Ten Lonesome Miles: The Abandoned PA Turnpike

Once a turnpike, now Mecca to road geeks.

This stretch of the 'Pike was abandoned in 1968, after the Department of Highways bypassed it to alleviate traffic problems. Much of the turnpike is barely recognizable as a former major highway; the top level of pavement is gone in many places, and the paint has disappeared. While the Southern Alleghenies Conservancy (SAC) bought the highway in 2001 for a single dollar, it hasn't done much with the site, as funding has been hard to obtain.





After walking for a little while, we came upon this tiny, well-paved lane. Of course, this isn't original -- it was paved in the '80s as a Safety Testing and Research (STAR) facility.



One of the first rumble strips.



There's a small overpass near Ray's Hill tunnel.







Ray's Hill, the shortest accessible tunnel at 3,500 feet long.















It was cold in the tunnel, enough that we could see our breath.





There was a ventilation room on either end of the tunnel. These are from the far end of the tunnel, where the door was open.



Finally, our favorite bit of graffiti from the trip. "Only wissy ride bike through here."

We would've loved to have seen the entire abandoned PA turnpike, but neither of us had the energy to walk 20 miles in a single day. Maybe some day we'll come back -- with bikes -- and ride it all.

For more info on the Turnpike, Ray Plazek has an excellent FAQ and some good pictures as well. Ross Sieber has an incredible photoset, exploring seemingly every angle the abandoned turnpike has to offer.