Is the tunnel fully functional? I know there was a tragic accident with something falling from the ceiling that resulted in a death last month. Are they working on it and are there lane closings? Would you recommend an alternant route? Heading to Media PA from central PA
Going to visit grandkids this weekend for Easter and need to use the NE Extention.
- Thread starter therod
- Start date
I remember Wilkes-Barre as a thriving city when I was a kid. The whole area was alive. Not any more. Just my opinion!
Article about the incident at THIS LINK.
From the article, dated 2/26:
"The investigation probably will be complete by Wednesday, and a preliminary report could be done in two to four weeks, he said. The final report, with recommendations, could take a year."
Also, the most recent PA Turnpike construction schedule is available at THIS LINK.
From the schedule:
LEHIGH TUNNEL LIGHTING
OCCASIONAL LANE CLOSURES
8:00 PM - 6:00 AM, SUNDAY
6:00 PM - 6:00 AM, MONDAY THRU THURSDAY
8:00 PM - 10:00 AM, FRIDAY
NOON - 10:00 AM, SATURDAY
NOTE: CROSSOVER TRAFFIC PATTERNS WILL BE EXPERIENCED DURING THE ABOVE WORKING HOURS.
NOTE: TRAFFIC STOPPAGES &/OR PACES MAY OCCUR FOR CONSTRUCTION.
Wow, Tom is a full service moderator!!!
And you are welcome to your opinion. I enjoy the area, and I know there are a few more posters from this area. There are great restaurants, it is close to Philly, NYC and State College, and has great outdoor opportunities. It is FAR from perfect, but I have called it home since about 1977. I do wish the drive to PSU was a bit shorter, 2 hours isn't far but isn't exactly close either.
Bonus points for anyone who can name the tiny little area just on the north side of the Blue Mountain immediately after the tunnel.
Kind of a trick question. Technically you are in East Penn township when you come out of the tunnel. Do you mean Bowmanstown which is across the river from the Pike?
If this is what we have to look forward to, it's going to be a looonnnnggg off-season.
The link to wrestling is simple. We are true fans of Penn State wrestling and as a part of a community such as this, we like to help each other out. I truly appreciated the info. on the Lehigh tunnel. As far as the trivia questions, I like light hearted challenges.
Iowa wrestler Burke Paddock hiked the AT, and maybe when he was hiking over the tunnel he was thinking about his match with Gino Morelli at University Nationals?
So, when I was driving through PA this summer on vacation, is the tunnel that everyone is referring to the one that had "Allegheny Mountain" in the title of it, or something to that effect? I wasn't expecting it and it threw me for a loop, and then threw me for another loop that it was as LONG as it was.
And, by the way, speaking of Easter, it obviously falls on April Fool's thus year.
So, tell the young ones that the Easter bunny is real.
So, tell the young ones that the Easter bunny is real.
No, that tunnel is in west central PA on the eat west part of the turnpike. The one we are talking about in eastern PA on the NE extension of the turnpike. Just north of Allentown. It isn’t that long.
No. You would have been closer if you said Lehigh Gap.
But that's west of the tunnel, not north.
There is no such place
It is Kittatinny. Lizard Creek does run along the north side of the Blue Mountain.
Interesting. Jim Thorpe born and raised and never knew that little cluster of houses was called that.
And I think they actually have lehighton addresses. West bowmanstown being lehighton. East being Palmerton.
The tunnel has always looked like crap. I thought they were supposed to fix all the loose/missing tiles after the new tube opened...but they never did.
The original tunnel sure isn't the prettiest but it sure beats the days of sailing through that tunnel with oncoming traffic. Couldn't wait to get through there.
The opposing traffic never bothered me in the original tunnel. However, the huge backups, in both directions, on holiday weekends (and later on more than just holiday weekends) were a royal PITA. I'm so glad they added the 2nd tunnel.
Growing up on 895 always remember seeing the traffic backed up south bound as far as we could see from Bowmanstown. Sunday evenings it looked like an RV/camper lot.
