Why Are Pennsylvania’s Roads SO BAD??

April 28, 2022, 03:33 PM

92fstech

It's nothing new. Growing up we lived in Ohio for a while, and my grandparents were in the Johnstown area of western PA. Dad would always complain about driving there because the roads were so bad, and he wasn't wrong. Narrow, no shoulder, and horrible condition. You could always tell in the back when we crossed the state line because stuff would start getting bounced around in the car.

For what they charge for tolls on that dang turnpike, you'd think they could upkeep the road surface a little better. Last time I came through there with a trailer I think I paid more in tolls than I did in gas, and I was only getting 12 mpg

!

As far as police funding in PA, you guys have one of the weirdest law enforcement systems I've encountered anywhere. I was in Pittsburgh last year for training, and one of the local guys tried explaining to me how things work. He said that particular county has something like 75 LE agencies, primarily township by township, but some townships contract to police adjoining townships, or sometimes the county or state do it. He told me that most guys starting out can't get full-time employment anywhere, and often have to work for 2 or 3 different small township agencies at once to make ends meet. He said at one point he was working for 3 different agencies and regularly would get scheduled back to back to back and work 36 hours straight. It's a wonder you guys can get anybody to agree to be cops there

April 28, 2022, 03:47 PM

PASig

quote:
Originally posted by

"New England" included both New York and New Jersey.

flashguy

That can’t be right.

Not sure about New York but New Jersey has never been considered a part of New England.

ETA: NY/PA/NJ/DE were known as the Middle Colonies in Colonial times and became known as the Mid-Atlantic states

April 28, 2022, 05:37 PM

Lt CHEG

quote:
Originally posted by flashguy:
quote:
Originally posted by Chris42:
Found here: blog.cubitplanning.com dated 2019

Titled: Road miles by state: Sorted from the most to least -

Conn. 45916
Me. 46736
Mass. 77730
NH. 33391
Vt. 29273

Total for New England - 245,710

Total for Pa. - 251,708
Isn't New York part of New England? It's even called "New York" after York, England. When I was in school (a long time ago) "New England" included both New York and New Jersey.

flashguy

Strangely enough, NY is not considered part of New England, which always confused me too.

The road mileage tally did leave out Rhode Island though, which appears to have over 12,000 miles of roads. So New England does have slightly more miles than PA, but admittedly not by a lot.

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

April 28, 2022, 06:06 PM

shovelhead

Besides having the highest weight limit in the nation we have a geography problem here. Much of lower Michigan is built atop swampland and a high water table with clay based soils.

In the mid 1800’s when the Capitol was moved from Detroit to Lansing questions were asked why to the middle of a swamp? In fact to facilitate year round travel from Detroit the road today known as Grand River Avenue,old U.S.16 which was an old Indian trail was made into a plank road.

April 28, 2022, 06:13 PM

barryinpa

in one word penndot
Barry

April 28, 2022, 10:17 PM

Chris42

quote:
Originally posted by Lt CHEG:

The road mileage tally did leave out Rhode Island though, which appears to have over 12,000 miles of roads. So New England does have slightly more miles than PA, but admittedly not by a lot.

Lt CHEG - You are correct that I missed listing Rhode Island (12,664 miles of roads) as one of the states, but when I did the math the number (for RI) was included in the New England totals. So the 245,710 for New England is still accurate. And the number for PA, 251,708 is still accurate as well.

Glad you caught that detail. Sorry Rhode Island, I really did include you…..

April 29, 2022, 10:54 AM

ridewv

quote:
Originally posted by shovelhead:
Besides having the highest weight limit in the nation we have a geography problem here. Much of lower Michigan is built atop swampland and a high water table with clay based soils.

Yes but in Michigan look at all the axles the trucks spread the weight over. I don't think I've ever seen a tractor trailer combo, or dump truck, with over 6 axles, generally just 5, here in WV. Maybe because of all the tight corners.