More 70 mph zones coming to Pa. highways

An increased speed limit of 70 mph went into effect today on a 100-mile stretch of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, and motorists will be able to drive at that speed on other highways next month.

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation said today that 70 mph pilot projects will go into effect the week of Aug. 11 on Interstate 80 and Interstate 380.

The 70 mph zone on I-80 will run 88 miles between Exit 101 in DuBois to mile maker 189 in Clinton County. The I-380 stretch will cover the 21 miles from Interstate 84 in Lackawanna County to Exit 3 in Monroe County.

Beginning today, drivers on the Pennsylvania Turnpike can go 70 mph between the Blue Mountain and Morgantown exits in the south-central part of the state.

PennDOT says it will use the data from the pilot projects to evaluate whether other 65 mph highways can have speeds increased to 70 mph next spring or summer.

If the pilot goes well, "the remainder of the Turnpike will switch over to 70 mph speed where appropriate and safe next spring," Turnpike CEO Mark Compton said in a statement.