Ways to Take Advantage of the PA Turnpike This Summer
Middletown, PA — As summer heats up, travelers can take advantage of benefits along the Pennsylvania Turnpike (PA Turnpike) beyond using the roadway as their safe and reliable connection to their summer destinations. Here are some things to see and note while heading onto America’s first superhighway this summer:
Additional Parking for Trucks: Over the past five years, there has been an 15% in commercial traffic. To accommodate the growing number of truckers who choose the Pennsylvania Turnpike, there will be new truck parking. There will be 63 more trucking spots at Sideling Hill, 77 at Lawn and 26 at Highspire service plazas. The additional parking is available now at Lawn, with Sideling Hill being complete by early Fall. The PA Turnpike will continue to provide alerts on parking availability on the Dynamic Message Sign (DMS), or large electronic message signs placed along the roadway. These signs provide updates between 5 p.m. and 2 a.m. each day near nine of the PA Turnpike’s service plazas. Truckers can also take advantage of the tire inflation pumps at all locations.
Discounted Parking Day at Hersheypark: On Thursday, June 20, Hersheypark enthusiasts and E-ZPass holders will only pay $20 to park, a $15 savings, when they show their PA E-Z Pass. While at the park, check out the Sunoco Twin Turnpike-Speedway sponsored by the PA Turnpike. Guests of all height categories can cruise along the Twin Turnpike, which was designed to mimic the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Guests can also participate in Turnpike Bingo while they wait to ride for Twin Turnpike, located in theKissing Tower Hill℠.
Farmers’ Markets: Through November, travelers can purchase locally-grown fresh produce and Pennsylvania-produced agricultural products seven days a week at the New Stanton Service Plaza.
New Pollinator Habitat: As part of its commitment to sustainability, the Pennsylvania Turnpike has added its sixth pollinator habitat along the roadway at the Allentown Service Plaza. This 7.5 acres plot was just seeded this week and will provide habitat, food, egg laying, and travel corridors to larger habitats. While it takes time to see positive results, travelers can expect to see the early stages of a pollinator habitat forming this summer. Compare it to other more established sites along the PA Turnpike, including Hickory Run Service Plaza, the PA Turnpike Administration Building (near Milepost 247), Harrisburg West Interchange, Irwin Interchange and Bensalem Interchange.
Pet Walking Areas: Although not a new feature this summer, pet walking areas are a popular feature for travelers looking to meet their pets’ walking needs. The PA Turnpike provides pet stations with free baggies and designated waste receptacles for clean environments and responsible waste disposal habits.
Sideling Hill Service Plaza Parking Expansion and Trailhead Project: The Pennsylvania Turnpike is expanding its Sideling Hill Service Plaza to provide additional parking areas for customers and access to a popular outdoor recreation area. While the Trailhead Project is not yet finished or accessible, travelers this summer will see the Sideling Hill Trailhead nearly complete. When it opens in Summer/Fall of 2025, the Sideling Hill Trailhead will serve as a connection to more than 600 miles of trails within a 25-mile radius of the plaza and feature additional amenities geared toward outdoor enthusiasts, including bike racks, bike repair stations, and a bike wash station. This supports the work currently underway by Bedford-Fulton Joint Recreation Authority to convert the abandoned turnpike roadway including the Sideling Hill and Rays Hill tunnels into a bike/pedestrian trail known as the Pike2Bike Trail or The Old PA Pike Trail (TOPP Trail).
And, as you take to the road, ramp up for summer travel with these tips and tools.
A national transportation leader, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) is the second largest tolling facility in the United States with the most miles and offers 24-7 roadside assistance, a dedicated maintenance force, 17 service plazas for safety and convenience, and a dedicated State Police Troop. PTC proudly works hard each day to support the roughly 550,000 daily customers who choose to use our roadway for a variety of reasons, including convenience, value and safety. Our 1,400 local workforce is unified through one mission; to operate a safe, reliable, customer-valued toll road system that supports national mobility and commerce.
For more information about PTC's mission and projects, please visit Home | PA Turnpike.
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EDITOR’S NOTE:
- Video for the story featuring truck parking, pet areas, pollinator habitat, and the Sideling Hill project can be found here (A download link can be found in the information tab).
- Pictures are available to download here until June 20.
Media Contacts:
Marissa Orbanek, 267.408.5151
Crispin Havener, .717.870.2841
