Re: I-99 Opening Up

Post by Bill Latchford »

Actually I do think it will add a new danger to the whole process...Maybe not as much a fatality factor as it will be another junction on a road that needs no more. I see people dodging traffic everyday at 550 and 220 and this will be even worse. I am mainly talking about the rush hour traffic times. Yes it is the same amount of traffic, but you have all those that want to move swiftly from Altoona, Tyrone , and the like only to slam on the brakes at this merge site. I sense many lengthy delays due to fender benders and the like. I am only saying this from experience...The impatient driver will be trying to merge on and it will create havoc. During the day it will be a prayer answered to those wanting to get from point A to point B swiftly. If it were spring or summer time, maybe this would work better, but starting of winter...a mistake in my eye...Hey I am only one person...we will just have to see how it goes. I for one will be praying for everyone to just be safe.
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