Oct 20, 2014 2 min read

I was glad when PennDOT elevated I-79 north, and eliminated that awful hairpin turn at the junction of I-79 north and I-70 west. I wasn’t glad when they neglected to erect merge signs or yield signs at the point where I-79 north and I-70 west becomes one road. Drivers on I-79 north believed that they had the right of way. At the same time, drivers on I-70 west believed that they had the right of way. This is the point where drivers on I-70 west are usually forced into the left lane to avoid an accident with vehicles on I-79 north. I thought maybe the brain trust at PennDOT had overlooked it and the signs were still to come.

Now, construction is happening at this very point. The speed limit has been reduced to 45 mph in the construction zone, and they have replaced the dotted white line on I-70 west with a solid white line. This now means that when you are on I-70 west and someone approaches from I-79 north and refuses to yield, you must come to a near stop on the highway, because if you cross that solid white line in a construction zone you are breaking the law. You can no longer abandon the right lane on I-70 west and head left to avoid an accident.

Can anyone tell me if there is a brain trust at PennDOT?

Pamela DeCesaris

Scenery Hill