The “Tunnel Highway”
Construction on the new Turnpike, funded by bond
issues as well as a large grant from the Works
Projects Administration, began in 1937. The highway
officially opened on October 1, 1940, although anyone
who has traveled from Mount Hope to the Pittsburgh
Renaissance Festival near New Stanton knows, it is
still very much under construction.
Abandoned Turnpike
There is a 13-mile stretch of the Turnpike, east of the
Breezewood exit, that was bypassed in 1968, and is
still there, closed to traffic and abandoned.
This
includes three tunnels and a travel plaza, now
accessible only to bikers, hikers and other outdoor
adventures, with an 8.5 mile stretch owned by the
Southern Alleghenies Conservancy.
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